AUKEY DRA5 Mini

The AUKEY DRA5 Mini is a Chinese dash cam released in Jan 2020. The camera is very low priced at under $40 and has gained popularity on Amazon.

The DRA5 Mini is based on the Novatek NT96672  processor and Galaxycore GC2053 CMOS sensor. This is the first time we have seen this combination in a dash cam.

Video Quality

The AUKEY DRA5 Mini records 1080p video at 30fps with an average bitrate of 8.7 Mbps. While the bitrate is a little on the low side, video quality during the day is good and night quality is above average but appears a bit grainy.

Unlike most dash cams that record in MP4 or MOV format, the DRA5 records using the uncommon TS format, however the videos should play fine on most modern media players

Features

The camera has a 1.5″ screen, g-sensor but does not have GPS. The DRA5 is a very simple dash cam and does not come with WiFi or supporting smartphone apps. The DRA5 provides non-buffered parking mode if you hardwire the dash cam to your vehicle (optional hardwire kit required). Unfortunately the camera comes with screen error notifications (note audio notifications are preferred).

The camera comes with a decent quality adhesive mount. The mount allows the camera to swivel 360° to record interactions at your side windows (i.e. police traffic stop). The DRA5 is a very small camera with dimensions of 46 x 50 x 34mm. Even though the camera is lightweight, build quality appears to be good. The only negative is that the DRA5 comes with a combined power adapter and cable. This fully uses up your 12V port instead of providing multiple USB ports.

Support

The manufacturer appears to be responsive to questions and offers a 24 month warranty. That being said, we have not seen any firmware updates for this camera since it has been launched.

Known problems

Cluster Size Wrong

Some owners have indicated they are receiving a cluster size wrong error with the camera. To resolve this problem format the microSD card with the format option in the dash cam menu.

Mounting the Camera

While the DRA5 is very small, the hanging rectangular form factor makes it less discreet than some of the smaller wedge or cylindrical dash cams.

Sample Videos

Should I Purchase?

The AUKEY DRA5 Mini is a simple, discreet dash cam with decent video quality. The use of a capacitor instead of a lithium battery and a 24 month warranty are strong positives. The biggest negative is the lack of audio error notifications. Overall, a very good buy for an inexpensive, no frills dash cam.

See what other owners have to say about the AUKEY DRA5 Mini Dash Cam on our forum.

Specifications

Published: Oct 4, 2020