It's a Team's Life
Dash Camera 2023
In today’s environment and how being out on the roads it is crazy how people are driving. It only makes sense that we need to protect ourselves with having at least a dash camera. Someone pulls out in front of you, cuts you off, backs into you, etc. If they say a picture is worth a thousand words what does that mean a video is worth in words ten thousand, hundred thousand or more.
Our current dash camera is getting up in age. So, one of the things we were thinking about for the new year was looking to replace it. We started our research on what reviewers say what are the top cameras on the market for 2023. Boy, are there a lot of different opinions on which are the best ones, but what do they say everyone has one.
We check our camera functionality once a week, normally on the weekend since most of our load are Monday thru Friday. The most important thing we check is that camera is recording to the micro Secure Digital (SD) card. We have found due to some reason we have not figured out our current camera seems to stop recording onto the SD card more often then when it was new. When it was new a card would last a year now it is about a month. Maybe it is that sign telling us replace “me”. We also keep about five new SD cards in the truck so if we need a new one and are not near a store to get one, we have them.
Like other things we have talked about in previous blogs everyone has a different need or wants in functionality. So, what we come up with in the list one of them might not fit your needs. Also, we looked at price some of these cameras are very affordable and some are wow you want that much. But, just depends on what you are looking for and what you are willing to spend on it.
Here we go we will list the cameras in no particular order:
1. Nextbase 622GW - Video quality: 4K, Viewing angle: 140 degrees, GPS tracker: Yes, Memory: MicroSD card (not included). Pros are - Alexa and what3words built-in and superb video quality. Cons are - Requires large capacity SD card (not sure this is really a con.) and poor smartphone app. The best places we found it at were Amazon, Best Buy, and Target.
2. Garmin Mini 2 - Video quality: 1080p, Viewing angle: 140 degrees, GPS tracker: No, Memory: MicroSD card (not included). Pros are - Easy to set up and use and Full HD video with HDR. Cons are - Lacks a display, No battery, and No GPS. The best places we found it were Amazon, Best Buy, Garmin website, and Lenova USA.
3. Nexar Pro - Video quality: 1080p (front) / 720p (rear), Viewing angle: 135 degrees, GPS tracker: Yes, Memory: 32GB (upgradeable). Pros are - Neat design for both cams and Easy to install and wire in. Cons are - Interior camera sticks to screen and Cloud backup requires phone. The best place we found it were Amazon, Nexar own website, and Walmart.
4. Vantrue E1- Video quality: 2.5K, Viewing angle: 160 degrees, GPS tracker: Yes, Memory: microSD (not included). Pros are - Good video quality and Neat, compact design. Cons are - 2K only captured at 30fps and No left/right adjustment. The best place we found it was Amazon.
5. Thinkware X1000 - Video quality: 1440p, Viewing angle: 156 degrees, GPS tracker: requires an optional accessory, Memory: MicroSD card, 32GB card included. Pros are - Great touch screen and Two cameras in the box. Cons are - Hard-wiring requires care and Records as soon as connected. The best place we found it were Adorama, Amazon, and Best Buy.
6. Garmin 67W - Video quality: 1440p, Viewing angle: 180 degrees, GPS tracker: Yes, Memory: MicroSD card (16GB card included). Pros are - Impressively small package, Great quality video, and easy to install. The best places we found it were Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart.
7. Mio MiVue 818 - Video quality: 2K, Viewing angle: 140 degree, GPS tracker: Yes, Memory: microSD (not included). Pros are - Comprehensive features and Night-vision functionality. Cons are - MicroSD card not included and Slightly unusual shape. The best place we found it was Amazon.
8. Thinkware X800 - Video quality: 2K, Viewing angle: 150 degree, GPS tracker: Optional, Memory: microSD (not included). Pros are - Large display and Simple to use. Cons are - Lacks GPS and phone connectivity and Frame rate could be higher. The best places we found it were Amazon, Best Buy and BHPhoto.
9. Viofo A129 Pro Duo - Video quality: 4K, Viewing angle: 140 degrees, GPS tracker: Yes, Memory: MicroSD card (not included). Pros are - Great value for a front/rear cam and Crisp footage. Cons are - Lots of trailing wires and relatively bulky front camera unit. The best places we found it were Adorama, Amazon, and Walmart.
10. Garmin Dash Cam Tandem - Video quality: 1440p front-facing lens, 720p night vision interior lens, Viewing angle: Dual 180 degrees, GPS tracker: Yes, Memory: MicroSD card provided. Pros are - Compact unit and Versatile dual lens design. Cons are - Low-quality night vision and Garmin app isn't the best. The best places we found it were Amazon, Best Buy, and Garmin website.
Now that is just 10 of the many we had found. Here are websites we found reviews of dash cameras for 2023. Take a look at them to find other cameras that you can compare to ones we have listed above.
Tech Radar Mark Wilson Reviews
Just as a note we have not decided on a certain camera. We are going to wait until after the Mid America Truck Show in Louisville, KY at the end of March. We might get to see some of the cameras in person that we have put on our possible list.
Sandy & Stephen
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