Finding The Best 3-Channel Dash Cams Of 2023

3-channel (3CH) dash cams record to the front, to the rear, and inside of your car. They are incredibly useful for anyone working ride share, such as taxi and Uber drivers. They are also great if you want an extra angle for your dash cam recordings, as the interior camera also picks up some of the view through the side windows.

We compared the five most popular 3-channel dash cams of 2023, to find which one(s) records the best video.

We were in for quite a surprise: The two most expensive cameras performed worst. And, as you may be delighted to learn: The dash cam that records the best video overall is actually the least expensive of the lot!

At A Glance

Winners:

Runner-Up:

Not Recommended:

How To Make Your Choice

Some questions you want to ask yourself when making your pick is:

  • Do I want a separate unit for the interior camera, or do I prefer it to be included in the main unit that also houses the forward facing lens?
  • Do I need a screen on the dash cam?

A screen helps with setting up the camera and playing back videos on the spot. However, if the camera supports Wi-Fi, you can also operate it using the smart phone app.

A separate interior camera means one more cable and one more device being installed on your wind shield (or wherever you prefer to place the interior camera). If the interior camera is part of the main unit, installation is easier, but the drawback is that you have less freedom as to where you point your interior lens.

Our Two Favorite 3-Channel Dash Cameras For 2023

There are two clear winners this year: Both of them are from the well-known Chinese mid-price brand, Viofo.

Both the Viofo T130 and the Viofo A139 record 1440p video with their front cameras, and 1080p with the interior and rear lenses. Their video quality is better than that of the Vantrue N4, and much better than what the BlackVue DR750X-3CH Plus and the Vantrue E3 record.

The Viofo cameras are also quite reliable.

The main difference between our two winners is that the A139 has a separate interior camera, while the T130 integrates the interior camera into the main unit.

If you’d like to see the cameras’ features listed side by side, check out our detailed comparison table of 3-channel dash cams.

The Two Best 3-Channel Dash Cams Of 2023

Viofo T130 – Best Value For Money

Viofo T130 3-channel dash camPrice: Amazon US / CA / UKAliExpresseBay US / AUmore countries & vendors (affiliate links)

Forward Video: Good

Rear Video: Good

Interior Video: Good

Reliability: Good

Separate Interior Camera: No

Screen: No

Parking Modes: Event triggered, time-lapse, low bit rate

Other Features: Integrated GPS, Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz), capacitor, lock file button, optional CPL filter, optional remote Bluetooth button

Pros: Best video quality, great price, slick design

Cons: No screen

Full Review: Viofo T130 Review

The Viofo T130 has the best video of any 3-channel dash cam we have reviewed so far. It’s footage is good enough to be able to read license plates of nearby cars in most situations, even at night.

It’s also the 3-lens dash cam with the most appealing design, in our opinion. The interior camera is integrated with the main unit, and can be swiveled left and right.

Buttons to toggle video and audio recording, as well as Wi-Fi, are located on the rear of the camera. To their right, there is a big round lock-file button to safeguard important videos.

Alternatively, you can use Viofo’s remote Bluetooth button (optional) to save files.

When hard-wired to the car’s fuse box with an optional hard-wiring kit the T130 supports 3 different parking modes: Event-triggered (wake-upon-impact), time-lapse (low frame rate), and low bit rate.

Viofo A139 – Separate Interior Camera

Viofo A139 3-way dash camPrice: Amazon US / CA / UKAliExpresseBay US / AUmore countries & vendors (affiliate links)

Forward Video: Good

Rear Video: Fair

Interior Video: Very Good

Reliability: Very Good

Separate Interior Camera: Yes

Screen: No

Parking Modes: Buffered, time-lapse, low bit rate

Other Features: Integrated GPS, Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), capacitor, lock file button, optional CPL filter, optional remote Bluetooth button

Pros: Very reliable, good video quality, buffered parking mode

Cons: No screen

Full Review: Viofo A139 Review

The Viofo A139 is a stylish 3-lens dash cam with a sperate interior camera (the left one in the picture — if you look closely, you can see the 6 little infrared LEDs surrounding the camera lens).

It doesn’t have a screen, but it comes with integrated Wi-Fi and GPS. Unlike the Viofo T130, the A139 also supports 5 GHz Wi-Fi, which greatly speeds up playing back video on your phone.

The Viofo A139 is very reliable, and its video quality is good overall. Its rear camera isn’t quite as good as the Viofo T130’s, though.

This camera supports buffered parking mode, which is a plus.

Runner-Up

Vantrue N4 – Top Seller, Easy To Use

Vantrue N4 3 way dash camPrice: Amazon US / CA / UKAliExpresseBay US / AUmore countries & vendors (affiliate links)

Forward Video: Good

Rear Video: Fair

Interior Video: Good

Reliability: Fair

Separate Interior Camera: No

Screen: Yes

Parking Modes: Event triggered, time-lapse

Other Features: Capacitor, lock file button, optional GPS mount

Pros: Top seller, easy to use

Cons: Not the most reliable

Full Review: Vantrue N4 Review

The Vantrue N4 was the first 3-lens dash cam to be released, back in 2020. It has been immensely successful, and continues to be a top seller.

The Vantrue N4 comes with an integrated 2.5″ screen, making setup and operation a breeze. This is by far the easiest 3-channel dash cam to install and use, as there’s no need to configure Wi-Fi or connect a 3rd camera.

Most users are happy with the N4, and it is getting great customer reviews on Amazon. However, it seems to be less reliable than the two Viofo models. Also, its video quality isn’t quite as good as the Viofos’.

GPS is optional, and integrated in the mount (if you want it).

Not Recommended

BlackVue DR750X-3CH Plus: High Price, Low Video Quality

BlackVue DR750X-3CH PlusPrice: Amazon US / UKeBay US / AUmore countries & vendors (affiliate links)

Forward Video: Fair

Rear Video: Fair

Interior Video: Fair

Reliability: Very Good

Separate Interior Camera: Yes

Screen: No

Parking Modes: Time-lapse, motion activated

Other Features: Cloud connectivity, integrated GPS, Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), capacitor, lock file button, high-temperature cutoff

Pros: Cloud connectivity, high reliablity, elegant design

Cons: High price, low video quality, no screen

Video Samples: BlackVue DR750X-3CH Plus Video Samples & Specs

BlackVue’s DR750X-3CH is a high-end dash cam with many cutting-edge features like cloud connectivity, Wi-Fi, and intelligent parking mode. Unfortunately, it records lower video quality than the other 3-channel dash cams featured here.

Bearing in mind the the BlackVue camera is far more expensive than its competitors by Viofo and Vantrue, its video quality is just disappointing. So this is not a 3-channel dash cam that we would recommend.

Vantrue E3: Disappointing Video

Vantrue E3 dash camPrice: Amazon US / CA / UK (affiliate links)

Forward Video: Fair

Rear Video: Average

Interior Video: Good

Reliability: Good

Separate Interior Camera: No

Screen: Yes

Parking Modes: Buffered, impact, time-lapse, low bit rate

Other Features: Integrated GPS, Wi-Fi, capacitor, lock file button

Pros: Best parking mode options

Cons: High price, low video quality

Video Samples: Vantrue E3 Video Samples

The Vantrue Element 3, or E3, was only recently released, in 2023. It is part of Vantrue’s Element series which comprises a 1-channel, a 2-channel, and a 3-channel dash cam. They are named E1, E2, and E3, respectively.

At around $400, this camera is almost as expensive as the BlackVue 3CH, and its video quality is almost as bad.

Forward video is only fair even at day time, and you will be hard pressed to make out any license plates. Rear video during the night is downright poor.

So, especially bearing in mind its price, this is another 3-way dash camera we recommend you avoid.