If you are looking to upgrade your Dashcam or have no idea what dash cam to purchase, then this 2023 ultimate dash cam buyer’s guide will have everything you will ever need to become a dash cam expert yourself.
There are a few things to take into consideration when deciding which dashcam to buy, but our detailed dashcam buyer’s guide will make the process simple.
A dash cam (short for dashboard camera) is a small camera that records what’s happening on the road ahead (or behind, depending on the model). Dash cams are designed to provide drivers with peace of mind, leaving them safe in the knowledge that police and insurers can find out exactly what happened in case of a collision and then make a decision on who was at fault.
There are basically 2 features that even the most basic models of dashcams offers over traditional video cameras – it starts and stops automatically and records videos in a continuous loop when you start your car and shuts off automatically when you turn your car off.
However, dash cameras today come with a lot of advanced features to not only ensure driving safety and protection against vehicle accidents, traffic infractions and fraud, but to also share high quality HD videos of your driving with others.
Pricing, features, performance and reliability vary widely between different manufacturers, brands and models. Here is what you should look for while buying a dashboard camera:
Camera Quality / Resolution
One of the most important thing to consider is the overall quality or resolution of the actual camera. Cameras of a higher quality will boast a clearer picture — which can be very helpful if you need to see different details after an accident or other incidents.
The first metric you’ll likely notice when it comes to buying a camera of any kind is the camera’s resolution. Generally speaking, more pixels is always better. When a camera is capable of capturing more pixels, it means the resulting image will be clearer, which can be pretty important.
We recommend buying a camera with at least a 1080p resolution, though if you can afford a camera with a higher resolution (i.e. 4K), then that’s the way to go.
Camera Channels / Coverage
Most dashcams are mounted on your windshield, the camera lens faces forward and records the road ahead of you. To be more specific, these dashcams are known as single-lens dashcams because they only have the one lens.
If you want to record what is happening behind your vehicle as well as record the road in front of you, a front + rear dashcam will be the best option for you. This type of dashcam includes two video lens or “channels”, and records from both of these lenses at the same time.
Dash cams can come with 1-Channel (Front), 2-Channels (Front & Rear), 2-Channels (Front & Interior) or even as many as 3-channels to protect you and your vehicle. .
There are also dual lens dashcam models that are designed to record in front of and inside your vehicle. Check out our front + inside dashcams. These models may be composed of two separate lenses, or the two lenses may be built into one single unit.
There are even dashcam models that are designed to record in front of, inside of, and behind your vehicle at the rear simultaneously. These models will be composed of three separate lenses, but often times two lenses may be built into one single unit like the Vantrue N4 3-Channel Dash Cam!
This type of dashboard setup is ideal for fleet or business owners, rideshare or delivery drivers, and parents of teenagers who are looking to have an added layer of protection to their precious cargo or investment.
Form Factor / Discreet Setup
Form factor refers to the shape and size of a dash cam. This is an important aspect to consider as it can affect the driver’s field of view as well as the amount of attention drawn from people outside the vehicle.
Dash cams are typically discreet in nature. Some are rectangular, while others are more circular. Some offer an LCD screen, while others do not and offer a phone app integration instead.
Mounting Arrangement
Dash cams are typically mounted on the front and rear windshields of the vehicle and come with either adhesive or suction cup mounts.
While suction cup mounts may seem convenient and easy to use, they are not recommended since they can come off the windshield easily and are much more prone to vehicle vibration, which makes video footage shaky and blurry. Almost all dash cams use adhesive mounts for good reason, as they are much more durable and reliable in the vehicle.
You can also consider dashcams that allow you to pivot on the mount which allows you to manually turn the dashcam to the side to record an incident or altercation which is important.
Parking Mode
Parking mode recording is a feature of a dash cam that keeps your dash cam recording footage even when the vehicle is off. Typically found only in premium dash cams, parking mode provides around-the-clock protection and surveillance for the vehicle.
Remember that an accident can happen at any time, and it’s always worse when the driver is away from the vehicle without any witnesses. The ability to capture footage while parked, to prevent hit-and-runs, door dings and vandalism, can prove to be very useful.
Night Vision
One feature to take into consideration is night vision, and it could be very helpful for some drivers — especially those who drive at night a lot.
This feature is a software/firmware-based processing effect on the video to boost exposure in lower exposed areas.
Night vision essentially ensures that even in dark situations, there’s enough detail in your footage to make out what’s going on. Footage may not look as colorful as it would during the day, but that hardly matters when all you need is to see the license plate of the person that hit you.
Wireless Connectivity
There are a number of advantages to wireless connectivity on your dash cam. If your dash cam can connect to your phone through Bluetooth or Wifi, you may be able to do things like manage footage, manage the settings for your dash cam, and more. Then, you don’t have to mess around with a tiny built-in screen on your dash cam, or going through badly designed settings menus.
GPS
GPS can add some extra features and functionality to your dash cam. With GPS connectivity, you’ll be able to log the speed and location of your car along with the footage, and that extra data could be helpful in figuring out a dispute.
Storage
Video footage can take up a lot of storage, and as such choosing a dash cam with enough storage can be important. Besides the built in storage which can be quite limiting, most dash cams, will offer a MicroSD card slot, where you can insert a MicroSD card for storing your footage. We recommend getting a MicroSD card with at least 64GB of storage to ensure that you can record enough footage.
Built in Display
Video footage can take up a lot of storage, and as such choosing a dash cam with enough storage can be important. Besides the built in storage which can be quite limiting, most dash cams, will offer a MicroSD card slot, where you can insert a MicroSD card for storing your footage. We recommend getting a MicroSD card with at least 64GB of storage to ensure that you can record enough footage.
Battery / Super Capacitor
Finally the most important one for the Middle East. A dash cam usually uses either a capacitor or a battery as backup to save files when it stops receiving power from the vehicle.
Capacitor based cameras are more resistant to heat and are thus more suitable for use in extreme temperatures experienced in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the Middle East. They are also more reliable and lasting when compared to battery powered cameras.
We highly recommend selecting a dashcam based a capacitor instead of a battery, especially when used in Dubai or the Middle East.
Batteries on the othe hand are prone to leakage, overheating and explosion but they can hold about 5-10 times more charge than capacitor; so you can use a battery powered dash cam just like a camcorder in case you need to record something on the way.
