REASONS TO BUY
Interior facing camera
Infrared night vision
Rear camera
1080p
Larger LCD screen
REASONS TO AVOID
Weak battery
Larger footprint
Difficult controls
Vantrue N4 Review
A device with three cameras and a larger screen, but its performance doesn't live up to the price
Credit: Vantrue
RELATED: Best Dash Cam
Our Verdict
The Vantrue N4 has three cameras: front, rear, and interior. The interior is equipped with infrared night vision to catch potential thieves rummaging through your vehicle. Two of the three cameras have 1080p, and the large 2.4-inch LCD screen is easy to see with a quick glance, ensuring your eyes are not off the road for long. With a large screen comes a large footprint, which can get in the way, but the cylindrical shape makes it easy to see past. If the N4 were significantly less expensive, it would make a good budget-friendly option, but it is very over-priced for a night vision model with performance issues. There are better options out there in our review of the best dash cams.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Vantrue N4 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  | |  |  | |
| Price | $260 List $207.99 at Amazon | $200 List $169.99 at Amazon | $120 List | $60 List | $300 List $261.55 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Pros | Interior facing camera, infrared night vision, rear camera, 1080p, larger LCD screen | Great video quality, second cab-facing camera | Very good video quality, relatively inexpensive, very slim profile | User-friendly, inexpensive | Low profile, 180-degree field of view, exterior and interior cameras |
| Cons | Weak battery, larger footprint, difficult controls | Pricey, relatively bulky | No built-in Wi-Fi, no rear or interior camera | Average video quality | Video quality suffers in the dark, no screen, low-quality interior video |
| Bottom Line | A device with three cameras and a larger screen, but its performance doesn't live up to the price | Currently the best rideshare model due to its great video quality and second camera | The best performance and value for those who only want to record the road in front of them and don't need a second, rear-facing camera | This user-friendly model features a nice interface and a reasonable price tag | A dash cam that offers great video quality, a low profile, and will record both inside and outside your vehicle |
| Rating Categories | Vantrue N4 | Vantrue N2 Pro Uber... | AUKEY DR02 | Roav A1 | Garmin Tandem |
| Video Quality (40%) | |||||
| Video Capture (25%) | |||||
| Interface (25%) | |||||
| Visual Footprint (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Vantrue N4 | Vantrue N2 Pro Uber... | AUKEY DR02 | Roav A1 | Garmin Tandem |
| Field of View | 155° front 165° inside 160° rear |
170 degrees | 170 degrees | 140 degrees | 180 degrees |
| Resolution | 1440p 1080p 1080p |
2.5K | 1080p | 1080p | 1440p |
| Event Detection G Sensor | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cabin Camera | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Camera Dimensions L x W x H | 4 1/4" x 1 3/4" x 1 5/8" | 3.8" x 1.5" x 1.5" | 3" x 2" x 1.5" | 3.3" x 2.2" x 1.3" | 2.2" x 1.6" x .8" |
| Built-in Wi-Fi? | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
This dash cam is on the larger side at 4 1/4 inches long, and the LCD screen is 2.4 inches. It offers a cabin camera and an Event Detection G Sensor but no WiFi. Read on to see how it performs.
Performance Comparison
Here you can see the N4's interior facing camera as well as the spacious LCD screen.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Video Quality
The video quality of the Vantrue N4 starts and ends with its field of view. The front camera offers a 155° field of view, the inside camera is 165° inside, and the rear camera is 160°. This is pretty full coverage visibility. The front camera resolution is 1440p, while the interior and rear cameras are 1080p. We're not sure why Vantrue decided to make the front-facing camera a lower quality, but intuitively this doesn't seem to make much sense. The lower quality makes things a little difficult to see during the day and the night quality is very grainy.
This is the front facing camera of the N4.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The N4 also blows out the whites, making bright daytime videos difficult to decipher. That said, vibrant colors remain appropriately saturated. Overall the video quality of the N4 is well below average when compared to the other options in our test suite.
Here you can see some of the blown out whites, however the vivid colors are still vibrant.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Video Capture
The N4 comes equipped with an Event Detection G Sensor, but it does not react to hard breaking on the default setting. This is a common issue with the Vantrue cams that we have tested. It powers up automatically when the car is turned on, but the N4 does not have WiFi capabilities, meaning you need to remove the SD card and plug it into your computer to upload your videos.
Features like auto-on make the N4 easier to use.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Videos are offered in one, three, and five-minute video clips, which is very convenient. Unfortunately, the battery life is subpar, but the power cord offers two USB ports, so you can leave it plugged in if need be. The interior camera offers infrared light for night vision, which can help by recording break-ins from the inside. Overall the N4 is not the most reliable when it comes to video capturing.
Note the interior and rear camera on the right.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Interface
The standard Vantrue dash cam offers four main menu options: Record Setup, Files, GPS Setup, and System Setup. The main menus are easy to navigate, but the buttons take some getting used to. These are placed atop the device, and the small pictures don't do a great job of notating what each button does. After a few minutes with the manual, this is a nonissue.
At 2.4 inches, the screen is bigger than some of the other Vantrue options, making it easier to see. The brightness also allows for easy visibility midday when it is brightest.
The buttons are on the top which can be difficult to navigate.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Visual Footprint
Measuring in at 4 1/4" x 1 3/4" x 1 5/8", the N4 is a rather large dash cam. This is great for the size and visibility of the screen, but it can impede your view of the dash. That said, it is cylindrical, which is somewhat unique and offers the driver more visibility of the road. The suction cup mount is strong and dependable, ensuring it stays put, even on bumpy roads.
We love a sturdy suction cup mount. It also rotates easily.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the Vantrue N4?
The N4 is a unique-looking dash cam with a sturdy mount. The infrared interior camera offers extra visibility and comes with a rear camera. It's generously sized LCD screen makes it easier to make out what is going on without staring at the camera for long, but the image is unclear during the day and grainy at night. Unfortunately, for the price, the N4 is not a great option. It is far from budget-friendly, and there are plenty of options in our test suite that offer a significantly more valuable performance at the same or lower price.
What Other Dash Cams Should You Consider?
Did you gravitate towards the N4 because of its interior camera? Well, have no fear; other options perform better than the N4 that come complete with an interior cam, like the Garmin Dash Cam Tandem. While the Tandem may be slightly more expensive than the N4, its performance renders it much more valuable. This multi-camera device has plenty of visibility and offers a nice clean image. If you're looking for a large LCD screen, the APEMAN C450A, Roav A1, and Nextbase 622GW are all rocking three-inch screens.
The N4 is simply too expensive to have as many performance issues as it does, but it sure looks nice.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
—
Hayley Thomas and Matt Spencer
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