Vantrue S1

The Vantrue S1 is a dual channel dash cam released in Jul 2019 by the Chinese manufacturer Vantrue. This is Vantrue’s first wedge shaped dash cam. The S1 is based on the Novatek NT96663 processor. The front camera uses a Sony STARVIS IMX327 CMOS sensor while the rear camera uses a Sony Exmor IMX323 CMOS. These are decent mid-range components.

Video Quality

The front camera records 1080p video at 30fps with an average bitrate of 11 Mbps. Video quality for the front camera during the day is good and night quality is above average. The rear camera records 1080p video at 30fps with an average bitrate of 11 Mbps. The rear camera is slightly worse than the front but not by much. Overall good during the day and average at night

While the Vantrue S1 is advertised as a 4K camera when the front camera is solely used, this is not actually true. 4K cameras must have a native resolution of 3840 × 2160p. Unfortunately, the 2.1MP Sony STARVIS IMX327 sensor has a maximum native resolution of 1920 x 1080p. The 4K video from this camera is interpolated and does not provide better image quality than the lower resolutions. We suggest running the camera at its native resolution, 1920 x 1080p.

Features

The Vantrue S1 has a 2″ screen, g-sensor and built in GPS. Unfortunately the camera does not come with WiFi or supporting smartphone apps. The S1 provides non-buffered parking mode if you hardwire the dash cam to your vehicle (optional hardwire kit required).

The camera comes with an adhesive mount and like most wedge shaped cameras, cannot swivel to record interactions at the driver or passenger windows. While we like wedge shaped form factors since they allow for discreet installs, the S1 is on the larger size. Also the large round ring around the lens make it less stealthy than other wedge cams.

The build quality is good and reliability appears to be average. Unfortunately the S1 does not come with audio error notifications. It does provide error notifications on the screen but these can easily be missed by the driver.

Support

Vantrue appears to be responsive to questions and has adequate support. They also provide firmware updates which is a positive as well. While the standard warranty is 12 months, if you register the camera with Vantrue the warranty is extended to 18 months, which is very good.

We would like to thank our member Sunny who reviewed the Vantrue S1 on our forum.

Known Problems

Screen Issues

Some owners have complained of vertical lines on the screen as shown in the following photos. There is no known solution to the problem but this does not appear to be too widespread.

Camera Freezes / Stops Recording

A few owners have indicated that their cameras randomly freeze or stop recording. There is no known solution to the problem but this does not appear to be too widespread as well.

Sample Videos

Should I Purchase?

The Vantrue S1 has a number of positives for a dual dash cam. Video quality is decent, it uses a capacitor instead of a lithium battery, wedge design and 18-month warranty are attractive.

The lack of WiFi, false 4K advertising, no audio error notifications and larger size with a big ring around the lens are not the best. Not a bad camera and many owners will be satisfied but in this price range, some of the competitors offer slightly better value.

Specifications

Published: Oct 27, 2020