Why the 70mai 4K Omni is the cleverest dashcam I’ve ever tested
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I've lost count of the number of dashcams I've tested over the years. Some are brutally basic, some have an array of gadgets and features you'll never use, and then one comes along that surprises you. It's the 70mai 4K Omni, and it's not the sort of dashcam I'd usually get excited about. I like small, simple, inexpensive dashcams, and they're the ones I choose to use in my own car.
I can't usually see the point in spending hundreds of pounds on what often turn out to be gimmicks. As long as it's got a decent image sensor, and it's accompanied by a good app, that's basically all I need.
The 70mai 4K Omni is far from basic. And it's far from cheap. In fact it's currently £269.99 on Amazon.
It's also quite a bulky thing. Shaped a bit like a Minion, it occupies quite a bit of space on the windscreen, and there's a small rear camera included, which will need to be mounted on the rear window.
But it's large because it's actually very clever. And not just clever in a "laced with gimmicks" way, it's clever because it has one amazing feature. It rotates.
And that means you have one of the best parking guards of any dashcam. Because when you leave your car unattended, it not only records a front and rear view, but it can pan around the front view in 360 degrees, watching any baddies who happen to be circling your vehicle.
It will then let you know, when you get back into the car, on its clever little screen, that there's been something fishy going on, and you can instantly watch it back in the app.
This is honestly such a clever feature, because anyone snooping around will see the bright red light to let them know they're being watched, and they'll also be able to see the camera panning around the base of the dashcam, so they know there's nowhere to hide.
The pan feature also lets you record the inside of your vehicle while you're driving. With a voice control you can turn it around and record your passenger doing something silly, or capture footage of your dog being cute. I'm sure there are more practical reasons for panning the camera on the move, but I can't think of any right now.
Why the 70mai 4K Omni is more than just a rotating dashcam
It’s the video quality. You'd expect a decent quality image from a 4K dashcam, and it does deliver, but it also uses the Sony Starvis 2 sensor, which is fast becoming the gold standard. It means footage is crisp and clear, it responds well to low lighting conditions, and it will give you the best possible chance of reading a number plate at a distance. Which can be the crucial element we all need from a dashcam.
The rear camera is only a 1080p unit, but it's nice and small, and it rotates on its sticky base to give you a decent view. Of course, the main camera can be pointed backwards, but it's better suited to monitoring the interior and the perimeter of the car.
To get the best out of the 70mai's parking surveillance system, you'll need a hard wiring kit. And this costs extra. However, the assistance package on the app is part of the deal, which justifies the price a bit.
Its instant notifications if it detects anything untoward are a great feature, I love the 24-hour surveillance, and there's even a find my car system baked in.
And I guess it's a good time to revisit the price. There are dashcams with more features, but they either cost more than the 70mai 4K Omni out of the box, or you'll need to pay for a subscription.
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Is it the best dashcam in the UK? There are cheaper dashcams - much cheaper dashcams in fact - but that Sony sensor, and the trick night mode, and the 60FPS smoothness really are a cut above.
And that's before you consider the rotating camera aspect. It is genuinely useful, especially in parking mode. It becomes more than a dashcam, and more like a full CCTV system for your car.
It is quite bulky, and I did have some connection issues with the app, but these are minor niggles, and they don't take away from the fact this is one of the best 4K dashcams on the market.
I'm still not sure I'd be ready to spend the best part of £300 on a dashcam, but I do know that, if I did, this is the one I'd go for.