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The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.

• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  Great features, needs a better connectivity

  • Top 500 Contributor
  • Tech Insider Network Member

  This Nextbase dashcam “system”, as I would call it, has the smarts of a modern sentry system. If only not for a big and a design that needs some work and some connectivity that needs a little more speed, it could be the perfect companion to my daily driver. INSTALLATION and DESIGN Initial software set up is not for the impatient. The LTE is pretty slow—and I live in a big Metro so the sluggish LTE connection and retrieval cannot be attributed to my location. I tried it indoors and I tried it outdoors. Besides, the LTE is supposed to be reliable and decently fast anywhere I go. The firmware update took a lot of tries before it worked. I even tried connecting it to home wifi and Bluetooth just to update the firmware. After hanging maybe 4 times (15 minutes or so per try, not including starting over time), it just worked after a reboot. Actual Installation is not simple but is not complicated either. Cables are color coded, and the connections snap in nicely. My biggest gripe: the front camera is dangling long and low for my windshield. My rearview mirror has this big console (Mercedes GLS) that stretches to the length of my rearview mirror so I cannot place the camera on the driver’s side without it being more into the drivers side (vs. under the rearview mirror) so it blocks my regular driving point-of-view. I cannot place it on the passenger side because I cannot cross the rearview mirror console or make the wire go under the headliner to crawl onto the ODB socket. So I do not have a choice but to have some driving view compromise at the front. The back camera is of decent size—not my worry as I have privacy glass at the back. Besides those nuances, it is easy to install. It comes with a kit, the pry tool some ties and prepared 3M adhesives. I neatly tucked it under the front headliner and the A pillar, into the console by the drivers door. The ODB plug wire is conveniently facing the door side so when plugged, the wire will not dangle by my feet—though it again comes with zipties for me to keep the install together. The wiring to the rear camera is pretty long which makes it easy to run the wire through the lining well onto the back. There is some creativity needed to tuck it by the tailgate hinge. PERFORMANCE Once installed, the cameras are firmly placed, thanks to the very capable adhesives, even in rough bumpy roads, the cameras stay firm—the camera hinges stay tight. The camera view and quality is clear (clear but not crisp), in front, inside the cabin, and the back of my car. Now it needs some subscription to see remote real-time activity, and the LTE is helpful if only it was a little faster. It’s just a little hard to justify paying for something that has pretty slow transmission in today’s 5G speeds. The notifications are instant (at least from what I regularly experienced). In the car, when there is activity, the cameras are responsive. Each activity is easily captured with the right amount of sensitivity. Remotely though is another story as it takes quite a while to see what is going on. I get a notification on some activity but before I can see what is happening, the person is long gone. The recordings are there though but there is a wait. Again, most important is the running quality of the recordings which makes me feel safe in the event of an accident. Covers me in front, convers me in the back. When I am away, it records activity too. And while driving, I am thinking, this could be a good idea for people who uber as it records the cabin too. Voice commands are available but I had to make sure I use them often so I remember the command. Like I want to record what’s going on and want the Witness mode, I had to make sure I get the trigger word (dashcam) then the command. But I don’t use it often in a week, so it’s something that I probably need to put a cheat sheet somewhere to remember. Overall, this is a decent system for the base functionality of a dashcam. The continuous recording is fast and clear. The added functionality of safety is the x factor in here as the alerts and remote monitoring is great. Though the real-time check needs work, I think that’s an easy fix in the future. In itself, it is a reliable security cam, not just for moving occurrences but also when my car is parked. Nextbase has a good thing going on here. It just needs some more polishing.

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  Posted 2 months ago by DarR

• Rated 4 out of 5 stars

  Great 4K clarity, paid subscription is recommended

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 250 Contributor

  The Nextbase iQ 4K smart front and rear dash cam is an interesting ally for my vehicle. I really like the picture clarity with 4K resolution recordings, and the ability to obtain a very full view of the vehicle. The front facing camera, rear facing camera, and cabin facing camera can help to monitor all the happenings when my vehicle is stationary or in motion. The front camera can record in 4K resolution, while the rear window camera can record the road behind me in 1440p resolution, and the cabin facing camera can record in 1080p resolution. This camera package allows for an always-on LTE signal linked directly to the camera base. The kicker is that this ability relies on a paid subscription model that will cost me either $9.99 or $19.99 per month for the different features I will want to have access to. This is something to consider when purchasing a camera like this as it makes it a pricey investment. With this ability of LTE camera, I can get instant notifications on my smartphone if the car camera notices an unusual activity to the car or in the car. I find this helpful for when I need peace of mind when traveling in uncertain locations or staying at hotels on road trips. The camera base plugs directly into the OBD port on my vehicle, which is a bit different than plugging it into a cigarette lighter like many other devices. This OBD port connection allows the camera to draw power from the vehicle battery to always be on and ready to record movement or activity. In theory it's a great way to keep your car camera in monitor and recording mode at all times. I worry over time that it may drain out my vehicle battery over extended periods. Your LTE 4G iQ camera connection will store recordings in the cloud and make them accessible to you with the Nextbase app. If you choose not to opt for a subscription this camera and app don't seem to work at all to even get into the home screen of the app for basic functions. This camera doesn't have a traditional screen for viewing, as it's solely used to house the camera lens and you'll rely on your app to view all the video and settings. I like the ability to have around the clock video monitoring of my car cameras by opening the app. I can speak to the app and the camera in the car will announce my voice to any intruder or family member. It's also a nice way to speak to a family member who may be a new driver and needs help with knowing mom or dad are watching and monitoring. The smart sense parking in the iQ features is a unique way to keep alert about what's happening around the vehicle in order to have eyes and ears on your car when you're not in it. The Guardian mode is a great tool for parents like myself, that will help me set parameters to ensure my child isn't speeding excessively or braking aggressively. I can also use this Guardian mode for monitoring my vehicle when I take it to the auto shop or valet so I know what is happening to my vehicle when it's being used by someone else. The Emergency SOS mode is a peace of mind tool that allows the dashcam to contact my specified emergency contact to let them know there may have been an accident in case I'm unable to dial them directly. It's nice to have an additional layer of safety to reach out to an emergency source on my behalf. Voice control ability also allows me to cue the camera to record a specific moment, or to turn off a specific camera for a brief duration. In conclusion the installation is a bit time consuming to adhere the camera base to your front windshield and rear windshield, but also to run the wiring from the front of the vehicle to the rear. All in all it's a good camera unit with good picture quality. There are a lot of tech savvy AI features built into the technology, but many are locked behind the subscription paywall. If you're willing to continue to invest into the camera on a monthly basis, this is a good unit to get.

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  Posted 2 months ago by JKinSYR

• Rated 2 out of 5 stars

  Too many software bugs & unfulfilled promises

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 100 Contributor

  TLDR: After 2 years, the Nextbase iQ software is still buggy & unresponsive. After 2 years, there are still promised features that are unfulfilled. Like my last iQ, this one is not ready for prime time. PROS 4k Front Camera Recording 1440p Cabin Camera Recording 1440p Rear Camera Recording Live Access via Always-on 4G Connection CONS Software riddled with bugs Unfulfilled promises after more than 2 years Severely hampered without subscription Intermittent Cellular Connectivity Other equal or better options exist for far less INTIAL SET-UP & CONFIGURATION I was lucky to receive an older model of the Nextbase iQ several years ago for testing. It was VERY new to the market and had numerous bugs and issues. So many, that shortly after reviewing I pulled the iQ from my vehicle and went back to just a normal dash cam. The app never got any better and the firmware updates were too slow at addressing issues. My old iQ wasn't defective, it felt more like a beta product. The more I used it and the included app, the more it felt beta. Flash forward to 2025, I now have a teenager that is getting ready to drive and was excited to see this new model come up for review. A perfect addition to my future driver's car or truck. The ability to record front, back, and inside the passenger compartment, in a minimum of 1440p resolution with ability to view the camera real time? What more could a parent want? I've had a Nextbase account for many years now, since receiving my first iQ for testing. Thinking this would be a simple addition, I was wrong. You cannot have more than 1 iQ per account. I had to create a new email address and use it for this iQ, as the app tells you immediately that you have another iQ on your account and you cannot have more than 1 per account. Huge let down. I'm guessing Nextbase only expects you to buy 1 of their dash cams? After overcoming my initial limitations, I've struggled for some time getting their Android app to work properly. It is riddled with bugs. Starting with initial set-up, the app refused to interface with my phone's camera, leaving the app unable to scan the QR code on the dashcam's screen. Restarting the app didn't help. I finally found a work around. Once it asks you to scan the QR code, if you open your camera app and then come back to the iQ app, it will work as expected. Not sure why. It took me a total of 6 attempts to get the iQ set-up the first time. Secondly, users are unable to leave the iQ app during set-up without restarting the whole process from the beginning. For example, once you enter your newly created email address, Nextbase will send you a confirmation code. If you use your phone to retrieve the code, the whole process starts all over, losing your place in the set-up process. The Nextbase iQ app does not run properly in the background. After trying 3 different times, I was forced to log in to my email on a laptop so that when I got another activation code, I didn't have to leave the iQ app to retrieve the code. Unacceptable. Lastly, the firmware update. What a horrible experience. Nextbase warns you the mandatory firmware update will take up to 10 minutes. They were right. But they didn't say how many 10 minutes there would be. I was expecting just one, ten minute update. After 30 minutes, I gave up and cycled power. The update would not complete. Waited another 10 minutes. Still nothing. Pulled power again. Still nothing. Pulled power a 3rd time to reboot, the iQ finally completed its firmware update and began working. 45 minutes later. USE There are a lot of potential features that make the iQ a compelling option. The always on 4G connection allows for near real-time notifications based on preset conditions. Speeding, intrusion, emergency contact notifications, cloud storage, etc. The theory of having connectivity to view the dash cam remotely, in real time, is a HUGE selling point. There are tons of options and Nextbase should be commended for their far-reaching efforts and dreams. Execution is another thing. Access to many of the parental or "nanny" features as I call them, are locked behind a pay wall. MANY of these same features are available on easy to use and often free phone apps. For example, we have a very popular family tracking app. It gives us real-time location information, speed, direction, event notifications, etc. This app isn't limited to just one device, its installed on all our phones and keeps an eye on all of us. One item that I find particularly frustrating is the Roadwatch A.I. feature. It is STILL listed as coming soon. It was listed as Coming Soon in 2023. Years later, it still isn't available? All the fancy marketing material they have on their website advertising traffic and speed identifiers are still undelivered promises. I know I haven't touched on many other features offered with the iQ. Items like Witness Mode, Parking Mode, etc. Honestly, it isn't worth going into much detail as these are included with nearly every dash cam on the market, at least the ones I own from both Nextbase and its competitors. CONNECTIVITY The iQ has an always connected 4G modem. One thing that isn't listed is who is providing the cellular connectivity. We all know how cell reception is around the U.S. Not only that, some providers offer much better service than others depending upon your location. Buyers have no options on cell providers when purchasing. I've noticed responsiveness varies wildly depending upon your location. Parking garages seem to be the bane of the iQ, at least in my area. Entering a parking structure in my area can render the iQ nearly inaccessible. Frustratingly so. The same can be said when traversing back roads and not major thoroughfares. Cellular coverage seems to drop off rapidly when you aren't on the beaten path. Without cellular service, you lose the ability to access Live View and Parking Mode, not to mention the ability to login remotely and view the cameras. FINAL THOUGHTS I know I've been extremely hard on the Nextbase iQ. It is well-deserved. I have 2 other Nextbase dashcams installed in my vehicles, as well as recommended them to friends and family. However, those are Nextbase's "lesser" models like the 322GW and 622GW. These dash cams are great. Not only do they work perfectly, their software works perfectly as well. Did they have a few bugs at the beginning? Yes. But, nothing like the iQ and its associated app. The Smart Sense Parking and Live View are great features. The ability to connect to your dash cam from anywhere with a cell signal is great. VERY few offerings in the dash cam marketplace have this feature. Herein lies the issue. Several of these features are locked behind a subscription service. Not to mention, aside from the remote access functionality, the iQ doesn't offer any real additional benefits that you can't get from a free phone app or another Nextbase made dash cam. What's extremely frustrating is some of the same issues I experienced a couple of years ago still carries over to this day. I had just as many frustrations getting the last, older iQ up and running. Years later, Nextbase hasn't squashed hardly any of the bugs. The set-up process is frustrating. Not being able to have multiple iQ cameras on one account is mind boggling. I was so hoping that after a couple of years the iQ would be a more refined and a more compelling option in the dash cam market. I thought this would be the perfect product for parents of new drivers, ride share drivers, or those that are forced to park in high crime areas. Unfortunately, the complicated set-up process, and intermittent connectivity issues just don't cut it. Especially not when there are so many other options available. I like Nextbase's other offerings. I'm still using them to this day and am very happy with them. The iQ misses the mark. Not only has Nextbase failed to improve the app, they are still promising features have remained unfulfilled for years now. If Nextbase could ever get their Android software to function properly, I would change my mind. The image quality of the camera is pristine, but I'm often forced to access the recorded video by removing the SD card, as the Android app only works correctly a fraction of the time. When it does, its great. When it doesn't, the iQ is next to useless. Do I recommend Nextbase dash cams? YES. Do I recommend the iQ? NO NOT RECOMMENDED

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  Posted 2 months ago by NAMO