In 2025, you probably want a dashboard camera with 4K resolution. This resolution is also known as Ultra High Density (UHD). Another name for it is 2160p, because it has 2160 pixels vertically (and 3840 pixels horizontally). Its aspect ratio is 16:9.
4K dash cams do indeed record stunning video. Older models used to struggle a bit at night, because the individual pixels were smaller and less light sensitive. But since the release of the slightly larger Sony Starvis 2 sensor, they now also perform extremely well at night.
There’s one thing you should be aware of before you buy though: There are a lot of cameras advertised as “4K” dash cams that are actually fakes. This is true especially in the low to mid-price sector, up to about $150.
Fake 4K dash cams typically record at lower resolutions, and use tricks like interpolation to upscale video to UHD. Others do actually record 3840×2160 pixels, but only at reduced frame rates to reduce the load on the processor. All of these measures decrease instead of increase the quality of the footage.
Below, we’ll show you some tried and tested dash cameras that definitely do record at a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels, with a frame rate of 30 frames per second (fps). We will also teach you a simple trick to spot fake 4K dash cams.
Contents
What Is “True 4K” Resolution?
As per Wikipedia, 4K means “a horizontal display resolution of approximately 4,000 pixels”. This is anything but an exact definition. Sleazy marketers and manufacturers exploit the fact that the term “4K” isn’t actually clearly defined. And thus, they sell cameras that record at sub-par video quality, for a higher price.
On this web site, by 4K we mean a resolution of 3840×2160 pixels, or 2160p. This resolution is technically also known as 4K UHD (for Ultra High Density).
Therefore, our definition of a true 4K camera is a camera that can record at 2160p resolution, with a frame rate of 30 frames per second (fps). It must be able to do so without resorting to tricks such as upscaling or interlacing video. These tricks severely degrade video quality, and we do not consider them acceptable for a 4K dash cam.
The 7 Best True 4K Dash Cams In 2025
Listed below are our favorite true 4K dash cams, as of February 2025. All of these cameras are very reliable and record high quality video.
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model | Thinkware U3000 | BlackVue DR970X Plus | Viofo A329 | Vantrue N4 Pro | Viofo A229 Pro | 70mai A810 | 70mai A800S |
| Description | Radar parking mode | Best cloud | Best video | Most popular | 2nd best video | Best value | Cheapest dual |
| Channels | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2-3 | 1* | 2 |
| Approx. Price | $550 → Amazon | $400 → Amazon | $400 → Amazon | $300 → Amazon | $280 → Amazon | $180 → Amazon | $130 → Amazon |
| Front res. | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K | 4K |
| Rear res. | 1440p | 1080p | 1440p | 1080p | 1440p | - | 1080p |
| Cloud | Yes | Yes | - | - | - | - | - |
*supports 2CH, but true 4K only with 1CH
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All dash cams featured here have GPS, Wi-Fi, a lock file button, and several parking modes to choose from.
Let’s have a closer look at each of them:
BlackVue DR970X Plus: Elegant Design, Great Cloud Features
Price: Amazon US / CA / UK – eBay US / AU – more countries & vendors (ad)
Video quality: Good (3.25/5)
Reliability: Very good (4.0/5)
Memory capacity: 512GB
Parking modes: Buffered, time-lapse
Other features: Cloud connectivity, integrated GPS, Wi-Fi, capacitor, lock file button, overheat protection
Optional extras: LTE module, B-124 battery pack
BlackVue are a Korean brand of high-end dash cams. Famous for their their stylish black cylinder casing, their cameras are among the more elegant ones on the market.
Apart from being easy on the eyes, the DR970X Plus comes with some cutting-edge features. We will only describe the most important ones here. For more details, go to our full DR970X Plus review.
First of all, video quality is good all around the board. The camera does use quite a bit of compression to make stream sizes manageable, so we’re not getting the highest bit rates here. But you should be able to read license plates on the BlackVue’s video footage in most situations.
What sets BlackVue dash cams apart from the competition is that they offer better and more advanced cloud features than any other brand. With a free cloud account, you can check your dash cam’s live video feed with your phone.
More free features include GPS-tracking your vehicle’s location, and receiving alerts if an event (e.g. an impact) is detected. Paid accounts are available for those who wish to manage a fleet of vehicles or unlock a multitude of other cloud options.
To connect to the cloud, you either need a Wi-Fi access point in your car, or you can use BlackVue’s optional LTE module (around $100). There is also a version of this camera that comes with an LTE module built-in, called DR970X-2CH LTE Plus.
Thinkware U3000: Power Saving Radar-Assisted Parking Mode
Price: Amazon US / CA / UK – eBay US / AU – more countries & vendors (ad)
Video quality: Good (2.75/5)
Reliability: Good (3.0/5)
Memory capacity: 256GB
Parking modes: Radar, motion detection, time-lapse, impact-triggered
Other features: Cloud connectivity, integrated GPS, Wi-Fi, capacitor, lock file button, overheat protection, CPL filter
Optional extras: Thinkware iVolt Xtra battery pack
Like the Blackvue DR970X Plus, the Thinkware U3000 (full review) allows remote video streaming over the cloud. It also supports Thinkware’s other cloud functions, such as localizing your vehicle, geo-fencing, and impact alerts to your phone. For a comparison of BlackVue’s vs. Thinkware’s cloud options, see here.
You do need a Wi-Fi access point in your car for cloud connectivity to work. Thinkware do not offer an LTE module.
The most outstanding, and unique, feature of the U3000 is its radar-assisted parking mode. This is a form of buffered parking mode that uses very little power. Video will only be stored when another car comes close. The U3000 has its radar module built in, unlike its predecessor (the Thinkware U1000).
An OBD-II power cable is included for free in the box, so you don’t need to worry about having to order an additional hard-wiring kit. Alternatively, if you opt to use a battery pack, the U3000 can run for up to 40 days in radar parking mode without ever consuming energy from the car’s main battery.
Battery pack aren’t cheap though. The OBD-II cable is completely sufficient for shorter parking times.
Apart from radar, the U3000 also supports normal (motion-activated) buffered parking mode, as well as time-lapse and impact-triggered parking modes.
Video quality of the front camera is very good during the day, and good at night. For the rear camera, image quality is fair, day and night.
Viofo A329: Best Video Overall
Price: Amazon US / CA / UK – AliExpress – eBay US / AU – more countries & vendors (ad)
Overall video (2CH): Very Good (3.6/5)
Reliability: Very Good (4.0/5)
Memory capacity: 512GB
Parking modes: Buffered, low bit rate, time-lapse w/ night vision
Other features: Wi-Fi 6, GPS, capacitor, lock file button, CPL filter, external SSD
Optional extras: Bluetooth remote lock file button, rear CPL filter
This camera was released in mid 2024. While Viofo do not support cloud connectivity, the A329 (full review) has some awesome features that we haven’t seen in any other dash cam so far.
One of these features is its “Super Night Vision” parking mode. When set to time-lapse parking mode at 1 fps, there’s an option to increase the brightness of the video at night. This greatly enhances visibility and improves your chances to read license plates or recognize faces. It also consumes less energy than other parking modes.
The A329 is also the first dashboard camera to support the 6th generation Wi-Fi, called Wi-Fi 6. With this enabled, you can download videos to your phone up to 3 times faster than with Wi-Fi 5.
In terms of video quality, the Viofo A329 is currently the best you can get. It has Starvis 2 sensors front and rear, both with HDR and CPL filters. The forward CPL filter is included for free, and a CPL for the rear camera is available as an optional extra (~$20).
The A329 records at high bit rates, and video files can get pretty big. Therefore, we recommend either getting a large memory card, or you can connect an external SSD. Up to 4TB of external storage let you max out your storage capacity. 4TB is sufficient for about 96 hours of front and rear video at maximum resolution.
Memory cards can be up to 512GB in size. A card of that size can hold up to 12 hours of video. Viofo recommend using either their own Viofo branded cards, or SanDisk Max Endurance for best results.
Vantrue N4 Pro: Most Popular 3-Channel
Price: Amazon US / CA / UK – AliExpress – eBay US / AU – more countries & vendors (ad)
Overall video: Good (2.8/5)
Reliability: Good (3.0/5)
Memory capacity: 512GB
Parking modes: Simple, buffered, time-lapse, low bit rate
Other features: Wi-Fi, GPS, capacitor, lock file button, 3.19″ screen
Optional extras: CPL filter
The Vantrue Nexus 4 Pro (full review), or N4 Pro in short, is the most popular 3-channel dash cam on the market. Its front and interior lenses are both integrated into the main unit, so you don’t have to mount an extra interior camera on the windshield. This means there’s also one less cable to install.
You can configure the camera either with a smart phone app, or through menus using the integrated 3.19″ screen. For a 3-channel dash cam, the N4 pro is relatively easy to set up and use.
Video quality is good on average, and all 3 channels support HDR for better night visibility.
With its infrared (IR) night vision, the interior camera can record the inside of the car at night, even when the cabin lights are switched off. Interior cameras are especially useful for taxi / uber / ride share drivers for added security on the road.
The N4 Pro supports four different parking modes: Simple (impact triggered), buffered, time-lapse, and low bit rate. We recommend using buffered or time-lapse modes.
Viofo A229 Pro: Great Video, Supports 2 Or 3 Channels
Price (2CH): Amazon US / CA / UK – AliExpress – eBay US / AU – more countries & vendors (ad)
Overall video (2CH): Very Good (3.5/5)
Reliability: Very Good (4.0/5)
Memory capacity: 512GB
Parking modes: Buffered, time-lapse, low bit rate
Other features: Wi-Fi, GPS, capacitor, lock file button, CPL filter
Optional extras: Bluetooth remote lock file button
The Viofo A229 Pro (full review) was released in late 2023. It is available in 2-channel (2CH) and 3-channel (3CH) configurations. The 3CH version costs about $30 more than the 2CH one.
This dash cam record at a high bit rate both front and rear. It also supports HDR on both channels, and comes with a CPL filter by default.
The A229 Pro’s video quality is very good in most situations. The only exception is the rear channel at night, which could be a bit better on dark roads.
Due to this camera’s high bit rates, it’s a good idea to get a memory card of sufficient size. We recommend using at least a 256GB SD card. The maximum supported card size is 512GB, which is enough to hold over 12 hours of front and rear video.
Like the Viofo A329, the A229 Pro is picky with which SD card brand it accepts. The manufacturer recommends to either use their own brand (Viofo), or SanDisk Max Endurance. Other cards can cause stability issues.
When used with a compatible memory card, the A229 Pro is highly reliable.
70mai A810: Best Value
Price: Amazon US / CA / UK – AliExpress – 70mai – eBay US / AU – more countries & vendors (ad)
Overall video (1CH): Very Good (4.0/5)
Reliability: Good (3.0/5)
Memory capacity: 256GB
Parking mode: Non-buffered only
Other features: GPS, Wi-Fi, lock file button, 3″ screen
Optional extras: CPL filter, hard-wiring kit
70mai is the dash cam brand of the well-known Chinese company, Xiaomi (think mobile phones). They have been producing good quality dash cams for many years now, and have gained a reputation of being a reliable mid-price brand.
The 70mai A810 (full review) is great as a single channel dash cam. It does support connecting a rear camera also, but the downside is that with a rear camera connected, the frame rate of the front camera will drop from 30fps to 25fps. This makes the video a little less fluid and decreases your chances of capturing license plates, if only by a little.
While the difference is not huge, we did define “true 4K” as being 2840×2160 at 30fps. So by this definition, the A810 is only a true 4K dash cam when it’s used in 1CH mode.
The camera supports HDR, GPS, Wi-Fi, and has a lock file button. It does come with an internal battery though instead of a capacitor. Batteries are less heat resistant, so be careful if you will be parking in the sun in a hot climate.
If you’re happy with a 1-channel dash cam (or don’t mind the reduced frame rate with the rear camera connected), the 70mai A810 is great value for around $160 at the time of this writing.
70mai A800S: Most Affordable True 4K Dash Cam
Price: Amazon US / CA / UK – 70mai – eBay US / AU – more countries & vendors (ad)
Overall video: Fair (2.25/5)
Reliability: Good (3.0/5)
Memory capacity: 256GB
Parking mode: Non-buffered only
Other features: GPS, Wi-Fi, lock file button, 3″ screen
Optional extras: CPL filter, hard-wiring kit
The 70mai A800S (full review) is the most affordable true 4K dash cam available. While there are many dash cams labelled “4K” that cost even less, those are most likely fakes, and we will look at some of the most well-known ones in the next section. If you find any true 4K dash cams below $100, please let us know.
While the A800S won’t give you the same video quality as the more advanced products listed above, its video quality is quite acceptable for a price around $100 (without the extras).
Available extras include a CPL filter (~$10) and hard-wiring kit (~$15). When hard-wired to the car’s fuse box, the camera can run in impact-triggered parking mode when the engine is off. It does not support buffered parking mode.
The A800S comes with GPS, Wi-Fi, and a lock file button. It also has a 3″ screen on the main unit.
Just like the A810, it uses a battery instead of a capacitor, making it less heat resistant than a camera with a capacitor.
Fake 4K Dash Cams
Unfortunately, some manufacturers see fit to just stick a 4K label on a dash cam which can’t actually record true 4K. As stated above, a true 4K dash cam must be able to record 3840×2160 pixels at 30 frames per second (fps).
We’re compiling a list of fakes here for your convenience.
Technical Background
Many fake 4K dash cams come with a sensor that can’t actually record 4K resolution.
A 4K camera needs at least an 8 megapixel (MP) sensor. Let’s do the math: 4K means 3840×2160 pixels. My calculator says 3840 * 2160 is 8,294,400. That’s over 8 million, or 8MP in short.
A 1080p camera has 1920×1080 pixels. 1920 * 1080 is 2,073,600 pixels, or 2 megapixels.
A 1440p camera would have 2560 * 1440 = 3,686,400 pixels, so it needs a 4MP sensor.
How To Spot A Fake 4K Dash Cam
Avoiding the scams is actually quite easy with this simple trick:
True 4K dash cams have to have an 8MP sensor. So just check which sensor a camera uses. If it’s less than 8MP, there’s no way it’s going to record at 4K resolution the way we define it. That is, 3840×2160 pixels, at 30fps, and without resorting to tricks such as upsampling or interlacing.
Alternatively, just check the cameras listed in this article.
We’re trying to make this overview as complete as we can, so if you have any examples of fake or real 4K dash cams not listed here, please let us know.
Examples Of Fake 4K Dash Cams
Here’s an (incomplete) list of dash cams that claim to be 4K, but that use the Omnivison OV4689 sensor (not a bad sensor by any means, but it only has 4MP):
- Acekool 4K: OV4689 sensor → fake 4K
- Azdome GS63H: OV4689 sensor
- Rexing V1 4K UHD: OV4689 sensor
- Rove R2-4K: OV4689 sensor
Other fake 4K dash cams:
- Aukey 4K dash cam DR02 J: Aptina AR0521 sensor with just 5MP
- Redtiger F7N: Sony IMX335 sensor, also just 5MP
- Redtiger F17: also Sony IMX335
- Rexing V5: Sony IMX335 sensor, 5MP
- Rove R2-4K Dual: Sony IMX675 sensor, which is Starvis 2 and better than the one in the older R2-4K, but still only 5MP
- Toguard Dash Cam 4K: 4K video is interpolated. (Also the fact that it can’t handle memory cards over 32GB should alert you. 32GB is ridiculously small for a 4K camera.)
- Vantrue S1: Has 1080p sensors. 4K is interpolated
- Wolfbox G930: Sony IMX335 sensor, 5MP
Additionally, readers have advised us that the following cameras are also fake 4K:
- Campark DC30
- Lifechaser 4K OLED
- WonVon W4K
Editor’s Note
This article is a permanent work-in-progress. We keep updating it as new cameras appear on the market. The date under the title is the date of the last major update.
Recent updates:
Feb 20, 2025 – fixed some typos
Feb 1, 2025 – added Viofo A329
