fbpx
Culture > Stuff

Here are 8 dashcam models across all price points

Because you need to document every second you spend on the road

You cannot survive today's motoring jungle without a dashcam in your vehicle. PHOTO FROM BLACKVUE

Whether it’s for having some solid proof in the event of an accident, or capturing some reckless behavior on the road, or even saving your ass from the usual modus operandi by corrupt traffic enforcers, the dashcam has gone from being an optional accessory to a necessity nowadays.

So, we’ve compiled a few of the most popular models and arranged them by price to help you pick the right one in the sea of available choices. Take note that some of these cameras might be discounted, but we’re listing their official prices.

Cheap but reliable (up to P4,000). This is what most Filipinos would refer to as a “budget meal.” The cameras in this bracket only do the essentials (like record video and audio). Some have more features than others, but they compromise on things like build and image quality. Cheap dashcams can be found aplenty, but only a few work reliably. Here’s a tip for budget-conscious motorists: Attach an old GoPro or action camera to a suction-cup mount, and plug it into a USB port. I personally use this setup with an old GoPro Hero+ LCD, and it works really well especially when switching from vehicle to vehicle.

Willing to spend a little more (P4,001 to P8,000). This price range offers some of the best bang-for-the-buck packages. You have more well-established brands here (like Transcend and 70mai). Features such as GPS coordinates, high-frame-rate video, wider lenses, dual cameras, and better low-light image quality are usual selling points among these cameras. This group also includes mirror-mounted dashcams, but we generally advise against using these if your rearview mirror has features like auto-dimming.

Money is no object (P8,001 and up). If you’ve splurged on something like a brand-new multimillion-peso car, then you would want only the best dashcam. Those found within this price range are loaded with features, like parking monitoring, front-and-rear recording, very high image quality, GPS tracking, built-in memory, and so on.

Below are eight dashcams spread out across the above-mentioned price points. The listing shows:

  • Lens
  • Video resolution
  • Power source
  • Display
  • Storage
  • Additional features

Happy shopping!

Xiaomi Mi Dash Camera 1S. PHOTO FROM XIAOMI

Xiaomi Mi Dash Camera 1S (P2,990)

  • 140° field of view
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 30fps
  • 470mAh Li-Po battery (comes with 12V plug)
  • 3.0-inch LCD
  • microSD (16GB to 64GB)
  • Wi-Fi app support
  • Accelerometer
Blaupunkt BP 2.1 FHD. PHOTO FROM BLAUPUNKT

Blaupunkt BP 2.1 FHD (P3,900)

  • 120° field of view
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 30fps
  • Supercapacitor (comes with 12V plug)
  • 2.0-inch LCD
  • Class 10 microSD (up to 32GB)
  • G-sensor
  • Motion sensor
  • SOS hot key
DDPai Mola N3. PHOTO FROM DDPAI

DDPai Mola N3 (P4,000)

  • 140° field of view
  • 2688 x 1944 @ 30fps
  • Supercapacitor (comes with 12V plug and optional hardwire kit)
  • No display (use app to play videos)
  • Class 10 microSD (up to 128GB)
  • Infrared night mode
  • Parking mode with collision detection and continuous recording
  • Driver aids (lane departure, pedestrian and vehicle monitoring)
  • Wi-Fi app support
Yi Smart Dash Camera. PHOTO FROM YI

Yi Smart Dash Camera (P5,000)

  • 165° field of view
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60fps; 2304 x 1296 @ 30fps
  • 500mAh Li-Po battery (comes with 12V plug and optional hardwire kit)
  • 2.7-inch IPS LCD
  • Class 10 microSD (up to 128GB)
  • Parking mode with collision detection and continuous recording
  • Driver aids (lane departure, pedestrian and vehicle monitoring)
  • Wi-Fi app support
70mai Dash Cam Pro Plus+. PHOTO FROM 70MAI

70mai Dash Cam Pro Plus+ (P5,500, without rear camera; P6,000, with rear camera)

  • 140° front field of view; 130° rear field of view
  • 2592 × 1944 @ 30fps (front) or 1920×1440 @ 30fps (front); 2560 × 1920 @ 30fps (rear) or 1920 x 1080 @ 30fps (rear)
  • 500mAh Li-Po battery (comes with 12V plug and optional hardwire kit)
  • 2.0-inch IPS LCD
  • Class 10 microSD (up to 128GB)
  • Parking mode with collision detection and continuous recording
  • Driver aids (lane departure, pedestrian and vehicle monitoring)
  • Wi-Fi app support
Transcend DrivePro 250. PHOTO FROM TRANSCEND

Transcend DrivePro 250 (P7,800)

  • 140° field of view
  • 1920 x 1080 @ 60fps
  • Li-Po battery (comes with 12V plug and optional hardwire kit)
  • 2.4-inch IPS LCD
  • microSD (up to 256GB; 32GB card included)
  • Parking mode with collision detection and continuous recording
  • Driver aids (lane departure, pedestrian and vehicle monitoring)
  • GPS/GLONASS receiver
  • Wi-Fi app support
  • Speed alarm
  • Driver fatigue and headlight reminder alerts
Viofo A129 Plus Duo. PHOTO FROM VIOFO

Viofo A129 Plus Duo (P12,495)

  • 140° field of view (front and rear)
  • 2560 x 1440 @ 30fps (front); 1920 x 1080 @ 30fps (rear)
  • Supercapacitor (comes with 12V plug and optional hardwire kit)
  • 2.0-inch LCD
  • microSD (up to 256GB)
  • Parking mode with collision detection and continuous recording
  • Time-lapse mode
  • GPS/GLONASS receiver
  • Wi-Fi app support
  • Circular polarizer
  • Bluetooth remote support
BlackVue DR900X-2CH Plus 4K. PHOTO FROM BLACKVUE

BlackVue DR900X-2CH Plus 4K (P25,000 to P75,000)

  • 162° field of view (front); 139° field of view (rear)
  • 3840 x 2160 @ 30fps (front); 1920 x 1080 @ 30fps (rear)
  • Supercapacitor (comes with 12V plug, hardwire kit, and optional battery pack)
  • No display (use app to play videos)
  • microSD (32GB to 256GB)
  • Parking mode with collision detection and continuous recording
  • Time-lapse mode
  • Built-in GPS
  • PC, Android/iOS and Web browser (LTE-equipped units) app support
  • Optional LTE module for cloud access and mobile hotspot


Sam Surla

Sam is the youngest member of our editorial team. And he is our managing editor (believe it or not). He specializes in photography and videography, but he also happens to like writing about cars a lot.



Comments