For 2024, if you are spending over $120, your best bet is to stick with dash cams using Sony STARVIS 2 sensors for video quality. If night quality is critical for you, choose a camera that has STARVIS 2 and High Dynamic Range (HDR) capability.
Review Contents show
Best All Around Dash Cam Value
- VIOFO Mini 2 has great video with STARVIS 2 sensor (with HDR), small discreet wedge shape and reasonable price
Good Value 4K Dual Camera
- 70mai A810 is the best 4K STARVIS 2 bargain (with HDR) , but note it has a battery not capacitor and rear video quality is not the best
Premium 4K Dual Camera
- Thinkware U3000 has a 4K STARVIS 2 sensor (no HDR) for the front camera and is one of the most feature packed dash cams with radar parking mode and cloud functionality
- Vantrue N4 Pro is a 3 channel camera with a 4K STARVIS 2 sensor (with HDR) for the front camera. Great all around package for rideshare drivers
Older but Proven Dash Cams
The following cameras are not 4K, do not come with Sony STARVIS 2 CMOS sensors and are a few years old. Video quality is slightly worse than the newest cameras but their lower prices and proven reliability make them good choices if you are on a budget.
- VIOFO A119 V3 our previous best buy. Price is great, video quality is good and has proven reliability
- VIOFO A129 Plus Duo a proven dual camera. Decent video quality and proven reliability
- Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 while dated and does not have exceptional video quality, this is the best brand name camera available
Cheapest dash cam to consider
(Note: Anything under $40 is typically poor quality).
- 70mai Dash Cam Pro+ / A500S (good video but note it has a battery not capacitor and shoots 4:3 video)
Brands with the best support
- VIOFO (Good firmware updates and 18 month warranty)
- Garmin (Brand name with good support)
If this list does not provide a camera that meets your needs, check out our What Should I Buy Sub-Forum.
Published: December 28, 2023