Choosing a dashboard camera can be overwhelming if you aren’t completely sure what you are looking for. Luckily, that’s where we come in. Once you prioritize what exactly you want to do with your dashboard camera, it becomes easier to choose.
We’ve already separated the bad from the good, and now we’ll help you choose the best fit for you from the good.
So let’s get to it. What should you need to prioritize?
At their very basics, all dashcams perform the same function. They will all record video from wherever you position it, and will keep looping over the video(once it runs out of space) until you choose to stop recording or a jerk or hard bump is detected, at which point recording stops once again.
Any dashcam you choose will do this.
Criteria 1: Budget
Now for where they differ. If budget is your main consideration, then you’re going to be a little limited with features. The cheaper you buy, the more basic the cameras will be. There are cameras under $200 that are still Full HD, such as the Papago GoSafe 200. This camera is pretty cheap, but delivers solid video quality.
The Papago GoSafe 200 is cheap and has lots of safety features built in
If you want GPS included in the mix, there is one model available for less than $200 – which is the Lukas LK-7200 – this is actually one of our favorite dashcams, and from the whole lot of budget dashcams, it is the most bang for your buck.
The Lukas LK-7200
You can also check out the rest of our budget dashcams here.
Criteria 2: Record the front, or the front and back?
Your next consideration should be whether you want to record just the front or the front and the back.Cameras that have the ability to record both the front and back are called dual channel dash cams.
With a dual channel dash cam, you mount the main unit on your windshield, and the smaller unit on your rear window, and you connect them both with a wire. The memory and storage is all in the main unit, and the smaller unit just captures the image.
Dual channel dashcams are good investments because they cover all bases – you’ve got the front recorded as well as the back. Since they are two cameras, though, they will be a little more expensive – starting at around $300. We’ve got some excellent models to choose from.
Dual channel dashcams usually are Full HD, and have GPS built in, so they are basically upgrades from lower-priced cameras. Some of our favorites include the BlackView DR-650GW, which is really cool because it has built-in WiFi so you can view videos directly on your phone.
The BlackVue DR-650GW is the best dashcam there is
Another really neat dual channel dashcam is the Lukas LK-919, which is really neat because the main unit has a giant 3,5 inch screen that you can use to change settings or view videos.
The Lukas LK-919 comes in a close second place after the BlackVue DR-650GW
Criteria 3: Concealability
Finally, if concealability is your biggest concern, you can consider the Papago GoSafe 260 camera which mounts right onto your rear view mirror, making it virtually undetectable unless you are looking very, very closely.
The GoSafe 260 replaces your rear view mirror
These are some of our recommendations for dashcams. Of course, like any other product, some people tend to have a brand preference. My personal favorite brand is BlackVue. They are like the Apple of dashcams, and their products are sleek, easy to use, and powerful.