Jump To:
- Quick list
- Best overall
- Best compact cam
- Best mid-range cam
- Best for safety
- Best no-frills cam
- Best dual-view cam
- More dash cams
- What to look for
- How we test
Best Dash Cams: Quick Menu
1. The list in brief
2. Best dash cam overall
3. Best compact dash cam
4. Best mid-range dash cam
5. Best dash cam for safety
6. Best no-frills dash cam7. Best dual-view dash cam
8. What to look for
9. How we test
The best dash cams can't stop problems from happening on the road, but they can make sure you have a record of them. You just need to be able to sift through the countless models available, and pick one that suits your car and needs. After all, there are so many different models out there, each with their own unique features and selling points.
Thankfully we've done a lot of dash cam testing and know how all these different cameras work — and what features you need to be looking for. At the very least you need a front-facing camera that can record clear footage in all kinds of weather and light. But that doesn't mean you should discount more premium models, or dash cams with rear and interior recording capabilities
So which dash cams are right for you? Here are our top picks, based on our own personal experience.
The quick list
Here are the best dash cams you can buy right now, based on our own testing and real world usage. You can scroll further down to find our in-depth reviews, with more details about each model.
1. Nextbase 622GW
The best dash cam overall
If money is no object then the Nextbase 622GW has everything you want from a dash cam, and more. Least of which is 4K/120fps video, Alexa and wireless support for other Nextbase cameras.
Read more below
2. Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2
Best compact dash cam
Ideal for drivers who need to minimize the view of the road ahead, but maintain video quality. With voice control, Full HD resolution and a minute stature, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is perfect for your needs
Read more below
3. Nextbase 522GW
Best mid-range dash cam
If you're after a feature-rich dash cam without an excessive price tag, look no further than the Nextbase 522GW. It's done a great job of balancing price and premium features, costing under $250 but maintaining things like 60fps, 2K video and more.
Read more below
4. Garmin Dash Cam 57
Best dash cam for safety features
Packing in great quality video and a compact design with multiple safety features, the Garmin Dash Cam 57 is perfect if you want a little extra from your sash cam. It may not make your car drive itself, but it could help avoid a few preventable bumps.
Read more below
5. Nextbase 320XR
Best no-frills dash cam
If you want a dash cam that just works, and doesn't fluff itself up with unnecessary features, the Nextbase 320XR is worth checking out. It's sleek, affordable and most importantly stroll captures what's going on in adequate detail.
Read more below
6. Vantrue N2 Pro
Best dual-view dash cam
If you need to record what happens in and out of your car, the Vantrue N2 Pro has you covered. Not only is it affordable, but the Full HD interior camera makes sure you capture everything that happens with crisp video
Read more below
The full list: Best dash cams you can buy right now
1. Nextbase 622GW
The best dash cam overall
Specifications
Field of View: 140°
Resolution: 4K
Display: 3" touchscreen
GPS: Yes
Reasons to buy
+ Recording in 4K/120fps Voice control Emergency SOS Packed with features
Reasons to avoid
- Expensive Plain design
If you have money to burn, then the Nextbase 622GW has all the features you could ever want from a dash cam, and more. The design certainly won't set the world on fire, but it has an unparalleled feature set that offers some of the best video quality of any dash cam currently on the market.
The 622GW can record video in 4K/120fps, built-in image stabilization to ensure you have silky-smooth recordings, an extreme weather mode, and a polarizing filter that will minimize reflections that would otherwise spoil your film.
But on top of that it also packs in Alexa voice controls, enhanced night vision, a parking mode that senses collisions when you're parked up, and an emergency SOS service that contacts first responders in the event that the driver is unable to do it themselves. What3Words integration also ensures they know exactly where you are, down to a three meter area.
The 622GW also connects to Nextbase's rear-view camera to see what's going on behind you. Though the fact that this camera costs so much and doesn't offer two way recording by default may irk the more price-conscious among you.
Read our full Nextbase 622GW review
Best compact dash cam
2. Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2
Great video in a discreet, compact package
Specifications
Field of View: 140°
Resolution: 1080p
Display: No
GPS: No
Reasons to buy
+ Super compact and discreet Great image quality Voice control
Reasons to avoid
- No onboard GPS Some fish-eye distortion
Don't be fooled by its size, the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 packs an awfully powerful punch for something so tiny. It may not have features like a display or GPS, but it does produce great image quality and has voice controls in case you need the camera to do something mid-drive.
Plus like other recent Garmin Dash Cams it can smarten up your car with features like forward collision warning, lane departure warnings, speed camera and stop light notifications, and more. And there's the Garmin Vault, a cloud storage that automatically stores all your recordings in the cloud for safe keeping.
But the biggest strength is its design. The Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is so dinky you probably won't even notice it on your windscreen. Which means far fewer distractions when you drive.
Read our full Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 review
Best mid-range dash cam
3. Nextbase 522GW
Plenty of dash cam for your dollar
Specifications
Field of View: 140°
Resolution: 1440p at 30fps or 1080p at 60 fps
Display: 3-inch touchscreen
GPS: Yes
Reasons to buy
+ Great daytime video quality Touchscreen Sleek, compact design Polarizing filter
Reasons to avoid
- Design not for everyone Overly sensitive G-sensor
While the Nextbase 622GW has it beaten on advanced features, there's no denying that the nextbase 522GW offers an impressive practicality and function for a much more palatable price tag. It has fantastic image quality during the day, though night vision can be a little troublesome if there isn't much ambient light.
The camera also features a 3-inch touchscreen for easy use, Alexa voice functionality, an emergency SOS mode and a polarizing filter for better image quality when the sun is a little too bright for the camera to otherwise handle. Like other Nextbase models there's a magnetic Click& Go mount and the option to sync with various rea-view and interior models Nextbase has on sale.
Read our full Nextbase 522GW review
Best dash cam for safety
4. Garmin Dash Cam 57
Great features for a more palatable price
Specifications
Field of View: 140°
Resolution: 1440p
Display: 2" LCD
GPS: Yes
Reasons to buy
+ Compact size Voice control Good safety features Easy to use magnetic mount
Reasons to avoid
- No glare filter Slightly fuzzy images at dusk No touchscreen
If you're looking for solid features at a less stomach churning price, there's Garmin's Dash Cam 57. The Garmin Dash Cam 57 packs in all the usual dash cam features, as well as a few more that enhance your recording capabilities and smarten up your car in the process.
If you don't have a a newer car with driver assistance features, this is where the Garmin 57 shines. It packs in a number of safety features including forward collision warnings, lane departure warnings, and alerts when you're coming up to stop lights and speed cameras. It'll also tell you when you're too absent-minded to notice traffic has started moving.
The Garmin 57 also packs in a parking guard, a live view, and an automatic cloud backup that securely stores your recording in the cloud for safe keeping. Tie that in with voice controls, built-in GPS and 1440p video resolution, and you should be able to record all the important details should the worst ever happen.
Plus, like all Garmin dash cams, the Garmin 57 can connect to an additional four cameras to cover other directions.
Read our full Garmin Dash Cam 57 review
Best no-frills dash cam
5. Nextbase 320XR Dash Cam
A great, no-frills camera solution
Specifications
Field of View: 140° front and rear
Resolution: 1080p front and rear
GPS: No
Display: 2.5-inch screen
Reasons to buy
+ Decent all-in-one dash cam solution Very affordable package Sleek, compact design
Reasons to avoid
- Slightly fuzzy footage Lacks advanced features
Experienced dash cammers might mourn the lack of advanced features or 2K recording, but the Nextbase 320XR makes for a great, no-frills dual camera solution that undercuts many rivals in its class.
Image quality, while not perfect, is more than capable, and its compact, subtle design makes it adaptable for most vehicle needs. If you’re after a reliable, affordable double camera system without the ostentatious box of tricks, and this one solidly fits the bill.
Read our full Nextbase 320XR review
Best dual-view dash cam
6. Vantrue N2 Pro
A solid dual-view dash cam that sadly lacks important features
Specifications
Field of View: 170° front, 140° rear
Resolution: 1440p, 1080p in dual mode
Display: 1.5-inch
GPS: No
Reasons to buy
+ Dual 1080p camera Adjustable rear camera angle IR sensors for improved night vision
Reasons to avoid
- No GPS, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth No companion app Cheap build quality
If you'd rather save the hassle of having two dash cam modules to cover your front and rear, the Vantrue N2 Pro might be a sold option for you. Not only does it feature an additional lens to cover your rear, it lets you adjust the angle of that lens to better suit the interior of your car.
The overall footage isn't the best quality, with some graininess and lens flare, you'll still end up with crisp, clear videos to keep tabs on what's happening on the roads around you. Of course it's missing a lot of important things, like wireless connectivity of any kind, which will make accessing your videos a little bit more difficult.
But with all the basics on board, and a secondary camera included in the price, then this is a dash cam well worth considering. Especially for the price tag.
Read our full Vantrue N2 Pro review
More of the best dash cams
7. Kenwood DRV-A301W
A solid dash cam that isn't without its flaws
Specifications
Field of View: 136°
Resolution: 1080p
Display: 2.7-Inch
GPS: Yes
Reasons to buy
+ Good design GPS and Speedometer Great companion app
Reasons to avoid
- Noisy playback Needs constant power connection
With a strong design and up to 1080p resolution, the Kenwood DRV-A31W makes a strong case for being the dash cam for your car. Not only can it automatically detect collisions and record footage for safe keeping, it also features a prominent display and on board GPS to log your speed and location at the time.
Better still the Kenwood Dash Cam manager is one of our favorite Dash Cam companion apps. Not only can you connect via a local wireless network to view your saved footage, you can also see a live view of what the camera sees on your screen. Recorded video is also of good quality, though the audio can be a little choppy at times.
It may not have any unique features to set it apart from its rivals, but the Kenwood DRV-A31W does have everything you need in a dash cam — and with an affordable price tag to boot.
Read our full Kenwood DRV-A31W review
8. Vantrue S1 Dash Cam
A dual-view dash cam with a a reasonable price
Specifications
Field of View: 170° front, 160° rear
Resolution: 4K (front only); 1080p (dual)
GPS: Yes
Display: 2" LCD
Reasons to buy
+ 4K front recording Adjustable camera Good daytime recording
Reasons to avoid
- Bulky design Cheaper dual camera systems available
While it isn't perfect by any means, the Vantrue S1 offers a relatively affordable dual-view dash cam setup, with solid video recording capabilities. Day time video recordings are clear and detailed without any coloring issues, and while fuzzier night time footage is pretty commendable.
While there are several thing we'd change about the Vantrue S1, including certain design features and the lack of more advanced features, all the important things are there. Solid video and audio, GPS, incident detection, and a 24/7 parking guard. Likewise the menu system is an absolute breeze to use, and features a number of context-sensitive buttons.
So if you're looking for an affordable dual-view dash cam that isn't absolutely terrible, the Vantrue S1 is one to check out.
Read our full Vantrue S1 review
One of the most versitile dash cams around
Specifications
Field of View: 150°
Resolution: 1080p
GPS: No
Display: 3 inch
Reasons to buy
+ Good image quality Flexible dual camera setup OLED touchscreen
Reasons to avoid
- Some features aren’t great So-so design
A solid mid-range effort Car & Driver, with an impressive array of features and an OLED touchscreen — a rare sight on dash cams in general, especially at this price. There's also a flexible camera setup, and the ability to record crisp, clear footage in full HD resolution.
Some of the features don't work as well as they could, and the camera itself feels rather flimsy, while the Patrol Touch Duo misses crucial features like GPS and Wi-Fi. Still if you need a dual view camera with solid video quality and all the staple dash cam features, this is worth your consideration.
Read our full Car and Driver Patrol Touch Duo review
10. Nexar Beam
A low cost dash cam with free unlimited cloud storage
Specifications
Field of View: 135°
Resolution: 1080p
GPS: Yes
Display: No
Reasons to buy
+ Crisp footage Compact design Unlimited cloud storage Long power cable
Reasons to avoid
- App is average Accessing your cloud space is tricky Puts strain on phone battery
if you're looking for something that offers crisp video footage, a discreet and compact design, all for a low price, then the Nexar Beam GPS dash cam might be the one for you. Not only is it a solid and affordable dash cam, it also comes with unlimited access to Nexar's cloud storage platform — so you don't need to worry about preserving your footage after an incident.
The companion app isn't great, and it can be tricky to access your cloud space, at first. But as imperfect as it might be the Nexar Beam is still a sold choice that does everything you need out of a dash cam.
Read our full Nexar Beam GPS review
What to look for in a dash cam
You may not need a dash cam that comes with 4K resolution or various smart features. But at the very least you're going to want a camera that records good quality video and can automatically detect whenever you get into an accident.
Thankfully the vast majority of them do this, so it's all about asking yourself what extras you need — and whether they're worth the additional cost. GPS is one feature you might think about skipping, though it can still be useful. After all GPS can log exactly where an accident took place, and how fast you were moving at the time. Knowing both things can work in your favor under the right circ*mstances.
Likewise voice controls can be invaluable if you need to be able to control your camera mid-drive. After all not all incidents lead to collisions, and it's useful to be able to record evidence of wrongdoing without having to mess about with your camera.
Lastly you may want to check whether the dash cam you have can connect to other cameras. After all cars come from all directions, and it helps to be able to keep a log of things coming at you from different directions. Especially from the rear, where you probably won't see danger coming.
How we test dash cams
Every dash cam you see in this list has been tested and reviewed to ensure that the best dash cams really are the best. We look at every step involved in owning a dash cam, from setup all the way to actually having to pull your footage from the memory card.
The testing begins by setting up the camera, and judging it depending on how easy or difficult the whole process is. We also spend extensive time on the road, day and night, to collect footage and make an informed judgement on how each camera performs in a variety of real world conditions.
We also assess each camera's design and companion software (if it has any) throughout this process, and asses what impact it has on day to day use. Finally we collect the footage from the camera, which can be via a companion app or by manually transferring the microSD card to a different machine. The ease or difficulty in which this happens also factors into our final score, as do any additional features the camera may or may not have.
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Tom Pritchard
UK Phones Editor
Tom is the Tom's Guide's UK Phones Editor, tackling the latest smartphone news and vocally expressing his opinions about upcoming features or changes. It's long way from his days as editor of Gizmodo UK, when pretty much everything was on the table. He’s usually found trying to squeeze another giant Lego set onto the shelf, draining very large cups of coffee, or complaining about how terrible his Smart TV is.
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Latest
3 CommentsComment from the forums
ImpliedConsent Sadly, I tried to use Tom's as a true "guide" and we run into this kind of article. It "Googled" towards the top, so, I've trusted Tom's before. These dashcams are not even in the running for anything "best". @Tom Pritchard ... seriously?
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RichieHH ImpliedConsent said:
Sadly, I tried to use Tom's as a true "guide" and we run into this kind of article. It "Googled" towards the top, so, I've trusted Tom's before. These dashcams are not even in the running for anything "best". @Tom Pritchard ... seriously?Got to agree. "Influenced" rankings perhaps. And any review that doesn't include parking assistant isn't a review IMO.
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Kenwood_Dashcams_Are_Bad The Kenwood is terrible. I made the mistake of buying it because it was all my installer offered. I thought at least the thing would work. It only records intermittently, dropping whole half-hour chunks out of a trip. The customer service is even worse. Do not buy any dashcam from Kenwood.
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