The dash cams are slowly becoming an indispensable part of the equipment for car owners who value security and protection. However, with all the options available on the market, finding the right one can be a bit tricky, especially when operating on a budget. If you're looking for the best dash cam under $100, VanTop H610 should probably be your No.1 option.
VanTop H610
VanTop H610 ticks all of the boxes you would expect of a budget cam dash but also brings several features that are usually reserved for devices in the higher price range. Gravity sensors and state-of-the-art nighttime recording is not something that we are used to having for less than $100. In addition, VanTop's product boasts HD resolution for both front and rear camera, extra-wide field of view, reverse parking assistance, and 10" IPS screen, among other nifty features. Installing this dash cam will improve the safety of your driving, provide evidence on potential accidents, help you record your exciting road trips, and ensure peace of mind no matter who's at the wheel of your car.
Top-notch Camera Resolution
The very good resolution quality is one of the main reasons why H610 stands out among the competition in the price range. The front camera features a full HD 26560x1440p resolution, while the rear one comes with 1920x1080p. Sony IMX335 image sensor supports recording and is responsible for high sensitivity and low background noise. Videos are crisp and clear, even when tested against poor light conditions. It's easy to spot and recognize road signs, pedestrians, and license plates of other vehicles. The camera maintains its excellent performance even at greater distances. The optical lens is 6-layered preventing the glare that may get into the way of producing a high-quality image.
Extra Wide viewing Angle
Of course, excellent image quality is only useful if it provides a good overview of the road and your vehicle's surroundings. H610 is exceptional here, too, and provides an extremely wide field of view. The front camera has a somewhat wider angle, covering 160 degrees. The rear camera has a 120 degrees field of view. Together, they give you a 330 degrees view of your car with only minor corners on the side remaining hidden. This allows you to be in full control while driving and also when parking, making sure that there are no surprises hidden in blind spots.
Excellent Night Vision
A dash cam providing decent recordings only during the day would be pretty much useless. Sony IMX335 sensor, which we've already mentioned also responsible for superior night vision provided by VanTop H160 recordings. Unlike most of the other budget options which use infrared LEDs to illuminate the scene, the H160 works perfectly without any additional lights balancing light automatically and preventing overexposure. The glare of the lights on the vehicles coming from the opposite direction ii well-controlled and horizontal and side road markings are perfectly visible. The result is a perfectly clear image even if it's pitch dark outside. This is particularly important in the unfortunate case of a road accident since the recording can serve as solid and unambiguous evidence.
Built-in Emergency G Sensors
The VanTop H160 dash cam also features gravity sensors that get active whenever there's a collision while parking or driving, or even while the car standing still. The G sensors have three operating modes: low, medium, and high. The setting determining sensitivity level you'll use mostly depends on your personal preference and which degree of collision you want triggering the sensors.
Once the G sensor is activated, the video recording starts automatically. The footage from these events is locked on your memory card and safe from being recorded over. The thing is, H610 uses loop recording meaning that when the card is full the latest videos will record over the earliest. Once your vehicle hits or gets hit by another object the recording triggered by the emergency sensors will be locked and saved no matter how much of the subsequent recording will occur.
Reversing and Parking Assistance
If you have connected your H610 dash cam to the reverse light, the rear camera will activate as the moment you shift into reverse gear. Even if you haven't done this, you can always switch to the rear view on the touch screen of your dash cam. This way you can observe the hi-res image in your rearview mirror with guiding assist lines. There's no need for you to turn around and stretch your neck in order to park easily and safely. Once you're no longer in reverse, the camera goes back to the normal view.
10" IPS Touch Display
The anti-glare 10" IPS touch screen is shaped like a standard rearview mirror and can display real-time road traffic. It's very responsive and easy to operate. By swiping your fingers you can access the cam settings, switch between front and rear view and view previous recordings. When the camera is in the OFF mode, the works as a regular rearview mirror.
How to Install H610
The process of installing H610 is fairly simple and you can do it in no more than half an hour depending on the size of your vehicle and your skill level. The installation is done through several steps.
- Before installation, insert the memory card into the dash cam and format it by selecting that option in Settings.
- Mount the H610 dash cam over your standard rearview mirror using the mounting strap and adjust the angle the way it will suit you the best.
- Connect one end of the car charger cable to the cigarette lighter socket and the other to the USB port on top of the camera.
- Connect the AV cable of the backup camera to the port on the mirror camera.
- Using the trim tool to tuck the cable into the roof and pillar linings and snake it all the way to the back of the vehicle.
- Once you're at the back of the vehicle, set the vehicle in the reverse gear, identify the wire feeding the reverse light and attach the red cable running along the back AV cable.
- Mount your rear camera to the back of your vehicle. You can mount it on the inside of your back window or next to the license plates.
At the End
For our money, VanTop H610 is definitely the best dash cam under $100. It's suitable for virtually any vehicle, no matter the size. The large display provides an excellent view of everything that's going on around your car. Wide viewing angle and emergency G sensors are there to make sure that you enjoy the utmost safety and to simplify your parking even in the tightest of spaces. The option of non-stop loop recording and sensor-triggered videos can help you sleep at night knowing you'll have every evidence you need in case of potential parking collision. For the price H610 is available at, you can hardly do better.
