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Review: Viofo A329S dash cam backs up its high price

Review: Viofo A329S dash cam backs up its high price

Your average punter is going to balk at shelling out nearly £500 for a dash cam but that's exactly what Viofo wants you to do with its latest A329S three-channel set-up. And I'm here to say it might well be worth it.
The Viofo gives you three cameras - one to the front, one to the rear and another one covering the cabin. And definitely the most impressive thing about the device is that it offers multiplex video - in that it mixes footage from all three cameras into one video feed. This is not only very easy to handle for the user (no editing required), but also means it's got you covered if you encounter a mishap, as well as being terrific fun!
Is that enough to justify the price tag? The dash cam has a pleasing, slim-line look and certainly feels high-end. It's not the smallest but the set up is reasonably straightforward, attaching the usual adhesive pads to the windscreens before placing the cameras where you want.
The rear and cabin cameras both record 2K video and the quality is perfectly decent. The cabin camera includes four infrared LEDs and offers switchable ultra-wide and fisheye modes, ideal for rideshare drivers or even in-car vlogging. However, it's the front dash cam when the Viofo really shines and you start to understand where all the money went.
It can capture true 4K footage at 60fps thanks to its Sony STARVIS 2 sensors, and the quality, particularly during daytime, is superlative. It's super detailed and you'll never be left squinting trying to make out a license plate again.
You can't take advantage of the HDR mode and 60fps so you are faced with a little trade-off, but the quality was so smooth anyway I didn't really care. HDR is better suited to the dark, however, as the camera can then sense when an image is too bright or too dark and compensate on the fly.
Sundown performance is maybe not as impressive as when the sun's up but you're have to search high and low to find anything light years better.
The A329S captures a lot of video, so a large memory card feels like a must. You end up with some pretty big files but thanks to Wi-Fi 6 the transfer speeds to your phone are admirably rapid. Make sure when you do this your car's dashboard is off or you'll end up battling beteeen the dash cam and CarPlay (or Android Auto), which is a maddening experience.
The Viofo UI is relatively straightforward yet customisable. I had little trouble getting everything working, and even made a few tweeks, but those new to dash cams might find it a little overwhelming. Luckily, there's no end of guides online to help you out.
There are plenty of other features to play with, inclduing GPS tagging, voice control, emergency record button, and an upgraded 24/7 parking mode.
The Viofo A329S is one of the most advanced dash cams you can get right now - but as I mentioned you'll have to pay for it. There are one- and two-channel options available as well if you're looking to keep the cost down. If you're after superior video quality, speed, and smart features, then look no further.
The Viofo A329S is available from the Viofo website for £470.
What other reviewers say
Hemel Today: "Only, that is, if you're about to make the mental leap of spending nigh-on £500 on a dashcam. If you do, you'll be buying one of the best - if not the best - dash cams on the market, all things considered."
Tom's Guide: "If you're prepared to forego a few bells and whistles and prioritise high definition recording with a single one-time purchase, the Viofo A329 lays a strong claim to be the dash cam you choose in 2025."
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Are You Missing Out? iOS 26 CarPlay's Hidden Features
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Drivers can claim free screen upgrade in cars TODAY & your car will look posher than ever in seconds
Drivers can claim free screen upgrade in cars TODAY & your car will look posher than ever in seconds

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Drivers can claim free screen upgrade in cars TODAY & your car will look posher than ever in seconds

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Drivers can claim free screen upgrade in cars TODAY & your car will look posher than ever in seconds
Drivers can claim free screen upgrade in cars TODAY & your car will look posher than ever in seconds

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  • The Sun

Drivers can claim free screen upgrade in cars TODAY & your car will look posher than ever in seconds

DRIVERS can unlock a clever upgrade for their car screens without paying a penny. You'll be able to make the inside of your car look much nicer thanks to a clever tech hack. 8 8 Earlier this year, Apple showed off a brand new version of CarPlay. That's the iPhone -style interface you see on your car screen when you've got your Apple mobile with you. It gives your in-car screen a slick new 'Liquid Glass' look plus loads of clever new tricks, like letting you 'emoji react' to texts and a new driving safety feature. Normally you'd have to wait until iOS 26 comes out for the iPhone in September to get the new look – but there's a way to get it early. WHAT'S NEW IN CARPLAY IN IOS 26? There are loads of changes coming in the new update. The update is technically for your iPhone, but Apple CarPlay runs off your mobile – so your motor gets an upgrade too. For a start, it'll get a brand new "Liquid Glass" look. That's the swish redesign coming to the iPhone in September that makes the interface look more glassy and modern. "We have some great updates this year to make CarPlay more beautiful and even easier to use," said Emily Schubert, Apple's Director of Car Experience Engineering. "With iOS 26, the new design extends into the car for a consistent, expressive experience while you drive. "It brings updates across the whole system, including icons that look great in light or dark mode." She called it "a must-have feature all over the world". It's not just a makeover, though. Your car's screen will also get some new features, including a safety feature so that incoming calls don't block your directions. That way, you won't suddenly be lost halfway around a giant roundabout. 8 8 "We've also added new features to help keep you connected while driving," Emily explained. "Like a compact design when you get a call so you can still see what's on the screen, like your upcoming directions. "Along with Tapbacks and pinned conversations in Messages." Tapbacks are the emoji reactions that you can currently use on Messages. IOS 26 SUPPORTED DEVICES – THE FULL LIST Here are the iOS 26 supported devices... iPhone 16e iPhone 16 ‌iPhone 16‌ Plus iPhone 16 Pro ‌iPhone 16 Pro‌ Max iPhone 15 ‌iPhone 15‌ Plus ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro ‌iPhone 15‌ Pro Max ‌iPhone‌ 14 ‌iPhone‌ 14 Plus ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro ‌iPhone‌ 14 Pro Max ‌iPhone‌ 13 ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max ‌iPhone‌ 12 iPhone 12 mini ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro iPhone 12 Pro Max ‌iPhone‌ 11 ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro iPhone 11 Pro Max iPhone SE (3rd gen) iPhone‌ SE (2nd gen) Picture Credit: Apple And they're being added to CarPlay as a quick way to reply without needing to send a full text. As well as that, Apple is adding widgets and Live Activities (showing ongoing info like sports scores) to your car's display. "iOS 26 also gives you widgets in CarPlay. They're quick and glanceable ways to get information, which is perfect while driving," Emily said. "As well as Live Activities so you can stay on top of what's important to you, like a friend's flight status, all done in a way to help you stay focused on the road." 8 The updates will come to anyone with an iPhone that can get iOS 26 and a car that supports CarPlay. Apple says CarPlay is used more than 600 million times a day around the world, so the changes will affect a vast number of drivers. If you want to get it early, there's an easy way to do it. HOW TO GET IOS 26 EARLY You don't need to wait until September to try the new CarPlay. 8 Apple tests out its software before the general release. This is called a beta test. And you can get the iOS 26 beta test on iPhone for free right now. But before you do, it's worth being cautious. Beta software is for testing, so you might find unexpected bugs or other problems. So if you have a spare iPhone – maybe your previous model is still in a drawer somewhere – then consider installing iOS 26 on that instead. That's especially smart if you're only wanting to use it for trying out the new CarPlay anyway. It's also worth making sure that all of your apps, messages and videos are backed up before you get on the beta. To join the beta, go to Apple's beta website, sign in with your account, and then register for it here. 8 Once you're in, restart your iPhone and you'll be able to see the beta update waiting for you in Settings > General > Software Update. Download the beta and your iPhone will update as normal. Once it's restarted after the update, you'll be running iOS 26. You'll also notice a new app called Feedback Assistant where you can tell Apple about how you're getting on. Now when you connect your iPhone to CarPlay with this new software, your car's screen will be upgraded too. 8 If you want to go back to regular iOS 18, you can switch back by going into Settings > General > Software Update again. WAIT, IOS 26? AREN'T WE ON IOS 18? You're not going crazy – here's what happened, via The Sun's tech editor Sean Keach... Some of you might be confused as to why we're talking about iOS 26. After all, if you have a relatively recent iPhone, it'll probably be running iOS 18. And like you, I was also expecting Apple to show off iOS 19 this year. But at the company's big WWDC event in June, Apple revealed that it was skipping a load of software versions to catch up with the year that we're in. So iOS 26 will come out in 2025 (stay with me here), because it'll mostly be used in 2026. Then in late 2026, iOS 27 will likely be released – and will probably run through to September 2027. The idea is to make it all a bit less confusing. After all, we were expecting iOS 19, iPadOS 19, macOS 16, tvOS 19, watchOS 12, and visionOS 3. That, frankly, would've been a mess. So now we've got iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, and visionOS 26. Much cleaner. It should mean you know exactly what's coming next on all devices, and whether you're running the latest version. And it means if you have multiple Apple devices, you'll know that your iPhone and your MacBook are on the same year of software at a glance. Picture Credit: Sean Keach

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