We find out if latest camera is a screen star

IN our last dash cam duel, the VIOFO A129 Duo went up against our test favourite, the Nextbase 422GW and lost – but only just. Now VIOFO is back with the A129 Pro Duo, which has full 4K footage to give you the best chance of capturing vital details.

We downloaded the footage to a phone and a laptop to check the ease of transferring data and assessed the quality of the images taken at day and night and on rough roads. The best camera would need to be able to read number plates in bright and low light.

With its 4K capability and fine night vision sensors, the A129 gives sharp high-quality footage. But setting up, downloading and managing footage is tricky. Due to this, and the VIOFO’s extra cost, the slickly-managed 422GW is still our favourite for now.

GENERALLY, the Nextbase is much quicker to set up than the VIOFO, with neat magnetic mounts that make it much easier to remove the camera if you want to swap the unit to another car or protect it from theft.

However the sphere-shaped rear camera mounting actually proved a little tricky to fit and it was easily knocked when loading items into the car’s boot.

The touchscreen is easy and intuitive to use, but the real advantage of the Nextbase is the excellent PC/Mac or smartphone apps, which make accurate downloading and editing of footage extremely simple. That footage isn’t quite as sharp as the VIOFO, of course, but the front camera has a slightly wider field of vision – 140 degrees versus the VIOFO’s 130 degrees – so it takes in more of the view and the video was still clear and visible in most situations.

It’s unable to provide the almost-forensic detail of a 4K camera like the VIOFO, but the 422GW’s ease of use and value for money means it’s still our favourite dash cam.

“The best camera would need to be able to read number plates in bright and low light”