Nextbase are the leading manufacturer of Dashcams and there the latest product we got to review the 322GW landed with us with perfect timing as I have just bought a brand new VW T-Cross so having that added level of protection in the car in the event of an accident it’s vital.
The 322GW is one of 5 new models that have released there is also :
122
222
422GW
522GW
The 322GW which is what we are reviewing is available for £99 from Currys but remember you will also need to invest in an SD card the best one for this camera is the SanDisk Ultra Performance class 10 microSDXC memory card – 64GB. This is important and you want to have lots of space to record to.
Having a dashcam in your car is vital as it could be your proof in regards to insurance claim disputes.
The camera is black in the design and is not very big in fact it measured up to be the following size: 80x 45x 50 mm (WxHxD).
Inside the box, you are provided with the following: 1x Dash Cam, 1x Adhesive mount, 1x Suction mount, 1x Cable fitting tool, 1x USB-A to micro USB lead, 1x In-car power lead, 1x Window Sticker. You also get some documents like the quick start guide. I personally liked the quick start guide as it provided very simple instructions also provided pictures of that step so you could tell if you were doing that step correctly.
The camera lens provides a 140-degree wide-angle view which is fantastic for capturing as much of what is in front of us as possible. As mentioned the SD card is vital as the camera collects content at 1080p HD at 30 frames per second.
When setting the camera up the first thing you are advised to do is put the camera on charge and you are requested to do this for 2 hours. I simply plugged this while I was in my house and set a timer on my phone for 2 hours and like baking a cake on the ping it was ready to set up.
The next step is the set up this is done via the touch screen. You will be asked to set up the language, time and date as well as speed units. This was very easy to do and was set up within a few minutes. You will be asked to download the MyNextBase app. I would advise you to download this while the camera on charge so you’re not wasting any more time.
The MyNextbase app also supports the emergency SOS feature that comes with this dashcam. This feature if you have an accident will trigger an alarm that if you are not that badly injured you can turn it off. If the accident is bad and you need medical attention it will automatically inform the emergency services.
In the setup process, you may have to do a firmware update likely for me no such update was required. Now you’re ready to take the dashcam to your car for the rest of the setup.
So take the camera and the fixings to the car. This will involve using the click&go pro mounting system. This will connect the camera in place on the windscreen and also allow for the in-car power supply. You have to take the cover off the front of the camera then the click and go pro is held in by a strong magnet.
You will also be able to adjust the angle of the camera as the click and go allows you to adjust the camera. Make sure where you place the camera so it has a good view of the rear windscreen. The reason for this is not only this camera record what’s in front it also covers what’s behind it if you The camera also has an intelligent parking mode which will start recording the moment it senses any movement. This is perfect for these times someone bumps into the back of your brand new car and does not have the decency to leave their details. You will have their details recorded for the insurance company.
Another feature of the dashcam is the Nextbase connect feature which the channel between the camera and your phone. It allows remote access to content either live or via downloading recorded videos via a Wifi connection. This sounds great on paper as you would be able to check on the car if you were on holiday or you could download footage if you had witnessed an accident and wanted to provide the footage. In reality, this was very problematic and meant we had to even restart the wifi connection. Once you restart the connection it was fine but I would like Nextbase to look into this issue when they develop an upgrade.
Overall, taking away a few of the setup issues we experienced its a very good dash cam that if it saves you from another driver causing an accident it will be money well spent. I especially like the Emergency response feature as this could really be a lifesaver and for £99 that feature alone makes it worth the investment. An added bonus some insurance companies offer a discount if you mention you use a dashcam.
