Dash Cam Pro has recently become one of the most prominent names in budget in-vehicle dash-cams, offering a wealth of features at a price much lower than the more established manufacturers. In this review, we’ll take a look at why having a dash-cam is a sensible accessory for all motorists and consider the pros and cons of this product in particular.
You can check our detailed review on best dash cam for car which can help you get the best one.
Before we get to the ‘nitty-gritty’ it’s worth quickly running through why a dash-cam is almost a necessity for modern drivers. The most obvious reason, of course, is that a dash-cam will provide real-time footage of any incident that involves the vehicle from a 120-degree front mounted perspective. When accidents of any size are such litigious matters having evidence that proves one driver or the other was at fault is now the number one factor in deciding blame/guilt. Anyone with a dash-cam has a massive advantage (provided they are in the right of course!) and it essentially puts to bed the old investigatory methods of tracking down and interviewing witnesses, who in the case of motor incidents rarely provide a common or accurate testimony.
So How Does The Dashcam-Pro Work?
Even despite its rock-bottom price, in technical terms this product provides a basic yet functional capacity to perform all the duties that are likely to be demanded of it. The set-up is just like a satellite navigation system and equally speedy and straightforward – simply attach the suction-based mount on the inner windshield, slot in the product at a suitable angle with the realtime screen down – and that’s it. No complicated settings whatsoever, making this device universally accessible to all drivers.
Once turned on the DashCam-Pro provides HD recording for ‘up to 14 hours’ (more on which later) and also offers audio recording too. Again the device impresses with image quality, auto-stabilization, automatic adjustment for weather and light conditions along with obviously the exact date and time of the images that it records. That’s pretty much it – a ‘no-thrills’ dash-cam that performs the essential basics at an excellent price. For a run-down of features:
- Full HD 120 degree forward mounted recording.
- Up to 14 hours of time-looped recording.
- Motion detection & image stabilization.
- Supports SSD Cards up to 32GB (not included).
- Easy to set up with basic options for picture & audio recording.
The Pros And Cons Of The Dash Cam Pro
At its price range it’s obviously an unfair comparison with some of the bigger branded names, often three times the cost and over that allow for many additional features, storage and recording quality.
However the DashCam-Pro doesn’t pretend to be taking these devices on, rather it’s marketing is aimed squarely at being highly functional at an extremely competitive price – so overall how does it rate as a product?
The Pros:
- An entirely functional camera system providing all the basic protection for the budget motorist.
- Data is easily downloaded and transferred by SSD Card
- Seconds to set-up straight out of the box
- Effective in day/night and adverse weather
- Most importantly of all – the price!
Sounds like the DashCam-Pro has the market wrapped up then – not quite. There are flaws with the product that should be considered:
The Cons:
- No SSD Card is included. Unless the purchaser has a spare this should be factored into the price.
- Limited warranty. 30 day return period inclusive of shipping and handling – after that you’re on your own.
- It’s not the only budget dash-cam out there. Some buyers may prefer to pay a little more for better return/service options.
- Fully HD? Yes but very much of the old school. Check out the clip above for an idea of quality.
- The ’14 hours’ recording claim is stretching it and factored on the lowest settings. In reality, for better definition expect the loop to be at best half that – important for those considering this as an additional security feature.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As an introductory option for those willing to sacrifice a little product security, it’s a great basic option, and for many drivers, it would be a sound choice. This may be especially true for lower use drivers who cover lower distances and is certainly the case for people on a budget.
Overall, it’s a solid dash cam and I do recommend it. I’m happy with my purchase so far.