Customer Ratings & Reviews

[Employee of bestbuy] Overall, the U3000 is a pretty solid camera. Starting with features, it is packed with almost everything you can think of. It has a GPS, includes a rear camera and a really good parking mode, which I will talk about in a moment. It includes an OBD 2 cable to power the camera, which makes it really easy to get parking mode working without having to hardwire the camera. The camera can stamp your current speed in the video and it also records some extra data which can be viewed through a program in a computer. You also get an app for your phone through which you can connect to the camera, change all the settings, get a live view which can also help you mount the cameras properly and see all of your videos. Cable lengths are pretty good and you should be able to reach the back of your car even if you have a large SUV. The camera also includes A polarizing filter, which you can stick on to reduce reflections from your windshield. The pictures I posted are with a polarizer installed. At first I was concerned with the lack of a screen, but it turned out to be a non issue. If there is an error with an SD card, the camera will speak it out loud. And you can use an app on your phone or a program on your computer to change any of the camera settings relatively easily. The LED indicators are easily viewable from the driver seat, even in direct sunlight, and do a good job of providing some information as to what the camera is doing. There are also some more gimmicky features like the lane departure or the go notifier. The go notifier alerts you if the vehicle in front of you is moving, and the lane departure lets you know if you're drifting out of your lane. They don't work super well, but they're also not annoying, so they don't bother me at all. The go notifier is super sensitive and will trigger constantly, if you creep forward, if a pedestrian walks in front of you, if the car in front of you creeps a bit, etc. It definitely needs a bit of work, but as I said it is not annoying. I also wish that the buttons were backlit, they’re impossible to read at night. Parking mode is excellent. Easily the best I've ever tried. The camera includes an OBD 2 cable which can be easily plugged in and ran to get the same effect as a hardwired connection. The camera will remain powered even with the car off, and you can set a battery cutoff voltage. When the car is off, the camera switches to a motion recording mode. When it detects motion, it records a 20 second clip. If it detects an impact, it also stores the clip into a separate folder and it will notify you when you get into your car. The camera also has a radar, but it isn't very clear to me what it does. Supposedly the camera is supposed to record only if it detects something getting close via the radar, but mine just records whenever it detects motion. It's not the end of the world, but it also means I get a bunch of clips of people just walking by. I had really high expectations from the radar, but it doesn't seem to be super useful, although it doesn't hurt the cameras performance or functionality in any way. One complaint I do have about parking mode is that it's not very clear what each video is supposed to be. Some of the videos are stored in the same folder as your regular driving videos, and some of them seem to be stored in a separate folder called Motion Timelapse. It isn't very clear what the difference is between these and it can make the videos hard to find if you’re looking for a particular moment. However, if you have impact detection on and the camera detects an impact, it will store the video in a separate folder called parking event. Personally, I care about looks and this camera is OK. Definitely not the best looking camera out there, but it is not ugly or anything. I do wish that all the cables came straight out of the back of the camera, but the power cable comes out at an angle which makes running the cable a little bit awkward. I also wish that everything connected through USB type C instead of proprietary connectors. Just like the front camera, the rear camera has the cable coming out on an angle, which makes it a little bit awkward to run. The rear camera isn't super small, but it isn't huge, especially considering that it also has radar. Both cameras have a small blue light which illuminates when the cameras are recording. It looks very cool and is a neat gimmick, but I don't think it's super useful. I still like it though. Video quality is a big disappointment for me. Compared to other dash cams, the U3000 is excellent, but considering the price and comparing it to other cameras in general, it is still very underwhelming. It costs nearly five times as much as my $120 Xiaomi camera, but it does not record five times better. A $500 phone’s camera will absolutely mop the floor with any dash camera, and a phone has to do way more than just record video, so I can’t grasp why in 2025 a camera of this price still has such potato quality video. At its default settings, the camera seems a little bit prone to overexposed video, especially at night. License plates can often be washed out and unreadable. The video is also a relatively low bit rate, which leads to a lot of compression artifacts. Even in good daylight, with ideal conditions for the camera, any license plates that are more than about 100 feet away are basically unreadable. The front polarizer filter definitely helps the front camera because it reduces a lot of glare. But there is no polarizer for the rear camera and it could really use one too, as you can see in one of the photos. While the camera will do a great job of documenting an accident, it won't do a great job at documenting a face or a license plate.

Overall I'm very pleased with the Thinkware U3000. Here are my thoughts. Pros: Sleek and quality build. Installation was easy with the OBD cable. Connecting to the dash cam to review footage and download is fairly easy. Footage is clear and crisp (when you download and view from your phone). Includes safety/warning features which you can enable/disable. Various Parking Mode options including Radar mode which allow it to last far longer than other dash cams without draining your battery. Thinkware customer service is easy to contact and very prompt in assisting you to help dial in your settings. Cons: Super Night vision 4.0 is nothing like having HDR. Street, head, and taillights are intensified and make it hard to read plates (disabled in Continuous and left on in Parking mode). In order to review footage through the app you need to have your vehicle running (or else it goes into parking mode). You also need to disable Carplay on your phone when reviewing footage (then remember to enable it again when you're finished). Impact notifications through Thinkware cloud connection doesn't work with Radar mode. For the money it's still a solid dash cam. Plus it comes with the OBD cable, 64 gb memory card, and CPL filter which are add-ons when purchasing other dash cams. Just wish it had HDR.

This camera is even clearer than my older u1000. Love the features. Connecting to the camera is easier than with the thinkware cloud app. All of the features have been working great for me. As a 12 volt technician, Thinkware is the brand I recommend most.

The Thinkware U3000 delivers a top-tier dash cam experience, combining cutting-edge tech with thoughtful design for everyday users. Installation was surprisingly easy. Whether you’re a first-time installer or a seasoned DIYer, the setup process is straightforward with clearly labeled cables and compact mounting hardware. The camera units themselves are sleek and tuck away neatly, preserving visibility without cluttering the windshield or rear window. One of the most impressive features is the crisp, ultra-clear footage. With 4K UHD resolution up front and 2K QHD in the rear, the video quality is outstanding both day and night. Plate numbers, street signs, and other key details are captured clearly, making this an excellent choice for anyone concerned about liability or safety. Remote access, however, leaves a bit to be desired. While the U3000 supports cloud connectivity, it can feel a bit clunky to use. The app occasionally lags or requires multiple steps to access footage remotely, which may frustrate users expecting seamless real-time access. That said, once you’re connected, the features—such as live view, GPS tracking, and cloud storage—are still valuable. Bottom Line: The Thinkware U3000 is an outstanding dash cam with easy installation and premium video quality that sets it apart from much of the competition. If Thinkware can smooth out the remote access experience, this would easily be the best all-around dash cam in its class. Pros: ✓ Easy installation ✓ Exceptional 4K/2K video quality ✓ Sleek, low-profile design ✓ Advanced safety features and parking mode Cons: ✕ Remote access could be more seamless ✕ App interface may need polish

This dash cam is amazing! Lots of good features the video quality is really good and the super night vision looks really good! Very expensive and it best buy does not have the option to insure it which is the downside

This system has a lot of great feedback from video reviews online. In reality, save your money and avoid this camera system. The parking mode does not work. The connectivity will have you think it is a product from 2001. You need 2 apps to have all the advertised features. They are slow, crash often, and not very useful. It feels as a lot of those positive reviews on Amazon and Youtube are paid for. Parking mode issues: 1) This camera reports too many impact recording false positives. Regardless of sensitivity, the camera will register a lot of impact recordings. Once the videos are reviewed, most of them are cars driving by, and no where near the car. 2) The two instances I needed impact/motion recording the camera did not activate. The first instance, something/someone damaged my rear spoiler. Earlier this week, there was damage to my front bumper. It happened on the day of trash collection. The signs point the garbage truck claw damaged my car. No motion or impact recordings. Driving recording issues: If there is a bump or uneven pavement, the camera registers it as an impact incident recording. Connection issues: I have to manually pair my phone to the camera, via Bluetooth to access the app. Then if I want to review recordings, I have to connect to the camera's Wi-Fi. The camera connection fails randomly. App problems: DashCamLink - This app is super slow. This is the main app. It crashes often. It is slow to respond to any inputs. There is no way to navigate or zoom once you are playing the video. Switching between front and rear cameras is a pain. Thinkware Connected - You need a wifi connection to the camera to get alerts. This app really does nothing.

Very difficult to connect to the app. I was expecting to be able to see feed from the recording but haven't been able to connect. I have not removed the memory card to look but it says it it recording and gives me verbal update. I am just used to being able to view the feed in an app and at this price I feel I should be able to do that.

I bought this dash cam after doing extensive research on which dashcams hold up under heat. Since my car sits in the Vegas heat during the day I wanted one that can record during the parking mode and not overheat. Only one day it went in low power mode it was 120 outside. ONLY can imagine what it was inside the car. Also recently recorded a car theft next to my car. Super clear picture, posted on social media everyone wanted to know what camera I had. It was easy to download the video

Thanks to Best Buy's fantastic installers, this product is easy, affordable and gives me some peace of mind. After my last car was totaled in the middle of the night while parked, I had no license plate number of the guilty driver. Thinkware cameras give me some peace of mind with very little effort.

I upgraded from my previous Thinkware U1000 to the new U3000. Radar parking mode works great, I really like how you can adjust so many settings so it can last a long time in parking mode. Dash cam seems well designed to withstand heat, has a lot of ventilation holes.

Very nice dashcam. Pros: * Good quality recording * Small footprint * Feels like it’s a quality make Cons: * Can’t view videos on phone app * Cable that connects the back camera has a specific front and rear connection that is not made super clear in the directions. Install it with the “F” end in the rear and the camera won’t work

Easy to install with long cable to the rear camera. Lots of extra wiring which easily tucks under the car trim with included trim tool. It easily connects to my phone and provides excellent video and parking monitoring with the included OBD2 connection. I often leave my 2025 Bronco Sport parked for several days at a time with no noticed battery drain.

Works well but overpriced.I think better choices for the money.Notifications for parking mode isn’t showing up.I have to open door to get notifications in parking mode.The video quality is good.

This dashcam looks factory. The quality of the video is amazing. It's so discreet, even my wife said "I thought you installed the camera". Pair that with the PAC/Echomaster HWK-TW01 OBD-II Hardwire Installation Kit and you have the perfect combo allowing parking mode while still having access to your OBD II port.

This is a great product; it very clears view. installation was very fast; tech took time to go over how to use it. I would recommence these products to anyone

This is a great front and rear dash cam set. It works great and other drivers have noticed already and have improved their behavior around my SUV. It will take up to a 256gb SD card which allows us to record plenty of data. It has a 4k front camera which produces clear images. You will be happy if you chose this camera set.

I had the U1000 before for four years in my old truck. Never had trouble with it. Bought a brand new truck figured I buy a brand new version.So I bought the U3000. This new one seems to be easier to operate than the old one. Very happy with it, I bought the 256 GB memory card so it could hold more videos clips.

So far it's okay. I wish we could manually save a specific moment on camera, but I'm not sure it's possible. The app(s) could be better too, but it's been a decent dashcam so far.

It’s an amazing camera, have really nice quality recording video, at night is ok but works very well. And the geek squad helps a lot with the installation

Easy to install. Im a female and was able to install it alone without help. I had purchased one before this and exchanged it for this one and very happy with it