In this digital revolution era, the increasing use of automobile dash cams might surprise some of you. A dashcam is a recording device placed inside a vehicle to capture either the inside of the car or outside activities around it. Some of the most powerful dash cameras sold online can now do both. In this Akaso Trace 1 Pro Dash Cam Review we provide a detailed explanation of its features, pros, and cons, including the online portal to buy one for less.
Looking at the camera itself one might have doubts if it can help capture images and audio, our test of the features and performance shows it is on par or superior to higher-priced dash cams. The Akaso brand is not that well known, but the Akaso trace 1 pro is making significant in-roads in this niche market.
What We Know About Akaso
Despite having over a dozen digital devices on-sale online and at Amazon, we know very little about this company. Trying to find out when and how it was started is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Akaso’s website is of no help, either.
But, through our investigative prowess, we uncovered few tidbits about Akaso. Some of the info might be subjective, but we firmly believe our take on the brand is right on point. We believe that the Akaso brand was created to take advantage of the manufacturing capabilities found in China.
The founders are well hidden and their “about us” page on their website is as bland as can be. At present. Akaso has many products in the following niche markets; Action Cameras, Wifi Cameras, Dash Cams, Drones, Headphones, Mini-Projectors, Trail Cameras, Fitness Trackers, and devices for use in Sports and Outdoors.
This brand is no longer a small player in the electronic device marketplace because of the huge number of products sold every year. We estimate that Akaso generates millions of dollars in sales yearly.
Do not let the paucity of information about the brand affect the merits of the Akaso trace 1. It is one of the cheapest best dashcams an Uber or Lyft driver can use to record what happened during a trip.
Below are some of the unique features of the Akaso trace 1 pro.
Design
The main Akaso dash camera is much smaller than the image represents. The camera itself is capable of recording both the front and inside of the vehicle. The front recording would capture front end collisions. The interior recording would capture happenings inside of the car.
The front screen can display either the front or interior of the car or both at the same time. On one side is the button to turn on/off the camera. Next to this button is the slot for the MicroSD Card. At the bottom, you’ll find four buttons that control most of the functions of this dash cam.
On the top is the space to connect the power outlet. The internal speaker is annotated with tiny holes in both the top and bottom. The main function of the internal speaker is to output the beep noise when toggling between different functions.
The Suction Power
One of the most important aspects of this dash cam from Akaso is the holding power of the suction bracket. It is designed to be installed on the windshield. There is a locking mechanism to hold it in place and another one to secure the rotating arm.
The accessories to hold the camera firmly in place is one of the best within the industry. You do not have to worry about it coming loose even in rough driving conditions.
Recording Prowess
Akaso Trace 1 Pro can be used for inside or front of the vehicle recording. Both the day and night recorded during our test showed images and audio far better than we expected. We even noticed the dash cam’s ability to capture the back license plate of the car in front of you.
The image quality is not what you would get with a professional shooting camera but the quality is comparable to those produced by dashcams costing twice as much.
The manufacturer claimed the use of the latest in Wide Dynamic Range Technology made this happen. Turning the WDR feature off is also an option, but we found leaving it on, produces the best images.
Audio Recording
The audio recording is not that bad either. As you would expect, the audio from inside the vehicle is more audible than the ones made from the cars in front of the driver. If you want to record the conversations inside the car, turn the volume of the radio down.
Just as expected, loud music would be recorded instead of the words spoken inside the car. Overall, we found the audio recording to be just as impressive as the images captured by the Akaso trace 1 pro dash cam recorder. The option to turn off audio recording is also included.
The Resolution
The resolution is what determines the quality of the video and images captured and there are two settings included with this device, 2K30 and 1080P. It is also possible to use the 1080P resolution for both the front and interior recordings, which is what we would suggest you use.
Loop Recording
The loop recording can be turned off or set to 1-minute, 3-minutes, or 5-minutes. When the memory card is full, the recording will override older data based on the loop settings. We suggest you use a robust SD card that can hold large amounts of recorded video data.
Date Stamp
A recorded dash cam video without a date stamp is not as convincing. This car dashcam recorder from Akaso comes with a date stamp, which can be turned off in the settings. Leaving it on gives all recorded data much authenticity.
What is the GSensor?
To use the GSensor feature, the included accessory must be installed the right way. The recommended installation spot is just above the suction cup for the dash camera. The GSensor is made to freeze the recording in place once a significant impact is detected or felt.
The sensor is too sensitive in our opinion and should be set on low or completely turned off. Based on the test we conducted, any setting for the sensor apart from the off position sporadically turned the device on and off.
The camera turned itself on with any slight movement, which impacted battery longevity, negatively. Another viable option is to use the low setting for the sensor, but turn it off once you’re done driving.
The screen saver feature is confusing because all the recorded data is put on an SD Card. Better to put this feature to the “off” position.
You have to select how you want the time to be displayed on the screen of the dash cam. The two available choices are a 12-hour-system or 24-hour system.
There are several languages to select from including Spanish, English, Deutsch, Italiano, French, and several Chinese or Asian languages.
There is a parking monitor mode, which is designed to monitor the vehicle once it is parked. This feature is self-explanatory, but we did not deploy it during our test. The option to turn the parking mode on/off is provided for the user.
The “frequency” influences the quality of the collected data. The user is given 50 Hz and 60 Hz frequency to choose from. We collected data using both and there was no discernible difference between the recorded images and audio.
The GPS Speed setting purpose was not that clear to us. It is one of those features we left at the default setting “on”. It is made to keep track of the drivers’ route and record the speed. It did record the speed, which can be helpful or hurtful in an accident. So think about your driving style before choosing to leave it on or off.
Another notable feature is the reminder for fatigue driving. We left it on the “off” setting. You also have the option to get a reminder every hour, two hours, or four hours. This will come in handy on long trips, so choose wisely.
You get a free 32GB microSD Card and it should be formatted before initial use. Inserting the SD Card was quite easy, but retrieving it proved to be time-consuming. A button to pop out the card would have been ideal.
Pros:
Comes with a free 32GB MicroSD Card
Budget-friendly pricing
Easy to install and use
Well put together user’s manual with also an online version
Front and inside the car recording, which makes it the ideal dash cam for Uber/Lyft drivers
Cons:
The MicroSD Card slot needs revamping because removing the SD Card proved to be too difficult
Getting through to customer service took more time than we expected, it took three attempts to reach a live support staff
Conclusion
This Akaso Trace 1 Pro Dash Cam review will not be complete if we did not mention it is one of the best front and rear dash cams with parking mode one can buy for less. The ability to do both front and inside the vehicle recording makes this dash cam a great buy for all rideshare drivers.
Inserting the SD card into the Akaso trace 1 dash camera was easy but retrieving it can be frustrating. The inclusion of a free 32GB microSD Card sets it apart from other high-quality dash cams with similar features. Choosing to purchase the Akaso dash cam is a worthy investment due to all its many fine features.
What do you get from three nerds (Joe, Ray, and Paul) that decide to create a functioning tech gadget review site? The first is data-driven arguments lasting way into the night. You can read more…
What do you get from three nerds (Joe, Ray, and Paul) that decide to create a functioning tech gadget review site? The first is data-driven arguments lasting way into the night. You can read more...
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