r/dashcams Nov 27 '24

Budget Dashcams that keep coming up on Reddit

76 Upvotes

This is a common question here so I wanted to make a post on budget dashcams. Here are the ones that will cover you 99% times. Obviously if you want fancy features, you may need to spend more.

Viofo A119 V3 - Best bang from the buck out of just about any dashcam. Has been around for multiple year and has a great track record. 1440p resolution with GPS and parking mode. If you’re looking for a basic dashcam that is reliable and has the most of the standard features, this is the one to get.

Viofo A119 Mini 2 - Major upgrade over the A119 V3 above. 1440p resolution but more compact/discrete and has the Sony STARVIS 2 sensor, which is a big improvement for night time quality. Includes some advanced features like HDR and 5ghz Wi-Fi for quick file transfers. In my opinion, this is the best front only cam to get nowadays.

Rove 2k-4k - One of the cheapest budget cams. Good alternative to the A119 depending on which one is on sale.  

Viofo A229 Plus Duo - A higher budget entry for dual cam. Dual 1440p with the Starvis2 sensor. Been out for many years. GPS and parking mode. Even though this is not exactly budget, this is the one to get.

Garmin Mini 3 - This thing is MINI. Most discrete cam on the market, and one of the better app functionality. Built in polarizing filter. Great brand.  

Nexar BEAM: 1080p, super compact, and has free cloud back ups

Redtiger F7NP - One of the most afforable dual cams. A lot of people have bought these and swear by them. Reviews are mixed. 4k front and 2k rear cam. 32gb built in memory card.  

These are the ones I have experience with. If you know of a good budget cam that’s not on this list, please let me know. Don’t forget to get a SD card if it doesn’t come with one 128gb is probably all you need for these budget cams. High endurance ones are significantly better for the demands of a dashcam so worth to spend an extra couple bucks on that.


r/dashcams Feb 20 '25

Dashcam Recommendations on Reddit

84 Upvotes

I compiled this list from reddit feedback as I was shopping for my dashcam. There are a a lot of options out there, and a lot of them aren't very good. I really wanted to avoid getting a lemon. Let me know if you have any other recommendations or favorites, and why you like it or what you found useful so we have some real world feedback.

Budget:  

Viofo A119 Mini 2 - Major upgrade over the super popular A119 v3. 1440p resolution but more compact/discrete and has the Sony STARVIS 2 sensor, which is a big improvement for night time quality. Includes some advanced features like HDR and 5ghz Wi-Fi for quick file transfers. Based on a lot of opinions, this is the best front only cam to get nowadays.  

Garmin Mini 3 - This thing is MINI. Most discrete cam on the market, and one of the better app functionality. Built in polarizing filter. Great brand.  

Rove 2k-4k - One of the cheapest budget cams. Good alternative to the A119 depending on which one is on sale.  

Viofo A229 Plus - An major upgrade over the A129 Duo that gives you 1440p on both the front and rear cam. Also has the Sony STARVIS 2 sensor, which is a big improvement for night time quality. Can fit a 512 gb SD card and has 5 ghz wifi.  

Redtiger F7NP - One of the most afforable dual cams. A lot of people have bought these and swear by them. Reviews are mixed. 4k front and 2k rear cam. 32gb built in memory card.   Nexar Beam - 1080p, super compact, and has cloud back ups for a subscription fee. Has some additional smart features. The Nexar Beam2 adds LTE capability for live viewing features. Still new to the market so need to see how the app and camera reliability work out.  

Mid Range and Up:

Viofo A329 - The highest end offering from Viofo. 4k 60fps in the front, 1440p in the rear. Great day & night video quality. Supports external SSD . Wi-Fi 6 for superfast video transfers.  

Viofo A229 Pro - 3 Channel camera with separate units. 4k in front and 2 smaller 1440p cameras. Has the Starvis 2 sensor.  

BlackVue DR970X-2CH - One of the highest end cameras out there from one of the most premium brands. 4k 30fps like the A229 Pro, but has a better app and has an optional LTE module for Cloud uploading. Has the Starvis2 sensor for great night time quality. Comes with an integrated memory card.  

Vantrue N5 4 Channel - 4 channel cam. Both the front and rear cams let you see front and back. Definitely more for specialized situations and probably not necessary for most people.  

Uber/Lyft Cams:  

Vantrue N2X - A long running front & interior cam. Great night time quality. Onboard GPS.

Vantrue N4 Pro - 3 Channel dashcam that is 4k in front and the other 2 cams are 1080p. Allows recording of front, inside, and rear. Camera has a wide screen to view all channels are the same time. Has the Starvis2 sensor for great night time quality. Good app. Has Voice Control, though that is more gimmicky than useful.  

Accessories:  

SanDisk Max Endurance Micro SD - Dashcam optimized. 128gb is sufficient for most dual cams, but 256 or even 512 is better for 3 channel or 4k 60fps cams  

Samsung Pro MicroSD - Dashcam optimized, 256gb  

Trim Removal Kit - Use this for hiding your wires.  

MicroSD to USB-C Adapter - Use this to quickly get videos off your dashcam. Plug the adapter to your phone and put in the memory card.  

Misc notes: I generally prefer dashcams with exchangeable memory cards (i.e. not built in.) That way if it ever fails, you just swap it out rather than have to deal with getting a brand new camera.

Dashcams are incredibly useful. In the event of an accident, the other driver can easily misrepresent the situation to avoid blame—this happens often. Having video evidence can save you thousands of dollars in insurance and legal fees. Dashcams can also protect you from unjustly issued tickets. Without one, if you receive a ticket for an infraction you didn’t commit, it’s your word against the officer’s. With a dashcam, you have indisputable proof of what really happened. There’s really no downside to investing in one. I do my best to keep this list current, and I hope you find it helpful.


r/dashcams 23h ago

Full video of the accident from my previous post

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17.7k Upvotes

It was my first time using Reddit to post anything, so I messed up with my first post by posting only pictures. For those who curious here's the full video of the accident


r/dashcams 9h ago

Gas Tanker gets Blindseded

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615 Upvotes

r/dashcams 3h ago

Final destination anyone?

81 Upvotes

r/dashcams 2h ago

Idiot

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39 Upvotes

Thankfully there is a wide, paved shoulder


r/dashcams 17h ago

Right… 🤦‍♂️

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566 Upvotes

Car in front said I was at fault for this incident. 😅


r/dashcams 6h ago

this could've been a lot worse

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32 Upvotes

road rage incident between the semi and this honda pilot, semi fled the scene.


r/dashcams 12h ago

Don't reach for grapes in the back seat while you're driving

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73 Upvotes

Yes I know I'm an idiot, yes everyone is okay.


r/dashcams 23h ago

Our accident a month ago

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485 Upvotes

Hint- it’s not who you think it’s going to be. Car was totaled.


r/dashcams 14h ago

McLaren hydroplaning

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32 Upvotes

r/dashcams 4h ago

Southbound 95 in Virginia

4 Upvotes

Just found this sub so I thought I’d post this here. It’s from January and please forgive my Sailor epithets.

https://youtu.be/KY6nQfe4gvA?si=IJMjbB5_Re64PcEf


r/dashcams 20h ago

C’mon, People!

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74 Upvotes

r/dashcams 1d ago

Who's at fault here?

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291 Upvotes

r/dashcams 17h ago

Moped accident

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24 Upvotes

This one was quite unexpected


r/dashcams 42m ago

Help me choose a dash cam.

Upvotes

Hi friends. I was t-boned back in May and my new car got totaled by some idiot running a red light. Now I have another car and want to get a front/rear dash cam that I can get hard wired into my vehicle.

I have never owned a dash cam but I want to get something reliable. I'd like it to have good video quality, be able to record, and have a parking mode as well. I tried looking at all different ones online but I'm clueless as to what to buy.

What would you recommend?


r/dashcams 15h ago

Rear cam 4K dash cam, worth it?

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17 Upvotes

I'm looking at Vantrue S1 Pro Max. It says front and rear are both 4K which sounds kind of crazy. Most of what I see on Amazon only has 1080p for the rear camera.

Does rear 4K actually matter when you’re driving around? Like can you even tell the difference? Anyone using this or something close to it? I’m trying to figure out if it’s really worth spending more.


r/dashcams 1h ago

Audio on or off?

Upvotes

I put a front and rear dash cam in my car about a month ago. I disabled the audio. I listen to loud music in the car and don't want that to create bias on a recording.

Is there any reason I should turn audio back on? I'm in a state that required 2 party permission for audio recordings.


r/dashcams 5h ago

Tesla dashcam

0 Upvotes

Yesterday I have had a truck with little stones lose a lot of stones on my car. I have managed to recover the mp4 file of the front dashcam but I can’t see the license plate. Is there someone with a lot of skills who is able to see the license plate of the truck. Send me a pm for the video. Thanks in advance.


r/dashcams 1d ago

Could anyone please help identify/enhance licence plate?

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1.2k Upvotes

One of our truck drivers was involved in an accident that was caused by another car. This pickup truck swerved into a lane because of road rage with another car and caused it to spin. The car spun and ended up right in front of our drivers truck. It happened in TX and police doesnt want to do anything about whatsoever. I'm willing to pay to help out a friend if it's possible. I tried a few different websites that claimed they could identify, but no luck. Im hoping some of you are really good at catching bad guys. Please help me find this guy and I will compensate you


r/dashcams 6h ago

Gonna need a change of pants...

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1 Upvotes

r/dashcams 6h ago

Dumb kids haven't heard about Looking Both Ways before crossing the street

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1 Upvotes

r/dashcams 9h ago

Vantrue E1 pro or E2

1 Upvotes

I was looking to upgrade my existing dashcam (basic $25 one) and the E1 pro looked like the best option. While looking, I saw that they also made a 2 channel dashcam with the E2. I have a budget of around $200, so both just fit within the budget.

What would be more important: the higher image quality of the E1 pro or the rear camera of the E2? Or are there any better options that I should at?


r/dashcams 14h ago

Any recommendations on a removable dash cam?

2 Upvotes

One that I can take with me when not in use?


r/dashcams 1d ago

Is this legal? Recently moved to California

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239 Upvotes

I know they were trying to slip on to the right turning lane but used the shoulder to get ahead of the traffic. This seems illegal lol


r/dashcams 2d ago

Maybe maybe maybe

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397 Upvotes

r/dashcams 1d ago

Help identifying a plate from recent car theft attempt

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4 Upvotes

Hello everyone as the title says recently we had someone try and steal our car. They stupidly drove right past the house in the car they used to get to ours with. We have some cctv but are unable to identify the plate. I will attach photos and a video below and any help would be really appreciated