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The best dashcams

  • Dashcams are the key to a safe and secure drive.
  • A dashcam can provide the evidence you need to settle a dispute.
  • We've listed our favourites below.

Written by Seth Walton Updated: 23 August 2024

If a picture counts for a thousand words, then the crisp recordings from the best dashcam you can get your hands on must be worth a million. Did you know that the UK is the third most surveilled country on Earth? You may find that statistic either alarming or reassuring, depending on the legitimacy of your lifestyle. Yes, it could be perceived as a rather intrusive contravention of one’s rights to privacy, but on the other hand, it does mean that when a crime is committed, we usually have some conclusive evidence – especially if we’re talking dashcams.

The dashcam business takes this spirit of swift and fair justice to the road. For decades, guilty parties of traffic accidents have made off with impunity as there were no witnesses to put them away. However, now we’ve entered the dash camera of automotive monitoring; everything’s changed. A good dashcam needn’t cost the Earth either – there are plenty of budget-friendly dashcams we’d quite happily recommend.

The best dashcams shortlist:

Editor’s Choice: Thinkware U1000 – Buy now on Amazon UK
The best mini dashcam: Garmin Mini 2 – Buy now on Amazon UK
The best dual dashcam: BlackVue DR750X-2CH – Buy now from BlackVue
The best simple dashcam: Nexar Pro Dual – Buy now on Amazon UK

We’ve done a lot of dashcam testing here at Parkers, fitting all manner of products to our own cars and using them every time we drive. We’ve been judging these dashcams based on several factors, namely price, performance, ease of installation and useful features. So, no matter if you want a fancy mirror dashcam or a bog-standard unit, here is our pick of the best UK dash cameras for cars.

The best dashcams in detail

While most dashcams shoot in 1080p, the Thinkware U1000 high-tech dashcam takes video capture to the next level in 4K. Why is this higher resolution useful? Clarity is crucial to catching an offender. For example, the clarity of a number plate could be the difference between catching the absconding villain or letting them slip away.
The bells and whistles don't stop there, either. The Thinkware app stores video files and other data for review. It even has a motion sensor to detect moments of violent driving, like sharp braking. Downsides? It's chunky on your front window.

Read our full review of the Thinkware U1000 here.

Pros

  • Fantastic video quality
  • Intelligent app

Cons

  • Large unit
Resolution 4K at 30FPS or 2K at 60FPS
Field of view 150 Degrees
Memory card size Up to 128GB
Wi-Fi Yes
GPS Yes
Screen size No screen
Weight: 149g
Phone connectivity Yes

The best mini dash cam
Price: $230.00
Alternative Retailers
Walmart
$124.95
If you want to go super small, this UK dashcam should do the trick. Filling roughly half the footprint of a standard-issue British tea bag, the Garmin Mini 2 is designed for power and performance from an inconspicuous package. However, the size of the Mini 2 car dashcam does come at the cost of an onboard screen; to review your footage, the Garmin app must be downloaded in order to access the cloud drive onto which the files will be posted.

Read our full review of the Garmin Mini 2 here.

Pros

  • Tiny footprint won't obstruct any of your view
  • Great app

Cons

  • Basic features for the price
Resolution/frame rate 1080p/30fps
Field of view 140°
Dimensions 3.13 x 5.33 x 2.91cm 
Weight 32.1g
Screen size no screen
Max memory card size 512GB
Bluetooth Yes 
Wi-Fi Yes
GPS No

The best dual dashcam
If you want to take your video monitoring seriously, this 2-in-1 system from BlackVue offers front and rear coverage. This dashcam is on the premium side of the market, offering Full HD 1080p with a smooth 60 frames per second video at the front and 30fps at the rear.

It's hardwired to your car's power and is awash with features to improve security and safety, including a built in 4G sim card reader allowing you to connect to the BlackVue cloud allowing you to monitor your vehicle live. Don't forget the built-in GPS which will add location and speed data to recordings, Intelligent Parking Mode protects your vehicle even while you're not around, while Loop Recording and Event File Overwrite Protection ensure you always capture and keep critical clips.

Pros

  • Front and back cover so you don't miss any action
  • Great quality cameras

Cons

  • Installation can be tricky
Resolution/frame rate 1080p, 60fps front; 1080p/30fps rear
Field of view 139-degree
Dimensions N/A
Screen size N/A
Max memory card size 64 GB
Bluetooth Yes
Wi-Fi  Yes
GPS Yes

The best simple dashcam
Price: $159.99
If you're looking for a simple and affordable car dashcam option, the Nexar Pro Dual Dashcam is a good place to start. It's the replacement for the incredibly popular Nexar Beam, offering straightforward recording capabilities with smartphone connectivity. This camera packs a big punch for such a small unit. The compact size allows this dashcam to slip neatly behind the rear-view mirror for a clutter-free windscreen and dashboard with the bonus of a second camera directed at the cabin. Set up correctly, this second camera can act as a pretty good rear-view camera.

Pros

  • Affordable
  • Additional cabin camera

Cons

  • Other dash cams have more advanced capabilities
Resolution/frame rate 1080p/30fps
Field of view 135°
Dimensions 15.9 x 9.5 x 8.41 cm; 410 Grams
Screen size N/A
Max memory card size 256GB 
Bluetooth No
Wi-Fi Yes
GPS Yes

Designed in the style of a rear-view mirror, this mirror dashcam set from Auto-Vox offers a different approach to the onboard camera concept. The V5 has been specifically designed for right hand drive cars and fits into position over your rearview mirror. It's supplied with a rearview camera, which can be installed inside or outside the vehicle. Both cameras operate at 1080p and the device can support front, rear or split view.

It's packed with a host of different features, including GPS, loop recording, g sensor and parking assist. This camera would best suit a car deficient of modern rear-view features or visibility.

Pros

  • High-quality images
  • Lots of features

Cons

  • Tricky to set up
Resolution/frame rate 1440p, 1080p, 720p/30fps front; 1080p/30fps rear
Field of view 148° front, 140° rear
Dimensions 30 x 7.6 x 3.8cm  
Screen size 11.8 inches
Max memory card size  512GB
Bluetooth No
Wi-Fi No
GPS  Yes
The best HQ video dual dash cam

Rrp: $198.99

Price: $129.99
Alternative Retailers
Walmart
$99.99
The combination of Ultra HD 4K resolution, a 170° wide-angle sweep at the front and 140° to the rear, along with the Starvis sensor means that you'll be sure to capture the best images of your journey and not miss any important details in the case of an incident. There's a built-in GPS to record the driving route, along with real-time speed and location details. Night vision, a G sensor for sudden impacts, audio recording and parking monitor make the Redtiger F7N-Plus a pretty comprehensive piece of kit.

Pros

  • Wide angle lens
  • Real-time GPS

Cons

  • Needs a larger SD card for best performance
The best value dual dash cam
Price: $49.99
If you don't really want to spend too much on a dual dashcam but still want decent quality, reliability and protection, it's worth looking at the Orskey dashcam. The front camera records in super HD 1920x1080P at 30FPS with a 170° wide angle lens. Its compact size contributes to its easy installation and if you throw in a G sensor, a parking monitor and night vision, you have a pretty good, albeit basic, setup for a reasonable price.

Pros

  • Great value
  • Easy to set up and use

Cons

  • Rear camera quality could be better

How to buy the best UK dashcam: FAQs

What is a dashcam?

A dashcam is a small in-car camera used to monitor driving techniques and record footage in the event of an incident. They are often installed so that, in the event of an accident, motorists will have some evidence to fall back on should the other party take legal action.

How to fit a dashcam

Each car dashcam will come with its own set of instructions on how it should be installed. Depending on where you intend to place your dashcam, you’ll want to ensure the installation site is clean and dry first, as this will benefit the adhesive performance of the included stickers. It’s important to install your dashcam outside your line of sight so that it won’t impede your vision while on the road. Once you have your dashcam in place, ensure the cables are neatly tucked around the perimeter of the windscreen and then fasten them in position. Some may even offer a prying tool to hide the cables behind the panel gaps of the cabin.

Which dashcam is right for me?

There are hundreds of different models on the UK dashcam market, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Before considering which model would best suit your car, however, it’s important to think about your budget. The cheapest dashcams start from around £30, but for this, you can expect a bottom-of-the-market product in terms of capabilities and footage quality.

Dashcam jargon buster:

A mini dashcam is a scaled-down model that’s perfect for the price-conscious. They’re hugely popular as they are inconspicuous enough not to obstruct your view while on the road but can still shoot high-quality footage covering the full extent of the windscreen.

A dual dashcam can shoot both front and rear video by virtue of two cameras. While the primary camera is fastened to the windscreen, a smaller camera films out the back window, offering better cover both front and rear. Dual dashcams are usually a bit more expensive, but given the extra level of cover and protection that they offer, it’s usually a premium worth paying for. That being said, there are some affordable examples on the market.

Why should I have a dashcam?

A Nextbase Dash Cam in use

There are myriad reasons why you should have a dashcam installed in your car, and not all of them revolve around fair play.

Justice – If only all drivers were as careful and considerate as our readers, the world would be a far more congruous place. Alas, they aren’t, so we have to take precautions. In the event of an accident, leaving yourself or your car damaged, a dashcam will allow the authorities to ascertain who was truly at fault by reviewing the footage. On that unfortunate day, you’ll want the evidence to fall back on.

Insurance disputes – People really hate admitting blame when they know it’s going to hit their pockets. Insurance disputes over road traffic accidents occur all the time and can lead to no payout at all. Dashcam footage will conclusively settle such a dispute with the evidence to back your claim.

Monitor your driving – You may feel uneasy on the road at times, and that’s okay. A dashcam will allow you to review your driving technique, providing the necessary guide on where to change your style for the safety of yourself and other cars around you. Having one could also bring your insurance premium down, too.

Need an SD card? We’ve put together a short guide on SD cards to help you out.

The best dashcam features to consider:

Camera quality – most dashcams record decent video footage these days, offering 1080P in 30FPS as standard with some stretching up to 4K. Resolution is important, but the frame rate is equally so, as a low frame rate (some dip to 25FPS in 4K) will impede the smooth flow of video and could lead to crucial information being missed.

Size – Again, most modern dashcams excel in this department, too. Having an inconspicuous dashcam is important as you don’t want it to obstruct your view while driving. Some are bigger than others, so if maintaining a clear windscreen is high up on your agenda, make sure to go for the smallest footprint possible.

Field of view – A good field of view is important as you won’t want to miss anything that may have occurred on the periphery of your camera’s range. We would recommend at least 120 degrees to cover the majority of your windscreen.

Voice recognition – Using your hands to operate anything other than the controls of a car while driving is almost always frowned upon in the eyes of the law. A voice-activated unit will save you the commotion of finding elusive power buttons so you can keep your eyes on the road and hands on the wheel.

Seth Walton is an Autos Product Writer for Parkers and CAR, specialising in car cleaning and motorsport. He also contributes to What’s The Best with interests in audio equipment and technology. 

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