Way back in May, I reviewed the Xiaomi 70mai Pro dash cam, which at the time was their flagship dash cam. Well, it still is their flagship dash cam but not everyone out there needs a flagship device with all the bells and whistles. Some just need a good dash cam that works and will just record what they need it to record. That’s why Xiaomi also has the 70Mai Lite which is similar to the 70mai Pro, but loses some features but not the functions that people need in a good dash cam.
The “Lite” in the Xiaomi 70mai Lite doesn’t mean it’s any less capable. It just means it ditches some of the unnecessary luxuries like Voice Control, Advanced Drivers Assistant System, and Defogging of video. While those are nice to have, not everyone really needs those features. Instead, the Xiaomi 70mai Lite is a no nonsense dash cam that makes it simple to operate and has just the basics you need.
By basics, I mean it records in full HD (1920×1080), has a 2.0-inch display so you can view your recordings on the fly, super clear night vision using Sony’s STARVIS CMOS IMX307 sensor, and a 24 hour parking surveillance mode that can automatically start recording when there is a collision being detected by the built-in G-sensor. There’s even Wi-fi so you can use the connected app with it.
That’s really all one can really ask for when it comes to a dash cam. Sure there are other features that would be nice to have but this right here is a solid list of features for most people.
I do like the fact that the Xiaomi 70mai Lite looks pretty much exactly like its Pro counterpart. It’s a very small and compact unit and I had no issues really with the Pro’s looks. Like the Pro, the 70mai Lite sits much closer to your windshield which means it takes up much less viewing space that other dash cams.
It’s basically a single body design with a built in screen. The camera sits to the left of the unit and can be rotated to adjust the viewing angle up or down. The way it’s designed allows you to place the dash cam behind your rear view mirror and out of your line of sight. The camera portion is also in a gold/bronze color which sets it apart from the Pro unit.
Lastly, while the 70mai Lite does not have built in GPS, there is an optional GPS module you can get that attaches to where the mounting plate would usually go. It’s not that large and still keeps the size of the 70mai Pro pretty small. The GPS unit is to display speed and GPS coordinates on your videos when it’s recording. I do suggest picking it up as it is very helpful information to have as the more information you have, the better.
Video Quality
For the most part, most of these dash cams are going to all have great video output thanks in part to the Sony sensor. In this case, it’s the Sony STARVIS CMOS IMX307 sensor. This is a sensor that can capture images both in daylight and low light situations.
Note that the 70mai Lite records in 1080p and not at the 1944p of the 70mai Pro. It still in full HD and the quality will be just fine for most people. You might not get the insane detail you would running a 2K-4K camera, but it’s enough for everyday driving.
From my tests so far, video is very clear in daylight and also very good at night. You do see some halos around bright lights, but it doesn’t wash out the video. I do like the fact that it will display the GPS location data on the screen as well as what your speeds are. The speeds however show up in km/h and there always a 70mai watermark on the top left corner.
Final Thoughts
While the Xiaomi 70mai Lite might not have all the bells and whistles of the Pro model or the smart features of many of the new dash cams coming out, that doesn’t make the 70mai Lite any less capable. In fact, I’m going to guess that there are probably many of you out there that don’t even want all those extras. Many just want a simple, basic dash cam that does what it’s supposed to do.
The Xiaomi 70mai Lite is just that. You mainly set it and forget it as it goes about its business. Sometimes less is more and the Xiaomi 70mai Lite proves this.
On that note, if you’re checking out this review before 11/11/2019, there will be a big sale on this on AliExpress where the 70mai Lite will be more than 40% off and there will be a $5 off coupon. This day is called Double Eleven, aka Single’s Day and is one of the largest shopping days in China. So if you’re interested in this deal, it wouldn’t be a bad time to pick one up on this day. Follow the ling here.
