Nextbase 622GW
Buy now £249, Nextbase.co.uk
- Rating: 9/10
- Resolution: Up to 4K
- Field-of-view: 140 degrees
- Frame rate: 30fps at 4K, 60fps at 1080p Full HD, 120fps at 720p HD
- Display: Yes, 3in touch screen
- Voice control: Yes, Alexa built-in
- Audio recording: Yes, optional
- Integrated GPS: Yes
Design
The 622GW looks much like other members of Nextbase’s dash cam family. It’s a fairly compact device with a protruding lens on its front and a large, 3in touchscreen on the rear. Physical buttons are kept to a minimum, with only a power button on the left side and a button below the screen for manually saving footage. The dash cam will automatically save video when it detects a collision, but the button can be used if you witness an incident and want to save footage of it.
Below the power button is a microSD card slot, but no card is included in the box. Because 4K video files are massive, you’ll want an equally large memory card, otherwise it will quickly fill up and start to overwrite older footage.
All of Nextbase’s dash cams use a magnetic windscreen mounting system. The mount attaches to the dash cam itself with strong magnets, then to the windscreen using a suction cup, meaning no adhesive pad is left stuck to the screen (as is the case with many other dash cams).
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Cleverly, the dash cam is powered via a USB cable that attaches to the windscreen mount, instead of the camera itself. This means the cable is closer to the roof lining of your car, where it can be tucked away and hidden from view, then run behind the interior trim of the car, and fed down to the included 12V power adapter.
Features
As well as 4K video recording at 30 frames per second (or Full HD at 60fps), the Nextbase 622GW benefits from integrated GPS for adding accurate location and speed data to your recordings, a six-layer lens for improved video quality, and a socket to attach a rear-facing camera (£59, Nextbase.co.uk).
Software features include Alexa, which means you can speak to the Amazon voice assistant, issuing commands like “Alexa, ask my dash cam to start recording,” or “Alexa, ask my dash cam to disable audio recording.”
You can also ask the assistant to play music, cue up a radio station, read out the weather forecast or deliver driving instructions, all using your smartphone’s internet connection and car’s sound system.
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The Nextbase 622GW is the first dash cam to work with what3words. This positioning system assigns a three-word phrase to every three-square-metre plot of land globally which then ties in with the 622GW’s emergency services function. This allows your location to be shared with the emergency services if you’re in an accident somewhere remote.
As well as your location, it’ll share pre-saved medical data like blood type, allergies and medical history with first responders. This is all done automatically after a serious collision is detected, but only if the driver does not respond or intervene before the emergency call is made. All of this is free for three months, then comes as part of the MyNextbase subscription, which costs £3.99 a month.
Performance
We were thoroughly impressed with footage recorded by the 622GW. It could be argued that a 4K resolution isn’t worth the extra cost and unwieldy file sizes, but the extra detail could prove crucial when it comes to identifying registration plates and road markings.
The digital image stabilisation works well too, but can overcompensate and cause some distortion in vehicles with a firmer ride. It can be switched off if you encounter this problem.
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We also like the peace-of-mind that comes with the SOS functions and what3words integration. Some modern cars have similar systems now too, but it is still impressive that a dash cam can store crucial evidence in the event of an accident, then also check if you’re okay, and call the emergency services with your precise location if you aren’t.
The verdict: Nextbase 622GW
If you want an all-singing, all-dancing dash cam, this is the one for you. The Nextbase 622GW nails the basics with stable, pin-sharp 4K video, then goes above-and-beyond with extra features like Alexa, SOS response and what3words. Some drivers won’t want these extras – and that’s fine, because Nextbase sells simpler, cheaper dash cams too. But for those who do, the 622GW is hard to fault.
The smartphone app isn’t the best, but this is a common complaint with today’s dash cams, where the app is little more than a way to initially set things up, then never used again. Despite that, if you’re looking for a dash cam with all the bells and whistles, this could well be the one for you.