Nextbase IQ Smart Dash Cam Review – Initial impressions of the most advanced dash cam on the market

Nextbase simply introduced their new Nextbase IQ sensible sprint cam. If you happen to take a look at the specs and options, that is undeniably essentially the most superior sprint cam in the marketplace.

That is an early overview. I’ve solely had the digital camera for a number of days, and it’s nonetheless utilizing a beta model of the app and firmware. Prelaunch performance similar to Guardian Mode and RoadWatch AI was not accessible, however they need to be shortly after the product launches.

I’ll possible replace the overview throughout the subsequent month for added element.

Specs

• Three Fashions:
  • iQ 1K – 1080p 140° FOV entrance digital camera + 1080p 180° FOV cabin digital camera
  • iQ 2K – 1440p 140° FOV entrance digital camera + 1440p 180° FOV cabin digital camera
  • iQ 4K – 4K 140° FOV entrance digital camera + 1440p 180° FOV cabin digital camera
• Elective 2K Rear Digital camera
• Digital camera Sensor:
  • 4K Mannequin: Omnivision OS08A10 1/1.8″ Color CMOS 8‑Megapixel (3840 x 2160) Picture Sensor with 2.0 µm PureCel
• Energy Choices with 24/7 energy for each

Design

The Nextbase IQ has fairly a novel design for a touch cam. As a result of quantity of tech inside this system, it’s a bodily giant product, which isn’t excellent for one thing that’s connected to your windscreen, as you wish to minimise something obscuring your view.

Subsequently, Nextbase designed the sprint cam to have the majority of the parts sitting within the puck form, which attaches to your windscreen and may match simply behind your rearview mirror.

Then, the digital camera itself hangs down. The concept of that is that you really want the digital camera decrease down in your windscreen for optimum surveillance.

The puck a part of the sprint cam has two 4G antennas protruding the facet. These are detachable, and I assume you possibly can simply improve these to exterior or bigger antennas if you want.

On the underside of the puck are the USB-C ports for each the ability and rear digital camera. That is necessary to recollect, as I tousled my set up by not studying the directions first.

One benefit of the puck design is that it has a big floor space with good high quality 3M tape beneath. I’ve had many sprint cams drop off my windshield as a result of chilly, damp or scorching surroundings.

OBD Energy

For me, one of many key options of this digital camera is the truth that it makes use of the OBD port for energy. This enables the digital camera to have 24-hour steady energy provide even when the automobile is parked, and the ignition is off.

Admittedly, earlier than this overview, I didn’t realise you possibly can purchase an OBD to USB adaptor for sprint cams, which successfully does the identical. One characteristic with the Nextbase that’s price noting is that it’ll monitor the battery cost and energy down if the battery is getting too low.  I solely drive a number of hundred miles a 12 months, so one thing draining my battery very slowly with out this characteristic may very well be problematic.

Set up

I stupidly connected the sprint cam to my windscreen earlier than I did anything, pondering I’d give the adhesive time to stay earlier than I began messing round with the digital camera. Don’t do that.

The USB-C ports for the ability and rear digital camera are positioned so they aren’t accessible in any respect as soon as it’s put in. I’m on the fence if it is a unhealthy design determination or not. I didn’t obtain the rear digital camera to overview, so if I had been to purchase one, I’d must take away the sprint cam utterly. Nonetheless, the USB-C plugs sit flush with the puck, and they’re by no means going to get by accident ripped out.

If you happen to observe the directions, you’ll connect the cable first and plug it into the OBD port, then activate the engine to present the digital camera full energy.

Then, you full the pairing course of, which incorporates scanning a QR code to pair. The QR code is tiny, and for some purpose, the digital camera defaulted to a most zoom, so I used to be very confused why I couldn’t scan the code. Ultimately, I realised I may zoom out utilizing my fingers and was in a position to scan it correctly.

The digital camera did match behind my rearview mirror, nevertheless it wouldn’t match fairly as excessive as I’d have favored, it does block the way in which a bit. I left my Vantrue sprint cam in place, which contributed to the issue. Putting the digital camera on the left-hand facet of my rearview mirror meant that it didn’t obscure my view in any respect.

Nextbase IQ App

Connectivity & Retrieving Recordings

Nextbase IQ works otherwise from many sprint cams. There are two methods to connect with the digital camera, both through the distant 4G/LTE connection, which requires a subscription, or Bluetooth. There isn’t a WiFi.

Then, for recordings, you will have the cloud recordings which can be accessible by way of subscription or the native recordings, which go to the microSD card.

You possibly can entry the native recordings by bodily eradicating the cardboard and copying them from the cardboard.

For the occasions, you probably have a subscription, these might be uploaded to the cloud and saved for both 30 or 180 days. That is clearly an extremely helpful characteristic, because it ought to provide you with entry to footage if one thing unhealthy occurs to the automobile or the digital camera is made inaccessible after an occasion. This may very well be for something from a crash, automobile theft, or the automobile being impounded.

I had some points with this set-up total, and a few of this can possible be attributed to the actual fact I used to be utilizing the digital camera pre-launch with pre-release software program/firmware:

• Whereas I really like the truth that I can remotely hook up with the digital camera through a dwell stream or change the settings, the app would usually take some time to attach. As I write this, I’m struggling to attach in any respect (although that is the one time it has occurred).  
• The continual microSD recordings are all 30 seconds lengthy, and there doesn’t appear to be a method to alter this. That is in all probability not a problem for real-world utilization, nevertheless it meant I couldn’t add a pattern video that was an honest size.
• No WiFi meant that connecting to the digital camera through Bluetooth was additionally a sluggish course of.

Day Time Recording Pattern

The digital camera got here with a pre-installed 32GB Nextbase microSD card. Recordings are restricted to 30-seconds and a potential purpose for that is the comparatively giant file dimension. Every 30-second clip is round 150MB with a decision of 3840×2160 and 30 FPS encoded with MPEG-H Part2/HEVC (H.265) (hvc1).

Compared, my Vantrue Component 2 data clips which can be round 2 minutes and 20 seconds lengthy with a decision of 2560×1440 and 30 fps. These information are round 170MB.

The movies under are examples from the Nextbase IQ and the Vantrue which was recording on the similar time.

Vantrue Component 2 Video

Evening Time Recording Pattern

Nextbase IQ Video

Vantrue Component 2 Video

Sensible Options

To overview the digital camera correctly, I signed up for the Shield Plus plan, which permits me to make use of all of the options this digital camera has, and this consists of cellular information.

Upcoming Options

The 2 most attention-grabbing options should not accessible at launch however must be quickly after.

Guardia Mode

Guardian Mode is for if you go away your car with a valet, mechanic, or member of the family. It means that you can arrange personalised restrictions and obtain notifications for issues like pace, location boundaries and heavy braking, supplying you with full management and visibility, even if you’re not driving.

Roadwatch AI

It is a significantly attention-grabbing characteristic. It’s a bit just like the AI detection you will have on dwelling surveillance cameras, however extra superior.

Roadwatch AI will establish automobiles round you and establish their pace, together with most and minimal speeds, in addition to attempt to get a transparent image of the quantity plate.  This may very well be important in figuring out harmful driving.

Encrypted Incident Experiences

It is a intelligent characteristic that goals to simplify the method in case you are concerned in an incident. The digital camera will add a report which may encompass all the info captured as a part of the occasion, together with a timeline of information from pace, G-Power, GPS, and video. This may then be shared with authorities or insurance coverage with claims that it could possibly cut back the timeline of as much as 40 days to simply accept a declare and 30 days to pay out a declare.

Driver Conscious

This makes use of the cabin digital camera to alert the driving force if they’re distracted.

Automobile Conscious

This can alert the driving force to harmful conditions with sensible monitoring of objects.

Notifications

Because of the continual energy and 4G/LTE information connectivity, the Nextbase IQ app will push by way of notifications for any occasions. These notifications can embody:

• Movement Detection- Detects movement close to the car a bit like a house surveillance digital camera.
• Crash Detection – Self-explanatory.
• Handbook Occasion Detection – Whenever you press the defend button.
• Parking Occasion Detection – Any time you park.
• Impression Detection – Self-explanatory.

If you’re the driving force, chances are you’ll not want a few of these notifications, however it’s nice for anybody who shares a automobile.

Stay view

Whenever you log in to the IQ app, you possibly can hit the play button to view the dwell digital camera feed.

You possibly can set {custom} alerts so the iQ notifies you each time it picks up on something uncommon.

Sensible Sense Parking

The built-in proximity sensing Spatial Consciousness and custom-trained AI monitor motion round your automobile, expertly detecting potential threats like a automobile backing too shut or individuals loitering. This offers you the ability to intervene with voice or alarm earlier than something occurs.

Witness Mode

With the witness mode, you possibly can activate it by saying  “begin Witness Mode” anytime you’re feeling on edge whereas driving — like throughout a highway rage incident or in the event you’re pulled over. As quickly because it hears the phrases, the iQ will lock onto the incident and share dwell footage with a trusted contact to allow them to step in and assist. This manner, somebody you belief will at all times have entry to the complete, dwell story so you may get the assist you want.

Emergency SOS

Because of Emergency SOS, in case you are unresponsive throughout an accident, the iQ will share location and medical particulars with emergency personnel. This manner, you’ll at all times get the assist you want, it doesn’t matter what.

Free-to-use options & subscription value

For the free-to-use plan you get:

• iQ app
• Voice Management
• Actual-time picture notifications

The £6.99 Shield Plan the above plus:

• All cellular information included (pre-provisioned)
• Stay View
• SmartSense Parking
• Witness Mode
• Distant Alarm
• Cloud Storage – 30 days
• RoadWatch AI – coming quickly
• Guardian Mode – coming quickly

The £9.99 per 30 days Shield Plus plan has the above however with:

• Cloud Storage – 180 days
• Emergency SOS
• Automated Incident Again-up
• Actual Time Notifications
• A number of Person Accounts – coming quickly

Value and Different Choices

The Nextbase IQ is priced at:

• iQ 1K: £349
• iQ 2K: £399
• iQ 4K: £449
• Rear Digital camera: £149

That’s undeniably costly, however an excellent sprint cam can price some huge cash. Different choices embody:

• BlackVue DR970X-2CH LTE Sprint Cam – £680 + £4pcm for 40GB
  • Entrance and Rear Digital camera with Sony Starvis sensor
  • Makes use of USB / Cigarette socket
• BlackVue DR900X-2CH – £529.95
  • 4K Entrance + rear, no cabin
  • Elective LTE CM100LTE module + £4pcm for 40GB
  • Makes use of USB / Cigarette socket
• Nextbase 622GW Entrance & Rear Sprint Cam – £438
  • 4K Entrance Digital camera + 1080P rear digital camera
  • Makes use of USB / Cigarette socket

General

Trying on the competing three choices I listed, all of them appear near what the Nextbase IQ does, a minimum of for the bottom performance. The BlackVue has among the LTE options the IQ has, and the month-to-month charge is decrease as you simply pay for information.

Nonetheless, IQ has a cabin digital camera, and that is used for the witness mode plus future features like driver conscious. The OBD connectivity is a giant promoting level for me because it meant I didn’t must {hardware} it.

Then, IQ will proceed to broaden the performance. RoadWatch AI and Guardian Mode each sound like improbable options which different sprint cameras can’t come near competing with.

Though I haven’t had an opportunity to check the complete performance of this sprint cam, it’s exhausting to not be impressed, and it’s undeniably essentially the most feature-packed sprint cam I’ve ever used.

It’s costly, however not considerably greater than these I’ve listed. As a lot as I dislike month-to-month subscriptions, I don’t suppose it’s too unhealthy, contemplating you get information included, and also you get much more performance than the LTE choices with BlackVue.

Contemplating the price of many new automobiles, I’d say the excessive value of this digital camera and the month-to-month prices are price it for the peace of thoughts the digital camera gives. For anybody who drives for a residing, spending £10 a month for all these options looks as if a no brainer.

I’ve given this a preliminary very constructive rating, however I’ll replace it in a month or so when I’ve had an opportunity to totally take a look at the digital camera and ensure there aren’t any important issues with it.