Vantrue N4 Pro Specs
– Three-channel dash cam
– Max. resolution: front 4K, rear 1080p, interior 1080p
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– GPS
– Wi-Fi (2.4 or 5 GHz)
– 3.19″ Screen
– Video format: MP4
– Supports up to 512GB MicroSD cards
– Novatek NT98529 processor
– Time and date stamp on video
– Parking modes: Buffered, simple, time-lapse, low bit rate
– Lock file button
– CPL filter (optional)
– Loop recording, auto on/off, G-Sensor, motion detection
– Operating temperature: from -20°C to 60°C (-4°F to 140°F)
– Storage temperature: from -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F)
– Apps for Android / iOS
– High Dynamic Range (HDR) on all 3 channels
– Super capacitor instead of battery
– Internal microphone and speaker
– Adhesive magnetic mount
– Voice control
Front Camera:
– Max. resolution: 3840×2160 @ 30fps (true 4K)
– Bit rate: 32 Mbps
– Size: 116mm x 85mm x 45mm (4.57″ x 3.35″ x 1.77″)
– HDR
– Aperture: f/1.8
– Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 8M CMOS sensor
– Angle of view: 155° diagonal
Rear Camera:
– Max. resolution: 1920×1080 @ 30fps
– Bit rate: 9.8 Mbps
– Size: 62mm x 15mm diameter (2.44″ x .59″ diameter)
– HDR
– Aperture: f/1.8
– Sony STARVIS IMX307 2M CMOS sensor
– Angle of view: 165° diagonal
Interior Camera:
– Max. resolution: 1920×1080 @ 30fps
– Bit rate: 9.8 Mbps
– Integrated into the front unit
– HDR
– Aperture: f/1.8
– GalaxyCore GC2093 CMOS sensor
– Angle of view: 160° diagonal
– 4 infrared (IR) LEDs
Vantrue N4 Pro Review
Vantrue have upgraded their popular Nexus 4 model with a new design, and added a Sony Starvis 2 sensor for the forward facing camera. The new model is called Nexus 4 Pro (or N4 Pro in short), and is a step up in video quality.
It’s a 3-channel dash cam, so it records the front, rear, and interior of the vehicle. The front camera records at 4K resolution, and the other two, at 1080p. All three channels support HDR, to improve contrast at night.
Let’s have a look at the performance and features of the N4 Pro.
Design
As you can see in the picture above, the front and interior camera are integrated in a single unit. It connects magnetically to its mount, which in turn sticks to the windshield with an adhesive pad.
Video Quality
We’ve thoroughly analyzed videos from the 3 channels of the N4 Pro under various lighting situations. Check out the sample videos shown below to get an idea. Here’s what we found:
At day, we’re getting good video from both the front and rear cameras, and excellent interior video.
At night, the front camera records good video, but rear video quality is mediocre. The interior camera’s video quality is fair.
“Good video” means we can read most license plates if we pause the video feed (3 points out of 5). “Mediocre” means it’s hard or impossible to make out any license plates (1 point out of 5).
As for the interior channel, it works great during the day (5 out of 5), but at night, we’re seeing lots of artifacts and glare from street lights and other light sources, so we’re giving only 2/5 points here.
This camera’s overall score for video quality is 8.5/15.
For a complete explanation of our video ratings, and to see how the N4 compares to the competition, have a look at our Comparison Table of 3-Channel Dash Cams.
Parking Mode
When hard-wired to the car’s fuse box, the Vantrue N4 Pro supports 4 different parking modes. A hard-wiring kit is not included, but sold separately for about $20.
Here’s a summary of the four parking modes:
- Simple: Camera wakes up when an impact is detected and starts recording normally. Waking up takes about 10 seconds though, which is too long.
- Time lapse (low frame rate): Continual recording at 1fps (frame per second), without sound
- Buffered mode: Once the device detects any motion around the car, video from all 3 cameras will be saved. Saved videos start 10 seconds before and end 30 seconds after the event.
- Low bit rate: Records at 720p resolution, 15fps. Low video quality.
We recommend using buffered or time-lapse parking modes. Simple parking mode takes too long to wake up, and low bit rate has insufficient video quality to make out license plates and catch a possible perpetrator.
Other Features
The Vantrue N4 Pro supports 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi to connect to your phone. As usual, apps are available free of charge for Android and Apple phones.
Apart from controlling the dash cam via an app or through the on-screen menu, you can also use voice commands. There are quite a few of those, but the ones you will probably use most are:
- “Take Photo”
- “Lock the Video”
- “Turn on/off Wi-Fi”
The N4 Pro’s user manual is 44 pages long, and the English translation is well written. Apart from English, it is also available in 6 other languages: German, Spanish, French, Polish, Japanese, Chinese, and Russian.
Observations
The manufacturer recommends to use a Vantrue high-speed A2-class memory card. The maximum card size supported is 512GB.
A 512GB Vantrue SD card (ad) costs around $85 currently and lets you store over 20 hours of video.
Optional Extras
- Hardwire kit ($20) – needed for parking mode
- CPL filter ($20) – highly recommended to improve video quality in bright sunlight (reduces reflections)
Conclusion
The Vantrue Nexus4 Pro is a step up in video quality compared to the older Vantrue N4. However you can get better video quality for a similar price with a Viofo A229 Pro, or similar video quality (on average) at a lower price with a Viofo T130.
Pros:
- 3.19″ screen for easy operation
- Reliable
- Buffered parking mode (with HW kit)
Cons:
- Night video quality could be better
- CPL filter not included
- Vantrue memory card needed
Vantrue N4 Pro 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.
Front Video Sample, Day
At day, video quality of the forward channel is good (3.0/5 points). We can read license plates of other cars by pausing the video playback.
Front Video Sample, Night
At night, video quality of the forward channel is also good (3.0/5). License plates of most other cars are readable when the viewing angle is right.
Rear Video Sample, Day
Rear video at day is good (3.0/5): We can read license plates of other cars in the parking lot.
Rear Video Sample, Night
At night, rear video quality is mediocre at best (1.0/5). It’s impossible to make out any license plates.
Interior Video Sample, Day
The interior camera records excellent video during the day (5.0/5). No complaints here. All details in the passenger cabin are clearly visible.
Interior Video Sample, Night
At night, interior video quality is fair (2.0/5). There is a lot of glare from other cars’ headlights, and we have too many artifacts on the footage. We can still see what’s happening in the cabin though.
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Amazon US / CA / UK / DE / FR / ES / IT
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