The best dual dash cams for your car

A dash cam has quickly become an essential item for car owners. These handy cameras help us being preyed upon by someone staging a crash-for-cash scam or just dopey, inattentive drivers.

While a front-facing camera is good, a dual dash camera setup offers greater video coverage and protection. Dual dash cams have a rear camera, letting you capture footage behind your car.

To help you pick a dash cam we've looked at why they are so useful, the important features to look out for and which front-rear dash cam bundles are worth your investment.

The best dual dash cams shortlist:

• Nextbase 522GW Front and Rear Dash cam Bundle

• Orskey CameraCore S900 Dual Dash cam

• Navitel RC2 Dual Dash cam

• Thinkware F770 Dual Dash cam

• VIOFO A129 Pro Duo Dual Dash cam

Why a dash cam is important

Before you choose a dash cam, naturally you will be wondering whether a dash cam is worth your time.

The first and strongest argument for having a dash cam in your car concerns money. Installing a dash cam in your car can reduce your insurance premiums, depending on your insurance provider. Footage captured from dash cams may be used as evidence when claiming on insurance after an accident or incident.

Another reason for getting a dash cam is that they act as a deterrent to other road users guilty of unsavoury and unsocial driving habits. While dash cams are discreet, they aren’t invisible. Other drivers can spot your dash cam and usually respond accordingly.

Important features to look for in a front-rear dash cam bundle

There are some important features that you don’t have to worry about missing out on as they come as standard on all the best dash cams. These features are G-sensor (automatically saves the footage if the sensor feels a jolt), loop recording, and parking monitor.

For the front camera, look for a minimum resolution of Full-HD 1080p with a frame rate of at least 30fps - this will ensure that the footage is smooth and clear. The angle width of the lens is important too because it determines how much the road the camera can capture - aim for at least 140-degrees.

For the rear camera, things are a little more complicated. Some rear cameras are internally mounted, some externally. And naturally, if you get an external one, it needs to be robust and properly waterproof. Rear cameras don't usually have the same video quality as the front cameras, but 720p should be an absolute minimum.

From there, you can have as many or as few additional features as you wish. Wi-Fi and GPS are both useful, the former allowing you to quickly access files on your phone, the latter giving more precise information on your location and speed.

Where to mount your dash cam

All the dash cams we’ve listed in this article are easy to install, and the instructions will show you the best placement for your specific dash cam.

Things don’t vary much between models, however. The front camera will be hidden behind the rearview mirror, and the rear dash cam will adhere to the window - just make sure the position allows for a good view of the lens.

All the wires and cables can be hidden in the headlining and various gaps – again, the instructions will inform you of the best way to do this for individual cameras.

While the video quality of your dash cam may be great, it will become instantly not great when windscreens and rear windows are grubby. Keep your windows clean, and keep a cloth handy to wipe away any muck on the fly.

You may want to consider hardwiring your dash cam rather than using the 12V plug. This is a little more fiddly but will allow you to take advantage of the camera’s parking monitor software. Hardwiring kits can be bought instead of a 12V plug or separately, depending on the model. You can always opt to get your dash cam professionally fitted for a fee if you wish.

The best dual dash cams 2021

The 522GW is excellent value, with the recording quality being top-notch. You can dual record in 1440p and 720p or 1080p and 1080p with great colour and detail. It also has Amazon Alexa built-in, which is a smart feature not found anywhere else on this list.

In addition to the impressive software, the build quality of the 522GW is exceptional. The interface is very easy to use thanks to a three-inch touchscreen and simple menus and the Click&Go PRO magnetic mount is simple and solid. There's no need to get a memory card either because this comes with one.

While this bundle gives you the wired rear camera that goes in the back window, you also have the option of buying an add-on rear-facing cam that connects to the main camera itself.

Looking for a budget dual dash cam? You can’t do better than the Orskey CameraCore S900. The front-facing records in Full-HD 1080p at 30fps with a Sony sensor and even has High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology. It makes for impressive video quality in this price range- you even get a memory card.

The rear cam is waterproof and can be externally mounted above the number plate, though you can mount it internally if you prefer. The video quality of the rear cam is perfectly acceptable, though not exceptional.

Sometimes cheap dash cams can be a pain to use. But that’s a large contributing factor in why the Orskey is here - because it isn’t a pain. It’s very easy to set up and straightforward to use.

The RC2 is a basic but quality dual dash cam. The video quality is Full-HD 1080p at the front and HD 720p at the rear, both at 30fps. Despite the absence of extra features such as Wi-Fi and GPS, the RC2 is hard to fault. It’s compact, well made, and easy to use. The two-inch touchscreen is quite small but manageable to use.

Probably the only dash cam likely to challenge the Nextbase 522GW. While the latter beats the Thinkware F770 for ease of use, video quality and location accuracy, the F770 manages to fight back with a compelling set of features.

The F770 has a lane departure warning, forward collision warning and access to a speed camera database. The video quality is great for both cameras with Full-HD 1080p at both ends. Like the 522GW, the F770 has Wi-Fi and GPS.

Thinkware dash cams are relatively large but because they are flat, they fit snug and out of sight behind the rearview mirror.

If you want the best 4K dual dash cam, you could go for Nextbase’s flagship 622GW model. However, saving yourself well over £100, this option from VIOFO is a little more reasonable.

What’s the compromise? The VIOFO A129 Pro DUO doesn’t bear the same level of features (Alexa, what3words, emergency SOS, image stabilisation, for example) but crucially, does also record in 4K at 30fps. Thanks to its shape, size (about that of an egg) and lack of suction mount, the A129 Pro DUO is our most discreet pick. The operation is simple and the Wi-Fi connectivity suffers no issues.

What to read next:

The best dash cams

The best affordable dash cams

The best sat nav deals

The best car sat navs

Chris Williams is a contributor for What's The Best. He also writes for CAR and Parkers.

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