Yi Smart Specs
– Max. resolution: 1920×1080 @ 60fps
– Price: n/a
– Bit rate: 20 Mbps
– Aperture: F/1.8
– 2.7″ screen
– WDR Super Night Vision
– Small size (74mm x 20mm x 52mm)
– Operating Temperature: from -10°C to 60°C (14°F to 140°F)
– Weight: 45g
– Simple menu structure
– Angle of view: 165° diagonal
– Video format: .mp4
– Supports up to 64GB class 10 or above MicroSD cards (over 7 hours)
– Time and date stamp on video
– Loop recording, auto on/off, G-Sensor
– Interfaces: microUSB
– Lock file button
– Wi-Fi connects to Android and iOS apps
– Internal microphone and speaker
Yi Smart Dash Cam Review
The Yi Dash Camera is a specialized version of the Yi Action Cam. Don’t confuse the two, as the Yi Dash Cam is a different product. Based on the action cam, it has been upgraded and optimized for usage as a car DVR.
UDPATE: As Yi have been releasing more and more dash cams, this camera has been renamed Yi Smart Dash Cam.
Note that this camera is sometimes wrongly referred to as “Xiaomi Yi Dash Cam”, however that’s not it’s real name. The Yi Dash Camera is produced by the Chinese company Yi Technology, which has no legal ties to Xiaomi (another Chinese company that produces mobile phones and other gadgets, but as of today isn’t making any dash cams).
Simplicity is a big plus of this product: While it covers all the dash cam basics, it comes without many of the bells and whistles that many other, more expensive devices have. The menu is mainly icon based and quite intuitive to use.
Wi-Fi is supported to connect to an Android or iOS smartphone (free app available), and the camera has a comfortably sized 2.7″ screen with 4 buttons for easy operating. Loop recording, time/date stamp, G-sensor, and auto on/off are also supported; no GPS or parking mode, though.
At 165 degrees, the angle of view is quite large. This causes some warping near the edges of the screen. However, video quality is still good, especially at night time. For its price, the camera records surprisingly well in low light conditions, with a colorful image and lots of visible detail even on dark roads.
The Yi Smart claims to be able to record at resolutions up to 1296p with a frame rate of 30fps, however this resolution appears to be interpolated. That said, the camera is able to record high quality video at a resolution of 1080p with frame rates of 30 or 60fps.
If you choose to record 1080p@60fps, make sure to use a high quality SD card (the manufacturer suggest 80Mbps read speed or more). For other resolutions (1296p@30 or 1080p@30), a normal class 10 SD card will suffice.
A 64GB memory card will allow you to store over 7 hours of video before the loop recording kicks in.
While this dash cam isn’t as stealthy and doesn’t have as many features as the Viofo A119 for example, its larger screen and simple menu structure make it easier to use even for the technically challenged.
Where To Buy
The Yi Smart is no longer available for sale.
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.
Day Time Video Sample
Daytime video quality is good, showing lots of details. Other cars’ license plates are readable (pause video where necessary).
Night Time Video Sample
Night video quality is fair. Colorful video even on darker roads. It’s easy to see what’s going on around you, however license plates are only readable in favorable lighting conditions.
