Garmin mini dashcam12/31/2023 ![]() ![]() Once set up, you no longer need to use the smartphone app - and that is a good thing, as we often found it struggled to connect to our iPhone over Wi-Fi without trying multiple times. ![]() You can also use the app to adjust a couple of settings, such as lowering the video resolution to 720, which reduces the quality but also takes up less space on your micro SD card. The free Garmin Drive app for iOS and Android is used to help you position the camera correctly, by sending a live video feed from the camera to your phone over a direct Wi-Fi connection. This is a little narrower than the 180-degree option of some more expensive Garmin products, but we found the picture spans fully from one side of our car to the other, giving a complete view of the road ahead and a little to either side, too.Ĭamera positioning is key here, and thanks to the Mini’s size it is easy to fit right in the middle of your screen, without interfering with the rear view mirror. Garmin has fitted the Dash Cam Mini with a 140-degree lens. Given the size and price, we can’t complain. The addition of HDR would help to pull out more detail from the shadows and over-exposed parts of video, but in our testing we found the results entirely adequate, with details sharp and number plates legible. This means footage is perfectly sharp and clear, and while it lacks HDR, the picture quality is perfectly acceptable for such a small camera. The Dash Cam Mini shoots at a lower resolution than most of Garmin’s 2019 dash cam range, but this is still 1080p, also known as Full HD. Garmin Dash Cam Mini review: Video quality It doesn’t try to offer a huge range of features which many drivers may switch off in any case, and instead focuses on the fundamentals with zero distractions. Of course, the main features here are the Mini’s diminutive size, low price and simplicity. Other, larger models of Garmin dash cam have their own batteries, but often last for just 30 minutes, so plugging in is generally the norm, even for pricier options. There is no battery inside the Mini, so it will only work when it is plugged in. There is, however, a Wi-Fi connection for connecting the camera to the Garmin Drive smartphone app (for iOS and Android), more of which in the software section below. With its lack of display, voice control and driver assistance, there isn’t much to say about the features of the Dash Cam Mini. An included adapter fits into your car’s 12V lighter socket and provides two USB ports, one for powering the camera and a spare for powering something else like your smartphone. Two USB cables are included in the box, one long and one short, giving you the option of plugging the camera in each time you use it, or routing the longer cable around the dashboard of your car for a more permanent setup. On one side is a microSD card slot (although no card is included in the box), and on the other there is a microUSB port for power. ![]() Instead, one button on the side mutes and unmutes the microphone, and a larger button on the back saves a section of video when pressed. There is no touchscreen on the Dash Cam Mini, or a display of any kind. Garmin has given the Dash Cam Mini a plain, matt black finish which feels like it’ll shrug off being chucked into the glovebox between uses. This makes for stable video recording, and zero movement when driving over speed bumps or caught out by a pothole. The ball-and-socket connection to the mounting arm offers a sturdy grip, keeping the camera in place no matter what angle you position it at. That said, we would feel comfortable leaving the Garmin Dash Cam Mini permanently in our car, due to how discreet it looks from both inside and out. From then on, you can quickly unclip the camera from its mounting arm (which is about half an inch long and remains attached to the windscreen) to hide it from view. If you’re new to dash cams, then fitting the Garmin Mini to your windscreen is as simple as peeling off some protective film from the sticky pad, then pushing it against your windscreen for a moment until it sticks. This is the same connection as used by other Garmin dash cams, so if you’ve already got a mount stuck to your car’s windscreen (or the magnetic metal disc included with the Dash Cam 55), then the Mini will clip right into place. ![]()
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