Nextbase 422GW dash cam review: Superior video and versatile design, telephoto rear-view - gamblewhice1988
Nextbase's current GW modular series, including the $230 422GW reviewed here, have embossed the measure for dual-distribution channel dash cams. They're pricey, but feature an HDMI port that, in any case outputting video, accepts any ane of three $100 rear cameras: a cabin view (national) module, a traditional rear-window mounted unit, and a unique telephoto rear mental faculty that captures what's behind you without the hassle of wiring, or obscuring your view.
Beyond that, there's phone connectivity, Alexa, GPS, and a touchscreen. If it weren't for the deficiency of infrared lighting for interior night captures, the 422GW would be hands-downwards the best dash cam I've ever tested. For my purposes IT still is, but if you're dynamic a taxicab or police car at night, the unit's interior captures aren't going to new-mown it.
This review is part of our ongoing roundup of the best dash cams. Go there for more reviews and buying advice.
Design and features
As you give notice see by the cover photo, the 422GW is a handsome product with a long-necked lens body. There's a 2.5-inch display, and because it's touch-enabled, simply 2 buttons: on/unsatisfactory and protect (from overwriting). The last mentioned button has the Nextbase logo thereon and is centred connected the edge of the camera just below the display. I didn't recognize it atomic number 3 a button until I read the certification (reading about a product up-front is a no-none when trying to label ease of exercise). The on-screen user interface is top-notch, advisable-designed and easy to pilot.
Note (07/19/19): A reader fair-minded attendant me that in my haste to get at it, I missed the mention of the backside release on the protective sheet covering the display. Thankfully, I wasn't dealing with high explosives.
The 422GW couples magnetically to a mount that offers snap-on adhesive tape and suction options. It's a jolly slick design, but it was more difficult to remove the camera from the climb than it should Be—Nextbase power experience been just a tad enthusiastic with the metier of the attractive feature. On the otherwise give, I had zero point fear of the camera's falling inactive. Choices.
Given every last the innovation elsewhere, I was surprised that Nextbase opted for mundane mini-USB sort o than Type-C connectors, besides as accessory/butt power rather than always-on OBD-Deuce. On the other hand out, mini-USB is more common than Typecast-C in the dash cam world, and cables are easier to replace. There is a acceptable hardwiring kit available from Nextbase, but not an OBD-II kit. You can snaffle unrivaled of the latter online for $10 to $15.
Nextbase With a touchscreen and only two buttons (the logo is a button), the 422GW offers an bewitching sleek look.
The 422GW's 140-degree field-of-panoram front camera is capable of capturing 1440p television at 30 frames per second base, As well as 1080p at both 60 fps and 30 fps. All three rear camera modules trance at 720p. The 422GW also saves lower-resolution 864×480 videos for screening on dining table without employing extraordinary processing power.
The 422GW doesn't miss a trick with the GPS, which is both watermarked and integrated into the video. Embedded GPS allows you to retrace your travels with the MyNextbase actor shown below, which you can download from the company's site.
IDG Nextbase provides viewing software that uses embedded GPS information to show where you were at some given clip during a video.
Nextbase as wel provides a becloud service where you Crataegus laevigata upload your videos, should you survive the fortuity you want to document. Kidding. I hope. You can also upload videos to the service via the MyNextbase instrumentalist app.
There's zero bad-driver tech on board the 422GW, but that's few bad thing from my standpoint. Anyone who needs lane departure, collision avoidance, or red light television camera warnings shouldn't be on tour anyhow. Additionally, such alerts could disorder you when you about need to arrest focused.
There is a backup function for the rear-vista cameras (non cabin prospect), and there's as wel SOS Emergency indorse (if visible and you're signed up) if you get down into an accident and need aid.
IDG he Nextbase Connect app is used for configuration, viewing videos, and setting up Alexa.
The 422GW supports Alexa, although at the meter of this review Amazon had yet to qualify the Nextbase "skills," so I couldn't control the camera with it. Normal Alexa commands worked, but you can do that with your phone. When the skills are implemented you'll be able to say such things as, "Alexa, change state off Nextbase." I favour swearing at other drivers, but to each their own.
The reckon backside you
As I noted at the root of the article, the Nextbase 2 serial publication cameras have a mini-HDMI port to accommodate any of trinity additional cameras: a 140-degree interior view module, a 30-degree telephoto faculty which attaches directly to the 422GW to capture events behind you, and a 140 degree rear-windscreen television camera which connects via a cable that gives you a more panoramic view out the back.
Nextbase This teensy-weensy port may not seem the likes of overmuch, just information technology can couple with any one of ternary separate rear cameras: cabin view, telephoto rear view, and a orthodox rear camera that mounts on the rump window.
I was happily surprised at the effectiveness of the telephoto keister view photographic camera. It shows a great deal Thomas More of the road than I predicted—pretty some what you'll see in the rear view mirror. Obviously, it can't cover equally very much like a camera attached to the rear window, but on the other hand, it doesn't stymie your live view every bit those do.
The cabin view module is suitable for professionals who want to track what's happening in the interior of their fomite, unless they work at Nox—there's no infrared lighting to compensate for low-light conditions. Nextbase said IT was aware of the shortcoming and suggested an infrared cabin view camera faculty might well show up in the near future.
Performance
The Nextbase 422GW's daytime captures video are very, very good, and as I said, the telescopic back end television camera was a very pleasant surprise. I have a very small gage windowpane on my transformable, and the stern though camera still captured quite a lot of information, as you bottom get a line below.
IDG The telephoto rear sight module doesn't cross as some orbit as a rear-decorated camera, but keep in mind that this is the rear window of a Miata adaptable. Most rear Windows are quite a bit larger. Also note that this is very good quality video for 720p.
The 422GW's daylight captures are careful, colorful, and not prone to watered or other defects. Motion compensation is quite an good likewise, though there is a bit of fish-eye.
IDG There's a little of fish-heart from the 140-degree FOV front camera, but generally ithe 422GW's captures are cover-notch.
The unaltered night capture shown down the stairs shows a lot of detail to the front, and handles headlight flair a great deal amend than nigh.
IDG he 422GW's night captures are quite good, with micro headlight flare. More particular in the immediate vicinity throne be revealed by increasing the brightness and contrast in editors.
The image downstairs shows how inside information in the surrounding area bug out display up when you increase the cleverness and contrast in your instrumentalist. This is non the case with all cameras. In other words, details are being captured, only not displayed with the default brightness curve.
IDG ar more detail is captured than is apparent if you leave your player at its default brightness background.
As you can see in the capture below, the interior captures without infrared light lighting are lacking in usable detail at playback default settings.
IDG Without infrared lighting, the 422GW's interior night captures put on't cut IT. There is, however, much detail than is pronto apparent if you twiddle the brightness and contrast sliders in a video OR photograph editor.
You pot get wind below that interior night captures do offer much detail than you'll see if you simply play them using your video player at its default luminance. But information technology's nevertheless not what you'd get with infrared frequency, so I can't recommend the 422GW for night-driving pros.
IDG dding luminosity in post-processing does reveal some detail from the DoI camera's night captures, but it's not nearly what you'll see from camera's with infrared lights.
I was and then enamored by the 422GW otherwise that I spent many time online looking for IR light sources. I didn't regain any, but you're welcome to render. Lashkar-e-Toiba ME love if you locate extraordinary. Otherwise, night drivers should look for the hinted-at infrared interior module to go far.
Climate, battery, and caveats
Battery life story with the 422GW (15 minutes Georgia home boy) isn't enough to sustain parking mode by itself, merely it provides more than enough consort time to capture incidents that Crataegus oxycantha break up your car's 12-volt system. The 422GW is rated for use from 14 to 120 degrees, which is good for most climates. The unit runs warm to the soupco, and a bit warmer still when connected to the phone. However, the thermals are non worrisome, and given the overall build choice, I'd bear the scud cam to outlive the annual guarantee.
There's one illustrious caveat. While IT's generally a malfunctioning idea to remove or insert an SD card with most dash cams while they're supercharged awake, in the 422GW's case, it's a harmful theme to swap out anything. The 422GW froze when switching the rear modules, requiring a long jam on the tiny readjust button on the bottom of the unit to bring it back to life story. Removing the GPS climb, the camera became curst a greenish screen, but power-cycling unmoving that. Bottom line of work, big businessman soured the 422GW (and any flair cam) before changing its physical configuration in some way.
Other models, options
The 422GW is cardinal of three Nextbase cameras that live with the rear-watch modules. The incoming step up is the 522, which adds a larger 3-inch display and integrated polarizing permeate for $270. There's an optional polarizing filter for the 422GW, but I didn't have it to run.
Unrivaled leave office you'll find the 322GW, which is only $170 if you're willing to forgo Alexa and 1440 video (1080p is fine for most users), too as deal with a slightly smaller (less light) f1.6 aperture. This might negatively affect detail in nether twinkle, but without the camera to test, I can't sound out how much.
The best affair going
Because of the lack of infrared frequency, the 422GW is not the best system for taxi, Uber, Lyft, patrol, motorbus drivers, and other utilization cases that regard working at night. For everyone else, the 422GW, along with its 322GW and 522GW cousins, are at the top of the dash cam food for thought chain at the consequence. The telephotograph rear mental faculty is a stroke of wi—give that person a raise.
Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/397619/nextbase-422gw-dash-cam-review.html
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