The best dashcams in the test (2022)

Ultimately, it’s the high quality of the videos that you expect from a dash cam. But specs alone don’t tell you whether one camera is better than another – and quality varies widely. Don’t be fooled by a wide-angle lens either: the higher the number, the smaller everything in the center of the frame is. We prefer a lens with a viewing angle of 140 degrees or less. Likewise, higher resolution does not automatically mean better quality. Manufacturers often speak of “night modes,” but that can be just as misleading as the resolution. Again, read our reviews to find out if a dash cam records well at night.

Viofo A129 Duo: Editor’s recommendation

Viofo A129 in PCW price comparison

Viofo A129 Duo on Amazon

This front and rear dash cam cuts out the frills and focuses on the essentials: recording good quality videos. That means it’s cheaper than most competing dual-channel dash cams. But be careful: Some packages do not include the GPS mount and the polarizing filter.

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Editor’s recommendation: Viofo A129 Duo

© Viofo

Both are important so you can prove where the video was shot – and to remove reflections from the windshield in the video. The front camera is well designed. It’s ideal if you’re looking for something that doesn’t need to be hidden behind the rear-view mirror. The rear camera, although small, has a very thick cable that is difficult to hide properly.

Nextbase 422GW

Nextbase 422GW PCW price comparison

Nextbase 422GW at Amazon

The 422GW is the most affordable model in Nextbase’s new Series 2 and features Alexa and Emergency Response. It also supports the rear cameras, records at 1440p, and costs the same as the older 412GW. If you don’t need all the new features, you can save money by going with the 322GW.

Viofo A119 v3

Viofo A119 v3 in PCW price comparison

Viofo A119 v3 on Amazon

Viofo knows what people want from a dash cam: good quality video recording and recording options when your car is parked. There aren’t any extra features like lane departure warning or speed camera: even GPS is optional, so you’ll pay less if you don’t want it. This keeps the price low while still offering excellent quality. There are three parking modes you can choose from. You must purchase and install the cable kit to use the rear view camera.

Vantrue M2

Vantrue M2 PCW price comparison

Vantrue M2 on Amazon

The M2 fits over your existing rear view mirror and offers an ultra wide display capable of displaying the rear camera view. Or you can turn off the display and it’s a mirror, albeit a little dimmer than a standard mirror. If you are familiar with car electrics, you can connect the rear camera to your car’s backup lamp and mount it externally so that it acts as a backup camera:

When reversing, the parking aids are displayed on the screen. The video quality of both cameras is good. Our only real gripes are the clunky and cumbersome menu system, the lack of WiFi and a companion app for downloading videos without a PC. Not good either: The recordings are in the incompatible ts format and not in the much more common MP4 format.

Viofo A129 Pro Duo

Viofo A129 Pro Duo PCW price comparison

Viofo A129 Pro Duo on Amazon

The A129 Pro Duo is easy to confuse with the non-Pro version. We rate it highly because it offers a good balance between price and quality. Put simply, if you want the extra detail that comes with 4K recording, the A129 Pro Duo is a solid choice. It’s incomprehensible that the rear camera only records 1080p, but as a whole the A129 Pro Duo is impressive. Just note that the parking modes are only really usable if you use the optional cable kit, which you may not be able to install yourself.

Nextbase 622GW

Nextbase 622GW PCW price comparison

Nextbase 622GW at Amazon

The 622GW is Nextbase’s flagship. It may be expensive, but it has all the features you can imagine. The video quality in the core area is very good, also thanks to the stabilization that contributes to the sharpness of the details. It’s still impressive at night, but don’t expect to be able to read license plates. Alexa could come in handy if you’re streaming music while driving. The integration of Emergency SOS is a nice touch – despite being a subscription service. If you don’t want a rear camera, you might be able to justify paying that much for a front camera, but there’s not much compromise on quality by going to the 522GW model.

Next base 112

Nextbase 112 PCW price comparison

Nextbase 112 on Amazon

The 112 is a very affordable dash cam that uses the same convenient quick release magnetic mount as the 312GW. So it’s really convenient to remove it from the car to transfer video files or even take some photos on battery power. It is the only dash cam in our test that records with a comparatively low resolution of 1,280 x 720 pixels. However, thanks to the 120-degree lens, the number plates of oncoming vehicles are much easier to see because they appear larger in the video. Quality is acceptable during the day and most license plates are visible when you pause the video. Like most dash cams – even those that cost five times as much – it can’t often record license plates at night, as detail drops off sharply. There are no frills like WiFi or GPS. You also cannot view recordings or photos on the 2-inch screen. But the 112 is nicely compact and has easy-to-use buttons and menus.