Last year we checked out the Garmin 65w dashcam and this version we have today is the Garmin 55 1440p Dashcam much is the the same to be honest bar a few minute differences although I think this one looks better with the copper tint around the lens.It gives it a bit of bling..
The build quality again here is great to begin with and its a robust unit, On the front we have a small screen which is 2.0 inches which is the smallest screen we have tested but its clear and readable which is important and notifications are loud and visible,more on that later. On the right side we have 4 circular buttons which are easy to navigate,even when not looking. On the display beside the sceen these buttons are indexed with power on/off/back which is the top one and then consecutively UP-DOWN and take shot with the bottom key,this autosaves to your SD card. The unit does not come with an SD card which is a bummer but thats how it is.
Features.
- Small and inconspicuous when mounted on windscreen and easy to mount.
- High-quality 3.7 megapixel camera with 1440p video capture; works even in low-light conditions
- Forward collision and lane departure warnings plus alerts for nearby red light cameras and speed cameras
- Includes lifetime safety camera updates
- GPS-enabled with automatic incident detection (G-Sensor) saves video footage on impact to show when and where events happened
- Voice control allows you to start/stop audio recording, take a still picture and more, all with your voice.
The set up is easy here as before with a simple UI you can see this set up and how easy it is below.
Keeping in mind with voice control it is pretty sensitive I had to turn it off sometimes as if you are in conversation or listening to the radio for example it tends to pick up sound bites and save clips and videos accidentally. Another thing is sensitivity around safety settings these can be adjusted too or turned off, You will know after a period of time what is right for you when it keeps giving you alerts constantly and it will probably annoy you but like I said you can switch on/off…
Video quality on the 55 version is great and there is some samples above and below in different times of the day, Viewing the image on the 2.0 screen is also clear and on par with many competitors out there, You will need to decide where is best to place it and on set up you will also see an option to calibrate for a high,medium or low vehicle setting such as truck,van or a car and then left right or centre, People have their own favoured position so the ability to place it where you like is good and it can be concealed better..
With this Garmin 55 just like the 65w you can more or less plug in and go out of the box which makes life easy however it is best to navigate the options at hand such as WI-FI for example as the unit has this built-in but requires an app to transfer the data, I find these apps in general poor,many other brands suffered connectivity and transfer issues so I just transfer direct to PC. Also you have the ability to share to social media platforms if you wish..
The only notable difference between the 55 and the 65w is it has a wider-angle, 180-degree lens and better camera unit the 55 is cheaper but there is not much at loss here when it comes to features between the two they both have it all really. The Dash Cam 55 sports a 3.7 megapixel camera and captures in 1440p or 1080p with 720p res footage.
Data is continuously recorded and can’t be manipulated and this combined with travelapse and a built in G sensor you will have all the info at hand should you have a bump..All cars should be fitted with dashcams as a standard in my opinion as it would rule out fraudulent claims and have proof at hand there and then and it would also speed up the process. Be it the 55 or 65w either of these two will keep you safe so spend a few quid and invest in a quality product..