Now is the Best Time to Buy a Dash Cam
This article was updated in February 2025.
Our dash cam is marked down to a lower price than we've ever seen. Today only, you can pick up the Vantrue N4 dash, cabin, and rearview camera bundle for more than $100 off its regular price. Normally $289.99, right now it's marked down to an astonishing $199.99.
If you've been thinking about buying a dash cam, now is the ideal time to pull that proverbial trigger.$199.99 at amazon.com
That viral dashcam video from last October that captured the nation's attention by catching a potential car-insurance scammer red-handed has made dash cams one of the hottest commodities in retail, not just among auto enthusiasts but regular, everyday commuters. If you or someone you know saw that video and said "I need to get a dash cam," Cyber Monday is the perfect time to pick up that ideal holiday gift.
To help our readers make the right choice when purchasing a dash cam, earlier this year our Gear Team pitted a bunch of dashboard cameras against each other in a hands-on, behind-the-wheel test to find out which one was the best.
After days of driving and recording, we chose the Vantrue N4 as our Best Overall dash cam, citing its "exceptional value" and calling it a "strong competitor at a great price." While other pricier dash cams may have offered sharper resolution or more features, we found the N4 to be a perfectly workable option that's ideal for most people. It's not too techy, it's easy to install and use, and it's supremely affordable. Especially today!
In our test, the Ann Arbor-based Gear Team installed and used a selection of popular dash cams at various price points. They compared specs and video recordings side by side. They also took notes on the user experience of each device, along with their companion apps. Here are some other factors that impacted their picks:
Resolution
Field of view
Clarity in various conditions (sunshine/overcast/night)
License-plate clarity at various distances (5, 10, 25, and 50 feet)
Installation
Usability (including app, if applicable)
Quality-of-life notes
After driving with the Vantrue (see the full video here), here's what we found:
"The Vantrue N4 is an exceptional value, offering a dash cam, cabin-facing camera, and rearview camera. It attaches to the windshield with a suction mount, and its cameras can be adjusted for optimal coverage. The front dash cam records at 2560 by 2160 pixels but drops to 2560 by 1440 when all three cameras are used. The cabin and rear cameras have 1920 by 1080 resolution. The cameras have wide fields of view with minimal distortion, and the cabin camera includes infrared lighting for low-light conditions.
"The N4's integrated screen features a picture-in-picture mode that displays all three cameras' feeds simultaneously, along with settings and recording modes. It offers low-frame-rate and low-bit-rate recording modes, but we found these can drain the car battery. The device also includes collision and motion detection, automatically saving relevant footage. A 128-gb micro SD card holds about 6.7 hours of footage.
"We picked the Vantrue N4 as our Best Overall Dash Cam mainly because of its value. It's a strong competitor at a great price, with three cameras and lots of features, and it came in only slightly behind our top pick in image quality. Video quality was impressive across various light conditions, with good dynamic range and minimal noise reduction."
This bundle includes a 155-degree front camera, 165-degree inside camera, and 160-degree rear camera. This way you can keep a full view of your vehicle to protect you from potential liability issues. The rear camera can be adjusted up to a full 360-degree angle with its 20-foot extension cable, so it's perfect even for large SUVs, Jeeps, and trucks. The 2160P resolution front camera can seamlessly record up to 4K when used alone, ensuring crystal-clear visibility of license plates and road signs. The adjustable inside camera is ideal for ride-share drivers who may need to present proof of activities within their vehicles.
It also boasts a Parking mode that turns on when it senses an impact while parked and g-sensors to record automatically when it senses an impact on the road (in case you forget to turn it on). Vantrue provides an extendable 18-month warranty.
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