Just bought a car? The next item on your shopping list is a high-quality, high-performance dashboard camera (dashcam) like the 70mai X800.
After all that hard work, you’ve finally saved up to buy the car you’ve been eyeing. All that overtime and burnt weekends have been worth it as you finally take the keys to your shiny ride.
At this point, most of us will be thinking about how to accessorise the car. The list can be a long and varied one, with items such as window film or an upgraded audio system high on the list. Or some of us may opt for a nice set of aftermarket wheels, along with lowering springs for a nice ‘stance’.
However, the most important thing a car owner should buy is a dashcam, which helps protect not only the driver, but the car as well. But how do we know which dashcam to buy? Let’s catch up with Clarence and Jeremy from the editorial team as they discuss this.
CLARENCE
I’ve been seeing a lot of accidents on the news recently, which honestly, makes me glad I’m not a newbie driver. Even in carparks, it’s possible to be a victim of hit-and-run. So, I need a dashcam to protect myself and my car. After looking at numerous models, I decided that the best option for me is the new 70mai X800.
The first thing that drew me to the X800 is its unique proposition: It’s essentially a sentry that can watch over my vehicle. Unlike normal cameras that are fixed, the X800 can turn up to 360 degrees, which eliminates any blind spots.
Normal cameras have wide viewing angles, but since they are static, they cannot follow any suspicious movements. So, if somebody hit by car from the side, a regular dashcam wouldn’t be able to capture that footage. Then, I’d have to hope that the carpark has a CCTV or appeal to other drivers who may have recorded the footage.
The next thing that drew me to the X800 was its price: $429 is very reasonable, but what makes the deal even sweeter is the fact that the X800 is bundled with a free 70mai 128GB SD card.
The X800’s ability to swivel 360 degrees means it can capture incidents such as hit-and-run or vandalism
JEREMY
I’m glad you mentioned 70mai because I need to replace my car’s dashcam. And, just like that example you mentioned, another driver did a hit-and-run on my parked car. But since my current dashcam is a ‘normal’ one, it didn’t record the culprit, and I couldn’t make a police report.
Looking at the X800’s specs, I must say it is quite impressive. Apart from being able to swivel 360 degrees, another key point is its resolution: It records in 4K at 60fps, so the footage is not only clear and sharp, but smooth, too.
Resolution is very important because you never know when you need the dashcam to be a silent witness to prove that you weren’t at fault. This could shield you from hefty repair bills and higher insurance premiums next time.
With 4K resolution and superb clarity, the X800 enables users to extract sharp screengrabs as needed.
Whether it’s a post-accident dispute or trying to catch the driver who did a hit-and-run on your car, clear footage will help the police nab the culprit. Without this evidence, you’re left with nothing but costly expenses.
The X800 uses the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678, which can capture clear footage even in low light. 70mai’s Night Owl Vision means clarity with less noise in dim conditions. And even in near-total darkness, the brand’s Lumi Vision technology is still able to record clearly.
The 4G-enabled X800 lets you remotely monitor your vehicle and its surroundings as needed.
CLARENCE
The resolution is impressive. What I also like, though, is how the X800 gives me the ability to monitor my vehicle remotely. Because it’s 4G-enabled, I can view footage from my phone and even download it easily for safekeeping. This convenience is a must for me.
Another thing I like about the X800 is that with 4G connectivity it can help me locate my car, especially when I park in places like Suntec City. And, in the event of a mishap, the dashcam can send an alert to my phone.
Plus, the X800 has buffered emergency recording. It films the 10 seconds before a mishap, and the 20 seconds following it. Since I can download the footage, the evidence stays safe.
Using the X800 as a vlogging camera also means the footage will be stablilised.
JEREMY
Interestingly, since it can swivel, the X800 can function as a vlogging camera. So, you can also use it to film and save your memories during road trips, without the need to prepare and mount another camera in the car. That’s a neat feature to include.
