Dash cam recommendations

[jimjam]

Hi all, I am looking for some recommendations on dash cams. I note that Black Vue seem to be popular with VW and Audi owners but which one and are there any others to consider. kind regards

[The_Hawk]

I've had a few over the years, the one in my car is the VIOFO A119 (V1 I think?) from years ago. Had a newer version in the wifes last car... still haven't bothered instaling one in her "new" car which is four years old.

You can read here: https://dashcamtalk.com/

But the short version is that the VIOFO A119 variants are still some of the best bang for your buck cameras.

Otherwise: https://dashcamtalk.com/best-dash-cams-of-2025/

Best All Around Dash Cam Value

1. VIOFO Mini 2 has great video with STARVIS 2 sensor (with HDR), small discreet wedge shape and reasonable price

Good Value 4K Dual Camera

1. 70mai A810 is the best 4K STARVIS 2 bargain (with HDR) , but note it has a battery not capacitor and rear video quality is not the best

Premium 4K Dual Camera

1. VIOFO A329 is a 2-channel camera with STARVIS 2 senors for front and rear. Comes with 4K 60FPS video in the front, SSD support and WiFi 6.
2. Thinkware U3000 has a 4K STARVIS 2 sensor (no HDR) for the front camera and is one of the most feature packed dash cams with radar parking mode and cloud functionality

Older but Proven Dash Cams
The following cameras are not 4K, do not come with Sony STARVIS 2 CMOS sensors and are a few years old. Video quality is slightly worse than the newest cameras but their lower prices and proven reliability make them good choices if you are on a budget.

1. VIOFO A119 V3 our previous best buy. Price is great, video quality is good and has proven reliability
2. VIOFO A129 Plus Duo a proven dual camera. Decent video quality and proven reliability
3. Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 while dated and does not have exceptional video quality, this is the best brand name camera available

Link to the VIOFO AliExpress Store: https://viofo.aliexpress.com/store/4637077

[The_Hawk]

I should add some of my thoughts on Dashcams:

If you think dashcams are cool and you want footage of your driving for funsies, please buy one!
If you want to capture footage of OTHER people doing dumb **** and post it to the internet, please buy one!

If you want a dashcam to save you from insurance claims... well, let's talk.

A Dashcam *could* be of benefit if you've been the victim of a hit and run, an accident where the other party claims you are at fault (and you're not) or you're hit while parked.

How many times have these things happened to you so far in life?

Next question. How much is your excess vs the cost of the camera. Spending a $1,000 + on the latest greatest camera with your new car purchase is easy to do, but then you have to have an incident falling into one of the above categories (probably twice) before the camera has saved you money.


Lastly, Are you paranoid? Are the cops out to get you? Do you do dumb **** in your car that you don't want evidence of? Some people will install their dashcams and intentionally disable GPS to remove obvious evidence of speeding and will remember to turn it off (or swap out memory cards) while doing spirited runs or burnouts etc etc.