Still, there’s a lot to like about the Dash Cam Mini 2’s fuss-free operations and the fact that it’s so unobtrusive on the windscreen. If having no screen isn’t a dealbreaker, it’s a fantastic low-cost option. You need the sharpest video: Footage shot by the A139’s front camera is serviceable, but it isn’t as sharp or smooth as some similarly priced rivals. Most dash cams have the same basic uninspired design, with very little innovation in the market. Fortunately, the 70mai X200 Dash Cam Omni has come around to fix that. Looking like something out of Wall-E, the pill-shaped camera uses a clever covering to hide a motorized 1080p, 60fps camera, that can rotate 360 degrees. It’s not just about the aesthetics with this dash cam either; the camera actually captures colorful and detailed video and images, day or night. It’s also easy to set up, has an app to control the camera, and comes with integrated GPS. It might be a bit off the beaten path compared to the standard dash cam, but the unique design and effective capture quality make the 70mai X200 much more than just a novelty. Here's a run-down of the key decisions you need to make when choosing a dash cam… Is angle of view important?

Dash cams typically have wide-angle lenses. The wider the angle of view, the more likely it is to take in what’s happening in junctions and side roads, but objects up ahead will be smaller. Do I need 4K resolution?Loop recording allows dash cams to continuously record video footage to their built-in storage or memory card. The setting automatically overwrites the oldest clips on your camera with new ones when its storage becomes full. This way, it can keep recording without requiring you to pull over and manually delete unneeded clips. This gives you the reassurance that there will be no gap in your driving log. You can tell Miofive has thought about the design of this dash cam. Given how these devices are usually mounted high up on the windscreen, mostly behind the central mirror, it makes a lot of sense for the dash cam to be wide but shallow. This design means it should be out of sight in most vehicles, where it’ll quietly get on with its job without distracting the driver. The primary role of any dash cam is to capture crisp, clear footage of what's happening, in real time, around your vehicle. Any product worth buying today will do a decent job of this: there are very few truly terrible dash cams on the market. Naturally, we cannot crash a vehicle to see how well the dash cam detects collisions. Instead, firmly tapping the dash cam can simulate a collision, allowing us to see what happens when footage is saved. It is also possible to trigger a recording by powering the camera with a portable battery and tapping it against our desk. It may seem rudimentary, but it works and keeps our insurance company happy.

Plus, like all Garmin dash cams, the Garmin 57 can connect to an additional four cameras to cover other directions. Rearview 12-volt power (better): Another option that features a super-short cable run is powering your dash cam using your auto-dimming rearview mirror. You can find adapters for this at Dongar Technologies. If your car qualifies, this is by far your best option. You want built-in rear recording: There are rivals for a similar price with rear-view cameras as standard, but it's an optional add-on for the 622GW. You need 4K video footage: The Mini 2 is limited to 1080p Full HD. You’ll need to spend more on a premium model for higher resolution video.Setup was slightly fiddly and the 3-inch touchscreen does require obvious swipe inputs. We also had some trouble connecting to our smartphones to transfer video clips. That said, we still think the 622GW is a simple camera to use overall. We found its interface intuitive, while the display is big, sharp and clear. Footage is automatically saved when an incident is detected, while a big red button lets you manually save moments. This is an excellent dash cam for the price, with first-rate 4K UHD day and night captures, GPS, and 64GB of internal storage. We also like the friendly voice notifications. You only need a simple setup: Its comprehensive feature list makes the Dual Dash Cam good value, but its skills will be overkill for many users. If you use the cigarette lighter/USB port to power your dash cam, then leaving it plugged in overnight might drain your car battery, depending on if your vehicle supplies constant power to the ports. Hard-wired dash cams can be set up to switch on with the car ignition in some vehicles to save battery, too. We test the dash cam and night, as well as in the daytime testing various features such as video quality, ease of use, and overall functionality.