Accidents happen, so capturing your daily drive on video can go a long way towards protecting yourself if something goes awry. Dash cams are handy for recording everything that happens in front of you, although some dash cams also preserve the action behind your car and inside the cabin as well. Some of the best dash cams, like the Vantrue N4, our pick for best dash cam overall, also offer GPS tracking and other security and safety features, like crash detection.
The best dash cams offer safety and security features while the vehicle is in motion and when it’s … [+] parked.
Illustration: Forbes, Photos: Retailers
A dash cam also offers a great way to potentially lower your insurance premiums and give you added peace of mind—especially if you ever get into an accident or your vehicle gets broken into. Plus, if you ever want to add some road footage to your travel vlog, a dash cam offers a convenient and hands-free way to record it.
Dash cams have become a must-have vehicle accessory for Uber and Lyft drivers, but more casual motorists are finding them essential as well. Below are our recommendations for the best dash cams currently available.
Resolution: 4K (front), 1080p (rear and inside) | Field of view: 155-degrees | Internal storage: microSD memory card | Cloud storage: No | Automatic incident detection: Yes | Display size: 2.45-inches
Best for: Recording what’s happening in front of, behind and inside your vehicle.
The Vantrue’s setup offers three separate cameras to simultaneously record what’s happening in front of, behind and inside your vehicle—all in high resolution and with night vision. Built into the camera is a handy time lapse feature that saves storage space on the memory card.
The main drawback with this dash cam? You’ll need to purchase the GPS module separately, and it’s required if you want to record location, route and speed data with video content. The suction mount makes installation easy. For ongoing security, there’s a Parking Mode that activates whenever you leave your vehicle. This dash cam is a great option for ride share drivers.
Best for: Recording forward-facing driving and reviewing the footage from your phone.
This compact dash cam has an understated design but an impressive 180-degree FOV. Its 1440p resolution doesn’t quite match the 4K resolution dash cams, but it’s still plenty high for capturing clear video. The backside features a two-inch display for watching stored and live footage as well as easily navigating through menus via the four side buttons. It also offers voice control, making it easy to control the dash cam while you’re driving without taking your eyes off the road.
GPS and live image analysis give you warnings if you’re drifting out of your lane or are sitting too long at a green light, for example. Comprehensive image stabilization means all your recorded footage will appear smooth. The Garmin 67W dash cam supports Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making it easy to offload recorded videos to your phone. One of its great features, Parking Guard, immediately pings your phone if an incident pertaining to your vehicle is detected while the car is parked.
Pros:
Excellent field of view
Parking Guard feature monitors your car while it’s parked
Compact design
Cons:
Requires a monthly fee for extended cloud-based storage
Best for: Subtle safety while driving and protecting your vehicle when it’s parked.
Some dash cams can feel large and bulky, if not actively intrusive and obtrusive. Not only can this be an eyesore to some drivers, but it can make the camera a target for thieves who may want to hide their tracks when breaking into your vehicle. Stealthy dash cams, like the Thinkware Q1000, are less noticeable to both the driver and anyone else peering in from the outside.
With no screen and a shallow profile, you can tuck this camera behind your vehicle’s rearview mirror. Unless you’re actively looking for it, it’ll be hard to spot. The optional rear-facing camera is even smaller.
The Q1000 provides 2K resolution and a broad 156-degree FOV, giving you a great view of everything it records and a much sharper picture than traditional 1080p dash cams. This dash cam comes with the option of cloud connectivity and it tags video with GPS and speed data to add extra context to everything on-screen. It also analyzes footage in real time to give you warnings about driving too close to the car in front of you, leaving your lane, or when there’s an upcoming red light or speed camera.
Best for: Drivers who want top features like 4K recording and extra vehicle security when parked.
The Nextbase 622GW offers some of the best dash cam functionality you’ll find in a single package. You get crystal clear 4K video recording along with support for 5GHz Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0. Built into the device is a three-inch touchscreen.
Together, the two included cameras offer amazing image quality, working just as well on clear days as they do during poor weather conditions or at night. The 4K footage alone is excellent, but be mindful that the rear camera is limited to 1080p. It also has a built-in Super Slow Motion setting to slow everything down to 120fps for greater moment-by-moment clarity.
The Nextbase 622GW also includes an innovative SOS accident and emergency feature. The camera doesn’t just detect when you’ve had an accident—it also contacts emergency services on your behalf. This feature is free for the first six months and then costs a monthly fee.
Pros:
Impressive 4K resolution camera
Very compact design
Multiple safety features while driving
Cons:
Expensive
Extra features will cost you
Best Budget Dash Cam
Add A Dash Cam To Your Vehicle For Just $80
Amazon
Vantrue N1 Pro Mini Dash Cam
Resolution: 1080p | Field of view: 160-degrees | Internal storage: microSD memory card | Cloud storage: No | Automatic incident detection: Yes | Display size: 1.5-inches
Best for: Affordable and compact recording (with audio) while driving or when parked.
In addition to providing clear, 1080p video, this camera simultaneously records audio and offers night vision—all in a compact design. The camera is designed to record license places and road signs in addition to whatever is happening in front of the vehicle. While driving, the dash cam offers collision detection and recording. When parked, it continues protecting the vehicle by recording any movement in or around it.
If the Vantrue detects a collision, the recorded video automatically locks to prevent it from accidentally being overwritten or deleted. Like others on our list, you’ll have to pay for the GPS module separately, and it’s required for recording speed, location and route. The dash cam easily mounts on either the dashboard or windshield.
Pros:
1080p front-facing camera with night vision
Offers time laps recording option
Collision detection and parking monitor
Cons:
GPS functionality requires optional add-on
Hardwire kit sold separately
Best 4K Resolution Dash Cam
Mount And Dismount This Camera Quickly And Easily
Best Buy
Kenwood DRV-A601W 4K Dash Cam
Resolution: 4K | Field of view: 120-degrees | Internal storage: microSD memory card | Cloud storage: No | Automatic incident detection: Yes | Display size: 3-inches
Best for: Easily removing the camera from your dashboard when needed.
The Kenwood A601W supports 4K video recording and offers Wi-Fi connectivity to seamlessly integrate with your mobile device. The camera also utilizes HDR to improve visual clarity in high contrast lighting situations. Where this dash cam really stands out, however, is with its mounting solution. The A601W comes with a quick-release magnetic mount that lets you detach the camera from its attachment arm using just one hand. The mounting arm attaches to your windshield using a suction cup or adhesive pad.
The three-axis G Sensor and GPS receiver combine to offer reliable crash and impact detection, tagging the recorded footage with exact location and speed data.
Pros:
Nicely priced for a 4K resolution camera
Quick-release magnetic mount
3-inch touchscreen display
Cons:
Does not offer a rear camera
Smaller field of view than competitors
Best Compact Dash Cam
Capture 1080p Video From A Small Device
BestBuy
Insignia 1080p Dash Camera
Resolution: 1080p | Field of view: 136-degrees | Internal storage: microSD memory card | Cloud storage: No | Automatic incident detection: No | Display size: 2-inches
Best for: Those that want a small, stealthy camera to capture footage.
Not only is the Insignia 1080p Dash Camera extremely affordable, the compact dash cam attaches to your vehicle’s windshield using a suction cup. It then automatically records front-facing, 1080p video while you’re driving. Using G-sensor technology, it can detect collisions and automatically saves and locks the recording for review later. Otherwise, the loop recording feature automatically overwrites old footage to conserve memory card space.
The Insignia 1080p Dash Camera supports a microSD memory card with between an 8GB and 256GB storage capacity. The memory card must be purchased separately.
Pros:
Extremely affordable
Records 1080p front-facing video
Has a collision detect feature that saves video automatically
Cons:
Does not record to the sides or back of your vehicle
Best Always-Connected Dash Cam
Always On 24/7
Amazon
Garmin Dash Cam Live
Resolution: 1440p | Field of view: 140-degrees | Internal storage: No (LTE cellular connectivity required) | Cloud storage: Yes | Automatic incident detection: Yes | Display size: 3-inches LCD
Best for: Continuously recording or remotely viewing what’s happening around your vehicle.
If your vehicle is equipped with its own cellular LTE/Wi-Fi connection, then Garmin’s option can maximize that connectivity with a plethora of smart features. It continuously records 1440p video, 24/7 and uploads the content to the cloud. At the same time, you can view a live video feed from the camera using your phone. Using a microSD memory card, video content can also be stored locally.
The Garmin Dash Cam Live takes advantage of a convenient magnetic mount. It also has built-in GPS, so exact location data will always be included with the recorded video content. When recording, not only does the camera use a 140-degree field of view, it also uses HDR so you’ll get a wide, clear view.
Pros:
Records 1440p video 24/7
Generates forward collision warning and lane departure warnings
Stores video content in the cloud and on a microSD memory card
Cons:
Cellular data internet connection required
How We Chose The Best Dash Cams
We combined research with hands-on testing and experience, and we spoke with product experts and industry leaders to help us determine the products that made the cut. We carefully evaluated each dash cam’s resolution, field of view, internal storage and more. We also paid attention to what sets each dash cam apart from its competition.
What To Consider When Buying A Dash Cam
Aside from affordability, be sure to first determine what you need to record and what you’ll be using the footage for. For example, you’ll want to consider if you’re just recording the front of your car or if you plan on having more substantial coverage with full 360-degree recording. Once you decide how much coverage you want, consider the following features to get the most out of your dash cam.
Day or night, the right dash cam will help protect you and your vehicle.
getty
Resolution
The most important feature of any dash cam is its camera quality and resolution. The cheapest dash cams often have awful video quality, which is largely useless when it comes to insurance claims or tracking down someone who was involved in an accident but didn’t stick around. Make sure the camera you’re buying offers at least 1080p resolution. Higher resolution options are available if you want crisper video for noting finer details, like drivers’ faces or license plates.
Night Vision
Night vision is a good feature to look for too, especially if you plan to use the dash cam for security when your vehicle is parked. Of course, Night Vision is great if you do a lot of driving at night or often drive in bad weather conditions.
Viewing Angle (Field Of View)
When it comes to dash cams, the viewing angle is the field of view offered by the camera. The greater the field of view (measured in degrees), the better. A high-resolution, forward-facing camera offering a 150-degree or greater field of view will serve you well.
Local Storage
All dash cams use interchangeable memory cards (typically microSD memory cards that are sold separately) to store recorded content locally. Lower-end dash cams will only support memory cards with a small amount of storage. Based on your needs and how much content you want to record and potentially store, make sure the camera is capable of locally storing as much content as you deem necessary.
Most cameras operate using a loop recording technique. This means that recorded content gets overwritten every few minutes, only making something permanent if some kind of event occurs, such as an accident. This ensures that you don’t fill your storage space with useless footage. How much you record and how long the loops are is dependent on the camera’s settings and how much local storage it has.
Cloud Connectivity
It’s also important to consider cloud connectivity for archiving video content. This is a great way to store large amounts of footage. It also guarantees that if your camera is damaged or your car gets stolen, you can still access the footage from a different device. Most dash cams rely on your smartphone’s internet connection to transfer content to the cloud. In some cases, a dash cam will be able to tap into a nearby cellular data network on its own (or use your vehicle’s own Wi-Fi or LTE connectivity), but this is often a feature you’ll need to pay extra for.
Mounting Options
You may also want to find a camera that gets hardwired to your vehicle to guarantee it remains active when the engine is turned off. That said, also pay attention to how a dash cam’s front and rear cameras actually get mounted to your vehicle. The length of the supplied power cord might also be important based on where your dashboard’s connections are located. A suction cup mount for a dash cam is one common option, although many now use 3M removable mounting tape.
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