ANDREA IN ARCADIA

Nextbase 622GW 4K Dash Camera provided for the purpose of review.

This summer I have been testing out the new Nextbase 622GW 4K Dash Camera.

As someone that is on the road a lot, I was pretty keen to test this out. With so many dash camera’s to choose from it can be pretty overwhelming.

The new Nextbase 622GW 4K dash camera features a host of world first technology and improvements, such as Emergency SOS, Extreme Weather Mode, and Digital Image Stabilisation.

Plus besides it’s usual intended use, you could even use the dash cam to document your travels and capture travel content in 4K cinematic quality! How cool is that?!

What’s in the box:

• Nextbase 622GW Dash Cam, with built-in polarising filter to eliminate glare for clear image/footage capture
• Click&GO PRO magnetic GPS Mount
• 12-24V Power Cable (4m length)
• USB Cable
• Suction Mount
• Power Cable Fitting Tool
• Quick Start Guide

Not included, but can be purchased separately:

• Protective Case
• U3 microSD card
• Nextbase Rear View Camera

Nextbase do make a separately purchasable Nextbase 32GB GO Pack which comes with a Series 2 Dash Cam Protective Case and 32GB U3 microSD card up 100MB/s read speed and up to 60MB/s write speed. The Nextbase 622GW Dash Cam supports up to 128GB microSD cards.

A 32GB microSD will hold approximately four hours of footage which once at capacity will automatically rewrite over the oldest footage. It is also suggested to format the memory card every 2 weeks.

The Nextbase 662GW Dash Cam is also compatible with Nextbase Rear Camera modules.

First time activation and setting up the camera

Setting up the camera was pretty straight forward. It came with easy-to-follow instructions out of the box.

To activate some features, you need to set it up with the Nextbase app. It’s a good idea to do this as this will help with additional features (e.g. Emergency SOS system, Alexa) and you can easily update the cameras firmware.

You must charge the camera for at least 2 hours before installing it in your car.

Once it was ready to install, I used the plastic Power Cable Fitting installation tool that was included to help hide the wiring. I was very careful on where I routed this, taking note of where airbags are and ensuring to avoid these areas, and with the remaining cord (which was more than ample given its 4m length) I tucked into the glovebox.  It might not be possible to completely hide the wiring in some cases, but in my case, I was able to make it as neat as possible.

I also chose to fix the dash cam using the included socket mount so that I can easily move the camera between cars, however for most people the supplied fix mount would be sufficient.

Overall, it took about 2.5 hours for me to set up, including the camera charging time, app set up on my iPhone XS while charging the dash cam and then car installation.

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On the road protection

The new Nextbase 662GW Dash Cam incredibly records 4K image quality at 30 frames per second (fps), paired with its 140-degree wide angle lens and digital image stabilisation.

This means it is capturing a footage at a super high quality, the wide lens it also captures key details such as multiple lanes and speed signs, and the image stabilisation ensures clear and legible details such as number plates without the blur.  

Not only that, but the 622GW exclusively features Super Slow-Motion playback so if you wanted to check back on a detail you could at 120fps which is damn cool.

Other really important features that the 622GW includes, enhanced night vision thanks to its larger pixels and better sensor to allow in more light, even in the dark.

Extreme weather mode utilises algorithms which allow for clear footage capture, even in the toughest of conditions including mist and fog.

Alexa compatibility, albeit I rarely used this feature as I didn’t really need to but it’s nice to have. You can ask Alexa to start/stop recording for example, or request to send videos to your phone while keeping your eyes on the road.

While driving you have a few dash cam display settings you can choose:

• Always on
• Off
• Display speed

I prefer to have the screen off in screensaver mode as I don’t find it necessary for the screen to be constantly showing footage or my speed. In my opinion it is a waste of power/energy but it is completely up to you and your personal preference.

I also found the camera would run quite hot, so I felt that not having the screen on all the time helped slightly.

The footage is incredibly clear, especially if you follow the instructions and adjust the polarising filter accordingly.

Luckily, I have not need to utilise footage for accident evidence purposes, but this has been so easy to set up and use that I wish I had done it sooner.

When your car is stationary

The protection does not stop when your car ignition is off. Equipped with Intelligent Parking Mode, when your car ignition is off, the 622GW Dash Cam shuts down everything except the G Force Sensor which also increases its sensitivity.

If the sensor picks up on any movement, bumps, shakes, the dash cam will switch on and record 30 seconds of footage before turning off again.

In this low power mode, your dash cam is on standby with its battery power to last around a week.

This means that wherever you park your car, the dash cam will be ready to record should anyone hit your car, hopefully it may capture any evidence you might need.

When you need help

One of the coolest features included in the 622GW is what3words, a geocode system that can pinpoint your exact location to 3-metre-square space.

In the 622GW it can even do this without a data connection, working offline thanks to the offline GPS built into the 622GW.

What3words is a service that is commonly used by emergency services and has recently rolled out in Australia.

You may have also heard of the service, as it featured in the 2018 Mercedes-Benz A-Class, with Mercedes-Benz being the first automotive company to integrate the system and has subsequently rolling out the service across the Mercedes-Benz User Experience Infotainment & Navigation systems.

Emergency SOS is included as a one-year free trial with the 622GW dash camera.

How the service works:
If a crash is detected, the system run through 23 protocols before sending a package of data to an operation centre, if there is no response after a minute. Following this, the operation centre will attempt to contact you to check if you are okay or if you need emergency services to be dispatched.

If there is still no response emergency services will be contacted, and depending on the details that you have provided within the app such as next of kin, health history etc, they will be given this information as well as your location data.  

Syncing footage with your phone

The 622GW can be set up for auto syncing footage to your smartphone via Bluetooth.  I find it a lot easier to review footage on my larger smart phone screen, as I find the small dash cam screen to be quite fiddly at times and not as responsive as I would like.

Conclusion

Although there were a few features I did not personally use, such as turning off certain dash cam features (e.g., why would you want to turn off Parking Mode), overall, I really liked the 622GW dash camera and the peace-of-mind it offered me while I was out and about.

With world first safety features such as what3words included, and as someone who spends a lot of time on the road and off the beaten track, I can rest easily knowing the 622GW has got my back, no matter the condition or the location. So if you’re someone who spends time offroading, and off-the-grid (sometimes without access to data), the Emergency SOS and what3words safety features might appeal to you the most.

That said, I think that everyone who owns a car should invest in a dash cam and the Series 2 Nextbase dash cams are a great place to start.

The Nextbase 622GW 4K Dash Cam is available for AU $549.95 / NZ $599.99 RRP from certain retailers. To learn more about Nextbase and their dash camera range including the 622GW, visit www.nextbase.com/en-au/.