Best picksGood Meat Thermometers for Every Kind of Cook
Best picksBest WiFi Extenders: Which Range Extender Should You Buy?
Best picksBest Dash Cams for Cars in 2026
Best picksBest Radar Detectors for Cars: Models Compared
Best picksGood Winter Gloves for Cold Weather: Five Useful Picks
Best picksBest Headlamps: Six Lights Compared for Different Uses
Best picksTop 10 Best Battery-Powered Weed Eaters for Different Yards
Best picksBest Portable Air Coolers for Patios, Workshops and Small Spaces (2026)
Best picksBest Air Purifier for Bedroom in the US: Quiet Models ComparedGearjury may earn a commission when you buy through a retailer link. This does not affect our editorial criteria.
Guide
A dashcam is an onboard video camera that records a vehicle's journey, usually through the windshield. Many save continuous short files and overwrite the oldest unprotected footage.
Dashcam is short for dashboard camera, although modern units are commonly attached to the windshield. It is an onboard camera designed to record while a vehicle is being driven; some systems also record the rear view or cabin.
Most cameras write a sequence of short video files to removable storage. Loop recording deletes the oldest unprotected files when space is needed, so important clips should be protected and copied promptly.
An accelerometer can detect a sudden movement and flag the current file as an event. Sensitivity and protection behavior vary, and too many protected clips can fill reserved storage.
Parking mode is a lower-activity recording state used when the vehicle is parked. Depending on the camera, it may use motion, impact detection, time-lapse, or buffered event recording and normally needs a suitable power arrangement.
Video shows only what falls within the lens view and what image conditions preserve. It may lack sound, speed context, events outside the frame, or readable identifying detail, so it should not be treated as a complete record by itself.
Place the camera where it does not obstruct driving, secure cables away from controls and airbags, set the correct time, and check recordings periodically. Follow state rules on windshield mounts, audio, privacy, and sharing.
Common questions
It means dashboard camera, a compact onboard camera used to record a drive or events around a vehicle.
Many record continuously while powered, using loop recording. Parking recording and automatic startup depend on the model and installation.
Only if it supports parking mode and has an appropriate source of parked power.
Most consumer units use a removable memory card. Connected models may also transfer selected files to a phone or cloud service.
Keep exploring
Start with the coverage you need: front-only, front and rear, cabin or a wider multi-camera view. Then compare recording detail, storage and power requirements.
A front and rear dash cam records both directions and can provide context a single lens misses. Check the rear-camera cable route and simultaneous recording resolution before buying.
VIOFO A229 Pro 2CH is our broad recommendation for detailed front and rear coverage. Garmin Mini 3 favors discretion, while Garmin X310 is the sharper single-camera choice.
The A329S serves buyers seeking high-detail multichannel recording; A229 models cover more moderate dual-camera needs, while A119 Mini 2 is the compact front-only option.