The Best Dash Cam - with Comparison, Reviews, and Day/Night Camera Footage

One of the slogans of this Chicago-based company is simply “Truth be told”.

This is a pretty good summary of exactly what every dash cam should be trying to accomplish, and in the case of the MyDash R2-4K, you can expect a high-fidelity record of any traffic incident. This dash cam includes GPS coordinates and route maps, compass heading, speed, audio recordings, and very high-quality video of everything that happens on the other side of the windshield.

Unusually for a dash cam at this price, it includes both an LCD screen and wi-fi connectivity for use with your cellphone.

More importantly as far as gathering high-quality evidence is concerned, its HDR (High Dynamic Range), almost-4K sensor is top of the line. There are few things more frustrating than having a dash cam record an accident and being unable to make out a license plate due to grainy images or dim lighting.

Rove R2-4K dash cam footage – day time:

Rove R2-4K dash cam footage – night time:

The Apeman C860 is a nice general-purpose dash cam for the family that wants to have some record of what happened in case of an accident. It will also enable you to save on insurance premiums – usually not directly, but very likely in the long run.

The trouble is that dual dash cams are often on the expensive side. Fortunately, this is a very competitive industry, and companies like Apeman have stepped up to offer more affordable yet impressively capable models.

In the case of the C860, the 1440p, a wide dynamic range front camera is certainly worth mentioning, as is the large, high-visibility screen.

Unfortunately, it falls short in one major regard: you cannot view or download videos on your phone without switching off the camera and removing its micro SD card. If you can live with this minor drawback and you’re on a budget, this may be the dash cam for you.

Apeman C860 operation video, including front & rear footage at day and night:

The Vantrue N4 is one of the most competitive, affordable 3-channel dash cams available today. With three cameras included as standard, including one for the passenger cabin, you have an almost 360-degree record of whatever might happen in traffic.

For relatively little extra, you can also add GPS functionality so you’ll be able to view your speed, location, and routes traveled using the included Vantrue video player.

Its optical performance is nothing to be shy about, either, while it records sounds inside the car perfectly clearly.

The main weakness of the N4 is that it does not work wirelessly with your smartphone, so if you want to export or view recorded footage on a larger screen you’ll have to either remove the microSD card or connect the dash cam to a TV or computer.

Vantrue N4 dash cam footage (day/night):

Many people want a dash cam that’s somewhat low-profile or camouflaged, to deter theft among other things.

The Vava VA-VD002, which also features a rear-facing camera, is a strong contender in this regard. Considering that the two products cost about the same, it’s also worth mentioning that the Vava is wi-fi capable and includes a GPS logger, which this Z-Edge does not.

The Z-Edge, however, is designed for a different kind of user.

The Vava needs to be paired with a smartphone to be of much use at all. The Z-Edge goes the opposite way: everything you need to do, from configuring it when it first goes onto your windshield to viewing footage of an accident, can be done using the large touchscreen. The menu is pictorial and exceptionally easy to figure out, making this a good choice for the older generation.

Z-EDGE T4 dual lens footage (day/night):

In terms of exterior design, most dash cams still look much like those you could buy ten or twenty years ago.

Vava elected to go with a different shape in this case.

Since they chose to save money by leaving out a screen, their engineers had a lot more flexibility, and the final product looks like a hockey puck stuck on a cone.

Despite what you’d think, this is actually pretty stylish and serves a practical purpose. The suction-cup mount seems durable enough, while the wide angle lens latches on using a magnet. This means it’s easy to remove if need be and it can also swivel through 360°. If you see an accident by the side of the road or want to film a conversation through the window, you can do so easily.

This dash cam, aside from looking cool, really ticks all the boxes with GPS logging, adequate video resolution, and wi-fi connectivity.

Vava VA-VD002 day/night footage:

This bite-sized camera is just about the smallest you can find that still leaves room for a screen. It’s very much the younger brother of the Apeman C860 Dual Dash Cam: a product of the same design philosophy. The Mini shares most of the good features of its sibling, but without a rear-facing camera and at about half the price.

Though its resolution is significantly lower at 1080p, it still offers decent picture quality, albeit in a tiny package. This compact form factor blends in with the rearview mirror, making the dashcam very difficult to detect at a glance from outside.

The primary image sensor is not quite as good as the C860’s, but also utilizes wide dynamic range technology for clear pictures even under challenging lighting conditions. As with the C860, the C420 can be used in parking mode with or without a hardwired power source.

The screen is small but very clear, and the picture quality is everything you’d expect from this resolution. Footage taken at night is noticeably fuzzier than what daytime conditions allow, but you should still be able to make out license plates without squinting, especially in the area covered by your headlights.

In short, if you can make do without a camera that covers your vehicle’s back and without frills like a phone app, this is good value.

APEMAN C420 Mini dash cam footage (day/night):

There are few things more frustrating than having video evidence, but its image quality is too poor to positively identify faces and license plates. Or tell a rolling pine cone from a berserk chihuahua.

With nearly 4K resolution, this isn’t likely to happen with this Rexing dash cam.

Compared to the Rove MyDash R2-4K which also records in high resolution, this Rexing has a slightly wider field of view. Their parking mode functionality is pretty much the same, though, and each has a similar app that allows you to see recorded footage alongside a map (although you have to pay extra for GPS on this Rexing).

Both companies are based in the United States, too, and are known for good customer support and frequent firmware updates. The Rexing has a supercapacitor instead of a battery, though this makes little difference practically speaking: both should be hardwired to the car battery to make use of parking mode.

The main difference is really that the Rexing has a flatter, less visible shape.

How important this is to you probably depends on how concerned you are about it getting stolen.

On the other hand, it’s also worthwhile remembering that some of the most satisfying stories people tell about dash cams involve a driver at fault looking for but not spotting a camera. When they see none, they make up their own stories about what happened, only to be comprehensively discredited a moment later.

If this kind of thing appeals to your sense of humor, by all means go with the Rexing V1-4K.

Otherwise, whichever you can find more cheaply seems like the better choice: neither is likely to disappoint.

Footage of the Rexing V1-4K catching an aggressive driver:

This dash cam has a form factor very different from most of its peers, fitting over a car’s standard center rear-view mirror. The camera itself sticks out to the left, and the screen becomes reflective just like an old-school mirror when the display goes into screen saver mode.

When turned on, you can use it to watch recorded video (though preferably not while driving) or the live feed from either the front or rear camera.

If you like, you can add an optional GPS receiver to record your route and speed, too. However, if this function is important to you, you may want to get a dash cam with wi-fi connectivity to get the most out of it.

One unusual selling point of this dash cam is that it also makes reversing and parking easier, which by itself may be enough to prevent a minor fender bender.

When you first start the car, it automatically displays an electronic image of what’s behind. Put the car in reverse (assuming that you’ve connected the appropriate wire to your taillight), and it automatically displays a lower, narrower field of view along with guide lines.

Toguard CE60 test footage:

Taxi and ridesharing drivers are all vulnerable to legal trouble of various kinds, from disputed fares to allegations of assault.

Simply getting your permit or Lyft membership suspended can mean taking a serious financial hit, even if the reason turns out to be bogus.

Insurance is a headache, too, and submitting a claim goes a whole lot more smoothly when you can attach a video of the event.

We therefore felt it imperative to include at least one dash cam here that’s optimized for this kind of driving. Like the Vantrue N4, this camera documents the inside of the vehicle, simultaneously giving you a handy record of whatever is visible through the rear window. It’s much cheaper and easier to install, however, making it a great option for drivers on a budget.

Toguard CE41 footage:

By virtually any standard, the BlackVue DR900S-2CH is one pricey beast. There are several other dash cams you can have for the price of a few tanks of gas, so what makes this BlackVue product so much better than, for instance, the Vava VA-VD002?

One part of the answer is that the front camera records at true 4K @ 30 frames per second (or 1080p @ 60 fps).

The more important factor, however, is that this is the only true “smart” dash cam we’ve selected.

Unlike the vast majority of car cams, it doesn’t just house a Bluetooth or wi-fi transmitter that allows it to act as an extension of your phone.

Instead, it can direct to the cloud directly, giving you access to a whole slew of additional features.

Blackvue day/night road test video recording:

The Garmin Dash Cam Mini is much cheaper than many other options, but offers quite a lot compared to other dash cams in the same price range.

In particular, the ability to install as many as 4 cameras in the same vehicle and run them all from the same smartphone may make this your best choice if no other dash cam quite fits the bill.

As another example of less being more, the camera itself is very discreet and won’t ruin your car’s interior styling.

However, this model does have a couple of limitations. Depending on how you plan to use it, these may not matter at all. On the other hand, they may also induce you to choose something a little cheaper, or perhaps a lot more expensive. If you wish to add rear and interior views, for instance, the Vantrue N4 works out slightly cheaper.

Garmin Dash Cam Mini demo:

This dash cam has a wedge-shaped body similar to that of the Rexing V1-4K, meaning that the screen is angled downwards and it’s relatively difficult to spot from outside.

Both also record in high resolution, though this cheaper Viofo runs in QHD rather than 4K. The Viofo also comes with its GPS module included in the sale price.

There are more important differences, too.

The Viofo’s screen is a little smaller, which will bother some people. The amount of road you can see is somewhat narrower, too, which can have important consequences in many situations.

More importantly, while the Rexing lets you review and store footage on your phone easily, video playback with the Viofo requires taking out the memory card and plugging it into a computer or phone. This is rarely an option when arguing with a cop on the side of the highway.

Viofo A119 V3 test video recording: