Nextbase 622GW Dash Cam hands-on: Advanced technology and capability provides a safety net for drivers
Dashboard cameras are used to enhance safety, document accidents for liability and insurance purposes, and capture evidence of damage to your vehicle. The Nextbase 622GW Dash Cam is available now for $399.99 from Best Buy.
Featured
I've had a sample mounted in my car for the past month and while I thankfully didn't experience an accident to document, I did get a chance to test out the video performance and user interface. The Nextbase 622GW is easy to use and connects seamlessly to a smartphone for control and management of the camera.
Box contents
In addition to the camera, the Nextbase 622GW Dash Camretail package includes the click-and-go camera mount, power cable, USB cable, suction mount, power cable fitting tool, and quick start guide. Nextbase also sent along a 64GB microSD card to store video content.
The quick start guide is very well assembled and made setup of the camera quick and easy.
Specifications
- Camera resolution: 4K at 30 fps, 1440 at 60 fps, and 1080p at 120 fps
- Camera lens: Six layer f1/3
- Viewing angle: 140 degrees
- Display: Three inch HD IPS touchscreen
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, 802.11 WiFi
Hardware
The mount system was easy to install securely just adjacent to my rearview mirror. The miniUSB cable and connection system is well constructed and easy to route and hide out of the way.
The camera connects with a very strong magnetic mounting system which makes it easy to quickly remove the camera and take it with you when you leave your vehicle. It also holds the dash camera securely in place, even when driving on rough roads or over items like railroad tracks.
The camera is well constructed of black and gray matte plastic and glass. It has curves and smooth transitions with an extended lens.
The three-inch display is easy to read and the touchscreen interface works well to transition through various options and settings.
Camera software
While the Nextbase 622GW starts recording when it is connected you can stop the recording and tap the gear icon to access more settings and preferences. The display shows video settings, driver assistance, setup, and connect apps.
Video settings includes options for resolution, exposure, video length, audio, time stamp, speed stamp, GPS stamp, model stamp, dual files, license plate, time lapse, G sensor, image stabilization, and extreme weather.
Driver assistance options include emergency SOS, reversing camera, and what3words. To use the reversing camera, an additional accessory is required to capture video content looking backward.
Nextbase 622GW Dash Cam hands-on: in pictures
Setup options include screen saver, alerts, recording history, parking mode, language, time zone, country, time & date, speed units, screen dimming, device sounds, auto power off, keep user settings, format SD card, system info, and default settings. As you can see, there is a vast number of settings and options available to help you create an optimal personal experience.
When you tap on the connect apps option there are two options available; MyNextbase iOS or Android app and Alexa.
Several resolution recording options are available, including 4K at 30 fps. You can then play back your captured video in super slow motion 120 fps so you can review your clips for specific details. Digital image stabilization is provided to help tamper down the impacts from potholes and dirt roads. There is even an extreme weather mode that attempts to provide clear images in all conditions.
Enhanced night vision is provided thanks to larger pixels in the camera lens and automatic brightness detection. 5GHz WiFi is provided, in addition to 2.4GHz, so you can make direct WiFi connections between the 622GW and your connected smartphone.
An advanced safety mode, called 911 SOS, is provided where the camera can initiate a call to 911 if you crash and are unresponsive. Your location, medical history, blood type, and allergies can be setup and shared through this system. I hopefully won't be testing this feature during my evaluation period.
Smartphone software
After installing the MyNextbase software on your phone, setup the connection with the camera. You have the option to directly connect to the camera and view a live view of the output from the camera. This connection is made via a WiFi direct connection.
You video recording history is stored on the camera microSD card. Through the smartphone app you can view this content or choose to download and save that content. By default, the camera video shows the Lat/Long, vehicle speed, time, and date that the video was captured. It also shows a map of the route driven with the vehicle. G-sensor data is also available when you download the video from the camera.
The same dash cam settings that are found directly on the camera are also available in the smartphone app. Making changes to settings on the phone sync to the camera and I personally found it much easier to use the smartphone app to make those changes.
Camera firmware updates are also managed through the smartphone application.
Daily usage experiences
While I don't spend a lot of time commuting or driving vehicles, it is important to make sure your driving experience is safe for you, your family, and other drivers on the road. The Nextbase 622GW offers advanced technology to make sure you capture clear video content in all kinds of conditions so in the event of an accident or other incident you will have evidence to help your case.
It also seems many are disrespectful about other people's property today so having an ability to capture video content when your vehicle is bumped may prove useful. If someone bumps your vehicle while it is parked then the 622GW will automatically start recording without any power from your car provided to the camera.
I was greatly impressed with the quality of the output captured by the Nextbase 622GW and if I drove daily or spent a considerable amount of time behind the wheel I would seriously consider this camera for daily use.