Nextbase iQ 4K dash camera review
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- čas přidán 29. 05. 2024
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Dashcams have caught some pretty crazy stuff from the sky falling to crashes to stunting and even the earth moving. More often though, they capture more mundane stuff… but that kind of stuff could help you if you’re ever in a collision. All that’s why dash cameras are so popular. Choosing one is tougher than justifying the purchase; there’s hundreds of choices out there. I recently got to get hands-on with one that’s billed as one of the most technologically advanced dashcams on the market… the NextBase iQ. In this review I'll install the camera in my vehicle and talk about why it doesn't go in like a regular dash camera. I'll take a look at the resolution which is a market-beating 4K. I'll also look at some of the extra features it has and whether it's worth the substantially higher than average $699 US price tag. Plus there’s something you need to know about this camera-and that’s that most of its best features are locked behind a paywall. I’ll wrap my review with the pros and the cons and let you know if I think I can recommend this camera to you.
What’s in the Box?
NextBase iQ 4K Dash Camera is compact and solid-feeling; the camera is anchored to a bulky articulating mount that has reversible antennas. The mount is big because it houses some more advanced tech… which we’ll get to.
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Premium Features
The NextBase iQ is rich in features and the list includes some premium ones that drive up the cost of this dash cam. Treat this as a checklist of sorts because if most of the features here don’t cater to your needs, you lose out on the overall value of the product, and you’d do well to shop for a less complex and thus cheaper option.
4K Camera Array
The dash cam features a 4K dual front camera with 2K cabin-facing camera. You can also get an optional rear-facing camera too.
The 4K resolution is a huge bonus. It adds crispness to the detail and color accuracy is spot on. What you get here is premium footage that makes it easy to pick out even finer details. Night recordings look good as well and you can toggle the infrared mode to record darker environments.
Video quality
Since we’re on the topic, let’s dig deeper into the video quality. I took the iQ camera on a road trip to Las Vegas, plugging it easily into my rental car’s OBD2 port. It was my silent second set of eyes on the four hour drive, capturing desert landscapes as well as the glitz of the Las Vegas strip and interesting sights around town. The footage is indeed crisp, clear and sharp and it makes it a lot easier to identify landmarks, read signs and license plates and capture fine details. 4K footage is easy to zoom into on your computer too, so what you can’t see on your phone, you can easily blow up on a laptop.
Cellular 4G Support
How does the camera take advantage of features like sending you notifications and live streams? It’s got cellular connectivity built in.
NextBase iQ will connect with 4G cellular service, and in case you’re wondering this is in large part what you’re paying for each month. (Even if you don’t plan on using it, the extra antennas and chip within dash cam contribute to the bulkier size and higher cost of this product).
The dash cam lacks a SIM card slot making it impossible to bypass the monthly fee.
GPS & location
Thanks to the cellular triangulation, your dash camera knows exactly where it is at all times. You can open the app and see where your kid has the car, for example, or use it to locate a stolen vehicle (as long as the thief hasn’t yanked the power).
Voice Control
Configuring your dash cam is often a “set it and forget it” affair but with the NextBase iQ, you might see the need to disable the cabin camera or microphone during certain situations or start the “Witness Mode” when you are having a roadside conversation with someone. The voice control feature makes it easier to toggle those features.
Just start the command with “Hey Dash Cam” and specify an action such as “Start Recording” or “Turn Microphone Off”. - Věda a technologie
I have had the 1k version for about 6 months now, NextBase has yet to release the promised Guardian mode and Roadwatch AI modes, (coming soon in the app) and I don’t think they every will release a fully functional app at this point. I do like being able to live stream the view and it has come in handy on a recent trip where I parked in a large parking structure while on Vacation and I was able to easily check on my Truck at any point. Also, you can remove the dash cam from the mount to access the cables if needed and if you wanted to swap between cars you could just get a second mount w/sticker to do that.
Good review of the features. Which seems impressive. However, it is disappointing to read the negative reviews, which seems the manufacturer didn't do a thorough QC on the camera before realising it. For a camera, which is expensive, it's hugely disappointing that customers are experiencing problems.
Does it come with a polarised filter to eliminate glare?.
The reviews have put me off purchasing the camera at the moment.
Can you reach out to Nextbase on the negative customer reviews and your own experience using the dash camera.
Night footage should be good for a camera costing so much.
There is their previous flagship 622GW, which did receive great reviews, for it safety features.and nighttime footage.
You would expect their new flagship to be equally as good, actually better than their 622GW.
Thank you so much for such a comprehensive and clear review. Gave me a good overview and helped me to decide.
Great review Erin! This is not my kind of dash camera. I rather under $300 and it’s has a Bluetooth to connect with rear cam and your phone. Cheers! ☕️☕️
Thanks Erin. Price is way too high especially seeing as how you need to pay for extra features.
Thanks for watching Ron 😃
Great review I've had the 4K version since launch in the UK.. it's expensive with the £9.99 per month but worth it. You can release the camera from the sticky mount.. it has a quick release. Whilst holding the speaker part firmly. Slide up towards the roof..
Whaaaaaa??. Really?! How did I miss that?
Your review was good, but I returned mine, I had an issue as an Uber driver and it didn’t record that incident, I decided to returned it, and witness mode is not working too, good concept lack of promise performance…
Great review as always, Erin. I saw these cameras the other day in a UK auto store and was wondering what made them so special to justify the high price; now I know! Looks like a nice piece of technology but, as with all devices of this type, I worry about what happens if the manufacturer drops support or goes out of business - you're left with an expensive paperweight when the cloud services are turned off.
So true. Thanks for watching.
Thanks for the review. Don’t understand how companies put products on the market that are not ready for prime time.
Great review. Thank you very much for that. The IQ not listed on Nextbase Australia website as yet so not sure all the features behind the paywall would be available here yet. Definitely interested when it is depending on price. Would likely be around the $1000 mark like Canada.
Great review, thanks!
Thanks for watching!
Were you able to get witness mode working? Mine always showed 404 page not found when I clicked the link in the text message.
I have a question, using a sd card, will it record more length ?
great review. sigh.. i totally lost intrest when you mentioned "subscription" but i should have known. i currently hae the nextbase 122. non-hd obviously, but no extra monthly fees. video quality is lacking, however. dont wanna upgrade to the better model of their earlier dashcams due to bad reviews, so ill just stay with the one i have.
Thank you for the compliment. And for watching.
Thanks Erin.
AU$1200 or so plus a pay wall - no thanks.
4hrs of 4K footage = how much on the cloud? Are you paying $X per Gb or similar?
Lastly not sure how the camera works out if you are "non responsive" - does it offer audio prompts or something?
I have this 4k IQ and rear camera
my first camera was faulty, nextbase replaced it and all good now
I had to return mine, nothing but issues! Glitchy AF!!!!!
What kind of problems are you having? Is it related to the set up or general use?
Wow... Not a chance - going to stick to my £70 dash cam thanks. In the UK, it's £499, so you're paying more for it in the first place, harder to install and reinstall, then you have the privilege to pay extra per month for all the features that make you want to buy this in the first place... hard pass.
I’ve had nothing but grief from my 522gw. Wont connect to phone and battery runs down and it’s hard wired in!!!! SD cards faults. I tried to send one for repair and gave up. I refuse to pay for any subscription to get money. Over a year it’s over £100 a year…. 5 years and it’s cost you double…..I now have a black view Dashcam perfect. No subs to pay
Lost me At subscription lol. I stopped watching. These dash cameras don’t have to be so complicated. Just plug into the cigarette lighter and drive. Start to Record and keep recording while driving. I recently got into an accident. I have the nex base 222xr front and rear cameras I got at sams club for $199. Worked out fine. Gonna use footage to squeeze the insurer dry lol. Most of these dash cams have internal batteries which we really don’t need. This particular dash cam the IQ just goes way overboard.
Great Review...Horrible camera...
Don't buy they are charging you for using the app 😮
Good technology but the camera is really rubbish I have the 4K version I wouldn’t buy another one
If you are looking forward to picking up a new car, dont' attempt to fit or set up a dashcam on the pick up day, often its such a pain setting up a dashcam it will spoil the experience of the pick up day, wait a couple of days before fitting a dashcam.
Pay wall. No way. Massive fail Nextbase.
I had to do a double take on the thumbnail, I though it was an electric razor. A dashcam is a must have these days.
The camera is a disaster . I had this camera just recently . It's so unreliable it's untrue . it has no Wi-Fi connection which is really bad for a modern camera. The app is absolutely useless , the connection is terrible , very very slow at best , and the biggest cock up is if you buy the rear camera it doesn't work . And even if you do manage to get it to work most of the time it will stop working . as from March 2024 I can confirm the rear camera has still got major issues with connectivity problems .... potentially this camera has got a great future but right now stay away , it has been released way too early and it's just not there yet . buy blackvue camera and you will definitely see the difference there is no comparison ...