The Best Sat Nav With Dash Cam Built-In Reviews & Buying Guide

If you travel long routes often with your car or your travelling abroad, having two units, one a dashcam and one a satnav can quickly make your car become very cluttered. 

That's where sat nav with dash cam devices become very appealing, allowing you to navigate your route with digital traffic updates while having your dashcam filming for peace of mind on the road.

Since these sat nav with dash cam devices have become very popular there are various types on the market with different sizes, connectivity options and advanced technology to help you with your car journeys.

We've listed what we think are the top three branded sat nav dash cams below and reviewed them individually to help find the right model for you.

Let's get into the reviews.

Our Number One Sat Nav With Dash Cam For Accuracy -

The Garmin 010-01682-13 DriveAssist 51LMT-D 5 Inch Sat Nav (Editor's Pick!)

Garmin has been around in the dash cam and sat-nav industry for a while now, they are known for making highly accurate devices to support you on the road and this dash cam satellite navigation model below could be an excellent choice if your looking for advanced features. 

This Garmin Sat Nav with built-in dash cam feature detailed pre-loaded maps of countries such as the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe as well as having highly accurate guidance thanks to its landmark and traffics light function. 

Plenty of additional features for driver awareness are integrated such as warnings for sharp curves, speeding and animal crossings, there is also lane assist plus POI and trip advisor points integrated into the pre-loaded maps.

The dashcam itself can give safety camera warnings and connects via Bluetooth and WiFi to view video files on your phone, it can sense incidents and send texts to a phone number to alert friends or family. The whole Sat Nav with dash cam has a 5 inch LCD which is a touch screen and comes with a 4GB SD card.

Conclusion

For people who want a reliable Sat Nav with a dash cam which is affordable and simple to use, we would recommend the Garmin device as one of our favourites. The Sat Nav dash cam is equipped with lifetime map updates and is an excellent dash cam combo for traffic assistance plus safety thanks to all its additional features.

Some notable downfalls of the Garmin dashcam are its battery which is said to be very poor, the device is further said to freeze sometimes during use making it unreliable. 

Pros 

• City traffic updates. 
• 5 inches display size. 
• Bluetooth and WiFi connectivity. 
• POI and Trip advisor points. 
• Pre-loaded maps. 

Cons 

• Can freeze mid-use. 
• The battery of the device is poor.

Our Second Choice For Premium Features - The Aguri Car GT520 DVR LIVE sat nav with built-in dash cam

As a second choice, the Aguri Sat Nav and dash cam also makes an excellent option and runs with an android operating system to make it an entertainment system too. 

Top features of the Sat Nav are its pre-loaded maps and speed trap alerts, the map also provides traffic updates throughout your journey, it can be connected to their smartphone apps with ease for traffic alerts and reviewing dashcam footage plus the android system allows you to browse the internet and even watch Netflix! 

In terms of the HD dash cam it has a 130-degree wide-angle view through its lens capturing all details needed and saving all the footage to the 8GB SD card included for safety helping you pinpoint incidents on the road.

Conclusion

Overall, this Aguri car Sat Nav and dash cam combo device is the best choice if you are looking for integrated dashcams on a more premium Sat Nav. In comparison to other models, the device with dash cam has the option to even browse the internet due to the android system plus its wide-angle view is excellent for capturing all details during incidents. 

Notable drawbacks of this dash cam and sat nav device are its complicated set-up, the battery of the cam and sat nav is also said to drain quickly. 

Pros 

• Android operating system. 
• Automatic map updates. 
• Speed trap alerts. 
• Smartphone connectivity. 
• 130-degree wide-angle camera. 
• HD camera. 

Cons 

• Difficult to set up. 
• Battery can drain fast. 

MIO MiVue Drive Truck Satellite Navigation and Dash Cam

The MIO MiVue dash cam and sat nav device is a great model for truck drivers who travel long distances and need reliable navigation.

Its navigation system has lifetime map updates as well as speed camera alerts, additional safety features include a pre lane departure warning system plus a forward-collision warning system. The advanced navigation technology is accompanied by Bluetooth, IQ routes and parking assistance. 

The combinational dash cam in the device has an F.18 aperture and a 140-degree wide-angle view, it can record in 30fps and has a 6.2-inch touch screen, night vision is also included as a dash cam feature. 

Conclusion

To conclude, if you after a truck Sat Nav with dash cam this MIO model is perfect, it has all the navigation features you need with traffic updates for long-distance driving plus excellent city traffic updates. 

We also are impressed with this dash cam combo model thanks to its safety features such as collision and lane departure warnings. 

Although a great device, the cam does have a few issues with switching itself off during use, the battery of the model has also been said to die fast unless connected to a power source. 

Pros 

• Lifetime map updates. 
• Integrated dash cams with a wide-angle view. 
• Wide viewing angle. 
• Helpful features for road safety. 
• Traffic assistance. 
• Bluetooth.

Cons 

•  Powers off randomly. 
• Battery dies fast.

Which Is The Best Sat Nav With a Built-In Dash Cam?

To bring our top three reviews to a conclusion, our number one favourite Sat Nav with a dash cam is the Garmin Drive Assist Dash Cam and Sat Nav, this model is the most practical and reliable cam on our list with accurate traffic routes plus easy connectivity.

For people who want a more premium dash cam/sat nav combo and are prepared to pay a higher price we would suggest checking out the Aguri Car dash cam and sat-nav, this model is fitted with an Android system plus a dash cam for parking assistance, incident footage and accurate trip guidance. 

Our Top Buying Guide To Finding The Right Sat Nav With a Built In Dash Cam

Finding the right Sat Nav and dash cam combo is not as straightforward as it seems, these models can often be quite expensive due to them being two in one and can often compromise on quality for the dash cam. 

We've put together our top informational buying guide below which will cover the benefits of choosing a Sat Nav and dash cam combo, the most important features to look for in your new model, how to install your dash cam and sat-nav, GPS Vs Sat Navs on dash cams and how to view and use your dash cam footage. 

Why Choose a Sat Nav & Dash Cam?

Many people can be a little hesitant to purchase a Sat Nav and dash cam combined due to their higher price tag, but these devices have a huge list of advantages to them over singular sat navs or dash cams and are a great investment if you travel often or you are a truck driver for example who handles new route a lot. 

We've listed out some more benefits to choosing a dash cam combo like this below.

• They save you space - Rather than having both a dash cam and sat nav on your windscreen, just having one saves space and stops the devices from obstructing your vision while driving.
• Great range of features - Dashcams and sat navs together host a variety of features, from parking mode to lane departures and traffic updates, these are the better option if you are after tech-savvy devices.
• Better details for incidents - Sat Navs with the combination of dashcam provide excellent detail of events with location, time, date and even speed, upgrading your first-hand evidence in an investigation.
• Helps you plan better routes - Sat Navs are brilliant to have with combo dash cams if your driving somewhere new and want to plan the quickest route there without any disruptions, not to mention they can help with speed traps.
• Offers first-hand evidence - Dashcams as themselves are very beneficial to have in your car to protect yourself on the road, they offer first-hand evidence of accidents on the road and can protect you in case of any false accusations by showing the minutes leading up to an incident.
• Connectivity is easy - The best Sat Navs and dash cams come with excellent connectivity options such as WiFi and Bluetooth, these send footage to your dash cam app and even traffic alerts to your phone.

Important To Features To Consider In a Sat Nav With Built-In Dash Cam 

As we mentioned above, Sat Navs and dashcams combined come with a huge range of features, so to help you out with choosing your model we've listed the top ones to pick from below to get the best value for your money. 

• The maps - When buying Navs with dash cams, the maps are one of the most important factors to consider in your device, the best models should come pre-loaded with basic maps, and they should automatically update over WiFi to prevent using out of date maps. A plus point if these maps also have points of interest for travelling.
• Traffic Alerts - Traffic alerts are important on a Sat Nav dash cam, you want to know when to re-route or any speed traps/speed camera alerts ahead for peace of mind, some of the best additionally have warning systems such as pre-departure lane warnings and collision alerts.
• Dash cam quality - Unfortunately, on a lot of dash cam combos you find those dash cameras can be of poor quality, at the least, make sure your dash cams record in HD for viewing number plates and other important details during incidents.
• Connectivity options - For easy use, it's best if your dash cam and Sat Nav combo can connect to your phone via Bluetooth or WiFi, this will allow you to download and review footage easily as well as receive traffic updates.
• Size - Depending on the device you choose, sat navs with built-in dash cams come with different inches display, the size of the inches touch display you choose comes down to personal preference, a bigger inches display allows you to see maps easier, but is also more obtrusive with the dash cam and a theft attraction when mounted, a five-inch display is more than enough for most users.
• G-sensor - For the dashcam part of your Sat Nav, you want to ensure that it's recording all incident footage without missing any criminal incident. Having a g-sensor will automatically make the dash cam record when the impact is felt around a minute before and save the clips for evidence.
• SD card capacity - Different Sat Navs and dashcams have different SD card storage sizes, to avoid having to clear your dashcam storage too often it's best to choose one which supports a memory card of at least up to 64GB or more.
• Accuracy - Most importantly, ensure that your Sat Nav has accuracy with its route planning, some models are much more accurate than others, the last thing you want is your Sat Nav leading you down the wrong road!

Our Sat Nav & Dash Cam Installation Guide 

Installing a sat nav dash cam takes the same approach to dash models without a sat nav, you can power your device by either a battery, cigarette lighter or by hardwiring it into your car which is the hardest but cleanest way, it's also the only way if you want to use parking mode. 

Down below we've listed how to install your device via hardwiring and via the cigarette lighter method to get you started.

Hardwiring Method

Hardwiring your sat nav dash cam is easy to do and gives a cleaner appearance, you can get hardwiring kits easily from most brands. 

1. First of all, begin by finding the best position for your dashcam and sat nav where you can see the road, this should not obstruct your vision. 
2. Take the cable going from your dash cam and tuck it across the top of your windscreen, you can do this inlining between your roof material. 
3. Locate the fuse box in your car, this can change depending on the car you have, for some people it can be in the glove box. 
4. Remove any old fuse which is not important such as your radio or cigarette lighter fuse then place your new one provided by the hardwire kit inside, this will piggyback off the power supply. 
5. Connect the earth cable in your hardwiring kit to any earth material in your car, this could be a piece of metal for example. 

Cigarette Lighter Method

Choosing to install your sat nav dash cam with a cigarette lighter is the better way if you want to be able to remove and take your sat nav dash to other places.

1. Take the cable and route it around your window screen tucking it into the lining of your car to ensure it stays neat. 
2. Now place your suction mount on the window screen behind your rearview mirror, this should give the best view without blocking too much of your view when driving.

GPS Vs Sat Navs - What's The Difference? 

If you've been looking into buying a dashcam with a GPS then you might be wondering what the big difference is between a Sat Nav and GPS, well, both provide accurate directions and routing for travel but differ in the way they receive their information. 

A dashcam with GPS operates with 24 artificial satellites around the world, they help to navigate by receiving back and forth radio signals, Sat Navs on the other hand use a wider network of satellites to determine location.

Both GPS & Sat Navs are great for tracking location, although you might find that Sat Navs are slightly more expensive, they can still perform the same job.

How To View & Use Your Dashcam Footage 

Depending on the Sat Nav dash cam you buy you can view footage in three ways, on the display of the dashcam, via smartphone or by connecting it up to a laptop. 

Via The Display

The advantage to a Sat Nav dash cam is that you can normally access your dashcam footage via the display of the device thanks to its larger size, this can even give you the control to review, delete and edit footage on some models.

Connecting It To Your Phone 

Connecting your Sat Nav dashcam to your phone is often found on a higher-quality dash cam which is equipped with Wireless connectivity or Bluetooth, most of the time you have to set up a connection with your device and choose a password, then you can easily transfer, save and view your dashcam files via the app.

Using The Memory Card

Using the memory card and plugging it in through your computer is one of the most simple ways to look at dashboard video recordings however it is the most time consuming too since you have to remove the memory card from the dashcam and find the right adapter.

Tips For Using Your Dashcam Sat Nav Footage

Many people assume, once they buy their dashcam Sat Nav that they are free to use the incident footage or any video clips how they want, but actually, there are a lot of important rules in place surrounding how you use dashcam footage legally. 

We've listed what we think are our most important tips for using dashcam footage as a beginner below. 

Make Passengers Aware 

One of the key points to using dashcam footage is that you have to make sure you tell the passengers in your car that you are using a dashcam, especially if the product features audio.

Quality satellite navigation products with a dashcam can often not look like a camera which can be deceiving, asking for your passenger's consent in most European countries means you will be able to use your footage without the risk of being sued.

Check The Countries Rules 

Always check the rules in the European countries or anywhere you are travelling abroad before switching on your Sat Nav dash cam, some countries have strict rules surrounding these cams and they're even illegal in some cases, so it might be best to choose separate quality satellite navigation products if your need to see European country maps for your journey or disable the dashcam function on your model if possible.

Use It In Court 

Remember, the main reason for your Sat Nav dashcam is that it gives you peace of mind when driving that something is acting as a first-hand witness, this can be used by the court and insurance companies to prove your innocence and settle any disputes by showing a high-quality video with the capturing of incident clips automatically.

Check Your Driving 

Although dashcam footage is great and can be used to back you up, the appealing unit can also get you in trouble if you were not driving at your best, this means any speeding or illegal behaviour when driving from your end will also be shown, consider this before passing your dash drive footage onwards.

Roadtrip Memories

You can always film and use your Sat Nav dashcam footage for memories by creating a road trip film or montage, for this you need to ensure you manually save all the clips you want to avoid the loop recording on most devices overwriting it.

Never Edit It 

If you want to use your dashcam footage in the feature, never edit the clips, this makes them useless in court, even if it's just cropping the crisp video, it will be deemed as tampering with potential evidence.

Do Not Upload To Social Media 

One thing which is illegal in some countries and makes evidence less credible is uploading your dashcam footage to social media, you have to know that if you do this, number one, your footage is no longer able to be used in court and two, you need to ensure you are blurring all personal details for you and other drivers out of the footage such as their number plate.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sat Navs With Built In Dashcams

Can Sat Nav dash cam devices show speed limits? 

Yes, some of the more advanced dashcams and sat nav combos can show everything from built-in traffic alerts such as congestion to speed limits and speed traps when driving.

What Sat Nav features should I look for in my combo device?

Ideally, look out for accurate traffic routes, automatic updates of maps, alerts collisions and Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, it's best if the device can be controlled by the driver with voice commands when navigating.

Do all Sat Nav dash cams records video at 30fps? 

No, some sat navs can even record in 60fps, but this is less common since it used up more memory in storage since it is double the frame rates.

Is the size of the inches touch display important on a Sat Nav dashcam?

The size of the touchscreen on your combo device is important if you want to see clearly, but you also don't want something too obtrusive, a 5-inch touchscreen or a 6-inch glass touchscreen are both great choices.

How do I make sure my dashcam has automatic incident recording?

For auto collision recording you need to ensure your Sat Nav dash cam combo comes with a g-sensor, this will automatically start the dash cam recording when the impact is felt.

What does advance lane departure warning mean?

This shows when a car is leaving its lane unexpectedly and is the number one reason for crashes on the highway, it's a great driver assistance feature to have on your model.

Our #1 Sat Nav With a Built-In Dashcam For Protection On The Road

Our number one Sat Nav with a built-in dashcam for keeping you safe on the road is the Garmin Drive Assist Dash Cam and Sat Nav due to its highly accurate map routing and easy connectivity for reviewing cam footage. 

For people who want a more premium sat nav with a built-in dash cam, we suggest looking at the Aguri Car dash cam and sat nav which is an android-based unit, allowing you to use it as a more of an entertainment system as well as a dash cam and sat nav.