Dash cams range from tiny units without screens that hide behind the rearview mirror to models with relatively large displays and a multitude of features. Here are the key features and specs to consider when you’re shopping.
Resolution and image sensor: The image quality of dash cams keeps improving. When we first published this guide in 2014, the best models had a maximum resolution of 1080p, with many models reaching only 720p. This time around, all of the models we tested could record at 1080p, with several able to capture a notably sharper 1296p and one capable of 1440p. In the higher-resolution models, we could see a clear difference in detail, and we were better able to read license plates and street signs, even when in motion. (You can set a cam’s resolution lower to take up less space on the storage card if you prefer.) The best cams also have image sensors and processors that provide a wide dynamic range that retains detail in both lighter and darker areas, as well as good color and contrast and low video noise across a variety of lighting and weather conditions.
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These photos show the field-of-view range in our test group. The Papago GoSafe 228’s narrow 120-degree FOV gives you a closer look at things right in front of your car but misses things at the sides.
Photo: Rik Paul -
The 160-degree FOV of the Papago GoSafe 535 strikes a nice balance between width and center details. Photo: Rik Paul
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The widest we saw was the Garmin Dash Cam 65W’s 180-degree FOV, which makes center objects look farther away but can be nice for capturing scenic landscapes as you drive. Photo: Rik Paul
Field of view (FOV): The models we tested have a field of view that ranges from a relatively narrow 120 degrees to a wide 180 degrees. The wider the field of view, the more of the scene that a camera can capture, which is handy for scenic vistas, sunsets, and the like. The trade-off is that wider FOVs make cars in front look a little farther away, although in our tests the sharp resolution of the best cams still made it easy to read license plates and see other details. The 160-degree FOV in our top pick is a good compromise.
Mounting: Most cameras mount to a car’s windshield in one of two ways: suction or adhesive. Some models give you a choice, while others come with only one or the other. Adhesive mounts often attach directly to the camera, which reduces the unit’s overall size. This design typically permits more-discreet placement, so the camera doesn’t intrude as much into your view, and the camera isn’t as noticeable from the outside. The ones we tested adhered very well to glass. But adhesive mounts can be difficult to remove, sometimes requiring a razor blade or a sharp paint scraper along with some patience, so you can’t easily move the camera from one car to another. Adhesive mounts also require precise placement when you install them, since you can’t adjust the placement without a lot of hassle or buying new adhesive material.
We favor a suction mount, even though the cam hangs down lower from one, because it has two key advantages: You can aim and adjust it easily, and you can remove it quickly if you want to take it down for any reason. (For instance, perhaps you have to park overnight on a street or in a lot, and you’re concerned about theft. Or you want to be able to move the camera between cars, such as for use in a rental car.)
Whatever the mount type, you want the camera to have good build quality and to remain firmly in place once positioned, so that it’s not easily jostled if you or your passengers accidentally nudge it or if your car hits a rough spot in the road.
Regardless of the mount, all models come with a long power cord that you can route to a power source. To keep it out of sight, you can often hide this cord behind the windshield molding and interior trim, but doing so can be the most challenging part of installing a dash cam. Alternatively, you can buy cord clips for a few bucks to route it out of the way, or Best Buy’s Geek Squad will install a dash cam for about $50.
Size: A dash cam and its mount should be somewhat discreet so they don’t take up too much real estate on your windshield and don’t distract you while you’re driving. The best units we looked at provide at least a small display while not blocking too much of the driver’s view.
Display: Most of the dash cams we tested have a display that’s 1.5 to 2.7 inches, measured diagonally; one model doesn’t have a display at all. We prefer dash cams with at least a 2-inch display, which makes it easier to adjust settings on the fly and preview footage. A lack of a display means that you have to use a computer, before getting into the car, to adjust the settings. The absence of a display also makes it hard to know if the camera angle is right without reviewing the footage on a separate device. And it’s impossible to know if the camera is really recording.
Second cam: Some dash cams—called dual-channel models—are able to record from two cameras simultaneously, which is helpful for recording both what’s in front of the car as well as what’s behind it or inside the vehicle. Models that record behind the car have two separate camera enclosures, one for mounting on the windshield and one for the rear window. The rear camera can also serve as a backup camera; you can display the footage from either camera on the screen or use the picture-in-picture function.
Some models have two cameras integrated into one housing, one for recording in front and the other pointing rearward toward the car’s cabin and passengers. This design can be helpful for taxi, Uber, Lyft, and other ride-for-hire drivers who have to deal with the occasional unruly customer, although the footage can be too dark to clearly see rear-seat passengers at night.
Storage cards: About half of the dash cams we tested come with an 8 GB microSD memory card, although some include a more generous 32 GB. Some models don’t include any card, which increases the cam’s effective price. Most of the cams accept a larger card of 64 or 128 GB, which is an important consideration.
A larger memory card lets you capture more footage before the cam needs to overwrite older video. At its maximum 1296p resolution, the Papago GoSafe 535 (our top pick) captures less than an hour of video on its 8 GB card (or a little over three hours when you set it at the lower, 720p resolution). That might work if all you want to do is record an accident or an occasional interesting scene, or if you expect to offload the footage frequently. But if you don’t want your video overwritten so quickly, we recommend getting a larger card; a quality 64 GB microSD card will set you back about $20 currently.
Battery versus capacitor: All of the models we tested get power when you plug their 12 V adapter into your car’s 12-volt accessory outlet (the “cigarette lighter”), although some can be hardwired if you desire. Most also have an internal lithium-ion battery that lets them continue to record for a period of time if the cord is unplugged. But in extreme temperature conditions, where objects left baking in a car can reach 180 to 200 °F, these batteries can overheat and need to be cooled to perform well. They can also suffer in very low temperatures, when they’re too cold to function right away. To help in these types of situations, some models use a capacitor, which better handles extreme temperatures and provides more reliability in those conditions than a battery. The downside is that, without a battery, a capacitor cam can’t continue working when it’s unplugged; the camera will power down after a few seconds.
Automatic incident detection: All of the dash cams we tested have built-in G-sensors that detect an impact and automatically save the footage of the incident. In most cases, the cam protects this footage from being overwritten, as well, so you have the evidence should you need it.
Parking surveillance: Models with this feature use optical motion detection or G-sensors to “wake up” and start recording if something happens to or around your vehicle while it’s parked. But the odds of the camera picking up useful information are low, since the camera faces a single direction and also requires persistent power to do this. We tested the parking mode in the models that offered it, but we were unable to trigger any of the cameras. Car owners shouldn’t consider this feature a reliable security tool.
Wi-Fi: You can view footage directly on your smartphone via an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network the camera provides. This feature is convenient if you want to share video or photos on social media, but it’s more of a frill than a necessity. Dash cams with Wi-Fi typically have a companion smartphone app, where you can look at the footage.
GPS: Models with a GPS receiver typically stamp the video with geographic coordinates, as well as the vehicle’s speed and direction of travel. Some also show the vehicle’s location on a map in the model’s compatible computer software. The GPS feature doesn’t provide turn-by-turn directions, however (for that you need a dedicated car GPS navigator). This info can be useful to verify the location of an incident or to mark a site where you captured a specific view or happening. But if you’re interested only in recording what’s in front of your car, GPS is just an extra.
Safety features: Some dash cams (and car GPS devices) provide safety alerts similar to the type that are becoming more common in newer cars. These include forward-collision warnings, which sound an audible alert if you are following another car too closely, and lane-departure warnings, which let you know if your car is crossing a lane marker on the road. Both can be helpful in some situations, but as you might expect, these features on a dash cam aren’t as reliable, consistent, or sophisticated as the more expensive safety systems in new cars. In some dash cam models, the alerts are also overly sensitive, which causes them to go off too often and can make them annoying enough that you want to turn them off. Again, this feature is not really a necessity for most people.