Summary: the R2-4K Pro is a straightforward 4K dashcam that does only that job but does it very well without extra bells or whistles. Easy to set up and use, good video and photo footage, solid apps, excellent customer service, and an attractive price point, especially for 4K. I am happy with my purchase and would recommend it to a friend.
Key specifications and features: video up to true 4K ((3840 x 2160 @ 30 fps), photos up to 12Mb resolution, time lapse photos at 1, 2, and 4 fps, 150 degree field of view, 2 band wi-fi, GPS, and parking mode with G-sensor (cam “goes to sleep” when parked but records again if it detects motion or if something hits the car with sufficient force – note that this requires the optional hardwiring kit). This dashcam can’t connect to a second camera or upload videos or photos directly to the cloud. There are no safety features such as lane departure, collision, or speed trap warnings. Menus are logically arranged and easy to navigate. A micro SD card (up to 512 Gb capacity) is required to record and must be purchased separately. Rove recommends their proprietary card and warns against using SanDisk and Samsung cards.
The cam comes with a 12 volt power cord, suction cup and adhesive mounts, with 2 sheets of electrostatic windshield film for use with the adhesive mount. The cam is adjustable vertically and horizontally. The user manual, 4.5″ x 6″ and printed in color, is reasonably well organized and has useful information, but, due to its size, some of the images are too small to read without a magnifying glass. The binding is weak; after less than a month, the pages are starting to separate. How-to info for the smartphone and desktop apps is marginal.
I paid about $170 for the cam, a 256 Gb memory card, and circular polarizing filter. I installed it plugging the power cord into the car’s 12 volt power outlet. The cam turns on and begins recording automatically when the car starts but must be turned off manually. I haven’t hardwired the connection, so I can’t use the parking mode and G sensor features. I first set video resolution at 2K (2560 x1440) and then at 4K; photos at 12 Mb and time lapse at 4 fps. All settings gave what I consider useable footage in daylight. I did not see much difference between the 4K and 2K video, maybe because I do not have a 4K display. I have not used the camera yet during night driving. Playback is smooth and uninterrupted on the device and the smartphone and desktop apps. Settings are easily accessible from the camera while it is installed. The cam is easily disconnected from the mount. The connection points are plastic, so I wonder about durability and whether metal points would last longer. I’m not sure the filter was a good choice; its effectiveness changes as the camera’s angle to the sun changes which, of course, is constantly while driving.
So far, customer support has been superb. Phone support is available but Rove encourages use of texts and emails. Rove has responded to each of my emails in less than 48 hours with on-topic information.
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