Key Takeaways
- The 70mai Dash Cam A510 has many features, including a rear screen that works with the app.
- The rear camera can rotate 360 degrees for in-car surveillance, but requires wiring.
- Priced at an affordable $110, this dash cam offers a wide range of features and covers the front and rear.
With so many different models on the market, choosing the right dash cam can be difficult. The obvious way to go about it is to look at our guide to the best dash cams. But another thing to consider is your needs. I turned to dash cams after my car was rear-ended, which made me value complete, comprehensive coverage.
That said, I’m always on the lookout for models with front and rear cameras. The Nextbase iQ and Rove R3, which I reviewed recently, are great choices if you’re looking for a premium model with lots of features. The 70mai Dash Cam A510, which I also tested recently, offers many of the same features, including excellent front and rear coverage. Best of all, it’s priced right.
This is one of those dash cam models that requires a wired connection to get full functionality, meaning you’ll have to buy an additional kit and pay extra for it, but it also gives you the flexibility of being able to power it from a 12V car socket, giving you the freedom to use your car’s ODBII port whenever you need to call up your trusty Carly diagnostic device – something you can’t do with the Nextbase iQ as it requires an ODBII port for power.
Recommendation
70mai Dash Cam A510
With two cameras and a wealth of features, the 70mai A510 is great value. Sony’s Starvis sensor technology is reliable but a little sensitive to changes in light. But it’s easy to set up and use, and it comes with a companion app that’s better for managing the content you capture than the main camera’s handy rear screen.
- Easy setup and convenient rear screen
- Extensive features and functionality
- Apps add value and convenience
- The lens struggles with rapid changes in light
- Some features require a hardwire kit
- Wires tangled in pipes as usual
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Pricing, Availability and Specifications
The 70mai Dash Cam A510 is available to buy directly from the manufacturer or from online retailers like Amazon. In North America, this dash cam comes in a few different versions, including the set bundle that I tested. Prices start at $110 for the A510, with the A510-1 going for $130. The larger card editions, the A510-1 64GB, are $140 and the A510-1 128GB, for $150.
70mai Dash Cam A510
- Number of cameras
- two
- Front camera resolution
- 1,944 pages
- Field of view
- 140 degrees and 130 degrees
- Emergency power supply
- yes
- brand
- 70mai
What I like about the 70mai Dash Cam A510
Extensive functions and features
One of the best things about the A510 is the comprehensive set of functions and features on offer, especially considering its relatively low price. It’s a great all-rounder with the obvious main benefit of dual channel recording, meaning it covers the view out the windshield and the back seat of your car.
It has the added perk of a rear camera with a rotating lens that can be repurposed to cover the cockpit area of the car when parking – but the camera needs to be wired in to use the parking sensor feature.
Other features of the A510 include a front camera that can shoot 1,944p video thanks to the Sony Starvis 2 sensor and has a good 140-degree viewing angle. The rear unit can shoot 1080p video and has a 130-degree viewing angle, so all together it’s a decent spec. My bundle included a 64GB microSD card along with everything you need to get the camera up and running. There was also a very good app, allowing me to manage every aspect of the content I captured.
As a bonus, the main dash cam has a 2-inch rear screen that displays a split view if you have both the front and rear cameras connected. It gives a pretty good overview, but I mainly used it to go through the setup process, which involves setting the time, date and so on using the row of buttons on the camera body. It also includes an emergency capture button, which you can use if you want a one-off instant video rather than a looping capture.
What I didn’t like about the 70mai Dash Cam A510
Let’s not forget the A510’s price, so there are some compromises to be made, most of which have to do with the lenses the 70mai uses. The Sony Starvis sensor is definitely adequate for this purpose, and is used by many other dash cams, but it can struggle with sudden, drastic changes in light.
The dash cam responds quickly to changes and adapts its footage capture, and if there was one drawback to this dash cam, it would probably be this element. In general, the video captured by the 70mai Dash Cam A510 is good, even very good at night, but if you consider yourself a picky dash cam user, you’re better off opting for a more expensive model with a slightly better sensor.
It’s worth keeping in mind the A510’s price, and as a result there are some compromises to be made, most of which have to do with the lenses used.
We’re also not too keen on the need to hard-wire the dash cam into the car to take advantage of the parking sensor technology, although this is common practice for this kind of feature so it’s not a weakness unique to the A510. You also need to buy the hard-wire kit for an extra fee. Another issue with this is that you can’t switch the dash cam from one vehicle to another, although if you just plug it into a 12V socket that’s not a problem.
Should I buy the 70mai Dash Cam A510?
This is a well-balanced bundle that gives you everything you need for comprehensive video capture both forward and rearward. I like that you can rotate the rear camera to monitor the cockpit of your car, and power via a 12V port is always handy. Small gripes aside, the 70mai Dash Cam A510 seems like a very good product for the price. Easy to set up and a great app complete the package.