After already reviewing the excellent Nextbase 612GW, I can safely say that it’s one the most feature packed and best dash cams I’ve used. However, I understand that for most people, the Nextbase 612GW might be overkill and have features you might not need or thought you even needed. That’s why Nextbase also has mid-range dash cams that will get more than get the job done, but at a more affordable price point and a tad-less features. The Nextbase 312GW while not as feature packed as the high end Nextbase 612GW, I think it’s more in line with what the average consumer wants and needs for everyday use and safety.
While being a mid-range dash cam, that doesn’t mean it’s made with any less care and attention than the top of the line model. Let’s look at some differences. It doesn’t have a brushed aluminum face and settles for plastic instead, but it does have some brushed aluminum accents. It has a 6-element glass lens and provides 140-degree wide angle. On the rear, it doesn’t have a touchscreen, but it does have a nice 3″ LCD display that is flanked by physical buttons on both the left and right side. As for the mounting bracket, it’s pretty much the same one as the Nextbase 312GW which means it has GPS built into it and that’s a feature that’s usually an option on mid-rangers but you get it standard here.
So lets move on now to what the else the Nextbase 312GW has that you’re going to like. Like I said above, GPS logging is standard and so is Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi works in conjunction with the Nextbase companion app that allows you to view and save videos to your phone. Speaking of which, it captures video at 720p at 30fps and 1080p at 30fps and with High Dynamic Range (HDR) to improve contrast and maintain clarity. It even does time lapse videos as well. One feature that doesn’t seem to be listed on the spec sheet, but is there is the fact that the Nextbase 312GW does have a built-in battery that will power up the dash cam when the car is not on. It’s used when the system detects a hit or motion so it can start recording even when you’re not around.
While “only” recording in 1080p @30fps, the quality is quite good and on par with other dash cams that record at the same resolution. For the most part, it does a great job with color and brightness control. You will notice however that it does pick up reflections and glare from the window. That can’t really be helped because it lacks a polarizing film. To be fair, most dash cams don’t have this either and the first I’ve seen was on the higher end, 612GW. Other than that, I’m pretty pleased with the captured videos. Of note, you’ll see the stamped info at the bottom with the GPS coordinates, vehicle speed, time, and date. There was no sound recorded as I had turned it off. This camera is mounted on my wife’s car so there’s a lot of talking and music playing so it’s just easier to leave the audio off.
Lastly, the Nextbase 312GW also doesn’t include driving safety warnings because they don’t feel it needs it, and I’m inclined to agree. While it might seem nice on paper to have them, in reality you’re probably going to try them out the first day or two and then just turn them off because they can get a bit annoying after a while. Also there comes a point when you just don’t pay attention to them anymore. So I can see where Nextbase is coming from by not including them.
Even though the Nextbase 312GW is considered a mid-range dash cam, has a few high end features not usually found in this range. For instance, both GPS and Wi-Fi come standard and it records in 1080p with HDR. You’ll appreciate the fact that it has these extra features. This is a great dash cam for those who want a little bit more than just basic features. Overall, while I do usually love the higher end items, the Nextbase 312GW is a perfect starter dash cam for those who want ease of use, safety, extra features, and reliability. I would say that the Nextbase 312GW is all you’ll probably ever need in a dash cam, despite being billed as a mid-range device, it’s really more than that.
