Best Dash Cams in 2021

Best Dash Cams iMore 2021

• Best Overall: Thinkware F800 PRO Dash Cam
• Best Value: Transcend DrivePro 200 Car Video Recorder
• Best Affordability: AUKEY 1080p Dash Cam
• Best Aesthetics: Garmin Dash Cam 56
• Best Bundle Pack: VIOFO Dash Cam A129

Best Overall: Thinkware F800 PRO Dash Cam

The Thinkware F800 PRO Dash Cam has a few more bells and whistles than your standard dashcam. It brings many high-end features, including red light camera and speed camera alert, super night vision, forward collision and lane departure warning systems, built-in Wi-Fi, parking surveillance, a rearview camera, and more.

Simply stick the 140-degree camera to your windshield, and after a few simple installation steps, you're good to start recording! Some other funky features include the red light camera and speed camera alert. These will even save you a bit of cash if you like to pretend you're in the Fast and Furious movies. You'll also like the lane departure warning system. It informs the driver when they're veering into another person's lane.

Plus, with the built-in Wi-Fi, you can easily playback your footage directly from your iPhone. No downloads or hassle required. This dashcam, with hard wire included, also comes with a rear camera, just in case you get rear-ended or smacked in a parking lot. Unfortunately, a dashcam with all this additional glitz and glam is going to cost you a bit more.

Best Value: Transcend DrivePro 200 Car Video Recorder

If you like recording seamless, sharp, full HD video, instantaneous playback footage, and quick installation without any additional migraines, the Transcend DrivePro 200 Car Video Recorder is bound to be your car dash's new BFF.

One of the coolest things about the Transcend DrivePro 200 Car Video Recorder is the emergency recording feature. The camera, using its hyper-sensitive G-sensor, will sense the impact and trigger emergency recording mode, which will lock down and protect the current recording from being overwritten, including the critical seconds before an accident.

To install the dashcam, all you must do is mount it onto your windshield and connect it to your car's lighter socket. Then you enter the time, and you're good to start recording the open road ahead of you.

Best Affordability: AUKEY 1080p Dash Cam

Aukey's dashcam is the most affordably priced camera on this list, which is a breath of fresh air for those out there more price conscientious. However, don't let the low price fool you, as this cam packs many of the same features found in more expensive options in its category.

For starters, this cam records in 1080p resolution, while also maintaining a strong performance in low-light conditions for nighttime driving. This camera has an emergency recording mode that incorporates a time-lapse video of your journey. Furthermore, this dash cam even carries a spare port to charge your phone.

Best Aesthetics: Garmin Dash Cam 56

Garmin's been making car tech for ages, and wouldn't you know it; it makes a dashcam with built-in GPS! For real, though, the Dash Cam 56 is an excellent standalone GPS dashcam, as it comes with a 140-degree field of view, a dual 12V charger, and Garmin Clarity HDR.

With the Dash Cam 56, you can record location, direction, speeds, data, and time, so you'll be able to provide details as to where exactly crashes happen (hopefully not at all) and the conditions under which they occur. You'll also get handy safety measures like forward-collision warnings and red-light speed camera warnings. Once you plug this one in, it's recording — it's that easy. This is a wonderful dashcam for everyone. Unlike previous models, it also includes support for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Best Bundle Pack: VIOFO Dash Cam A129

Dash cameras can be expensive, that's why most people usually buy just one for the front. Thankfully, VIOFO puts an end to that by offering a bundle pack that doesn't only include the camera for the front, but the rear of your car as well. What's cool about this is you get two cameras that both offer a stunning 1080p resolution, recording at 30fps.

Along with the 1080p resolution, the VIOFO Dash Cam A129 delivers in some other categories seen in most premium offerings, including Super Night Vision, 2.5GHZ and 5GHZ Wi-Fi support, and it comes with a 64GB MicroSD card, which is the most storage given on the list.

Bottom line

Finding the right option for such a niche product like a dash camera can be a drag. With that thought in mind, this type of product isn't typically owned by many people, which leaves a huge learning curve for anyone interested in owning a dash cam one day.

That's why our best choice the Thinkware F800 PRO Dash Cam relieves some of that anxiety. It's an excellent camera that brings many welcomed features such as a 140-degree wide-angle view at 30fps, super night vision, and it even comes with a 32GB MicroSD, which is more than enough data to save your recordings.

We believe one of the main things you should look at in purchasing your new dash camera is not just crisp video quality, but its concealability. Some of the best designed camera's are hardly noticeable when in the car. Lucky for you, our list has options that checks that box.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide