Garmin Dash Cam Mini Review

Technical Specifications

– Max. resolution: 1920×1080 @ 30fps
– Price: Amazon US / CA / UK – more countries & vendors (affiliate links)
– Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
– Size: 31mm x 53mm x 29mm (1.2″ x 2.1″ x 1.2″)
– Weight: 29g (1oz)
– Angle of view: 140° diagonal
– Operating temperature: from -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F)
– Supports up to 512 GB MicroSD cards
– Time and date stamp on video
– Loop recording, auto on/off, G-Sensor
– Lock file button
– Apps for Android / iOS
– Internal microphone and speaker
– Capacitor instead of battery
– Optional CPL filter
– Adhesive mount
– AutoSync: Synchronize up to 4 Garmin dash cams

Garmin Dash Cam Mini Review

The Garmin Mini is a popular dash cam that’s quite easy to set up and use. Being not much bigger than a car key, this device is about as discreet and inconspicuous as dashboard cameras canl get.

At this size, the Mini doesn’t have a screen, so you will mainly operate it through its smart phone app that’s available free for Android and iOS phones.

The camera itself has only two buttons: A small one on the side that toggles audio recording, and a large one on the back that lets you mark video clips for permanent storage when something important happens. The large button also serves to pair the camera to your phone when you first set it up (hold button down).

There’s a status LED on the side of the Garmin Mini that lets you know about the dash cam’s operating mode. In normal video recording mode, the status LED will glow red. When connected to your phone, it turns blue. When the LED is flashing green, it means the camera is booting up or installing an update.

A microphone LED on the bottom glows red when the camera is recording audio.

Video Quality

In our experience, video quality of Garmin dash cameras generally isn’t the greatest, and the Garmin Dash Cam Mini is no exception. As you can see in the samples featured below, the Mini’s footage is of acceptable quality for the price, but nothing out of the ordinary. (For better video quality we recommend the Viofo A119 v3.)

Other Features

The Garmin Mini is a very simplistic dashboard camera that focuses on the basics, so it comes without features like GPS or parking mode. (Technically, there is a basic parking mode option if you hard-wire the camera, but it can cause the camera to overheat and stop working. We do not recommend using the Garmin Mini’s parking mode.)

A cool feature of Garmin’s smart phone app is AutoSync, which it allows you to synchronize up to 4 Garmin dash cameras. AutoSync works with the Garmin 46, 56, 66W, Mini, and Tandem dash cams. It lets you create PIP (picture-in-picture) videos of one or more front and rear facing cameras setup, or even of cameras installed in different vehicles.

User Manual

The Garmin Mini’s user manual is only 6 pages long, and does a great job explaining how to set up and use the device.

Overheating

Several users have reported that this camera suffers from overheating issues that causes the camera to lock up and stop recording,

Conclusion

The Gamin Dash Cam Mini is a decent camera from a reputable vendor. We especially like the option to synchronize video feeds from up to 4 different cameras.

That being said, Garmin’s video quality isn’t the greatest. Currently, the Viofo A119v3 records the best video quality at a comparable price.

If you live in a warm climate, keep in mind that this camera can suffer from overheating issues.

Garmin Dash Cam Mini Video Samples

For full original video quality, make sure to watch on full screen and select maximum video resolution (use the cog icon in lower right corner). You may have to rewind the video after changing the resolution.