Imagine driving home after a long day at work. The sun sets, and visibility decreases, making the road conditions challenging. Suddenly, another vehicle swerves into your lane, causing a collision. In the aftermath, the other driver insists that you caused the accident. Without witnesses, resolving the dispute becomes difficult and stressful.This scenario perfectly illustrates the importance of having a dash cam.
Dash cams, or dashboard cameras, have become essential tools for drivers around the world. These compact video cameras attach to a vehicle’s dashboard or windshield, continuously recording the road ahead. Their primary function is to document every detail during a drive, providing valuable evidence in case of accidents or disputes.
In the previous situation, the dash cam footage provides an unbiased account of the events leading up to the accident. The video clearly shows the other driver’s sudden lane change and the ensuing collision. When presented to the police and insurance company, this footage serves as irrefutable evidence, establishing the true cause of the accident. Consequently, the authorities can accurately assign fault, and the insurance company can process your claim without unnecessary delays or disputes.
We have tested and reviewed several dash cams in the recent past. Adding another one to the list is the Botslab Dash Cam G980H that we got our hands on a little while ago. We’ve had a good experience with a previous Botslab product, their R811 Video Doorbell. So, when we had the chance of testing their new dash cam, we immediately said yes.Coming to the G980H, it has all the “basics” that you expect from a typical dash cam such as a 4K main cam, 1080P rear cam, good sensor, large aperture, and many more. But what’s interesting is the inclusion of a dedicated AI NPU IC for ADAS.
In this review of the Botslab G980H Dash Cam, we would like to share our version of using the product regularly for a couple of weeks. We will look at the build quality of the product, ease of installation, performance during both day and night time driving, the app connectivity, and even the ADAS features. Continue reading the review if you are looking for an all-in-one dash cam for your vehicle.
Before looking at the dash cam and its features, let us take a quick peek at the contents of the package. Opening the box, we have an envelope that has the user manual, electrostatic stickers, a spare double-sided tape, and a 64GB microSD Card. The user manual has all the instructions for installation as well as ADAS calibration. So, we highly recommend buyers go through it before using the dash cam.
Next, we have the main dash cam unit that houses the 4K front cam. Exploring further, we have a couple of boxes. One box has a lengthy power cable for connecting the main dash cam, a cigarette lighter adapter, and a pry tool for installation. The other box has the rear cam unit with an integrated power/data cable.
Now that we have seen all the things we get in the box, let us take a closer look at the design features of the Botslab Dash Cam G980H. Starting with the main cam, it is a compact unit with a tiny 2.45” screen on the back and a 4K camera with Sony IMX 415 sensor on the front.If you look at the bottom of the unit, you will find three buttons for navigating the menu and openings for microphone as well as speaker. The mounting unit on the top of the unit has two ports for connecting the main power supply as well as the rear cam.
The rear camera unit is rather simple. It has the same Sony IMX 415 Sensor but the resolution is only 1080P. There is a mounting mechanism on the top with a screw to adjust the position. The power/data cable protrudes from the rear of the unit and is non-detachable.Overall, the design approach for both the front cam and the rear cam is very minimalistic.
If you are familiar with dash cams in general, then you might have idea on how to install them in cars. The Botslab Dash Cam G980H is no different.Installation process starts with cleaning the top section of the windshield from the inside, just around the rear-view mirror. Then we have to apply the electrostatic sticker on the windshield. Choose a place in such a way that the dash cam won’t obscure your view of the rear-view mirror. Then attach the main dash on the sticker. You have to carefully route the power cable along the headliner trim. The pry tool that came in the box comes in handy for this job.
You can follow similar process for installing the rear cam as well. Thankfully, the cord of the rear cam is very long and you can use it even on very long vehicles. Once you install both the cameras, we can insert the 64GB microSD Card that came in the box or use a higher capacity (and a better) card, if you have one. After this, you can power the unit with the help of the cigarette lighter adapter.
The main feature of the Botslab Dash Cam is the Sony Starvis Sensor. Both the front and rear have the same Sony IMX 415 Sensors. While the front cam records 4K at 25FPS while the rear records only 1080P videos. But the interesting part is the lens and aperture. The main cam has a 170° wide angle lens with a F1.5 aperture. This means you can have a very wide view from your dash cam and the large aperture means more light on the sensor. The rear camera also has a pretty wide viewing of 150°.
Dynamic range of the camera makes a huge impact when moving from bright to dark or dark to bright lighting conditions. Botslab G980H tackles this with a special WDR technology. Connectivity wise, the Botslab Dash Cam supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands for pairing with your phone. It also has built-in GPS for tracking route as well as travel speeds.
There is a G-sensor in the dash cam that helps in locking the video files in the event of an emergency. Additionally, you can hardwire the dash cam to the car and activate parking mode for 24/7 monitor. Unlike some of the other dash cams available in the market, the Botslab G980H uses a supercapacitor instead of a battery. This helps in using the dash cam in extreme climates.
Apart from all these “dashcam” related features, the Botslab Dash Cam G980H comes with a bunch of ADAS features, thanks to its integration of a NPU IC. We will see more about this later.
So, how did the Botslab Dash Cam G980H perform? Let us start with how easy it is to install the dash cam. The package contains all the things you need to install the Botslab Dash Cam in your vehicle.If you are comfortable getting your hands dirty, then you can install the dash cam on your own. In our case, it took less than 20-minutes from starting the installation process and using the dash cam.
Coming to the video performance, the main dash cam is very good during day time. The 4K footage looks really good and you get a great detail from the combination of the Sony Starvis IMX415 Sensor and the F1.5 aperture. The 170° lens provides a very wide view in the front. While they claim the cam can see up to six lane, realistically speaking, you get a very clear picture of three lanes. If you are in the center lane, then you can see the lanes on either side with good detail. Even though the cam capture beyond these lane, the quality diminishes. Nonetheless, still a very good wide-angle capture.
There is no significant glare from the cam during daytime and the WDR Dynamic Range feature handles switching between bright and dark regions very well. This is very helpful if your locality has tunnels or you drive under tree shadesa lot. During night time, the footage from the main cam is good, thanks to the combination of the aperture and sensor. It allows the cam to capture more light and hence good quality video even during lowlight or nighttime driving. Sadly, there is glare from oncoming traffic, street lights, and traffic signals.
The rear camera unit of the Botslab Dash Cam G980H uses the same Sony IMX 415 Sensor. But the maximum resolution is only 1080P. Also, the lens is 150°. The daytime footage from the rear camera is good but the nighttime footage is pretty average. The headlights from vehicles behind will cause significant glare and this affects the quality of the video.
The Botslab Dash Cam G980H has GPS as well as G-Sensor. With GPS and its integration with Google Maps, you get very accurate route tracing, which is very useful if you loan your car to someone.You can also add a GPS data stamp in addition to the date/time and speed data. In case of an accident, the G-sensor in the dash cam will trigger a lock on the video file.
While there is support for parking mode, you need a hardwire kit, which is an optional extra, for it to function properly.Another thing we liked is the usage of supercapacitor instead of battery. This allows you to use the dashcam even in extreme climatic conditions in the range of -20°C to +70°C. The integrated 2.24” Display is sufficient for quickly navigating the settings and also see the live view (but not in great detail). You get the option to record the voice from inside the car using the built-in microphone.
Apart from the main dashcam features, the Botslab Dash Cam G980H has some very useful ADAS features. Instead of relying solely on software, the Botslab Dash Cam has a dedicated AI NPU IC which has a processing power of 1.5TOPS. Combining this with Botlab’s AI algorithms, we get alerts for pedestrian collision, front vehicle movement (alerts if the vehicle in front moves over 6.5ft. when your vehicle is stopped), too close to the vehicle in front while driving (less than 16ft.), and lane departure warning. Additionally, it also warns if you are driving non-stop for over 2 hours without any breaks.If you are a new driver and your car doesn’t come withany ADAS functions, then these features can be very useful while driving in city traffic.
You can easily connect the Botslab Dash Cam to your smartphone for live monitoring, view recorded footage, and change settings. The dash cam supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands. The provided 64GB microSD Card is good and sufficient as the dash cam has loopmode which continuously records over the old footage.
The listing price of the Botslab Dash Cam G980H is $219.99. But there is a coupon of $90 using which you can get the product for $129.99. From a price to performance point of view, the Botslab Dash Cam is very much worth it.
Overall, we liked the Botslab Dash Cam G980H. The performance of the main cam is very good during day time as well as night time. While the rear cam is also good, the footage during night didn’t meet our expectations. But this is definitely not a deal breaker though, considering the price.
The quality of the footage from the 4K Sony IMX 415 sensor with 170° FOV is excellent. You can clearly see the license plates of the vehicles in front as well as behind your vehicle. The ADAS features are a standout. You get proper warning for different safety features, which is a boon for new drivers (and for cars without built-in ADAS features).
If you are looking for a decent dash cam for your vehicle with additional features such as ADAS, then the Botslab Dash Cam G980H is a very good choice.
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