The best dash cam in 2021: constant protection for you and your vehicle

Emergency SOS can sense a collision and then, if the driver doesn’t respond to a prompt, will alert the local emergency services and share your location – potentially saving lives. The BlackVue DR900S-1CH offers a neat factory-fit look, but also has the advantage of a slim and compact design. While you hope you never need such a thing, it’s better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it!

The 522GW shoots 2K resolution (1440p) at 30 frames per second, or regular 1080p Full HD at 60fps. It also has some driver-assist features, such as lane-drift alerts and slow-speed front-collision warnings. Wide dynamic range and auto exposure help to keep footage clear in harsh or low lighting, and everything is shot through a 140-degree lens. The Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 might just be the smallest dash cam on the market today.

The ability to see your full drives, and create clips from them, within the easy to use app is also fantastic – and great for quickly finding exactly what you need. As well as shooting in high-quality 1440p with advanced night vision, the camera also has a wide range of safety features. Naturally, the ones that cost a little more tend to come with more fancy features. The Thinkware F200 Pro is one such camera, requiring you to hook up your phone via Wi-Fi and the app to monitor what’s going on in real time.

There is no built in screen on the dash cam itself – but because of this it is small and discrete on your windshield We have a separate buying guide to the best front and rear dash cams. With an easy-to-use app that connects your smartphone to the 622GW over its own wifi network, you can see all your clips with ease – and download those you want to save or review. • Front and rear dash cams: Sometimes, the hazard is from behind, so a rear-facing dash cam can be very useful.

The best dash cam in 2021: constant protection for you and your vehicle

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p> The top two slots are taken by Garmin, which seems to have the dash cam market pretty tightly sewn up right now. This is the big brother of the Nextbase 522GW , and is the best choice if you want a 4K dashcam without the need to have the dashboard device hardwired into your vehicle. And if you hardwire the Q800 Pro to your car (giving it a permanent power source from the battery) there’s a smart parking mode to record incidents while parked. • GPS and emergency services: It’s the last item on our list but perhaps the most important. A dash cam with night vision can offer protection and security at night, too.

It looks like the 66W is still on sale for now, so it’s a cheaper alternative that share’s this dash cam’s key specs. So here’s a quick run-down of what to look for: The wider the angle of view, the more likely it is to take in what’s happening in junctions and side roads, but objects up ahead will be smaller. Some dash cams can plug into a USB socket or 12V supply and keep running indefinitely, though the cables may look messy. If you are involved in an accident, you may not be able to ask for help, and some of the best dash cams can detect a collision and automatically notify the emergency services.

• Resolution: 4K capture is great, and high resolution means clearer, sharper images with more detail, but it also means the files are bigger and you need more storage. A dual-camera kit is also available. Toyota venza 2016 in ghana Even the mounting system is super-simple. The new Garmin Dash Cam 67W is the latest version of Garmin’s high-end model, with the brilliant new Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 has the same keyfob-size dimensions as its predecessor.

If you want to know more about these, you can jump to our explainer on what to look for in a dash cam. Kenwood is a popular choice if you buy your dash cam from a dealership – but you can buy its range of dashboard cameras online too. But the best dash cams go further, with better quality, better connectivity, more driver aids or more safety features. The voice controls are also very good, the mount is small and simple to use, and you can even pair up to four of these cameras together for synchronised recording right around your vehicle.

• Protection while parked: The advantage of a wired in dash cam is that it can keep running while your car is parked, and record suspicious activity, attempted theft or parking bumps. The DR900S-1CH offers 4K video recording, a wider lens than most of its rivals (162 degrees), GPS and parking mode. An optional rear camera can also be purchased and plugged into the main unit, which shoots in 2K resolution at 30 frames per second for sharp footage of what’s going on behind you. You get a 16GB SD memory card supplied, but you can uses up to a capacity of 256GB if you want to keep footage for longer – or do lots of driving. • Wi-Fi: Dash cams with Wi-Fi can communicate with a smartphone app for controlling settings or checking video.

• Voice control: You need to keep your hands on the wheel while you’re driving, so voice control is a safety feature, not just a convenience. Some front facing dash cams come with an optional rear camera upgrade. If you think you’ll miss an integrated display then this isn’t one for you, but otherwise the F200 Pro is decent value, taking nice-looking Full HD video with a wide colour gamut. The Nextbase 522GW is a great dash cam for those who want a whole suite of features – including Alexa, GPS and Emergency SOS – but who are also on a budget. An integrated supercapacitor also holds a little charge in order to keep the cam going for a few seconds in the event of sudden power interruption.

It will cost more, and you can’t move the camera from one vehicle to another, but it looks better. It’s super easy and intuitive to set up and works extremely well with the connected smartphone app. The Thinkware U1000 shoots in sharp 4K video (albeit with the associated huge file sizes) through a wide, 150-degree lens.

This Garmin Dash Cam 67W is a refresh of the 66W, our previous favorite model, now including new features like Live View monitoring to check your car remotely and a Parking Guard feature to alerts you to parking lot prangs. In terms of video technology, dash cams tend to use similar setups as the best action cameras, though are designed for longer-term, constant recording in a way that GoPros are not. • Night vision: We don’t just drive in the daytime. A second rear-facing dash cam is an optional extra, too.

The other alternative is to get your dash cam installed professionally with hidden wiring. It also features a 140-degree viewing angle, integrated GPS for accurate location, direction and speed data, and even Amazon Alexa. It can be purchased solo, or with an optional rear unit. These include speed camera alerts, lane departure and forward collision warnings, and a system for alerting you when the vehicle ahead moves off, saving you from an awkward beep by the driver behind. We’ve included a mixture of both types in this guide, but if you’re positive you want both-sides coverage, then we have a dedicated guide to the best front and rear dash cams that features this kind exclusively.

The step up in video quality is noticeable – and there is the added feature of support for What3Words – and ingenious global system that you can use to give your precise location to first responders by just giving them three words (and is a proven lifesaver). • Driver assist safety aids: Some dash cams can sound alerts if you cross lane markings or warn you that a vehicle ahead has stopped in traffic. The best dash cams are the best way to keep yourself safe in the car. Because it lacks a display, the Thinkware Q800 Pro has a more subtle design than most dash cams, hugging your windscreen and fitting neatly below or behind the rear view mirror. We admit this is an expensive option, and it has to be hardwired into your vehicle.

And if you prefer to navigate the road on two wheels rather than four, our list of the best helmet cameras should prove useful for giving yourself the same level of peace of mind. • Batteries vs wired: Some dash cams have batteries and can easily be installed without wires, but the batteries won’t last long – typically around 30 minutes. For those who use Apple CarPlay / Android Auto wirelessly, however, it’s a shame that you can’t use them both together. The Garmin Dash Cam 67W truly excellent dash cam that is compact and easy to use, with a good set of useful features and which records top-quality video. It’s a must-buy and deserves the no.

1 spot in this guide. It’s not the cheapest, but it is a top-notch dash cam that does everything without being needlessly complicated. See full Thinkware U1000 review Roughly the size of a car key fob, the camera records in 1080p Full HD resolution with HDR, is easy to set up, has an equally compact windscreen mount, and even features a voice control system – it’s the perfect compact dash cam. We really rate them both, for different reasons.

There are plenty of other choices, though, and for a range of budgets. There are a huge number of dash cams on the market today, and some of them are very cheap indeed. • High dynamic range: It sounds like a feature for a high-end digital camera, but HDR capture can be an advantage in very bright, high-contrast lighting. Some dash cams just cover the front of a vehicle, while others come in pairs to record what’s going on behind as well.

Not everyone will want to pay for a subscription service, but we can see the added benefits being useful for fleet managers who want to keep tabs on their vehicles. So dash cams are definitely a better choice if you care more about the consistency of your footage than the quality. This means that, using your smartphone’s internet connection, the 522GW works just like an Alexa smart speaker at home, enabling you to play music, hear news headlines, get directions and even control your smart home gadgets while on the road. • Cloud subscription: An optional extra with some dash cams which could be useful for fleet owners keeping track of a number of vehicles. If you want a dash cam that does absolutely everything but 4K, the Thinkware Q800 Pro is for you.

On top of all that, there’s a cloud-based subscription package for viewing live and recorded footage remotely, and a service which pushes a notification to your smartphone when the camera detects a collision – useful if your car has been bumped while you’re away. In this phone-centric world, many dash cams are opting to get rid of the screen entirely. The magnetic mount makes this easier, and more between different vehicles, than with some rivals. There’s built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, which is used to serve up speed camera alerts and add location and speed data to all of your recordings. If you’re looking for an all-singing, all-dancing dash cam that does everything – but also lacks a screen to distract you while driving – this is it.

This 4K model is great value, offering useful features such as built-in GPS, a bright f/1.8 wide-angle lens, and an integrated polarizing filter for cutting through windshield reflections. But if it’s a feature-packed, high-quality dash cam you want, this is it! And if they have GPS, they can send your exact location to the emergency services too.

If you’re looking for a quick, easy to use and simple dash cam, then the Nexar Beam GPS is a fantastic option. With all that in mind, let’s get to our list of the best dash cams you can buy right now. While a basic dashboard camera can do a fine job of recording the road ahead, providing evidence in case you need to resolve with an insurance company, the best dash cams are smarter than that, offering driver aids to avoid things like lane drift or getting too close to a vehicle in front. Enhanced night vision and wide dynamic range help to produce high quality video during the day and night. If you need to keep an eye on what’s going on inside the car as well as outside, then you might want to take a look at our guide to the best Uber dash cams.

Dash cam footage can provide important evidence, so while it’s not necessary for dash cams to record in 4K and other high resolutions, it’s certainly no bad thing if they do; better for your footage to be clear and unambiguous than murky and unclear. Designed to be a permanent addition to your car, the camera sticks to the screen and works best when hard-wired, so there’s no quick way to switch it between multiple vehicles. • Angle of view: Dash cams typically have wide-angle lenses. Some dash cams can even contact emergency services automatically after an accident, and pass on your GPS co-ordinates to make sure the paramedics can reach you. You can still use the camera, but without the added functionality that the phone brings, so for that reason, it’s not recommended for that type of user.

If you want high-quality Full HD video with HDR from an incredibly compact design, you really should look no further. For now though, let’s start counting off the best dash cams you can buy right now.