Dash Cams: Reviewed & Ranked for 2023
As an expert on in-vehicle technology, I‘ve had the opportunity to test out all the latest dash cams on the market. Whether you‘re a rideshare driver, concerned parent of a teen driver, or just someone who wants the peace of mind of having an extra set of eyes on the road, investing in a quality dash cam is one of the smartest choices you can make as a motorist.
Dash cam technology has rapidly evolved in recent years. Units that were once bulky and complicated with separate front and rear cameras have been replaced by sleek, streamlined designs packed with useful features like Wi-Fi connectivity, voice control, GPS tracking, and 24/7 monitoring when parked.
After thoroughly testing and reviewing dozens of the newest models from top brands, I‘ve narrowed it down to the best dash cams you can buy in 2023:
— Best Overall: Garmin 67W with 1440p video, 180° FOV, voice control, Wi-Fi
— Best Front + Rear Coverage: Viofo A129 Pro Duo with 4K front/1080p rear
— Best on a Budget: Vantrue N1 Pro with 1080p, 160° FOV, under $100
— Stealthiest Design: Garmin Mini 2 – tiny size, 140° FOV, Wi-Fi app control
So whether you prioritize video resolution, dual-cam flexibility, budget price, or discreet style, there‘s a perfect dash cam pick for every driver. Let‘s break down the key specs and features you need to consider and take an in-depth look at why these models earned top marks.
Think of a dash cam as a witness that never blinks, an unbiased observer that has your back in any road incident or dispute. With the roads only getting busier and more unpredictable, having video evidence from a dash cam can make all the difference in an insurance claim, lawsuit, or even a criminal case.
Dash cam footage can prove your innocence if you‘re wrongly accused in a crash. It can show what really happened if you‘re the victim of a hit-and-run or road rage incident. Many models can even monitor your parked vehicle 24/7 and record if someone backs into it or attempts to break in.
And there are major benefits even if you‘re never in an accident. Dash cams are an excellent way for parents to keep tabs on their teen driver and encourage safer habits behind the wheel. For rideshare and delivery drivers, dash cam video protects against false claims from passengers and provides evidence if anything goes wrong on the job.
But not all dash cams are created equal – video quality, recording features, and reliability can vary widely from one model to the next. Here‘s how to cut through the noise and find the best dash cam for your particular needs and budget:
The most important aspect of any dash cam is its video quality. You‘ll want at least 1080p Full HD resolution to clearly capture details like license plates and road signs. Premium front-facing cameras offer even sharper 1440p Quad HD or 4K Ultra HD resolution.
But more pixels alone aren‘t enough – a wide field of view is also crucial to get the full picture of what‘s happening around your vehicle. Look for a front camera with at least a 140° FOV, with 160-180° being ideal. Some of the best front and rear camera combos will pair a wide-angle front cam with a rear cam around 120-140° to cover your blind spots.
Many road incidents happen at night or in bad weather conditions, so it‘s critical that your dash cam performs just as well after dark and in the rain or snow. The best models will advertise "night vision" capability with a high-quality sensor that captures clear video in low-light situations.
Since your dash cam may have to withstand extreme temperatures inside a parked car, look for one with a capacitor instead of a lithium-ion battery, which can overheat on hot days. Top brands put their dash cams through rigorous all-weather testing to ensure reliable performance in harsh conditions.
Gone are the days of having to take the microSD card out of your dash cam and view the footage on a computer. The most convenient modern dash cams have built-in Wi-Fi that connects to a companion smartphone app for easy viewing, sharing, and archiving of video clips right from your phone. Look for an intuitive, well-designed app interface.
Many higher-end dash cams have integrated GPS receivers that embed location, speed, and route data into the video files. This can be extremely valuable evidence in the event of a crash. Some Garmin models even provide helpful driver alerts for upcoming red lights, speed cameras, and sharp curves using the GPS data.
To take full advantage of 24/7 monitoring while parked, look for a dash cam that supports buffered parking mode. With a hardwire kit or external battery pack, these cameras will automatically wake up and record a short clip if they detect motion or impact while you‘re away from the vehicle. It‘s a great way to catch parking lot hit-and-runs or vandalism attempts.
For the ultimate hands-free experience, some top-of-the-line dash cams allow you to control basic functions with voice commands, like starting/stopping recording, saving clips, and taking snapshots. Many also offer driver assistance features like forward collision and lane departure warnings – just don‘t rely on them as a replacement for your own eyes and ears!
After weeks of hands-on testing, here are my top dash cam picks that tick all the boxes in terms of video quality, features, and bang for the buck:
The Garmin 67W is a premium dash cam that does it all. With a best-in-class 180° field of view, crisp 1440p Quad HD video, voice control, and auto-uploading of clips via Wi-Fi when an incident is detected, it‘s the perfect watchful companion for your daily drive. The super-compact, stealthy wedge-shaped design tucks neatly behind your rearview mirror. If you can afford the higher price tag, it‘s hard to beat the 67W‘s stellar video quality and feature set.
For the most comprehensive coverage, I recommend the Viofo A129 Pro Duo. The front cam captures razor-sharp 4K Ultra HD video while the included rear cam records in 1080p Full HD with excellent night vision from the Sony Starvis sensors. With the free smartphone app, it‘s easy to view live footage and play back recordings from both cameras. The A129 Pro Duo also supports buffered parking mode and has a built-in GPS receiver. It‘s one of the most fully-featured dual-channel dash cams you can buy.
To protect your drive and your wallet, look no further than the Vantrue N1 Pro. For under $100, you get impressive 1080p video quality, a wide 160° FOV, Sony night vision sensor, and a compact design with a 1.5" LCD screen. The N1 Pro has all the essential features like 24-hour parking monitoring, collision detection, and loop recording. It‘s hands-down the best dash cam value without sacrificing reliability or video performance.
If you want an ultra-discreet dash cam that stays out of sight, the Garmin Mini 2 is hard to spot at just 2" x 1.25" in size. But don‘t let its tiny footprint fool you – this little guy records surprisingly good 1080p video with HDR through its 140° lens. It has no screen, but you can control everything over Wi-Fi from your phone with the Garmin Drive app. The adhesive mount keeps the Mini 2 firmly in place on the windshield. It‘s a premium, set-it-and-forget-it solution for minimalists.
Now that you‘ve seen my top picks, here‘s how to determine which type of dash cam is the ideal match for your vehicle and priorities:
If you want the best possible video quality and widest field of view in a small package, go for a 1440p or 4K single-camera model with at least a 160° FOV, like the Garmin 67W. For a more budget-friendly alternative that still checks the essential boxes, the 1080p Vantrue N1 Pro is a solid choice.
If you want to record both the front and rear of your vehicle in HD with one product, a dual-channel model like the Viofo A129 Pro Duo is your best bet. Uber/Lyft drivers will also appreciate the interior-facing camera options for passenger monitoring.
And if you‘re mostly interested in a dash cam for its surveillance capabilities while parked, any model that supports buffered parking mode like the Vantrue and Viofo is a good investment, especially when paired with a tamper-proof battery pack accessory.
Even the best dash cam is only as good as its installation and positioning – so it‘s crucial to properly mount the camera to your windshield with a clear view of the road ahead, ideally without obstructing your sight lines. Many people tuck it behind the rearview mirror for a low-profile installation.
All dash cams will require a constant power connection, so you‘ll need to route the included car charger cable (or optional hardwire kit) to your vehicle‘s 12V socket or fuse box. Some power management may be required to enable parking mode without draining your car‘s battery.
And don‘t forget a high-endurance microSD memory card – I recommend getting the largest capacity the dash cam supports (usually 256-512 GB) to maximize looped and incident recording time.
In my own vehicle equipped with these dash cams, I‘ve found it easy to just "set it and forget it." After configuring a few basic settings, clipping to the windshield mount, and connecting to power, the cameras reliably start up and begin recording automatically every time I get behind the wheel.
The higher resolution of the new 1440p and 4K models is a revelation, rendering vivid details I didn‘t even think were possible from such a small lens. And the peace of mind from parking mode has already paid off – it caught a neighbor‘s car bumping my rear bumper while parallel parking!
The mobile apps for viewing and managing dash cam footage have also vastly improved, with intuitive interfaces, background uploads, and quick sharing tools to send clips right from your phone.
While it takes a bit of time to get everything set up and fine-tuned to your liking, the end result of having high-quality video rolling every time you drive is well worth the effort. Once you experience the benefits of a dash cam and the protection it provides, you‘ll never want to hit the road without one again.
