We have tested a number of dual channel dash cameras and came up with our TOP 3 choices for most drivers. These cameras record not only the front but also the rear of your vehicle. Having a rear camera could prove to be very useful as it is extra insurance if you get in tailgating accident or you are a victim of road rage.
See Our Review Video First
The Viofo A129 DUO is our current top pick for budget dual channel cameras.
Our Top Pick
Mini 0906
Top Budget Pick Best blend of performance, price and heat-resistance for most users. It’s a significant upgrade in video quality and functionality compared to any cameras we found under $100.
Aukey DR-02D Dual Dash Cam
The alternative to the Aukey DR20D if you’re looking for better availability or customer support. It also has a higher 75°C/167°F operational limit. Only the version sold on Amazon will give you a two-year warranty. Otherwise, Aukey says you will deal with the retailer you purchased it from.
Pruveeo F5
Cheap Pick If the Mini 0906 is too much the $60 Pruveeo F5 is the cheapest camera we could find. Good reported reliability, OK front video quality but the worse heat resistance and poor rear video quality means there’s a lot less to love.Comparing Our Recommendations
Camera Specs
| Mini 0906 | Pruveeo F5 | Blackvue DR490 | Aukey DR02-D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price ($USD) | $130 | $60 | $200 | $130 |
| Date Released | Aug-17 | Nov-16 | Mar-17 | Sep-17 |
| Processor | Novatek NT96663 | GeneralPlus 4248 | Unknown | Novatek NT96663 |
| Image Sensors | Sony Starvis IMX291 (F) Sony Exmor IMX323 (R) | Sony Exmor IMX323 (F) ¼” H62 CMOS (R) | Sony Starvis (F) Unknown (R) | IMX323 (F) IMX323 (R) |
| Lens & Field of View | 7G f/1.8 – 160° (F) 6G f/2.0 – 140° (R) | Unknown – 170° (F) Unknown – 90° (R) | Unknown – 130° (F) Unknown – 130° (R) | f/1.8 – 170° (F) f/2.0 – 152° (R) |
| Resolution | 1080P – 20mbps (F) | 1080P – 10mbps (F) | 1080P – 12mbps (F) | 1080P – 10mbps (F) |
| Max Bitrate | 1080P – 16mbps (R) | 480P – 4mbps (R) | 1080P – 12mbps (R) | 1080P – 10mbps (R) |
| Capacitor // Battery | Capacitor | Battery 320mAH | Capacitor | Capacitor |
| LCD Size | 1.5″ | 1.5″ | No | 1.5″ |
| GPS | Yes | No | Yes, Optional – $30 | Yes, Optional – $20 |
| Wireless Remote | Yes | No | No | No |
| Failed SD Card Notifications | Not Good | Poor | Not Good | Not Good |
| Max Operating Temperature | 60°C / 140°C | 60°C / 140°C | 70°C / 158°C | 75°C / 167°C |
| Parking Mode | Not good. 3-second delay. | No | Yes, Good | Manual parking mode. Not good. |
| Power Draw During Parking Mode | 2.96W | N/A | 3.87W | N/A |
| Cutoff Temperature | 90°C /194°F. Dangerous | No | 70°C / 158°F. Safe. | No |
| Recording Time on a 64GB Card | 3.9 Hours | 9.5 Hours | 5.9 Hours | 7.1 Hours |
Comparing Mini 0906 vs the Aukey DR02D
| Mini 0906 | Aukey DR02D | |
|---|---|---|
| Advantage | •Puts out firmware updates. •Responsive to Problems. •Built-in GPS •Having wireless remote makes marking files much easier and safer •Angled plates to center the camera •Faster 7-second startup •Front Camera Video Quality | •2 Year Warranty •Better brand recognition •Straightforward warranty process •Menu is system is easier to use as it has digital labels. |
| Same | •Poor error notifications, hard to tell when there’s a problem •Capacitor build •Rear camera video quality •Easy to install – same thick rear camera cable | |
| Cons | •1 Year Warranty Only •No direct support from the manufacturer MEGTech. | •Hasn’t released one firmware update for any of their dash cameras •GPS costs $20 and external •Easy to turn off recording by accident by pressing the wrong button. •Takes 14 seconds to startup •Notification LED facing outwards. |
Comparing Video Quality
Mini 0906
The Mini 0906 has the best video quality in both the front and rear cameras we’ve seen even when compared to the premium $500 dual channel cameras. The 0906 has excellent video hardware and has a high bitrate. It uses a Sony Starvis in the front camera which is the best sensor for 2018. The Mini sets the new standard for what $120 can get you in a dash camera.
Aukey DR02D
We found the video quality of the Aukey DR02D to be similar to the Mini 0906. Most people will be happy with the sharpness and clarity which are way above the average on the market. The only difference is a small reduction in the quality of the front camera as it uses the older Sony Exmor IMX323 sensor. If the Mini 0906 got an 8.5 on the front camera, the Aukey DR02D would get an 8.
Blackvue DR490
The DR490 uses similar hardware in the front camera as the Mini 0906. It looks excellent both day and night. We do not see a difference. The rear cameras have worse video quality. It’s not as sharp, but you can still read license plates. For $200 we weren’t impressed with the video quality. You should only get this camera for its parking mode.
Pruveeo F5
The Pruveeo F5 for $60 is surprisingly OK. The front camera looks like the original $60 A118C camera we previously reviewed. It’s the minimum quality we expect in a camera. The front view is reasonably sharp both day and night. We did find the exposure to be off sometimes. The lower dynamic range also means situations with contrasting light aren’t captured very well. We were surprised Pruveeo was able to add a rear camera and keep a $60 price point. The rear camera is awful. Since it has VGA resolution, you can’t capture any license plates but you will be able to show what happened behind you. Out of all three VGA cameras, we tested (Pruveeo F5, Dome A305D and Rexing V1) the F5 had the narrowest field of view on the rear camera.Mini 0906
Our Top Pick for Most Drivers
The $130 Mini 0906 delivers almost everything we think is essential for a dual dash camera. It has 1080p recording on both cameras, the performance and reliability that has not been found in cameras under $200.
Note: We will test the Aukey DR02D Dual Channel Dash Cam which may be an attractive alternative to the Mini 0906.
Packaging
Contains
Front & Rear Camera • Rear Camera Quick Release Mount + 4 Adhesives • 2° and 4° Angled Mounting Plates • Power Adapter • Rear Camera Cable • Mini-USB Cable • String for Removing Camera Adhesive • Wireless Remote + 3M Adhesive • Manual • Six Wire Clips • Microfiber Cloth
The Good
Convenient Wireless Remote The Mini 0906 includes a wireless remote which will is synced to the camera and will activate the emergency lock. This is incredibly handy as most cameras require you to reach up and touch the camera which can be difficult while driving. This is a feature which is becoming more popular with Chinese manufacturers, and we hope the trend continues.
Manufacturer Gets Feedback from the Dash Cam Community The manufacturer, MEGTech regularly interacts with the members of DashCamTalk and beta-tested early production units to improve the camera. They’ve taken some suggestions and made the camera better. They’ve been incredibly open with camera issues, and that gives us confidence when recommending their products.
The Mini 0906 hardwiring kit includes everything you need at $25 for many vehicles. It uses plug and play connections, requiring no tools which is rare for a hardwiring kit. It has a useful cutoff setting at 12.2 and 12.4V which is high enough to prevent damage to your battery and valuable for winter driving to allow enough amps to start your vehicle. Angled Mounting Plates Included are two 2° and 4° plates which help to center the recorded video when the camera is mounted on the side of your windshield instead of the middle. Body Won’t Melt in Hotter Climates Upgraded to ABS PA777D plastic which has a higher deformation temperature of 115°C // 239°F. The Mini 0906 shouldn’t have issues in hot weather unlike the older Mini 0806
Mixed Feelings / Could Be Better
Sub-Optimal LED Notifications – Complicated & Can Be Hidden. LED lights can be hidden depending on which side of the vehicle you drive on. You can mount the camera upside down, and there is a setting to rotate the camera position. Still, even when visible the LEDs are hard to see especially in the daylight. Smaller Retailer Network Compared to other camera companies recommended, MEGTech, the manufacturer of the Mini 0906 has no offices outside of North America and relies on a smaller and lower tier of retailers to distribute in Europe, USA and Canada.The Bad
Emergency Lock Functionality Could Be Improved While the remote itself is great the actual functionality once the button is pressed is lacking. For starters, you have to hold down the button to lock the current file from being overwritten. It won’t rename, create or move the current file to a different folder which means finding the file on your PC or smartphone will be harder. It also only locks the current file and not create a new file with X seconds before and after the press which means you could miss the actual accident depending on when you pressed the button. Parking Mode – 3 Second Delay Labelled as “Parking Guard” in the camera setting, this mode works in conjunction with the hardwiring kit to save space on your SD card when your vehicle is parked. When parking mode is activated the Mini 0906 lowers the resolution and frame rate to 720P 2FPS, saving space. When it detects motion or a shock it switches back to recording at 30 frames per second. However, there’s a three-second gap when switching resolution where the camera is not recording which means you may miss recording an impact or license plate. We do not recommend using this camera for parked recording until this issue is fixed.Aukey DR02D
Good Value Camera with Strong Customer Support
Packaging
Includes: Front & Rear Camera • 3 Front + 3 Rear Mounts • Car USB Charger + 13′ USB Cable • 20′ Rear USB Cable • Manual & Warranty Card
Overall the Aukey has good packaging and accessories. The cameras protected well during shipping. The thick-walled cardboard box and foam ensure the cameras securely firmly in place. The accessories are fairly standard although the extra four adhesive pads are a nice addition.
The Good
USB Charger + Power Cable Compared to the Mini 0906 and other cameras in this review, Aukey separates the charger from the USB cable leading to your camera. This is better than the combined car chargers which block the entire port and prevent you from charging your phone. Unfortunately, Aukey used a generic charger that we don’t recommend you use with your phone. You should replace it with a proper charger like those from Anker. Aukey’s Customer Service & Brand Recognition Compared to the other companies on this list, Aukey is the most recognizable. They are known for producing good quality electronic accessories like chargers, cables and speakers. Part of their reputation comes from taking care of customers. They are known for quickly replacing faulty equipment at no expense to the user. Sometimes this is linked to changing a poor review. 2 Year Warranty Most dash cameras come with a 1-year warranty and 2-years is great as issues pop up over time especially if the camera is exposed to temperature fluctuations.Mixed Feelings / Could Be Better
Outward Facing Security LED There’s a green LED which flashes outwards when the DR02D is recording. During the day it’s not too noticeable, but at night it can be easily be seen especially in cars driving behind you. You can disable this LED in the settings. $20 External GPS If you like GPS, it’ll cost an extra $20 and will require you to install the receiver facing up, not on your windshield as the antenna would be facing the wrong way. Users complained the cable is long and will require extra effort to hide it. Overall, we think GPS isn’t an important feature unless you need to track where your vehicle has been, for example lending your vehicle to friends or your children.The Bad
No Firmware Updates Most manufacturers release firmware updates to improve flaws in the cameras. Aukey hasn’t released one update for any of their three dash cams. We’re concerned that while they will warranty their cameras that Aukey isn’t putting in the resources to ensure they are working at their full potential. Ineffective Hardwiring Kit We learned after the review that there is an optional hardwiring kit which turns on the camera through a separate motion sensor. From what we’ve seen the device will completely miss an impact as the camera will have to turn on from the start.Pruveeo F5 (Dual Channel)
The Cheapest Dual Channel Dash Camera We Mostly Like
If you don’t have the money to buy our top recommendation the Mini 0906 but still want a dual channel camera, the $60 Pruveeo F5 is the cheapest dual channel setup we could find. It has OK video quality backed up by decent customer service. It is a notable downgrade from our top pick as it uses batteries and has worse video quality.
Packaging
Contains
Front & Rear Camera • Two Front Camera Mounting Bracket • Upper Wire Hider • Four Adhesive Pads • Rear Camera Camera Adhesive • Two Screws • Power Adapter • User ManualThe Good
Great Reported Customer Service & Reliability Looking at reviews online across Canada, United States and the United Kingdom, users have been very happy with the F5 and the service they receive should anything go wrong. Pruveeo sells directly from their merchant accounts and has an office in the United States. Two Front Camera Mounting Brackets Unlike our other two recommended cameras there’s a second mount which can allow you to move the front camera to another vehicle. Unfortunately, there’s no second rear camera mount.Mixed Feelings / Could Be Better
Not Good for Warmer Locations As mentioned previously it uses lithium-ion batteries which can cause trouble in hotter climates. Fortunately, the camera’s reliability has been good so far. There have been few issues with the LCD screen falling off but not many reports of failed cameras. Rear Camera – Have to Bend Mounting Bracket in Place Similar to most cheap dual channel cameras, the rear camera doesn’t have an adjustable rear mount. Instead, you have to bend the metal bracket to correctly angle the camera. We didn’t find it a problem as it was fairly easy and stayed in place, but we didn’t like the experience. Poor Rear Camera Adhesive The included adhesive doesn’t stick very firmly and we’re concerned it could leave a residue if left on longer. We recommend you cut one of the spare 3M VHB adhesives to mount your rear camera.The Bad
Awful Rear Video Quality Our biggest gripe is the poor video quality from the rear camera. While you can identify make and models of vehicles, details like license plates will not be possible to capture day or night. It also has the narrowest field of view out of all three VGA cameras we tested.
The Competition
Before making a review, we did deep research to cover as many budget dual channel dash cameras as we can. We looked at a lot of cameras under $200, but many of them were left out of this review for one reason or another. Some of them weren’t widely available, and others just weren’t very good. Check the table below to find out which cameras didn’t make the cut and why.
Acumen E100 – $69: Little distribution although you can get it in some places in UK and US. Bad rear camera.
Arecord B40D/Eyoyo B40S – $80: Generic camera and poor error notifications. Bad rear camera.
AzDome Y900 – $60: This camera isn’t widely available outside of China. Its hardware is obsolete and isnt worth the $60 price tag.
Blacksys CF-100 – $130: One of the most discussed models in forums because of affordable price for a dual channel camera and good parking mode. Still, it’s 720P front-back video recording is obsolete and this camera has limited availability.
CiBest A118C + rear – $60 Has no Worldwide distribution. A generic camera which has major problems with overheating. Terrible rear camera quality and audio quality.
Cobra Electronics CDR895D – $160: Old camera with outdated hardware and costs more than our Aukey or Mini picks.
iTrue X6D – $150 Uses old video hardware, lithium-ion battery powered and is overpriced.
Junsun 4G – $75There’s not much you get for the price you are paying. Very limited availability outside of Asia.
KDLinks DX2 – $200 Overpriced product. Uses a battery and has an old image sensor. 720p rear camera
Koonlung A1 – $154 Specs look promising, but availability is a concern and company hasn’t proven they can build a great camera yet. They had significant issues with their dual-channel K1S model.
LG LGD323 – $200 Incredibly expensive for a 720P front-back camera.
LG RNEK-MN31B – $190 Bad video quality for the pretty hefty price.
Pruveeo V7 – $100 Very similar to the Pruveeo F5, but for a much higher price.
Rexing V1LG – $170 An old model which is overpriced for the video quality it offers.
Rexing V1P – $100: After fully testing this camera in our review we thought it doesn’t present enough value for $100. The quality we found was similar to the Pruveeo F5 for both the front and back camera. It also uses lithium-ion batteries which was disappointing. While the customer service is top notch, we didn’t think it was worth a 66% increase in price over the F5.
Timetec AB216 – $150: Very little distribution available and overpriced for what it offers.
Veoker DVR155 – $90 Bad availability and not a lot of info about this camera.
Z-Edge S3 – $150 and Z-Edge S4 – $180. It’s only sold in the United States and uses a lithium-ion battery. See our full research article here.
Zeepin T690C – $110 Good price for what it offers. At $110 you get two Full HD cameras. Unfortunately, it has very limited availability.
Hi, thanks for your research & vids. Do you know anything about SMARTURE dual dash cams? I was thinking of purchasing L215C as its dual cam & has wifi option (which is useful for transfer & parking mode) & has is capacitor based. Smarture seems like a low cost option but not much info or availability in UK.
If only a budget dashcam manufacturer made a overall good spec easily available dual dash cam.
I was going to go for VIOFO but the A129 is quite expensive for a budget cam. Too many thieves in the UK now 🙁 so better for me to buy cheap.
I didn’t notice any mention of optional CPL filter for the devices. What’s your opinion on these?
I personally bought Aukey DR02D, got it just today and I noticed the lens has grooves for the filter latches but I cannot find the filter itself anywhere on Amazon. The thing that looks most similar is A118/A119 filters (https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01NBML3QF/), question is will they fit?
Hey p0wer, sorry for the late reply. Those filters fit perfectly. I tested it just now. Here’s a photo: https://imgur.com/a/jWB1k
-Andrew
It would be great to see a review of dual channel models for motorhomes and rv’s. The two challenges with motorhomes are that the rear camera likely needs to be weatherproof and the connection between the cameras can be up to 45 feet.
Hey Mike. Right now, there’s a lot to cover for cars now and we can’t spread out our reviews to motorcycles just yet.
Hi Andrew, I have watched many of your dash cam videos (great work, thanks!)… I’m want to purchase a dual dash cam with good parking mode and wanted to know if you would recommend the Aukey DR-02D Dual over the Mini 0906 or Blackvue DR590-2CH? How do the specs of the DR-02D compare and in particular how good is it in park mode?
Lastly is it worth paying more for a higher end camra that has WiFi? …Looking forward to your review of the Aukey DR-02D Dual. Thanks
Hey Sam, sorry for the late reply. Thanks for the kind words! So there’s no parking mode on the DR-02D, it’s manual and I wouldn’t use it. If your phone doesn’t have a microSD slot, I think it’s quite valuable to be able to transfer files from your smartphone. I think whether that’s worth an extra $60 -50% for the Blackvue is depending on your own budget.
For most people, $200 is too much so the Mini 0906 hits the right spot. The Aukey camera is our alternative to the Mini if you want a longer 2-year warranty a more straightforward warranty process. We’ll be releasing our video soon and this article will be updated.
-Andrew
Thank you for your review. It seems like dual channel video Is just beginning to hit its stride. I decided over a year ago just to go with 2 regular cameras–one front, and one back. Admittedly, the rear camera is large and somewhat difficult to place, but using the Viofo A119 for both, seems to have worked pretty well and has given me good video quality, reliability, and good error notification front and back.
Hey Harry. Two A119’s is a common setup. Glad they are working good for you.
Is your mini 0906 same as in the link below?
https://www.ebay.com.my/itm/Mini-0906-Dual-HD-1080P-Car-Dash-Camera-GPS-DVR-Rear-Cam-Hard-Wire-CPL-135-WDR/232520523040?hash=item36234d9d20:g:-lUAAOSw76JZ3sFf
I haven’t heard of the seller but assuming they are selling the Mini 0906 there are no fakes of this unit on the market. They could technically try to swap a lower end unit but it would be quickly obvious it’s an inferior copy.
-Andrew