10 Best Dash Cams for 2021

Annoyingly, despite many dash cams offering fantastic quality HD footage capture, not many of them ever offer an incredibly large field of view.

This means occasionally, the odd collision or incident can go frustratingly amiss due to it occurring in a peripheral blind spot not picked up by the dashcam, making the point of having it in the first place fairly redundant.

However, this GPS-enabled Garmin Dash Cam 66W will never run into that problem, as it offers the maximum 180-degree field of view from a front-facing camera, meaning literally nothing can be missed.

It’s not sacrificed on its video capture quality for this either and in fact, it’s super HD 1440p resolution is way higher than the average 1080p model.

One of our favourite things about this model though is that not only is it a great precautionary device for incidents and insurance matters, but it also aims to make you a better driver and protect you from such collisions ever even occurring.

This is done through driver alerts warning of forward collisions, lane departures, traffic light recognition and alerts, plus speed camera warnings.

On top of all that, there’s also all the features you could ever want in a dashcam, including parking mode monitors with automatic recording, multi-video sync to playback capture from up to 4 dash cams and loop recording to keep storage free.

Easily compatible with the Garmin Drive app, it’s probably one of the easiest to use on the market and a fantastic choice for new or anxious drivers who will enjoy the alerts and assistance features.

Giving you one of the most crystal clear pictures a dashcam can muster, Nextbase’s 522GW dash cam combines an ultra HD 1440p resolution and an in-built polarising filter to reduce issues such as windscreen glare and reflections.

Like many of Nextbase’s newer models, it also features the winning combination of Amazon Alexa voice commands and smart home control, as well as their innovative emergency SOS alert system.

With Bluetooth and quick-link WiFi, collision footage can be automatically sent to your phone in seconds and a 10x higher accuracy GPS means insurers will be given a wealth of information and data including speed and location.

But the best thing about this device?

It comes with a Click&Go PRO car mount with high strength neodymium magnets, meaning installing and removing your dashcam before and after every drive is an instant one-click connection!

The MIO MiVue 792 captures bright and easily interpretable footage thanks to a Full HD, smooth resolution at 60fps, while a high-res STARVIS CMOS sensor from Sony provides deep contrasting colours in balance with lighting conditions, ensuring high-performance day or night.

With built-in wifi and GPS, it immediately sends important crash footage and location data to your phone and can be shared online in an instant thanks to the easy to use compatible MiVue app.

Our favourite feature of this MiVue model though is it’s safety camera warning system, allowing you to always be on top of your speed. MiVue ensures its speed camera knowledge is constantly updated on a monthly basis too, so you can always trust your safety in the hands of this dash cam!

If that wasn’t enough, you’ll also benefit from its collision warning systems and lane departure advice while it’s add-on capabilities mean it’s easy to upgrade to a front and rear system if you enjoy the initial use of this sole superstar!

Why settle for 1080p when there are so many higher HD quality dash cams on the market?

Delivering a super HD capture, the Kenwood DRV-520 records at an impressive 1296 resolution and HDR technology, providing a perfect picture no matter the lighting conditions.

With a built-in 3 axis G-force, it automatically triggers video storage on impact and a fast-acting GPS sensor adds speed and position data to the file, helping insurers know the whole story.

What we really love about this Kenwood dash cam though is its added driver alert functions.

There are also bonuses to be had if you choose to have the model hardwired into your car, as this unlocks the Kenwood’s movement and collision sensors to kickstart an intelligent parking mode that will capture all previous enigmatic dents and scratches that occur when you’re not around!

Quite possibly the smallest and most compact dash cam on the market, the unsurprisingly named Garmin Dash Cam Mini is literally the size of your car keys, providing amazing visuals without being clunky or distracting.

Remember that old saying big things come in little packages? Well, this isn’t an exception to the rule and despite its teeny frame it captures video at a crisp 1080p and boasts a brilliant 140-degree angle – the same if not bigger than many models three times its size.

With continuous recording and automatic incident footage saving, it’s simple to use and provides built-in wifi connectivity to upload incidents straight to your smartphone via the Garmin Drive app.

Given how small it is, you can also purchase more than one to place around your car and make a multi-channel system, all easily controlled and organised from the app.

Putting safety first, this 322GW is a revolutionary dash cam, as it’s the world’s first to feature an emergency SOS response system, meaning whenever an impact is felt, the nearest emergency services are alerted.

Not only are they sent your location, but the device can even relay to them your medical data such as blood type and more to help deliver faster more efficient treatment.

In terms of quality footage capture, it provides you with a reliable HD resolution and a 6G lens that captures every detail of the road, while wifi and Bluetooth connectivity make sending footage to your smartphone tablet a breeze whether sent automatically or manually.

It’s also one of the easiest to fit models on the market, as a new and exclusive Click&Go PRO powered car mount is provided with your purchase, giving you a low profile design with high strength magnets.

This model comes in a great bundle set which saves you from spending added dosh on other extras, with a 32GB microSD card, lens flare for better image quality, the Click&Go mount and a handy carry case.

Let’s be honest, one of the absolute most important things about a dash cam is that it must provide a good enough picture to successfully capture license plates.

But while most cams just offer great resolutions, the MIO MiVue 785 offers both 1080p footage and an optic sensor. This high-performing sensor from Sony ensures all the most important criteria is captured, even in the dark, so every face and plate is snapped in readable and recognisable detail.

A built-in G-sensor detects motion and automatically saves collision footage from being overwritten or deleted while the sensor’s 3-axis build records the data around the g-force impact itself, including direction and amount of force involved – which can help with an insurance claim.

The GPS system is one of the most in-depth and detailed too, with route, speed, altitude, longitude, latitude and heading information all recorded at the time of an accident.

But far from just an insurance claiming wonder device, the MiVue is also an advanced driver assistance system, meaning not only is everything recorded but that you will also be getting better value for your money thanks to its lane departure warnings, car distance guidelines and a forward collision hazard spotter.

This camera is designed to be discreet, just in case of a Crash for Cash claim or something similar, or even to protect your dashcam from theft.

It has voice guidance and works with the BlackVue App, as well as there being an application for laptops and computers. The 60fps recording offers smoothness, with no jumping which could invalidate your footage.

Wireless firmware upgrades are also simple so it can easily keep updated – no more ‘I will do it at the weekend’. The loop recording means that there is also always space to film, and you don’t have to worry about formatting the SD card and risking going without capturing footage.

One big possible flaw that a reviewer has pointed out is that the Parking Mode will only have enough battery if your car has been used for at least one hour that day, so it may not be the best for anyone who just does short journeys or needs maximum protection from theft.

This is a great camera if you want a bargain but still need a couple of the essential extras like Parking Mode.

It is a good camera if you need to remove it at night, or to another vehicle, as it has a nice magnetic suction plate. You can download an app which it works with, so you can track your journey, change settings, and view or download footage straight to your smartphone.

The Parking Mode sensor will start filming when your car is at a standstill but receives a knock, although some people say this is very sensitive even on the lowest setting (which we suppose can’t be much of a bad thing). Audio is also recorded.

The G-sensor with collision detection emergency locks captured video to the event folder following an impact, so it can’t be overwritten until you have time to view and save it to a computer.

It captures 3 minute short segments, each being around 300MB in size (but you can change the time length). The user interface is okay to get to grips with after a bit of practice, but if you set it up correctly the first time, it should be okay to be left.

The camera quality isn’t great – number plates are not the clearest, and it can get a bit glary at night. This is why it isn’t our best budget pick despite being under £30. But it is great for those ‘just in case’ issues, such as if you only stick to ordinary residential roads.

It is also a good first camera for anyone who is going to be out on the roads and wants to save up for something better, but can’t go unprotected until then.