Editor's Note

• Original review date: November 2022
• Launch price: $199.99 / £169.99 / AU$ n/a
• Official price now: $169.99 / £159.99 / AU$ n/a

Update: March 2024. The Vantrue N2 Pro is dual-view dash cam that records what's happening on the road in front and inside the cabin in Full HD. With no Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, it's a straightforward dash cam that's simple to set up and use. It features in our list of the best dash cams as our top pick for ride-share drives, thanks to its interior recording and reliable video quality. As it's been on the market for a couple of years, the price has dropped since launch. It's also one to watch during seasonal deal events: we saw significant discounts on the N2 Pro during last year's Cyber Monday sales, for example.

Two-minute review

You’re not alone in thinking the Vantrue N2 Pro is a curious-looking dash cam. The angular body with buttons, lenses and design details seemingly scattered across every surface, is unlikely to win many awards on aesthetics alone. But not many of the world's best dash cams are design pieces, so we’re willing to mostly skip over the design of the N2 Pro and instead focus on its features, functions and performance.

Although not attractive, the Vantrue is reasonably compact considering it houses a pair of cameras, plus a TFT display and six buttons used to navigate the operating system. Aimed primarily at taxi and rideshare drivers, this dash cam records forwards out of the windscreen, but also rearwards into the interior – keeping an eye on the traffic, but also on fare-paying passengers, too.

The front-facing camera records at up to 2.5K, which is a resolution of 2560x1440p, at 30 frames per second or 1920x1080p at 60fps, through a 170-degree lens. We say 'up to', because maximum resolution and frame rate are only possible when the rear camera is disabled. Switch the camera to record in both directions at once, and both are capped at 1080p and 30fps; the rear lens has a field-of-view of 140 degrees. 

The interior camera is aided with infrared night vision to help produce a clear, greyscale, view of the driver and their passengers at night. Again, this is very much a dash cam for taxi drivers rather than car owners generally. The secondary camera can be rotated 45 degrees up or down to ensure a good view.

A suction mount is included in the box, which is good news for those who don’t want an adhesive pad forever stuck to their windscreen. This slots into a mount on the top of the dash cam, which then locks into place. It isn't the most elegant mounting system we’ve seen, but it does the job. 

The mount has a USB port of its own, so the dash cam can be powered either via this connection, or directly from its own USB socket. If you're permanently installing the camera in your car, plugging into the windscreen mount makes most sense, as then the cable is closer to the roof lining, into which it can be hidden and routed to the car’s USB port or 12V socket.

That said, a rotating lock used to secure the suction mount takes up a fair bit of space, and because it rotates upwards to the 12 o’clock position, it is likely to touch the roof lining at the top of your windscreen, or the plastic housing of your car’s own forward-facing cameras and sensors. For us, this meant placing the dash cam lower down the windscreen than we’d like, partially blocking our view of the road ahead. Admittedly, our car has a small, shallow windscreen, and owners of larger vehicles shouldn’t have any problems.

A short USB cable, plus a longer cable attached to a 12V lighter socket adapter with integrated USB port, are both included in the box. A microSD card is not included, so you’ll have to provide your own.

Bucking a trend followed by most other dash cams, the Vantrue N2 Pro has no wireless connectivity at all. Although the lack of GPS is disappointing, as this helps to add accurate speed and location data to video recordings, we wonder if some buyers will actually welcome a dash cam that works without first installing a smartphone app. 

There’s no Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, so the camera is entirely self-contained – and crucially, there’s no account creation process and no submission of personal data to Vantrue. You just insert a microSD card, plug the camera in, adjust a few settings via the display, and away you go.

While that will appeal to some buyers, the downside is that footage cannot easily be transferred to a smartphone. Instead, you need to remove the memory card and pop that into your computer or tablet. We’re not convinced this is a total deal-breaker, although removing a pointless cover every time you want to access the SD card is a frustrating design quirk.

Also strange is the button layout, where those for scrolling through the menu system are on the underneath, but the ok/select button is on the front – and for good measure it’s a different shape and color, too. No, we don’t know why either.

Navigating the system is simple enough (pro tip: you’ll want to turn the annoyingly loud button beeps off right away), but don’t be fooled by the GPS setup page. This only works if you buy Vantrue’s GPS-equipped windscreen mount separately. 

We were pleasantly surprised by the video quality of the Vantrue. Setting both cameras to Full HD produced footage that is sharp, clear and smooth, with crucial details like registration plates and street signs easy to read. The interior camera sometimes struggles a little in bright sunlight, with parts of its view washing out, but this is only a small criticism of what was otherwise an impressive performance.

Audio quality is also good, and while most dash cam buyers will likely switch this off in the interests of passenger privacy, taxi drivers could benefit from decent sound if they ever need to provide evidence against misbehaving passengers.

A hardwiring kit is available separately for giving the Vantrue a constant power supply from the car’s battery. Doing this frees up the 12V socket, but also enables the dash cam’s parking mode, which records footage when movement is detected.

There isn’t much more to say about the N2 Pro and, honestly, we think that’s a good thing. Good video quality is far and away the most important dash cam feature, and we’ve often felt some models overwhelm the buyer with too many additional features.

Some consumers will demand Wi-Fi for quickly transferring footage to a smartphone, or Bluetooth for configuring the dash cam via an app. But we suspect many others will like how simple the Vantrue is and, aside from it lacking GPS, we think that simplicity is a good thing.

Should I buy the Vantrue N2 Pro?

Buy it if...

Don't buy if...

Editor's Note

• Original review date: November 2022
• Launch price: $449.99 / £419.99 / AU$749
• Official price now: $449.99 / £419.99 / AU$749

Update: March 2024. Garmin's DriveCam 76 is a feature-packed sat nav and dash cam combo that records the road in Full HD while giving directions. It's an expensive tool and one that's only worth the cost if you'll use all of its features. Still, thanks to its 7-inch display and rich visuals, you'll find it in our best dash cams guide as our top pick for vehicles without a built-in infotainment system. While its official price hasn't dropped since launch, we have seen significant seasonal discounts on the DriveCam 76, so it's worth watching during during events like Amazon Prime Day.

Two-minute review

You’d be forgiven for thinking that dedicated sat navs were a thing of the past, usurped first by integrated systems from car manufacturers, then by smartphones. This may be true for many drivers, but for those who want a navigation system that promises to outshine both car and phone, a dedicated unit can still be the way to go. Especially if you are a habitual road-tripper keen for international adventure, and would rather keep your smartphone hidden safely away from the windshield.

The Garmin DriveCam 76 fits this bill, but also throws in a dash cam. Like the best dash cams, it quietly records the view ahead on every journey, then securely saves footage if a collision is detected or the manual record icon is tapped.

It’s an extension of Garmin’s DriveSmart family of navigation systems, only with a Full HD dash cam attached to the rear of its 7-inch touchscreen display. This addition bumps the price up from $299.99 / £229.99 for the similarly sized DriveSmart 76, to a considerable $449.99 / £419.99 for the DriveCam 76. Check out the Garmin promo codes that could help your buying decision.

The resolution of the TFT panel is 1024 x 600. While that pixel count doesn’t sound too impressive compared to a modern smartphone or tablet of a similar size, it’s absolutely fine for a sat nav. The interface is bright, clear and intuitive, with large icons that are easy to read and tap while on the move. Brightness isn’t adjusted automatically, which is a shame, but it only takes a couple of taps and a swipe to dim the screen so it doesn’t dazzle in the dark.

The DriveCam 76 fits to your windscreen with a suction cup. This clips securely into place with a clamp, and fits to the back of the sat-nav with a ball-and-socket joint that allows for adjustment in every direction. The dash cam lens also adjusts horizontally, and between these two movements you’ll find a position that points the display towards the driver and the camera directly at the road ahead. 

Power comes via a USB-C port and an included 12V lighter socket adapter. There’s 32GB of internal storage, plus a microSD card slot for storing up to 256GB of dash cam recordings; a card is not included in the box. Battery life is a claimed 30 minutes, but in reality this is a device you’ll want to always have plugged in, unless you’re on the shortest of journeys.

Given the large size of this product compared to a regular dash cam, you’ll have to think carefully about placement to avoid blocking your view. Cars with shallow windscreens and integrated displays that stick up from dashboard leave very little space for the DriveCam 76. This review was conducted using a Mazda MX-5, and there really wasn’t enough space to fit the Garmin. Sat between the car’s central mirror and its own display, too much of the windshield was blocked for our liking. Naturally, a larger vehicle, or one with a display positioned differently (or without one at all) should be just fine.

That’s really the point here: the DriveCam 76 is a great addition to older vehicles that lack their own infotainment and navigation systems. As well as mapping and dash cam functionality, the Garmin can show a local weather forecast, in addition to incoming notifications from your smartphone – although you’ll want to switch off everything apart from calls and messages in the system to avoid being notified for absolutely everything. There are also speed camera alerts, plus lane drift and forward collision warnings.

Garmin made a name for itself with excellent mapping systems, and this is where the DriveCam 76 shines brightest. Addresses are easy to input and instructions are loud, clear and well-timed. You can also speak locations to the voice recognition system, summoned by saying ‘Hey Garmin’. Being told street names and landmarks with directions really helps when navigating an unfamiliar area, and the interface switches to a split-screen with graphics to help you take the correct lane at roundabouts and junctions.

Moving to Garmin navigation from Google Maps or Apple Maps takes a bit of acclimatisation. Once you’re tuned into how its instructions are delivered – and what its visual prompts look like – you’ll have no issues at all. It’s arguably a better navigation experience than a smartphone, and only takes some getting used to in the same way as switching from one navigation app to another does.

Live traffic data comes from your phone’s data connection. This is set up by downloading Garmin’s smartphone app and connecting to the DriveCam 76 via Bluetooth. This connection is established automatically after the initial setup. The device also has Wi-Fi, which can connect to your home router for downloading software updates and new mapping databases.

Integrated data from FourSquare and TripAdvisor helps you find places by stating their name instead of their address, but we found this didn’t always work perfectly, with the DriveCam occasionally suggesting an incorrect destination. Some buildings are rendered in 3D to further help with navigation and, when connected to your smartphone’s data connection, live fuel prices are shown at stations along your route. Pair with your phone, and you can also make and receive calls, either by tapping the DriveCam or issuing a voice command.

The built-in dash cam captures footage in Full HD at 30 frames per second. By default, the DriveCam 76 overlays the current time, date and vehicle speed. With HDR and a resolution of 1920 x 1080, video quality is fairly good. Details like road signs and number plates are legible, while exposure is balanced.

Given the DriveCam 76 is partly a dash cam with a massive screen, we liked how it is easy to view recordings (along with a map to show where they took place) on the device itself, rather than having to transfer everything to a phone or computer.

The 140-degree lens is wide enough, but falls short of the 180 degrees of the Garmin Dash Cam 67W. Also counting against the DriveCam is how footage wobbles and distorts, likely due to the stabilisation software trying to iron out bumps in the road. This doesn’t take any detail away, but means footage is worse than from some other Garmin dash cams. This made the dash cam feel like an afterthought, rather than a key feature of what is an expensive and otherwise premium-feeling product.

Should I buy the Garmin DriveCam 76?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Editor's Note

• Original review date: November 2022
• Launch price: From $179.99 / £149.99 / AU$ n/a
• Official price now: From $150 / £120 / AU$ n/a

Update: March 2024. Vantrue's E1 dash cam remains one of the best compact-sized dash cams, ideal for small cars and unobtrusive placement. Despite its diminiutive dimensions, it packs 2.5K video and a neat magnetic mount setup and connection. You'll still find it in our best dash cams guide, although the market is starting to fill with other small dash cams, you're not short of choice here. Now it's been available for some time, it's worth looking out for the E1 on sale, especially during an Amazon Prime Day when we've seen some heavy discounts. 

Vantrue E1: two-minute review

Available in black, red, and blue, the Vantrue E1 is a compact dash cam that features a 2.5K resolution Sony Starvis sensor, voice commands, and an included remote control for manually recording footage. If you're looking for a good-value car camera that has built-in GPS smarts and a magnetic mount, it's one of the best dash cams around.

The E1's magnetic windscreen mount sticks to your screen in the normal way, but then connects to the E1 with a magnet that also carries a data and power connection. That way, the mount is plugged into your car’s 12v socket (or with the optional hardwiring kit), and the camera can easily be removed – handy for taking the E1 into the house to transfer footage, or hiding it if you’re concerned about it being stolen.

The magnetic mount works really well and serves as a secure but convenient way to attach and detach the dash cam. We do wonder, though, if the camera would stay in place after a heavy rear impact.

There’s a second USB-C port on the camera itself. This isn’t for power and is instead for transferring footage to a computer. It’s great that Vantrue is using USB-C, as all too often we find dash cam companies use microUSB or even the aged mini USB connection, making video transfer a pain if you misplace the included cable.

On the rear, there’s a tiny, 1.54-in display and the Vantrue E1's interface is navigated via three buttons on the bottom panel. The screen is just about large enough to help with installing the E1 in the right place, but after that, it serves as a distraction. Instead, you’re best going into the settings page of the Vantrue smartphone app, which connects to the camera via Wi-Fi and switching the display off. The same goes for a blinking green light that shows the E1 is recording.

There’s also an app for PC and Mac that shows precise locational and speed data captured with every video recording, thanks to the E1 having GPS. The app smartly shows exactly where you were on a map during each recording, along with movement on the X, Y, and Z axis of the E1’s G sensor. 

One thing to note with Vantrue’s Mac application is how we had to disable our Mac’s security to install the app, as it couldn’t be checked for malicious software. A Vantrue spokesperson said the company is arranging for its app to be available from Apple’s Mac App Store, but couldn’t offer a timeline for this.

Unusually, the Vantrue E1 comes bundled with a wireless remote control, which can be stuck to your dashboard and has two buttons for manually saving the most recent recording and turning the microphone on or off. Most drivers won’t need this, but if you drive a van or other vehicle with a tall windscreen, where the dash cam and its own buttons might be out of reach, the remote could be useful. Of course, the E1 also automatically saves recordings when it detects a collision.

By default, video is recorded in 2.5K, also known as 2592x1944. It can also record 2560x1440 with HDR, but both of these resolutions are limited to 30 frames per second. We preferred to use 1920x1080 because that is recorded at a smoother 60 frames per second, which retains more detail when paused or viewed slowly – in other words, when working out what caused a collision and who was at fault.

Detailed footage is recorded day and night, with accurate colors and acceptable levels of noise when recording in low light. The E1 would surely benefit from the polarizing filter offered by Vantrue as an optional extra; this screws onto the 160-degree lens and should remove most of the dashboard reflections that partially obscured recordings made on a sunny day.

The voice recognition system is convenient for taking photos, saving footage, and controlling the Wi-Fi and microphone without pressing buttons or reaching for your phone. This currently works in English, Chinese, Japanese, and Russian.

Should I buy the Vantrue E1?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Editor's Note

• Original review date: July 2022
• Launch price: $299.99 / £259.99 / AU$839.99
• Official price now: $219.99 / £ n/a / AU$699

Update: March 2024. Thinkware's X1000 remains one of the most user-friendly dash cams on the market, thanks to its large touchscreen and icon-based user interface. It's simple to set up and, unlike many modern dash cams, you don't need to pair it with a smartphone to access its best features. While the market is very competitive in 2024, the X1000 still claims a spot in our best dash cams guide. As it's been available for a couple of years, the official price has fallen in most regions. It's also worth looking for discounts on the X1000 during seasonal sale events, particularly Amazon Prime Day.

The Thinkware X1000 dash cam is from a brand that really knows its stuff when it comes to capturing video on the go. This model has proved popular with buyers thus far too, and it’s easy to see why. 

There’s everything inside the box, including two cameras, to help you get the best from dash cam monitoring. The downside is that you’ll need to get it hard-wired in to enjoy the best from its potential. But if you don't mind this, or the absence of built-in GPS or Wi-Fi for cloud backups, it's one of the best dash cameras you can buy.

Take a peak inside the box and you’ll find everything you need. There are the two cameras, with one being the front facing unit and the other a smaller rear facing model. You also get the cabling needed to carry out the hard-wiring installation.

While this hard-wiring is doable by a novice, you may find your time and money is better spent getting someone to install it for you. Of course, the big bonus with this route is it’s always ready to go and any cabling can be tucked out of harm’s way.

Usefully, Thinkware also supplies the X1000 with a chunky 32GB microSD card, which can be used as is. Alternatively, you can always add in a larger capacity one if you prefer. Popping that in is easy enough, while getting the camera set up and running can be done using the convenience of a 3.5in touchscreen on the back of the casing. 

There are also the various sticky pads needed to affix the cameras to your preferred surfaces. The quick start guide, meanwhile, proves handy as you’re navigating the installation procedure, though it could do with being more comprehensive. You also get a robust plastic mount for the main camera, which helps to keep it from moving around too much, once it’s in situ.

The unit itself feels nicely put together, as does the rear-facing camera. Using the Thinkware X1000 is also doddle. Once you’ve powered it up, the touchscreen gives you access to all of the core features and functions. 

This works really well, with self-explanatory icons leading you through the tasks. There’s no need to fiddle around with a supporting app either, which might be of particular interest to some users who want a more 'direct action' route with their dash cam.

In terms of performance, the Thinkware X1000 delivers everything you’d expect from a premium dash cam solution. There’s a cracking little Sony IMX335 5.14 Starvis image sensor packed inside the svelte lines of the casing. Working with the lens, the footage proves to be really impressive. 

You have options to tweak capture settings via the touchscreen too, though we found the Thinkware X1000 worked fine right out of the box. It even starts recording without needing any manual input, from the off. This isn't necessarily what everyone wants, mind you.

As for the resulting footage, expect Quad HD 1440p, 2560 x1440 resolution from both cameras and they also both deliver a wide 156-degree field of view, too. 

Results during both harsh light and after dark were impressive, with plenty of crisp detail on show and a decent level of dynamic range thanks to the HDR processing. Overall, we found the results to be impressive in a variety of conditions.

If you take the time to get the Thinkware X1000 hard-wired, you may as well exploit other features and functions in its arsenal. There’s a parking surveillance mode, for example, which detects any unwanted movement around your prized vehicle. 

If you’re looking for even more assistance with vehicle protection then it may be prudent to pick up the additional radar detector companion. Also, an optional GPS accessory is needed if you wish to make use of Thinkware’s lane departure modes.

There's a lot to like about the Thinkware X1000. It’s great that you can be up and running in very little time. If you get Thinkware’s Dash Cam Accessory pack, this model can be plugged into your car via the power socket, which does free you up from being faced with hard wiring. This and the other accessories mentioned do add to the overall cost, however, unless you’ve got an existing DC-in connector that will do the same job. 

The best feature of all, though, is the X1000's ease of use. The touchscreen works well and the menus are intuitive. In this respect, the Thinkware X1000 ticks most of the right boxes, for those who need a front-and-rear model. 

It might lack built-in GPS or Wi-Fi for cloud backups, but if those don't matter to you and your priority is a stress-free, high-performance dash cam, the Thinkware X1000 should be high on your shopping list.

Should I buy the Thinkware X1000?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Editor's Note

• Original review date: June 2022
• Yet to be replaced
• Launch price: $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$229
• Official price now: $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$229

Update: February 2024. Released in September 2021, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 remains our favorite dash cam for buyers on a budget. Of all the options on our list of the best dash cams, we think it offers the most bang for buck overall. You’ll need to look elsewhere for 4K footage and driver assistance features, but if you want a small, straightforward dash cam that’s easy to set up, the Mini 2 is an excellent choice. In our experience, the Mini 2 is a likely target for discounts in seasonal sales. During last November’s Cyber Monday event, for example, its price was reduced to $99.99 by retailers in the US and £99.99 in the UK, representing a meaningful saving. If you’re willing to wait until the next online sales event, such as Amazon’s July Prime Day, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to save money on the Mini 2. Alternatively, if you want an affordable dash cam setup with cameras facing front and rear, we suggest taking a look at the Miofive Dual Dash Cam.

If you want the smallest and more discreet dash cam on the market, then the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is for you. Barely the size of a key fob, the Mini 2 forgoes features like a touchscreen display in favor of being so small it hides neatly behind your car’s rear-view mirror.

Despite its compact size, the Dash Cam Mini 2 records in Full HD at 30 frames per second through a 140-degree lens. This puts it a little behind other, larger members of the Garmin Dash Cam family, which shoot at 1440p through wider, 180-degree lenses. But we feel 1080p is still good enough for a dash cam, especially one that is this compact and competitively priced.

Sticking with design for now, the Dash Cam Mini 2 is remarkably compact. The front houses nothing more than the lens and a ball-and-socket joint which connects to a short arm. This then has an adhesive pad for sticking to the windscreen.

We’re big fans of the magnetic mounts of other Garmin dash cams, but the compact plastic arm here still takes up very little windscreen space and works well. Given how small the Mini 2 is, we suspect most buyers will leave it permanently in place, and only remove it (by popping the ball-and-socket joint apart) when they want to move the camera to another car or access the microSD card.

Speaking of storage, Garmin doesn’t include a memory card in the box, so you’ll need to provide your own. This has to be at least 8GB and the camera supports cards up to 512GB, with Garmin recommending a Class-10 card or faster.

There are just two buttons on the Dash Cam Mini 2. One on the side switches audio recording on and off, while a button on the back saves the most recent section of footage. This button’s location makes it easy to quickly press if you spot an incident ahead. Footage is automatically saved when a collision is detected, but the button is useful for manually saving video of anything else you spot while driving.

The camera comes with a choice of USB cables, one short and one long, plus an adapter for powering the dash cam from a 12V lighter socket. Also included are a pair of adhesive windscreen mounts, making it easy to switch the camera between two vehicles.

Garmin’s smartphone app is called Drive – it's free to download for iOS and Android, and is used to set the camera up. We had no issues connecting our phone to the dash cam – an area where other dash cams can slip up – and used the app to see a live view of the camera, adjust settings, update the firmware, and view recorded footage.

Once set up, there’s no need to use the app again, if you don’t want to. The dash cam quietly gets on with its job, and footage can easily be transferred to your computer or tablet from the microSD card. 

If connected to your phone over Wi-Fi, footage will be automatically uploaded to Garmin’s Vault online storage system. Recordings are stored for 24 hours for free. Or, for $4.99 / £4.99 a month, this time limit can be increased to seven days.

Video quality is very good, considering its size and price tag. It shoots 1080p Full HD with HDR and is captured at 30 frames per second through a 140-degree lens. Details like road signs and vehicle registration plates are clear, and footage remains sharp throughout varying lighting and weather conditions.

We’d have liked the lens to be a little wider, as 140 degrees is really the minimum we’d want from a dash cam. A wider lens would include a view to the sides of the car as well as straight ahead, but this is a relatively small complaint.

A further point against the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is its lack of GPS. Instead, locational data can only be captured if the Mini 2 is synced with a Garmin dash cam that has GPS, via the Drive app. This feature, called Dash Cam Auto Sync, lets you have up to four Garmin dash cams recording at once. While four might be overkill for most motorists, the system makes it easy to pair front and rear cameras together.

A parking mode is available, but requires Garmin’s Constant Power Cable, sold separately, which hard-wires the Mini 2 to your car.

Audio recording is possible, and can be switched on or off with a button on the back of the dash cam. In our experience, this isn’t of much use when recording dash cam footage, and is something your passengers would likely prefer to be disabled.

As well as pressing the button, audio recording can be controlled by speaking to the dash cam. Garmin’s voice control system works pretty well, with the ‘hey Garmin’ command reliably getting its attention. You can then ask the camera to save footage, take a photo, or turn audio recording on/off.

Unlike other models in the Garmin Dash Cam series, there are no driver assistance features with the Mini 2. We don’t mind this, though, as we often find such features more annoying than they are useful.

Overall, the Dash Cam Mini 2 is hard to fault. Instead of overwhelming the user with a bunch of features they’ll seldom use, it is a tiny, simple product that just gets on with the job of being a quality dash cam, with zero distractions.

Should you buy the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

• Check out our guide to the best dash cams you can buy

Editor's Note

• Original review date: June 2022
• Yet to be replaced
• Launch price: $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$229
• Official price now: $129.99 / £119.99 / AU$229

Update: February 2024. Released in September 2021, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 remains our favorite dash cam for buyers on a budget. Of all the options on our list of the best dash cams, we think it offers the most bang for buck overall. You’ll need to look elsewhere for 4K footage and driver assistance features, but if you want a small, straightforward dash cam that’s easy to set up, the Mini 2 is an excellent choice. In our experience, the Mini 2 is a likely target for discounts in seasonal sales. During last November’s Cyber Monday event, for example, its price was reduced to $99.99 by retailers in the US and £99.99 in the UK, representing a meaningful saving. If you’re willing to wait until the next online sales event, such as Amazon’s July Prime Day, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to save money on the Mini 2. Alternatively, if you want an affordable dash cam setup with cameras facing front and rear, we suggest taking a look at the Miofive Dual Dash Cam.

If you want the smallest and more discreet dash cam on the market, then the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is for you. Barely the size of a key fob, the Mini 2 forgoes features like a touchscreen display in favor of being so small it hides neatly behind your car’s rear-view mirror.

Despite its compact size, the Dash Cam Mini 2 records in Full HD at 30 frames per second through a 140-degree lens. This puts it a little behind other, larger members of the Garmin Dash Cam family, which shoot at 1440p through wider, 180-degree lenses. But we feel 1080p is still good enough for a dash cam, especially one that is this compact and competitively priced.

Sticking with design for now, the Dash Cam Mini 2 is remarkably compact. The front houses nothing more than the lens and a ball-and-socket joint which connects to a short arm. This then has an adhesive pad for sticking to the windscreen.

We’re big fans of the magnetic mounts of other Garmin dash cams, but the compact plastic arm here still takes up very little windscreen space and works well. Given how small the Mini 2 is, we suspect most buyers will leave it permanently in place, and only remove it (by popping the ball-and-socket joint apart) when they want to move the camera to another car or access the microSD card.

Speaking of storage, Garmin doesn’t include a memory card in the box, so you’ll need to provide your own. This has to be at least 8GB and the camera supports cards up to 512GB, with Garmin recommending a Class-10 card or faster.

There are just two buttons on the Dash Cam Mini 2. One on the side switches audio recording on and off, while a button on the back saves the most recent section of footage. This button’s location makes it easy to quickly press if you spot an incident ahead. Footage is automatically saved when a collision is detected, but the button is useful for manually saving video of anything else you spot while driving.

The camera comes with a choice of USB cables, one short and one long, plus an adapter for powering the dash cam from a 12V lighter socket. Also included are a pair of adhesive windscreen mounts, making it easy to switch the camera between two vehicles.

Garmin’s smartphone app is called Drive – it's free to download for iOS and Android, and is used to set the camera up. We had no issues connecting our phone to the dash cam – an area where other dash cams can slip up – and used the app to see a live view of the camera, adjust settings, update the firmware, and view recorded footage.

Once set up, there’s no need to use the app again, if you don’t want to. The dash cam quietly gets on with its job, and footage can easily be transferred to your computer or tablet from the microSD card. 

If connected to your phone over Wi-Fi, footage will be automatically uploaded to Garmin’s Vault online storage system. Recordings are stored for 24 hours for free. Or, for $4.99 / £4.99 a month, this time limit can be increased to seven days.

Video quality is very good, considering its size and price tag. It shoots 1080p Full HD with HDR and is captured at 30 frames per second through a 140-degree lens. Details like road signs and vehicle registration plates are clear, and footage remains sharp throughout varying lighting and weather conditions.

We’d have liked the lens to be a little wider, as 140 degrees is really the minimum we’d want from a dash cam. A wider lens would include a view to the sides of the car as well as straight ahead, but this is a relatively small complaint.

A further point against the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is its lack of GPS. Instead, locational data can only be captured if the Mini 2 is synced with a Garmin dash cam that has GPS, via the Drive app. This feature, called Dash Cam Auto Sync, lets you have up to four Garmin dash cams recording at once. While four might be overkill for most motorists, the system makes it easy to pair front and rear cameras together.

A parking mode is available, but requires Garmin’s Constant Power Cable, sold separately, which hard-wires the Mini 2 to your car.

Audio recording is possible, and can be switched on or off with a button on the back of the dash cam. In our experience, this isn’t of much use when recording dash cam footage, and is something your passengers would likely prefer to be disabled.

As well as pressing the button, audio recording can be controlled by speaking to the dash cam. Garmin’s voice control system works pretty well, with the ‘hey Garmin’ command reliably getting its attention. You can then ask the camera to save footage, take a photo, or turn audio recording on/off.

Unlike other models in the Garmin Dash Cam series, there are no driver assistance features with the Mini 2. We don’t mind this, though, as we often find such features more annoying than they are useful.

Overall, the Dash Cam Mini 2 is hard to fault. Instead of overwhelming the user with a bunch of features they’ll seldom use, it is a tiny, simple product that just gets on with the job of being a quality dash cam, with zero distractions.

Should you buy the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2?

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• Check out our guide to the best dash cams you can buy

Editor's Note

• Original review date: March 2022
• Launch price: From $214.99 / £179.99 / AU$ n/a
• Official price now: From $184.95 / £129.95 / AU$ n/a

Update: March 2024. The Nexar Pro remains available to buy on the Nexar site despite the pricier Nexar One range taking center stage. And the original Nexar Pro arguably is better value, if you don't need 4K video capture. It remains in our best dash cams guide thanks to crisp full HD footage, unlimited cloud storage and easy installation. The Nexar One range might be smarter, but the Pro remains a great first dash cam, especially for those that clock up the miles.

The Nexar Pro dash cam is a step up from the slightly cheaper Nexar Beam and that’s because it’s mainly aimed at pro drivers. This includes people who drive for a living or who spend longer periods of time behind the wheel. It’s not actually that much more expensive than the Beam model, but there’s certainly more inside the box, including two cameras. The main one is your front-facing dash cam, while the smaller unit is for monitoring the interior.

A real bonus with the Nexar Pro system is that it combines this camera setup with the useful features seen in the rest of Nexar's range. This means you get free cloud storage for your growing collection of driving videos, GPS data capture for helping with insurance claims, plus some neat tools inside the camera and app combination. You’ll need to step up to the latest NexarOne model to gain the benefit of 4K video, but the 1080p full HD present here is perfectly serviceable.

You can also upgrade to a larger microSD card if needed, though the unit comes with a 32GB one to get you started. The cameras mount to your windshield using a suction cup mount for the front-facing one, which has the GPS data unit as part of the assembly. Meanwhile, the smaller interior unit fixes with a self-adhesive sticker. 

Also included is a generous 3-meter cable, a USB charger plug, and installation tools for hiding the wiring away if needed. If you’re keeping the cameras in one vehicle this makes a lot of sense, though if you’re moving them from car to car there is the downside of having trailing cables hanging around.

The Nexar app is central to how the twin-camera setup works. It’s also the place where you can fine-tune settings, including how much space is allocated for video storage on your phone. 

We’ve found that it’s best to funnel off content to your cloud storage to keep the phone storage down, and the software does this for you on a regular basis. The app also has some practical tools, including the ability to generate reports for your insurer in the event of an accident. This includes speed, location, impact force and, naturally, video to back it all up. 

There are less vital, though suitably handy, additional tools, including one that tells you where your car is located if you can’t actually find it. That's handier than you might think in large car parks. 

The same goes for the protection offered by the interior camera. This can issue break-in alerts if someone is tampering with your vehicle and begins recording automatically so you have video evidence if anything is stolen. Indeed, Nexar’s emergency alerts are a useful addition to your in-car security arsenal and provide reassurance for anyone who gets a little nervous on driving jaunts.

Once you’ve installed both cameras, added the app to your smartphone (for iOS or Android) and set up a Nexar Cloud account, you’re good to go. The small LEDs on the back of the unit indicate the status of the camera at any given time, and also highlight if its gone offline for any reason. This is also clearly explained in the literature that comes inside the box – full marks to Nexar for the clarity on display here.

A spare USB socket in the power plug is useful as having the required Wi-Fi and Bluetooth controls enabled can tend to drain your phone battery. However, with setup complete, the camera combo basically gets on with the job, recording drives and other activity. You can also use the app to keep selected clips or the video from an entire journey if needed. All recorded content handily comes with date and time shown at the foot of the shot.

A big benefit with the Nexar range is the cloud space you get as part of the deal. Content can be managed inside here, using a web browser from home for additional ease. This is very handy as you can dip back in if there’s an unforeseen event that comes to light after a journey. It’s a reassuring back-up system that adds a lot of value to the package as a whole. The other benefit with this is that it allows your phone to have its own storage freed up because video content can soon take its toll on any valuable spare space you might have.

Results-wise, we’ve found the 1080p video content to be very impressive, during both day and night-time use. Audio can be enabled too, if required. 

The external-facing camera also fares well in less ideal shooting situations, including heavy rain and bright sunshine. For the money, though, the Nexar Pro combination is hard to beat in terms of overall value.

Should I buy the Nexar Pro dash cam?

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• These are the best dash cams you can buy right now

Editor's Note

• Original review date: June 2022
• Yet to be replaced
• Launch price: $399.99 / £269 / AU$699
• Official price now: $349.99 / £239 / AU$599

Update: February 2024. Although it was launched back in 2020, the Nextbase 622GW is still the top model in the Nextbase dash cam range. It also continues to occupy the top spot in our list of the best dash cams, thanks to its combination of excellent 4K video quality and a comprehensive feature set, including effective image stabilization and clever what3words integration. Those skills do come with a significant outlay, though. If you’re interested in a Nextbase camera but don’t need all of the features offered by the 622GW, it’s worth looking at its sibling models. For example, the 522GW doesn’t have image stabilization, but it records 2K video and includes support for Alexa. It’s also significantly cheaper than the 622GW. That said, if you’re looking for the very best dash cam you can currently buy, we think the 622GW is worth the money. The rest of this review remains as previously published.

Nextbase has long been at the forefront of advanced dash cam tech, and its latest Nextbase 622GW model comes positively packed with the latest video recording smarts, making it one of the best dash cams on the market.

For a start, the 622GW features a new Ambarella H22 quad-core chipset, which lets you capture pin-sharp 4K footage at 30fps. Better still, the firm has installed a removable polarizing filter, which allows drivers to rotate a bezel on the front of the lens to produce beautiful, glare-free footage.

When recording in normal, well-lit situations, the resulting 4K clips are up there with basic GoPro offerings, and it’s extremely easy to slow playback down to 120fps via a Super Slow Motion setting. 

This is particularly useful for snaring a license plate during a hit-and-run incident, or capturing individual frames during an accident, for example.

There’s also an option to add a rear camera module that films at 1080p/30fps, but this is sold separately. On a positive note, this doesn’t require an irritatingly long wire dangling from the rear window because it neatly plugs into the side of the 622GW.

You interact with the Nextbase 622GW via a sharp, three-inch full-color rear touchscreen display that features small icons for navigating the various menu screens. These can be a little fiddly to locate, especially when you’re driving (not advised), while the touchscreen requires obvious digit swipes before it recognizes the command. 

Alternatively, there’s the option to link Amazon Alexa voice control to the 622GW via the accompanying MyNextbase Connect app, which is available for both iOS and Android devices. Once the two pieces of software are linked, you can simply say, “Alexa, ask my dash cam to take a picture” and the camera will oblige. It generally works well, although if you’re in a noisy vehicle Alexa can have trouble recognizing commands. 

Nextbase also now offers an upgrade to its coveted EmergencySOS feature in this camera, thanks to the addition of what3words geocoding. 

Emergency and breakdown services are increasingly looking to the innovative geocode system to provide help faster, as the technology can precisely pinpoint a location within three meters of a stricken vehicle, for example.

How does what3words work? If you find yourself in a remote area, this GPS alternative will let you precisely locate yourself, though you'll still need to make a phone call for help. For more serious incidents, there's also EmergencySOS, which can apparently work on very low data connection speeds (GPRS, or under 0.1Mbit/s).

Customers in all territories receive a year’s free trial of this EmergencySOS feature, but you’ll need to pay a subscription after that period.

Regardless, most of us carry a mobile phone these days, meaning EmergencySOS can be used with the accompanying app, and thanks to dual 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi, cameras now tether to said app with fewer issues than previous Nextbase cams – although these issues haven’t been ironed out completely.

Previous generations of Nextbase dash cams have been massively frustrating to use, often failing to provide a stable connection to transfer still images and video between phone and camera, but things have improved. The set-up process is still a little fiddly and time-consuming, and the Wi-Fi connection between devices sometimes fails, but we managed to retrieve some imagery and footage after a few attempts.

It is, however, much simpler to plug the camera into a laptop or PC to access the footage, and playback is far slicker this way. We could imagine the app and its connection issues becoming frustrating to use if you were desperately trying to review footage directly after an incident, and this is something Nextbase, in our opinion, needs to address. 

But otherwise, the 622GW is an extremely easy camera to set up and use. Its 140-degree viewing angle isn’t the most extreme on the market, but it easily captures everything through the windscreen, and both its low-light and extreme weather recording modes, which use clever algorithms to improve the quality of the image, are great for capturing crisp footage in difficult situations.

New image stabilization technology also does its bit to ensure buttery smooth footage, cleverly soaking up bumps and vibrations from potholes or poor road surfaces. 

The improvements in sensor and processor technology means the resulting files are large, and Nextbase suggests investing in a 128GB U3 SD card, which isn’t supplied with the unit. These cost around $25 / £30 / AU$45, but opting for anything smaller will seriously restrict recording times.

Like most cameras on the market, the 622GW features a built-in G-Sensor, which will automatically save footage to the device if it detects a bump or crash. The sensitivity of this can be adjusted via the touchscreen display, but there’s also a handy Parking Mode that will automatically record footage if the G Sensor is activated, even when the camera isn’t drawing power.

The Nextbase 622GW is a clever little unit that now produces fantastic footage. Granted, the Nextbase app isn’t the easiest to use, but Alexa and what3words integration work extremely well, and have the potential to increase safety out on the road. 

Should you buy the Nextbase 622GW?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

• Check out our guide to the world's best dash cams