Reviewing and Testing the Vantrue S1 Pro Max

[EricSan]

Vantrue has been following an aggressive new product release schedule and I was recently invited by Wendy to review their brand new Sonnet 1 Pro Max. A big "Thank you!" to Wendy, @Jeff_Vantrue, and the Vantrue team for sending me this camera to review.

My other Vantrue dashcam reviews can be found here: E360, E1 Pro, N4S, S1 Pro Max, N4 Pro S, N5S
Vantrue Power (non-dashcam) Product Reviews: T800 Compressed Air Duster, TS2 Thermal Camera for iOS/Android

Features:
- Dual 4K HDR Recording (4k resolution on the rear camera is pretty awesome!)
- Dual SONY STARVIS 2 IMX678 Sensors (waterproof rear camera)
- Vantrue Intelligence for Smarter Driving
- Exclusive PlatePix™ Technology
- LTE Module Compatible
- 15s Pre-Recording Buffered Motion Detectionn
- 5GHz High-Speed WiFi & Free App
- Smart Voice Control
- 24/7 Parking Mode
- Built-in Dual-Sys. GPS Logger
- Supports up to 1TB microSD Card

Voice Commands:
- Take Photo
- Video Start
- Turn On Audio
- Turn Off Audio
- Turn On Screen
- Turn Off Screen
- Turn On WiFi
- Turn Off WiFi
- Lock Video
- Show Front Camera
- Show Rear Camera
- Show Both Cameras
I have verified that all of the voice commands work as expected.

Maximum Resolutions Are as Follows:
- Front Camera only: 3840x2160P 30FPS, 23.8Mb/s 31.9Mb/s
- Front + Rear Cameras: 3840x2160P + 3840x2160P 30FPS, each at 23.8Mb/s

EDIT: The recent firmware update (end of 2025) significantly increases the main forward facing camera bitrate to 31.9Mb/s (33% increase), which results in a VERY appreciable improvement in video quality over its original capability. The video quality of the S1 Pro Max front camera is now virtually identical to that of the N4 Pro S and the E1 Pro.

Given the above specs, I suspect the performance of the S1 Pro Max camera will be highly similar to the excellent E1 Pro, but with two video channels and a host of new AI-based safety features.

User Manual Available Here:
https://www.vantrue.net/manuals/pdf/index.html?file=https://vantrue-app.vantruecam.com/files/manuals/s1promax/Vantrue S1 Pro Max User Manual English.pdf

Intelligence Manual Available Here:
https://www.vantrue.net/manuals/pdf/index.html?file=https://vantrue-app.vantruecam.com/files/manuals/ai/Vantrue Intelligence User Manual EN.pdf

S1 Pro Max Manual and Firmware Download page:

Vantrue S1 Pro Max | Product Manuals, Firmware Upgrades, and FAQs

Explore comprehensive product manuals, firmware upgrades, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) for Vantrue S1 Pro Max dash cam. Access detailed instructions, troubleshooting tips, and the latest firmware updates to enhance your experience. Find answers to common queries and optimize your use of...

www.vantrue.com

Camera angles:
- 155 degree angle for both cameras

There is support for micro SD cards up to 1TB as well as for the LTE module (each available separately).

Like other Vantrue dashcams, the Sonnet 1 Pro Max uses super capacitors that provide a few seconds of runtime after power is removed from the camera. Product packaging is excellent as always.

Here are the various sub packages when you open the box:

And here is everything that is included with the S1 Pro Max

 

[EricSan]

Here are some images of the main camera. This is the front of the camera that peers out the front window.

And the rear of the camera before removing the protective cover.

This is the right hand side of the camera as it will be mounted on the front windshield. It's AWESOME to see all of the cable connections on the same side of the camera, this keeps the cable install clean and neat. You can also see the SD card slot (which has been redesigned to make it easier to both insert and remove the card), and a pinhole for the reset function.

Here is the left hand side of the camera. This side is a bit sparse, only some ventilation holes and a microphone.

This is the top view of the camera that has additional air vents and the pre-installed 3M Very High Bond and that super awesome pull tab for easy removal of the protective sheet.

Here is the bottom view of the camera, a few vent holes and you can see the edge of the characteristic Vantrue lens.

The is the rear of the camera that faces the driver when it's installed. The screen measures 40mm wide by 30mm tall. The black control ring has a nice feel - it is made of soft rubber rather than rigid plastic. The orange button in the middle is the on/off switch and is backlit with a green LED when powered up.

 

[EricSan]

The GPS module slides sideways and locks into place with a satisfying little "click" so you know it's seated securely.

Here is the GPS unit itself:

And here is the complimentary groove on the S1 Pro Max camera. You can also see that I've already installed the sun glasses.

Like other Vantrue cameras, the front lens is threaded on the inner surface to accept the polarizer. This 40mm polarizer fits the N4S (and, I presume the entire Nexus line) as well as the E1 Pro.

 

[EricSan]

I was initially disappointed to see a fixed mounting mechanism. If you are like me, I never seem to be able to get the camera mounted level on a curved windshield. I "think" it's straight, then I look at the recording on my computer and see that I made it crooked yet again. Then you need to fiddle with it, which is WAY easier if you've used the clear rectangular static cling mount. If you've skipped the static cling mount, now you're wrestling with the 3M VHB and that will show you exactly what "very high bond" really means.

Imagine my joy, then, to see that while the camera mount is fixed, the lens itself actually swivels, and by a fair amount, too! This is a SUPER AWESOME feature!! I haven't played with enough cameras to know if this is a first among dashcams, but I LOVE this feature! Here are some images showing the range of adjustment for the lens.

Here is the camera with the lens tilted as far "down" as possible. This is a little screwy, because I had to turn the camera upside down to photograph this - the top of the camera is flat and the bottom of the camera is curved, so it's difficult to photograph "right side up."

And here it is tilted as far "up" as possible. The camera is upside down in the images immediately above and below.

And here is the limit of the side to side movement that is available:

And going the other way...

To me, it makes more sense to have a swiveling lens than have the entire camera hang from a swiveling mount. This has great potential to reduce vibration created when the entire camera hangs from the swivel mount.

 

[EricSan]

Like the rear camera that came with the N4S, this is an IP67 waterproof camera that can be mounted OUTSIDE of your vehicle AND it comes with TWO different mounts for the greatest amount of flexibility. The first mount is an accordion style and is highly flexible and will support mounting in just about any orientation imaginable. You can see the second mount in the bottom left of the image below.

The USB cord on the rear camera measures 50cm/20in long and has a female USB-C connector on the end. Like the N4S, the rear camera also comes with two lengths of heat shrink to put over the USB connection to help keep the weather out.

In the App, you can choose to invert and mirror the image from the rear camera so you always get a properly oriented video from the rear camera. There are also some additional VHB mounting adhesive pads for good measure! I believe the rear camera mount that is shown below is likely to be most useful for in-car installation. This will allow the camera to be mounted to virtually any orientation of rear window. The second mount (bottom left in image above) is best used to mounting the camera on the OUTSIDE of your car, like under the lip of the trunk near the license plate.

The rear camera is a bit wider than the rear camera from the N4S, measuring about 5cm wide. The extra real estate is necessary to encapsulate the larger IMX678 sensor.

The rear camera is about 4cm deep, but you need a bit more clearance to account for the rear exit point for the USB cable. There is some contouring along the sides that I presume doubles as a grip for aiming and to help dissipate some heat.

Here is the rear of the camera. Since it is waterproof, there are no vent holes for air circulation. The rear contours form a kind of "inverse" heat sink that creates additional linear area to dissipate heat. Given the dimensions of the rear camera, I presume the IMX678 sensor is thermally bonded to the rear panel of the camera housing. While I was setting it up for the first time, I noticed a fairly large thermal rise that was concentrated on the rear panel of the camera.

The ambient temperature in the room was 22c and the warmest spot I could find on the camera was 54c on the back panel. This is a 32c rise over ambient, which is fairly high. I'm curious to see how this behaves in the car on a hot sunny day. I'll have an opportunity to try it out soon, they're forecasting 95-100F for the next two days. Ugh... summer is here...

 

[TonyM]

Like the rear camera that came with the N4S, this is an IP67 waterproof camera that can be mounted OUTSIDE of your vehicle AND it comes with TWO different mounts for the greatest amount of flexibility. The first mount is an accordion style and is highly flexible and will support mounting in just about any orientation imaginable. You can see the second mount in the bottom left of the image below.

Will you be mounting the rear camera inside or outside the car?

I see the mount plates have VHB tape plus two screw holes and a centre slot for secure mounting.

 

[EricSan]

I was suspecting those slotted holes were screw mounting holes for the rear camera. The instruction manual doesn't make any reference to specifics about rear camera mounting. I've been looking at the trim work on the outside of my car to see how easily I might be able to run a USB cable into the trunk, through the hollow trunk hinge and then up the C Pillar and through the headliner. The provided USB-C cable is plenty long enough to reach, it's 6m/20ft long.

I have a plastic trim piece where the external trunk release mechanism sits, but I'm not sure how easily I can make a hole to get the USB cable through and then re-seal it with silicon caulk. I'm wondering if I could find a rubber grommet that might work well for this purpose.. The USB-C cable end is MUCH wider (15mm) than the cable itself (5mm).

 

[EricSan]

The contents of the remaining packaging compartments are pretty standard at this point. This box contains a 1m USB-A to USB-C power cord for transferring files from the camera to your computer, and a 6m/20ft cable that connects the front and rear cameras together. I especially like the 90 degree angle UBS-C connector on the "front camera" side of the cord. This points the USB cable up toward the headliner when plugged into the front camera to keep the wiring nice and neat.

Because the S1 Pro Max rear camera has 4k resolution, the rear camera cable requires extra shielding to protect the high bit rate video stream from becoming corrupted from electro-magnetic interference. This means that the S1 Pro Max rear video cable is a bit thicker than the rear USB cable from the E360, Nexus 2, and Nexus 4 series cameras. If you happen to have more than one Vanture multi-channel cameras, you'll want to mark this new cable to keep from mixing them up.

The rear cable for the N4S/N4 Pro S cameras measures about 4.1 to 4.2mm in diameter, depending on exactly where you measure it:

The rear cable for the S1 Pro Max camera measures about 4.3 to 4.4mm in diameter (more shielding is necessary due to the 4k video signal that it carries):

And the rear cable for the N5S measures closer to 4.7mm in diameter because there are two distinct pairs of wires for both rear camera feeds:

 

[kamkar]

Nice looking little kit, not super stoked on the form factor of main unit, but i have for sure seen many a lot worse so it would not be a deterrent for me.

 

[EricSan]

Finally, the last sub-divider in the S1 Pro Max box contains the utility outlet power supply, some windshield mount cable clips, an orange plastic crowbar for working with trim pieces, and a spare VHB adhesive pad for the camera's GPS mount.

The utility outlet power cord that came with the S1 Pro Max is identical to the newly designed utility port power adapter that came with the N4S camera that I'm not a fan of. The power adapter that came with the E1 Pro and the E360 had a removable tip that revealed a replaceable fuse. This newer utility plug does not appear to have a tip that unscrews, though I am told there is indeed a fuse inside. I need to ask how to access the fuse because it's not obvious...

You can also see the current ratings of 2A for the USB-A port and 3A for the USB-C cable that plugs into the camera's GPS unit. The USB-C cable measures 11.5 feet, so it has plenty of reach.

There is still the nice green LED to show that adapter is indeed receiving power.

Placing the "original" utility plug from the E1 Pro (which is identical to the one that shipped with the E360) next to the "new" utility plug that shipped with the S1 Pro Max and the N4S, some additional physical differences emerge. The image below highlights these difference. The new plug features a slightly tapered barrel shape - it is more narrow at the tip than at the base where the wire attaches. This new plug is also more narrow than the original plug by a small, but meaningful, amount. Further, the electrical spring tabs on the new barrel are more narrow by more than one full mm. The end result is that the newer utility plug does not fit as snugly or as securely into the utility port. When I insert the older, original plug, it goes in and stays in, exactly where I put it. It requires a bit of force both insert and remove it from the utility port. When I insert the newer plug that came with the N4S camera, it is much more loose in the socket and when I fully seat it, the spring loaded tip pushes it back out a little bit. This could be a problem if the utility plug wiggles itself loose due to vibrations in the car that result in the camera losing power and shutting down. You might not necessarily notice this as you are driving and have the radio on.

Here is how to tell the two different utility port adapters apart from one another:

The "original" utility outlet adapter (which grips the outlet better) has the power cord exiting from the BOTTOM of the plug. This one holds VERY securely in the utility outlet.
The original adapter provides 5.25v from the USB-A port and 5.20v from the USB-C port, both measured with no load.
While powering the camera, though, the different ports behave a little differently.
The USB-C plug at the end of the 11.5ft cord provides 5.20 to 5.25v while powering both cameras - it's power output RISES under load.
The voltage from the USB-A port, however, DROPS a bit lower while powering both cameras, to 4.85 to 4.93v.

The newly updated utility outlet adapter (with inferior grip) that ships with the N4S and the S1 Pro Max has the power cord exiting from the SIDE of the plug. This one holds much less securely and pushes itself back out of the utility port after you let go.

The new adapter provides 5.18v from the USB-A port and 5.15v from the USB-C port, both measured with no load.
Like its predecessor, the USB-C plug at the end of the 11.5ft cord INCREASES its output while under load, providing 5.17 to 5.23v while powering both cameras.
The voltage from the USB-A plug also copies the earlier version, with its output DROPPING to 4.72 to 4.82v while powering both cameras.
These voltage differences are strong evidence that the voltage regulators inside the new adapter is indeed different from the earlier version.

As cameras grow more sophisticated and the ability of the power supply to deliver sufficient voltage and current to the dashcam, it is becoming increasingly critical that you use the specific power supply that comes from the manufacturer. There have been many reports of strange dashcam behaviors (across all brands) here on DashCamTalk that when investigated further have been the result of using an off-brand power supply that does not meet the power supply demands for the newer cameras.

It is ALWAYS best to stick with the provided power cables and not to modify them in any way.

 

[EricSan]

Nice looking little kit, not super stoked on the form factor of main unit, but i have for sure seen many a lot worse so it would not be a deterrent for me.

It's a bit larger than I thought it would be, but the new shape and mounting mechanism keeps the entire camera (and especially the lens) much closer to the front windshield. It is similar in size to the E360, but keeps itself out of the way a lot more which I really appreciate.

 

[EricSan]

Here is a size comparison of the most recent set of cameras from Vantrue. From left to right, we have the E1 Pro, the N4S, the E360, and the S1 Pro Max. As I mentioned before, the S1 Pro Max is upside down - the top if flat and the bottom is curved, so you can't place it on a table with its "proper" orientation.

The N4S and S1 Pro Max cameras are already wearing their sun glasses. The E1 Pro is naked, as is the E360 which won't accept a polarizer due to its extremely wide field of view.

 

[haiou_f]

I want to know how S1Promax performs facial monitoring, as there is no sensing device on the host

 

[EricSan]

Well, that is an interesting question now, isn't it?? I'll install the camera within the next day or two and report back...

 

[EricSan]

Wendy was kind enough to also provide a VP03 (II) hardwire kit with the S1 Pro Max camera - the hardwire kit is available separately. This 12v (for passenger cars)/24v (for large trucks, busses, RVs) to 5v regulator provides 5v at 2A. You can find a more detailed description of the hard wire kit and additional photos here:
https://dashcamtalk.com/forum/threa...the-new-vantrue-n4s-dashcam.53322/post-643670

The only change I'd request for the hardwire kit is to use a right angle USB-C adapter (instead of the straight one presently used) at the end of the power cord. This will help keep wiring more neat and tidy after installation.

This time around, I'm interested in its electrical output. The hardwire kit provides 5.12v with no load. When loaded with both cameras from the S1 Pro Max running, the voltage output drops down to the range of 5.05v to 5.08v.

All of this provides an opportunity to measure the power consumption of Sonnet 1 Pro Max camera. I inserted my digital multi meter inline with the negative lead of the hardwire kit and used this to measure current draw of the hardwire kit's voltage regulator while driving both cameras of the S1. As with other cameras, the amperage figures seem to dance around a bit, so you have to observe things over time and work with averages.

In drive mode with both cameras recording and the screen and WiFi on, the S1 Pro Max consumes about 8.7w
In Low Bit Rate parking mode (1080P at 15fps) with the screen off, I'm seeing power consumption of about 4.1 or 4.2w

I'll have to do some measurements on the other parking modes next... the day is running short.

EDIT: subsequent measurements reveal that the power consumption of the VP03 (II) 5v voltage regulator is a mere 0.004w (no load attached). This figure is consistent for both Driver Mode power and Parking Mode power. Thus, you can rest assured that the parasitic drain from the regulator itself is virtually non-existent!

 

[EricSan]

I want to know how S1Promax performs facial monitoring, as there is no sensing device on the host

I think I found the answer to your question. Here are two clips from the user manual. The first shows that three separate cameras are compatible with the S1 Pro Max. My sample shipped with the RC11 4K rear camera (shown above). The RC09 looks like the 2.5K rear camera that shipped with the N4S camera. It looks like the optional RC08 lens is the one that enables the Driver Monitoring System.

I don’t see the RC08 DMS lens listed on the Vantrue Accessories web page, so I’m guessing that it isn’t available yet..

I’ve added links to the two user manuals to my first post.

 

[Augustus]

I think I found the answer to your question. Here are two clips from the user manual. The first shows that three separate cameras are compatible with the S1 Pro Max. My sample shipped with the RC11 4K rear camera (shown above). The RC09 looks like the 2.5K rear camera that shipped with the N4S camera. It looks like the optional RC08 lens is the one that enables the Driver Monitoring System.

I don’t see the RC08 DMS lens listed on the Vantrue Accessories web page, so I’m guessing that it isn’t available yet..

I’ve added links to the two user manuals to my first post.

View attachment 81795

View attachment 81796

If that's the driver fatigue monitoring, must be enabled via that RC08 camera. Will be interesting cos I've never had an in-car driver fatigue system work well for me (its integrated into the driver's dashboard), so I'd imagine a cabin camera mounted up high would struggle too with false positives.

 

[haiou_f]

我想我找到了你问题的答案。这是用户手册中的两个片段。第一个片段显示三个独立的相机与S1Pro Max兼容。我的样品与RC114K后置摄像头(如上图所示)一起发货。RC09看起来像是N4S相机附带的2.5K后置摄像头。它看起来像是可选的RC08镜头是一个启用驾驶员监控系统。

我在Vantrue配件网页上没有看到RC08DMS镜头，所以我猜它还没有上市。

我在第一篇文章中添加了两个用户手册的链接。

View attachment 81795这个功能确实很有趣

I think I found the answer to your question. Here are two clips from the user manual. The first shows that three separate cameras are compatible with the S1 Pro Max. My sample shipped with the RC11 4K rear camera (shown above). The RC09 looks like the 2.5K rear camera that shipped with the N4S camera. It looks like the optional RC08 lens is the one that enables the Driver Monitoring System.

I don’t see the RC08 DMS lens listed on the Vantrue Accessories web page, so I’m guessing that it isn’t available yet..

I’ve added links to the two user manuals to my first post.

View attachment 81795

View attachment 81796

thanks，This feature is indeed very interesting

 

[EricSan]

Here are some power consumption figures from the S1 Pro Max. It's impossible to make instantaneous voltage measurements because things are always in flux. These are averages of a minimum of 30 seconds. I'm not claiming absolute accuracy, but these figures should be pretty close to reality. One interesting discrepancy is that the user's manual indicates the S1 Pro Max power consumption is 6w, but my data shows 4.9w for the front camera with GPS, and 8.7w for both cameras.

A few notes from testing:
1- All of the parking mode power measurements include the hardwire kit and the screen turned off
2 - All power measurements include the power consumed by the GPS unit
3- This one is pretty self evident, but I tested it anyhow - the collision sensor is built into the main camera. The rear cameras doesn't care about impacts.
4- Quick Start Collision Detection mode takes about 2.3s to wake up and start recording after an impact happens
5- Power Saving Collision Detection mode takes about 10s to wake up and start recording
6- In both Collision Detection modes, the camera records for 30s then goes back to sleep

 

[TonyM]

Here are some power consumption figures from the S1 Pro Max.

I like your presentation of this summary in a concise table 👍