Customer Ratings & Reviews

The Thinkware ARC 800 is a fairly low-maintenance dash cam that does exactly what a webcam should although it lacks some of the bells and whistles I’ve seen on other models over the years. In my case, I actually consider that somewhat of a positive. Dash cams seem to be notorious for having buggy apps and overly complicated features, and I’ve owned cameras in the past where I felt like I spent more time fighting with the software than actually using the camera. The ARC 800 includes both front and rear cameras. One thing worth pointing out is that there is no cabin facing camera. My biggest disappointment right out of the box was the included power options. It does not include an OBD-II power cable or a cigarette lighter adapter. Your options are essentially USB-C or the included hardwiring kit. I personally prefer using an OBD-II cable because it provides constant power for parking/security features without permanently hardwiring the camera into the vehicle. Unfortunately, my vehicle doesn’t have a USB-C power port, so until I get the adapter I need, I’ve actually been powering the camera with a portable Anker battery while using it. It works, but obviously isn’t how I intend to use it permanently. I really wish Thinkware had included an OBD-II cable or at least a traditional 12V adapter in the box. Physical installation is pretty straightforward, and Thinkware provides an installation video that is easy to follow. I did run into one frustrating issue, though. The video recommends connecting your phone to the camera while positioning it so you can see the camera’s live view. It specifically states cameras with wireless connectivity have this option. I can confirm that they don’t. Unfortunately, I figured out the work-around after the camera was installed. The way to view your camera while setting it up is to actually disconnect your camera from your phone, and tap the cameras touchscreen. However, before doing that, go into settings and change your LCD Auto-off to 1 or 10 minutes so you can find your desired view Thankfully, the actual video quality makes up for a lot of my complaints. The 4K footage is crystal clear and captures a tremendous amount of detail. The field of view is extremely wide, which looks a little unusual when you’re reviewing footage if you’re not accustomed to an ultra-wide dash cam, but it makes sense designed it this way. With a dash cam, capturing as much of what’s happening around the vehicle as possible is much more important than producing a perfectly natural-looking video. Accessing recordings through the app is fairly straightforward once you understand how everything works. You connect wirelessly to the camera, locate the clip you want, queue it for download, and then save it to your phone. You can also simply remove the SD card and view the files directly on a computer, which is probably what I’ll use when I need to go through a lot of footage. The Thinkware app itself works, but I wouldn’t call it particularly intuitive. It’s somewhat bare bones and took me a little while to figure out where everything was. I expected the main app view to provide more options than just a giant picture of the camera model I have and some tiny buttons in the corner. That said, the important distinction is that it works. I’ve owned a much more feature-packed dash cam where the app caused me constant headaches, so I’ll happily take a simpler app that reliably does what I need it to do. Overall, I think the ARC 800 is best suited for somebody who wants a good-quality dash cam they can basically set up and forget about. If you’re looking for tons of connected features, frequently checking a live view from your phone, or remotely monitoring what’s happening around your vehicle, this probably isn’t going to give you everything you’re looking for. For me, though, the simplicity is part of the appeal. The camera records excellent footage, gives me front and rear coverage, and doesn’t overwhelm me with features I’ll probably never use. I would have really liked an OBD-II power option in the box and a better way to preview the camera angle during installation, but once it’s installed and recording, it does its primary job very well.

From unboxing to working in less than 1 minute. The first time I used this dash cam, I was in a hurry and just wanted to get it up and recording. So I took it out of the box, plugged the power and rear camera wires in, stuck it up on my windshield, tossed the rear cam on my truck's back window, plugged the USB-C power cable into a port, and it powered on to a screen that said it needed a connection to get setup. I also noticed a small 'SKIP' option, so I tapped that to get through a few screens and the front/rear camera views came up on the display. Appearing to be working, I headed out on the road to get to where I needed to be, figuring I could clean up the dangling wires later. Later that day, after coming back home, I grabbed the 32GB MicroSD card that was included (and pre-installed) out of the dash cam, and put it into my laptop to see if it recorded anything, and that it did. I saw all the video files from both the front and rear cameras from the moment I first powered it on, and even found some locked "event" videos in the respective folder (I guess there were a couple big bumps I hit). Less than 1 minute, that's it, that's all it took for me to throw up the dash cam and it just worked. No formatting, no app downloaded, no setup. Clips were being saved and recorded, and in MP4 files making it easy to transfer and use in my laptop, again, without any setup or having to download anything. I don't know how, but even the date and time were already correct! The next day I routed the rear camera wire up between the headliner and trim/weatherstrip, and honestly that took me all of 2 minutes. Of course you will need to download the app, and properly connect the dash cam to make use of all of it's features, as well as hardwire the dash cam to use the parking feature, which will obviously take a little bit longer. But if you're someone who would prefer not to have to download extra apps, and only care about capturing front and rear dash cam footage while driving and nothing else, you can do so with this dash cam. It's high quality video at that too. Looking back at the footage, everything was crisp and clear, and I could easily make out license plate numbers, at least when they were closer in distance, but just about any dash cam out there has trouble with detail that fine at greater distances. For most situations where you need it though, like in an accident that you're involved in, you're going to be more than close enough to get the detail you need. Not long after, I was sitting in my truck waiting in a school pick-up line, and grabbed the dash cam to see what options and features it had available. To my surprise, there's actually quite a lot that you can do through the small touch screen on the cam. First, you can easily view recorded clips directly on the cam itself. You can also access most of the options and settings, some of which I hadn't really ever considered before with a dash cam, such as privacy recording. So instead of just recording everything until the memory card is full and then just looping and over-writing the oldest footage, you can set it to only save a few minutes of footage at a time. This isn't something I'll use as I like to be able to go back and find clips of things that occurred on the road, it's great for someone who only wants it for emergency recording and doesn't want private conversations or other things to be recorded. Additionally, you can set things like resolution (4K @ 30FPS or FHS @ 60FPS on the front camera), only record video but no audio, sensitivity for locked event recordings, HDR settings and more. Again, all of this without ever downloading the app. Hardwiring the camera opens up the parking features to help capture events while you're away, like someone attempting to steal your car, or stealing something out of it, and the settings are available for you directly on the dash cam. So if you're someone that doesn't like being forced to download an app just to use the basic features of a device you paid for, and you're in need of a good dash cam, I would definitely recommend this Thinkware ARC800. You get front and rear cameras, high quality video, easy access to recorded clips that are saved in a common format (versus other dash cams that save clips with uncommon file extensions that doesn't play nice with all video software), and even some bonus features on top of it all. Of course if you don't mind downloading an app, it makes everything even better, and easier. Instead of having to get into an awkward position to reach your dash cam, or having to pull it down, to manage the various settings, you can just do it all through the app. Best use of it though is for much easier access to recorded clips. The app lets you easily view all the footage, and download it directly to your phone allowing you to use that footage however you need to. This is especially handy in the situation most people have dash cams to begin with, which is in the case of an unfortunate accident. As soon as the accident happens, after making sure everyone is ok and you're in a safe location, you can access the footage, download it on your phone and have it ready to send to the insurance adjuster or just be able to instantly play it back for emergency responders and police for their report. Overall, this is a great dash cam and you really can't go wrong with it.

I have had several dash cams so far and this is one of my favorites in terms of design and video quality. The videos are highly detailed, and the app loads them up right away. The downsides are some issues with app connectivity and low audio if that is important to you. The dash cam included a 32GB mirco-SD but does not include a car adapter. Luckily I was able to use one from my previous dash cam, but you will have to hardwire this one with the included cables or purchase a car adapter separately. *Quality* The dash cams are well designed and easy to install. I really like the slanted design because it looks more discreet and visually integrated into the car. The wire for the back camera is extremely long. I definitely think it is enough for an SUV or van, it was far too much for my small car and took some work to hide it all. *Video* The cameras record at high quality, so the details are crisp and clear. The videos show up as lowly lit when I view them though, but I can edit and up their exposure and everything is clear. I do think this is preferable compared to recording at too high in exposure and risk clipping out whites – license plates in particular – due to it. *Audio* The audio recording is clear but very low. The volume must be set to the highest level to hear it well. *It talks/TTS* The camera talks by default and lets you know when it is recording what it perceived to be an “event.” It also tells you to have a safe drive every time you start the car. I found it annoying to have a robotic voice talking every time I started the car, so I muted it. *Touch Screen* The touch screen is responsive and intuitive once you get the hang of it. You wipe down to find the Wi-Fi and voice setting, swipe up for the other settings. *App* The app is simple and easy to navigate plus worked well up until the most recent update. The camera updated almost every time I connected to it, but the last one failed. Ever since then the Wi-Fi connection drops almost immediately after connecting. I can still access the videos via the micro-SD but certain settings can only be access through the app so hopefully the issue resolves soon. *Conclusion* Thus far, I have not had a dash cam with a stable app, so I can’t even detract too much from that issue. It is still by far the best app experience I have had. Overall, the videos are crisp and detailed, the camera has not failed to record while I drive, and it is sleek and low profile while still having a touch screen. This is by far my favorite one and I recommend it.

I’ve been wanting to get an automated dashcam for our vehicle, as there have been multiple cases where having a video from the drive would have been a huge help with the mess that followed. I wanted something that was easy to install and just worked while driving, I saw the Thinkware ARC800 that came with everything in the box! No buying an extra SD card or cable, it was all included. So, I decided to give it a try. Pros: - Easy to install & use. - Automatically captures footage. - Wide Angle & High-quality video. Cons: - Cannot automatically backup Recordings. - Included 32GB of storage quickly fills up & beings overwriting prior recordings. Included in the Box: Thinkware includes everything you need to get started in the box; Front and Rear cameras, pre-installed 32GB microSD card, 2 power cord options: USB-C or Hardwired, Micro USB cable for between main unit and rear camera, spare adhesive pads, and pry tool for getting the cameras off your windshield. I was glad to see there were spare adhesive pads in case I need to realign or swap vehicles. The packaging was well thought out and secure, ensuring nothing got damaged while being easy to unpack. Both the camera lens and touch screen had protective films to prevent scratches during packing and installation. Install & Setup: Honestly, the install was much simpler than I had expected. I downloaded the app and set up the front and rear camera before attaching them to ensure each worked properly first. The app is very simple, just download and open, then select your dashcam model and follow the guided steps. I had no issues connecting to the device or accessing the settings. Honestly, the hardest thing was climbing in and out of the vehicle to route the cables to the back. The cable clips included were nice to have, but the adhesive wouldn’t work too well for fabric ceilings, so I tucked the cable under the edge of the center light and edging of the ceiling. The rear camera is small enough that it doesn’t get in the way of viewing out of the rear window, I barely notice now. I chose to use the USB power method for now, as we usually park in a garage when not using the vehicle. Included in the box are two power options for the ARC800; USB-C or Hardwired. The benefit of USB-C is ease of install and use, as most USB plugs will work to power the system. The downside is that often the USB will not provide power when the car is turned off. Depending on your vehicle's make and model, you might have a built in USB port that can be used, otherwise you can use an adapter for the cigarette plug but, in most cases, these will not provide power when the vehicle is off. To enable continuous power even when the vehicle is off you will want to choose the Hardwired power method, which is simple to install but does require some knowledge of your car and spark plugs. App: The Thinkware Dash Cam Link app is very simple as apps come. After the system has been setup, to connect to the dashcam with the app, swipe down on the touch-screen on the front camera and enable the WiFi which will display a QR code. Open the app and select connect to dash cam, then scan the QR code. This will take a couple of seconds to connect, but then you will be able to view all the recordings for both the front and rear camera, with the app listing them from newest to oldest. The only downside is that you must go through these steps every time you want to review any recordings on the dash cam, as your phone disconnects from the system as soon as you close the app. It is easy to identify when an event worth checking occurred as the app adds a labeling of “Incident” to the recording, though this can be as simple as a car passing too close or a quick movement out of the corner of the view. Overall, the app is easy to use and navigate, while being nothing more than a portal to the dash cam recordings. My biggest complaint is that there isn’t a way to automatically sync recordings off the dash cam or backup the videos from the local SDcard except for manually downloading the video. Depending on how much you drive, this might mean you will start to overwrite prior videos within a single day as 4K footage fills up the provided 32GB storage quickly. Thinkware estimates 32GB can store 61 mins of recordings, which backs up what I’ve found through my week of testing, with my initial video clips being overwritten roughly a week later. If want to be able to review your recordings or back them up for your records, you will want to do so often and regularly to avoid the recordings being overwritten. Recordings: The front camera records by default at 4K 30fps, which is amazing quality for a dash cam. The 146 degrees of view from the wide-angle lens captures the full front of the vehicle, from edge to edge. This is very helpful because if you get hit on the side of the front, the only part that doesn’t have any coverage is the sides of the vehicle where the doors are. The front camera can be reduced to 2K resolution which offers a higher frame rate of 60fps. This offers smaller sized clips at a faster rate, that will be smoother for higher speeds where quick motion capture might be more important, think highway driving over city streets. The rear camera captures 1080 at 30fps, with a smaller angle of 125 degrees. This is plenty to capture any actual impacts or motion near the rear of the vehicle, while also not triggering on every single motion behind the vehicle. At first, I found the angle of the rear lens to not be very helpful, until I realized I could reposition further. Just rotate it firmly if you feel it stops, try moving the cable around as the resistance for me was caused by the angle of the cable and not the camera housing. Alongside the video recording, the system captures audio within the vehicle which helps add context to what is happening within the car where the camera cannot see. The audio is clear enough to understand even with music going or a noisy background, though it does sound far off and not sharp. But for the purpose of reviewing an event from a drive, it’s plenty fine. Conclusion: Overall, I’m impressed with the Thinkware ARC800, being easy to install and use, and providing amazing quality recordings. The wide viewing angle of the front camera captures everything in front of the vehicle, with the 4K resolution keeping it clear enough to make out. The rear camera works great in conjunction with the front camera, while being out of the way. The only drawback is that there is no automatic backing up of the recordings and the provided 32GB storage card fills up quickly, so you’d want to check the recording list often.

In today's world, I can't imagine you not wanting a little more piece of mind by having a dash camera. Now bring on Thinkware with their offering of a easy to install, good image quality, dual camera dash camera. At first unboxing, everything needed to install yourself is provided for you. I have a 5th generation Toyota 4Runner for this install. I was able to easily mount the main front facing camera right near the rear view mirror. I was able to route the USB c to USB a cable over the headliner, down the A pillar, and under the steeringg wheel panel to end at the center console USB port. As for the rear facing camera, that took a little more effort. You cannot mount the rear facing camera directly on the glass as the 4runner has a glass window you can roll down. The alternative was to route the included cable from the main front facing dash camera up over the headliner, through the driver's side A pillar, b pillar, and hatch headliner to the camera which I mounted temporarily with the included double sided tape to a plastic screw cap. Setup was easy enough to follow instructions and setup with the Thinkware app. You are able to modify settings in the app too but I like that you can do it on the main dash cam display. Now they do include a hardwire kit and recommend that a professional installer do it for you. If you have a little know how, just buy some fuse taps and install it yourself. Now for overall image quality I do think this AI post processing does a good job but it could try to do better in certain low lighting situations. I think a lot of dash cameras fall short with low light imaging. Now where I got annoyed was the app connectivity. I struggled to connect a few times and it is just a hassle really to have to manually scan the QR code for wifi connectivity. I'm hoping that with future updates, you can auto sync more easily. Auto syncing of important saved recordings would be a great option as well to minimize having to search for them later.

My teenage son started driving recently and I wanted to find a dashcam that is easy to install, easy to connect to and use when i saw the THINKWARE - ARC800 4K UHD Front and Full HD Rear Dash Cam. it seemed good with a highly regarded brand so I gave it a shot. The camera comes with everything you need if you want to connect it to the car USB C outlet or the lighter outlet. it also comes with wiring ready to be connected to the car fuse box. so I got a hardwiring kit and connected it directly to the car to enable the parking mode (all time power) without draining the battery. it was also straight forward setup. I cleaned the glass where i wanted to connect the camera, inserted the included Micro SD card and started the setup by scanning the QR code on the quick setup guide and followed the instructions, 3 minutes later i was connected and ready. I have the ability to choose the recording quality, sound notifications, speed stamping video's, etc. the best part? its extremely quick to connect every time and easy to download video content either by connecting to the camera wifi network or by removing the SD card or by connecting a usb C cable to the extra port on the camera. am happy with this camera performance and feel better about my kid driving on the streets.

I did not install this camera but my friend did and he said it was simple (didn’t take him very long so it must’ve been pretty straightforward). A few things right away I wasn’t happy with. My car is a lease, so we were not doing any hardwiring. So he tucked the wires as best as he could but you can still see them. Not cute. And secondly, I didn’t know that once you put the cameras on they’re basically on there forever. Again my car is a lease so that’s not going to work. So now when my lease is up we’ll have to use a hairdryer to heat the stuff up and then scrape it off and use goo gone or alcohol to remove all the leftover sticky mess? Why was there no suction cup option. Some might think that’s silly but not to someone with a leased vehicle. Had I known that it was so permanent I wouldn’t even have let him install it. Because how will I even stick it to my next vehicle if all the sticky stuff is gone? The camera itself is good. The video quality is great. But that’s about it. I cannot connect to the camera through the app unless I’m in the car and can scan the code on its screen. That is ridiculous. Who is wasting gas running the AC full blast (because it’s hot AF outside) in this economy with gas prices over $5 a gallon?! Just to check the darn videos? No thanks. And I noticed it doesn’t take a full video of my drive. It stops every few minutes. So I’ll have 10 videos for 1 short trip. That’s probably a setting, but again I can’t connect unless I scan the code while in my car EVERY SINGLE TIME. I don’t have the patience for all of that nonsense so I gave up. I’m sure others with different circumstances will love this dash cam as the footage is crisp and clear. It’s just not a good fit for me.

I urgently needed a dash cam since I have two young adults driving, so I’m glad I found this Thinkware Dash Cam. It comes with everything you need to get started and gives me some peace of mind when the kids are behind the wheel. The installation was quite straightforward. I mounted both cameras and ran the power cord around the trim using the provided tool. The hardest part was removing the trim to hide the cable, but other than that, it was a breeze. I opted to power both cameras using the USB-C port. You can also do the hardwire installation but that was too much for me and I went for the easy one. When I powered on the camera, it prompted me to download the app and scan the QR code to connect. This part was a little frustrating because my phone couldn’t read the QR code. Thankfully, there was an option to connect through Wi-Fi, and that worked smoothly. Once connected, I was able to set up both the camera and the app to my preferences. One thing I found frustrating is that I have to be connected to the camera to view the recorded videos. Otherwise, I can’t access the recordings through the app. You have the option to remove the sd card and play the videos on a computer, but thats insane. I would have preferred a more convenient way to access the recordings. The recordings are good, with clear and crisp picture quality. The nighttime recordings are also quite good, which is important to me since a lot of driving happens after dark. As soon as I power on the car, the camera starts recording and gives me a “have a safe drive” sound. The camera comes with a 32GB microSD card, which I plan to upgrade for additional storage. I recommend keeping your back windshield clean, especially if you’re using the rear camera, to ensure you get the clearest recordings possible. Overall, I’m happy with the camera so far. Installation was easy, the video quality is good, and knowing I have both front and rear cameras gives me some extra peace of mind with my young drivers.

I really wanted to like this Thinkware ARC800 dash cam, but there is just so much to dislike. Don't get me wrong, this is a fully capable dash cam that actually performs well fundamentally. It records a very sharp image with great resolution. You install it to your windshield just like any other dash cam. It actually looks and feels very premium. Installation was very hard for me. This may just be the case with me as i tried to register it once i had it hooked up on my Chevy Silverado. To connect to the camera, you establish a local connection with it to your phone. This causes major issues if you have android auto. Messages keep popping up to reconnect to android auto while you are trying to connect to your camera. I had to literally pull the camera from my truck and bring it inside my house. Then i was able to connect my phone to it. Once connected you can run a firmware update and change the video settings. You can also view clips that have been stored on the device. When you are connect to the dash cam with your phone, your camera will not record, you are on a settings mode. So if you want to view clips and change settings, your camera is inoperable. Just don't try to connect if you are in a Chevy with android auto. You will continue to get the conflicts with an error message that you could not connect to the camera. This is all very frustrating. Then, the camera physically sits at an angle on your windshield. This puts the display at an angle as well. You can almost not see the screen at all. You cannot asjust the angle of the screen, only the camera itself. Overall, i do not recommend this drive camera. It is not worth the money in my opinion.

I want my dashcam to do three things: 1. Easy setup. Once setup, not have to worry about it not recording. With no monthly service attached. 2. Good enough picture quality that I can see everything I need to see. 3. Easy to get footage off of for review. This camera does all three of those things well. Which means it’s an easy recommendation from me. Pros: • Front facing (4k30, 146 FOV) and rear facing (1080p30, 120 FOV) views. But no cabin. • Has an included touchscreen, which makes it easier to setup as you can see where the camera is facing. Additionally, you can fully control the camera with it (review footage, change settings, change brightness, etc.). Which means I don’t have to use the app. Which is great. • Video footage is solid. Wide field of view to capture everything. Can easily read most things. Does its job well. • Reviewing footage is easy. You can either go through the touchscreen. Or, you go into the app, connect wirelessly to the camera via QR code, go to the clip, then download to your phone. With it being wireless vs Bluetooth this is quick (when wireless connection works). Additionally, you can just remove the SD card and plug that directly into the computer. • The slanted design is more attractive and low profile than my other, more bulky camera, which I appreciate. Meh: • Depending on preference this is a pro or a con. It doesn't come with a bunch of different bells and whistles, such as monitoring alerts. It just simply records the front and rear of your car when you're driving, which I love. • It comes with a 32 GB micro SD card, which is probably fine for most people, and I appreciate that it's included and you don't have to buy it separately. However, with it being on the smaller size, if you are wanting to get a recording off of it, it's better to do it sooner rather than later. Due to the auto delete function, it will remove that footage semi-quickly. • The camera talks to you. Personally, this isn't my cup of tea, so I turned it off. Some examples include when you turn it on, it will greet you, and also when it registers an event, it will notify you. • The app is basic, which I like. Relatively intuitive and works most of the time (a rarity in these devices). I’ve had some occasional issues with Wi-Fi connection dropping. Cons: • Port selection is not ideal. While USB-C may be good for those who have a newer car, it leaves a cable constantly in the middle of your car which is annoying. There is no OBD-II power cable. Allowing you to easily take or unplug the device. Forcing you to use the hardwiring kit (gross). Ideally, I would have liked either an OBD-II power cable and/or a cigarette lighter power adapter.

Pros: -Lightweight -Easy Installation -Comes with right tools -Good quality video -App available for data transfer Cons: -Requires hardwiring for all the features -Full installation requires hiding cables -Proprietary back camera cable The Thinkware ARC800 is a premium camera, but with a somewhat basic app. It’s pretty light and compact, so you can mount it behind the mirror and it's fairly out of sight. The packaging came with all the mounts, cables and even a trim tool to do a cleaner installation. There are hard mounting cables, as well as a USBc to USBc Cable to power it on. Hardwiring is required for the full features like impact and motion sensors. The installation was pretty easy. Everything was plug and play, including the App. You program in which camera you have, and you're done. The camera turns on when you turn your car on. There is a USB transfer port, but my preference is the wifi connection to your phone. For now, I have it set up with wires hanging since I have a new vehicle so I did not feel comfortable removing the trim to hide the wires, but they are long enough to where that would be no issue. The cable in the back is a non conventional old USB to headphone jack cable. It's certainly long enough, and the camera auto detects it when it's plugged in. I'll definitely have to get this hardwired, and may need to get it professionally done, to not have a wire hanging all the way across my vehicle. I’m also missing some features like impact sensing or motion sensor while the car is parked without hardwiring. The video quality is very good. It records in 4k, and the recording at night was good for me as well. The back camera is lightweight and has a fish-eye view to get through view. The app is okay and feels somewhat basic. It’s mainly just used to sync to the camera to view and download video. I do not like that you have to pair it every time you need to get footage off the camera, but it probably wouldn't be too often that I will be trying to get footage. It saves battery life on my phone for not having another device be constantly connected so perhaps it’s a plus. Also the included microSD card is a nice plus. If you do not want your recordings to get overwritten, I'd recommend a bigger one. I also suspect with all the rewrites, the life of the included card will be shorten. It's easy to swap the card, so not a huge issue. Overall, I'm pleased with this camera and feel safer with it. The installation was easy as long as you’re able to hide the wires. The video quality is good for both the front and rear camera. The app is fine and gets the job done.

I have had several dash cams, and this is by far the best dash cam I have ever owned because of its quality, ease of installation, and usability. It is also the first dash cam of this brand that I have owned. The Dash Cam ARC800 is packaged and sold as a front-and-rear camera set. The front camera is 4K UHD, and the rear camera is 1080p Full HD. The photo quality recorded on the 4K camera is excellent. Night vision while parked is enhanced with AI, providing a clear image and showing more detail than most night vision-capable cameras. The ergonomic shape and size of the front camera both add to the dashcam’s ease of use. Because of the design, it matches the windshield's slant and fits easily under the rearview mirror. It is out of the way and also easy to view. Once positioned and installed, the camera lens can still be adjusted, letting you position it as needed for a direct view and the perfect viewing angle for your vehicles. When positioned in the middle of the front windshield, the camera is designed to give you a 146-degree viewing angle. The rear camera also offers a great 125-degree viewing angle when placed in the middle of the rear window. Together, these two cameras give very generous viewing and recording. It is extra insurance you hopefully will not need but will have just in case. On the front camera, there is a 2.3-inch viewing touchpad. This is a generous area to view your footage and a nice size for making system adjustments. Recorded footage appears in the app, or you can download it using a USB-C to USB-C transfer cable. To download your footage, a USB-C to USB-C transfer cable certified for your mobile device can be used to transfer videos and photos, or receive them in the app. This dashcam also has a built-in GPS and dual-band Wi-Fi. It is easy to get started and to use, but you will need to download the app and connect to the internet through the app. This lets you download the latest firmware and follow the simple setup steps. The side of the dash cam has a speaker and an SD memory card slot. It comes with a 32GB card and will overwrite recordings, but it works with up to a 512GB SD Card if needed or preferred. You can turn Voice Recording on or off. The product is packaged with everything that you need to install the dashcams. It includes the ARC 800 front camera and the rear-view camera. A key point to remember is when you install the rear camera, make sure the Thinkware writing faces into the vehicle. This will allow the images to not be upside down. Included in the package is a rear cam cable which is long enough for an SUV and would be adequate for a van. Also included is the hardwiring cable, a USB-C cable, the 32 GB SD card, the windshield mount, extra mounting tape, the trim tool that you will need to push the cable around the trim to conceal it, and 3 adhesive cable holders if you need them. The camera can be powered through a USB-C connection from your vehicle to the camera's USB-C power. Be aware that it will not operate in parked mode without hardwiring it to the fuse box. If you hardwire the dash cam to your fuse box, you can subscribe to Thinkware Connected. Thinkware Connected is an intelligent, communication-based service that provides real-time connectivity and additional features like advanced parking surveillance, safety camera alerts, and traffic light change alerts. Even without the advanced features, this is a great dashcam that offers a wide view of both the front and rear of your vehicle and records excellent images.

SETUP / INSTALLATION The setup process was not difficult. I installed it myself and did not hardwire it directly to the fuse box. Instead, I used an OBD power adapter, which made running the power cable much simpler as it connected to the port under the steering wheel. The included trim tool was useful. It helped pull back the panels and weather stripping so I could tuck the wire cleanly out of sight. Running the rear camera wire was not difficult, just a little time consuming. I routed it along the floorboard trim and weather stripping, and with the trim tool, it was simple enough to manage. Connecting the cam to the app was also pretty easy. I was able to pair the camera, view the video, and access recordings without much trouble. The file transfer feature is a nice touch, especially being able to play back video directly on your phone. The transfer did feel a little slow, but I am not sure if that is the normal connection speed or if it is because the front video files are 4K and larger in size. BUILD / FEEL The camera feels solid and well built. It does not have a cheap plastic feel, and there is no flex when handling it. The front camera feels sturdy, and the overall system gives the impression that it is a quality product. The screen is small but clear. It gives you a quick way to check settings, camera placement or review what the camera is seeing without always needing your phone. That said, I do wish the front camera was a little smaller. Since the camera already allows wireless file transfer to your phone, I do not think the screen is completely necessary. In my opinion, removing the screen would have made the front camera more streamlined and cleaner looking on the windshield. VIDEO QUALITY The front camera records in 4K, and this is where the dash cam performs very well. The video is clear enough to read license plates, street signs, and see people’s faces as they cross in front of the car. The wide-angle view is also good. It captures enough of the road without creating that peephole or fishbowl distortion I have seen on some other dash cams. Some cameras try to capture too much and end up making the image look warped, but I did not notice that issue here. NIGHT VIDEO The night video is decent. The footage does not get completely washed out by streetlights or headlights, when it comes to seeing faces at night, it is a little harder to make out fine details because of the black-and-white look, but the overall quality is still good. You can still see vehicles, movement, and what is happening around the car. It is not perfect at night, but it does the job. For me, that is what matters. I do not need night footage to look like daytime footage. I need it to be clear enough to show what happened. APP / WI-FI The THINKWARE app connects easily to the camera and is simple to use. I did not experience freezing, lag, or major connection issues while accessing recordings. The app is easy to maneuver, and finding saved videos is straightforward. Being able to view and transfer clips wirelessly from the camera to your phone is one of the better features of this system. The only drawback is that transferring video can feel slow. Again, that may be because of the size of the 4K files, but it is something to be aware of. The feature is still useful, but larger clips may take a little patience. GPS / ALERTS I keep the alerts on, and embarrassingly enough, the "front vehicle moving" alert has actually helped me. It does not seem like a feature that would be very useful, but when you are distracted at a light or in traffic, it does help by letting you know the vehicle in front of you started moving. I know the camera has GPS and safety camera alerts, but I have not used those features much. These days there are speed cameras and red-light cameras everywhere, and I do not want constant alerts while driving. For me, the front vehicle moving alert is useful, but I do not need every alert feature turned on. HONEST NEGATIVE The biggest thing I would change is the size and design of the front camera. I would prefer a more streamlined front camera without the screen. Since the camera has Wi-Fi transmission and allows access through the app, I do not really need a screen on the unit. Removing it would make the camera look cleaner and less bulky. I also wish it came with a larger memory card. The included card works, but 4K video files are large, and a larger memory card would make more sense for a camera system like this. The multiple wires coming out of the back also make the front camera look a little bulkier than I would like. It is not a dealbreaker, but if someone wants the cleanest and most minimalist look possible, this may not be the best fit.The screen's box(y) design, and multiple wires make it a little more noticeable than I would prefer. I wish they could streamline the wiring to something similar to a powered ethernet cable...power and video thru one cable. OVERALL The THINKWARE ARC800 is a very good dash cam system for someone who wants clear 4K front video, rear camera coverage, and easy access to recordings through a phone app. Overall, this is a nice, accessible camera system that performs well where it matters most: clear footage, solid build quality, and easy access to your recordings.

With a dash cam, most of the spec sheet is noise. What matters is the sensor and the processing behind it, because that's what decides whether your footage is worth anything the day you actually need it. I've run a lot of these over the years and wired them into more vehicles than I can count, so I came in knowing what to look for. The ARC 800 is built around a Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 up front, and that's the real story. Everything else is packaging around a strong sensor. Setup was smooth, no surprises. I went with the USB-C power option this time since it was the quick route, though I've hardwired plenty of cameras before and the included kit is there if you want constant power for parking features. Physical install is the usual dash cam routine, mount the front unit, run the rear cable back, tuck it all into the trim. If you've done one, you've done them all. If you haven't, Thinkware's video walks you through it and it isn't hard. Image quality is where that sensor earns its keep. Up front it records 4K at 30fps and the detail is excellent, plates and signs reading clean in daylight. That lens is wide, a bit over 146 degrees, which looks slightly stretched at the edges the first time you review footage but makes complete sense for the job. A dash cam exists to capture everything around the vehicle, not to look pretty, and the wide field means about the only blind spot left is the doors. Rear coverage is 1080p across an even wider 160 degrees, plenty for catching whatever happens behind you. Night performance has come a long way in this class, and this keeps pace. Doesn't surprise me. Sensors and low-light processing have been improving steadily for years, and it's good to see that progress land in a mainstream cam. It won't fake daylight, and faces get tougher to resolve once you're into the grainy low-light range, but vehicles, motion, and the shape of an event all read clearly. For evidence, that's exactly what you need. There's a long feature list, and I turned most of it off. My truck already handles collision and lane-keeping, so I don't need the camera stacking alerts on top of ones I'm already getting. I left the parking surveillance modes alone this time too, though they're worth knowing about. Back when I was parking in public lots and traveling more, that kind of monitoring earned its place, and if that's your situation the modes are all here waiting. Good to have the option without it forcing itself on you. One practical note from someone who's installed a few. Sort out what power setup your vehicle needs before install day. You get USB-C and the hardwiring kit in the box, but no OBD-II or 12V adapter, so if your truck lacks a powered USB port and you'd rather not hardwire, grab the adapter ahead of time. Same thinking on storage, since 4K files run large and the included card is small, a bigger card is a smart add if you want more history on hand. This is a well-rounded camera doing the thing that counts, pulling clean, reliable footage off a strong sensor. If that's what you actually want from a dash cam, it's an easy one to live with.

The Thinkware Arc 800 is a solid dashcam worth considering. As with any dashcam, there are several installation options, ranging from a simple cigarette-lighter connection to a hardwire kit connected to the vehicle’s fuse system. The kit included both options, so I chose the hardwire installation. This is more difficult and requires some experience if you plan to do it yourself. Otherwise, professional installation would be advisable. Regardless of how you power the unit, the mount for the forward-facing camera is solid. The quality 3M adhesive and large mounting surface should help keep it attached, even in the hot Florida sun, although time will tell. I also connected the rear camera and routed the cable through the headliner. Both cables were more than long enough for my smaller car and should provide sufficient reach for a full-size SUV. Once powered on, the front camera’s touchscreen made the initial setup easy to follow. I installed the app and was pleasantly surprised that it did not require me to create an account. In fact, I was able to use all of the features without creating one. Connecting to the dashcam through the app is straightforward and uses Wi-Fi rather than Bluetooth. Each time, you must open the app, select the connection option, and scan a QR code displayed on the dashcam. To display the QR code, you first have to access it through the camera’s menus. This is not difficult, but I was hoping it would not require touching the screen because the camera is mounted directly behind my rearview mirror. I have to move the mirror slightly out of the way to access the display. Since this is not something I expect to do often, it is not a major concern. After setup, I could view the test recordings from the app, watch the videos, and download them. You can also adjust nearly every setting through the app instead of using the camera’s touchscreen. Changing settings directly on the screen was simple as well, although it may not be very convenient depending on how the camera is mounted. The Arc 800 is not designed for the screen to be visible while driving. Because of the camera’s angle, viewing the display from the driver’s seat would not be practical. If having a visible screen while driving is important to you, this may not be the right dashcam. The recordings were high quality, with support for up to 4K resolution. I have no complaints about the video quality. The built-in microphone also picks up interior sound and some road noise through the windshield. However, do not expect excellent audio quality. Conversations are not likely to be especially clear, particularly with normal road noise present. The camera includes options such as collision detection, traffic-light change notifications, and several other configurable features. The rear camera quality was also very good. The only issue I encountered was that, regardless of whether I flipped the rear-camera image, playback always appeared upside down. I am not sure whether this was an issue with the app or the dashcam itself. Overall, I am happy with the Thinkware Arc 800’s features, hardware, and overall quality. The installation requires some effort, especially if you choose to hardwire the camera, but the process was manageable. The app is useful and does not require an account, the video quality is excellent, and the rear camera adds valuable coverage. My only significant complaint is the upside-down rear-camera playback issue.

The Thinkware Arc800 is a great dash cam and a great extra insurance policy in the event the unfortunate happens. Or maybe you catch that once in a lifetime thing on video... Like a cool meteor or UFO flying by. Setting this up is fairly straight forward and will depend on your desired configuration. I use the provided USB-C cable as I have an adapter that draws power from my powered rearview mirror. You could use the optional OBD II cable or have it hardwired. Biggest pain will be routing your cable for the rear view camera. Not difficult but will take some effort. The app works well. It is simple, allows you to view recorded video and connect to the dashcam. Once you get everything dialed in you will be able to hop into the app and save videos as needed. The video quality is great thanks to the Sony Starvis 2 sensor. Night video is great. The AI night vision actually works pretty good and I have been pleased with it so far. I run QHD mode at 60 frames per second. I personally like the higher frame rate over the higher resolution. Makes for a smoother video and better overall clarity. The touch screen works as intended. It was a bit tricky for me to figure out the perfect placement on the windshield where I could get the best viewpoint but also access the touch screen. The included SD card is a very nice touch. Although I have several lying around, it's nice to have one included. 32 gb is plenty of space and it will just write over existing video as space is needed. Overall, a great dash cam that provides a bit of piece of mind. Everyone should have a dash cam these days.

The Thinkware box contains; the front and rear dash cams, a mini sd card, along with 3M mounting tape, a cable to connect to the fuse box, a long ubsc to usbc cable, the little tool to tuck the wires in, the instruction booklet. I initially wanted to connect this via hardwired using the cable that's usbc on one end and bare wire on the other, I thought better than fooling around with it since I hadn't a clue and didn't want to mess up. Then I went to the usbc to usbc cable, but wasn't able to bring the cam online. Finally, I purchased the cigarette plug jack. This did work (thankfully). After plugging it in, it steps you through the initial setup, which includes downloading the Thinkware app. The camera brought up the QR thing to scan which then connected itself to my phones wi-fi. From there it was good to go, after it did an update. I have to say that I've had several Dash cams some were very crisp and clear videos costing much less and others that were not easy to make out plates at night. The Arc 800 seems to be a middle of the road option. I know it says 4K UHD, but I'm not really sure that's the case. While night vision is visual, it's not always clear and bright days are a bit of a struggle as well. Don't get me wrong, it's a nice dash cam that will get the job done. Unfortunately, I haven't had the time to try out things such as gps traffic monitoring, the parking mode or traffic light alert yet due to the amount of time it took me to set it up. I do, however, plan to update this review when I do.

Hello friends and welcome to my review of the new Thinkware ARC800 4K dash cam. The very first thing I want to say about this unit is it is finicky upon set-up. Make for sure you first get the correct app for this dash cam. Thinkware has several apps and they are vague about which one you should use. It is labeled in the instructions but when i scanned the QR code I downloaded the wrong app. This caused me to not be able to connect to the cam. I figured it out after closely reading the instructions again. With this unit it is very important to read the instructions carefully and follow them. After install and the first connection to the unit, Turn everything off and disconnect from the unit for a while. This gives the unit time to update the internals and start acting correct. Speaking of install my unit was a direct wire unit. This means that it is permanently installed in the vehicle and wired in to the car. This allows the end user to hide the wires better and allows for the parking record features to work. Unless it is hardwired it will not monitor the vehicle when it's turned off. If you are familiar with working on cars then installing this dash cam in your vehicle will be a do-able task. However if you have not had a lot of experience working on cars then please take your car to a local installer of dash cams. They can install it in about a day and get you back on the road. As far as using the dash cam, this unit is intended to be a passive safety feature. In order to connect your phone to this unit you have to scan a QR code on the screen, every time you want to view video on your device. Also that is required to download videos off of the dash cam. So in my opinion they expect this to only be used in an emergency situation. And it does that well with clear crisp video. The field of view looks good to me and covers most things you would want to record. Also this has the rear camera too and to me the videos look about the same from each camera. Thinkware makes good products and good cameras. I think this is a great addition to my vehicle and I feel safer now so to me worth the investment. In conclusion would I recommend this to friends? Yes I do it is well made and it is a great safety feature.

It is a dashcam so you're going to be running cables, but the hardwire install makes it extra tricky and I'd prefer to have the rear camera connect without a wire as thats also complex to run. Based on the manual there is a OBD-ll cable and other camera I used was able to connect there to get its power, rather then having to mess with the the fuse box. I feel like with all the other features, connecting to the OBD would have made this much better over an overall product. So if you don't want to mess with the power in your car you're stuck using usb c able (assuming you have one) and then not getting recordings when the car is off. Once it is finally installed, the actual images are great. Too many people doing things on the road that makes it a must to have a dash cam, and having both front and back is key. The app works decent to see the recordings when you need, but again, problem without hard wire is you don't get it when the car is not running. Overall decent dash cam, just a little bit of an odd choice with the power.

I love the idea of having a dash cam. It saves you in so many ways throughout the day if you ever need to call upon its footage. I wish there was a better way to hook up a dash cam. Every dash cam that I've ever installed needs power. The front part, the one that mounts near your rear view mirror, is usually not a problem. You can set that up with the included cigarette lighter AC adapter or hardwire kit included but the rear dash cam, that one is a problem child. Mainly because nobody has power that they can pull from near their back glass. You have to inevitably snake your power cord all the way back to the firewall fuse box and tap that. Along the way you have to pop off plastic covers and pull carpet if you want a nice appearance. Once it's set up though, this THINKWARE ARC800 is a very nice dash cam. To get started you just download the app, connect the camera to the app and from the app you can view all of your motion triggers or trip data. You can also view the image output in real time. The build quality seems very adequate for hot cars, which is really what this is going to sit in and I don't see any issues from overheating. If you're good with your hands or you're OK with paying for a professional installer, I think you will like this dash cam.