Rexing 4K Dash Cams bring something to the market that you don’t normally see with a typical camera. While most standard cameras film in 1080p (which in itself is still really good), 4K isn’t so commonly seen. In this review, I’m going to be taking a look at the 3 different options you have out there: The Rexing V1, V1 Max, and V1P Max 4K Dash Cams.
Standard features and free items with all 3 Rexing 4K dash cams
In addition to filming in 4K, all of the Rexing 4K dash cams offer simple one-piece operations. A small LCD screen displays what the camera is capturing and gives you a real-time view of where you’re filming. The devices are all on a slant, with the cameras located at the bottom, and they won’t take up much space on your windshield. In fact, one of the installation recommendations is that you try to place the camera high up on your windshield so that it’s out of the way. These are the diagram photos Rexing has in their demo shots, and they’re what I did when installing these in both my vehicles.
One of the nicest surprises you’ll receive inside the box is the offer for free stuff! There are a couple of buckslips included in each box. One is an invitation to share a review of your dash cam, and you’ll be sent a free 32GB Micro SD card for use in your camera. The other is for a free hard-wire kit! If you get in touch with Rexing and follow the instructions on the slip, they’ll send you a free hard-wire kit. I did not end up hard-wiring the cameras in the review video as they’re going back after my review is done, but I will show you what the wiring kit looks like since I was sent one to display.
All 4K cameras support Rexing’s free Connect App (available on the iOS and Android app stores) and can support memory cards of up to 256GB. That said, if you buy anything larger than 32GB, they will have to be FAT32 partitioned prior to use. I took a 64GB memory card and plugged it straight into the V1P model, and it had trouble recognizing it until I took it and FAT32 partitioned it. I don’t know if it was an anomaly based on brand name, but in this particular case, the onboard formatting options did not work for a card that large. I took a brand new 32GB card and plugged it into the V1P Max (which is basically the V1P front camera), and it worked just fine out of the box.
Once plugged in, you can run through basic settings like Wi-Fi toggling, continuous loop recording (of up to 3 minutes), and time-stamping features. The menus themselves are very manual (no touch screen) and can be a little clunky to navigate around the first couple of times, but you’ll get used to it.
Unboxing the Rexing 4K dash cams
Unboxing these cameras is pretty simple. The cameras feature prominently in each unboxing, and then you have your in-box bells and whistles. All cameras come with very minimalist mounts, but you get two of them if you want to switch cameras between vehicles. The power cords are extremely long, and you get a wire hiding tool to encourage you to hook it around the car so it’s not a tripping or unplugging hazard.
After seeing the large or elaborate mounts that some other manufacturers offer, these are almost nothing in comparison. In fact, all 3 camera mounts are basically thin pieces of plastic that sit on your windshield. You even have to attach the adhesives yourself. This isn’t a bad approach honestly, since it means your cameras are as close to your windshield as possible.
From here, let’s take a look at the unique features of each of these cameras.
Review of the Rexing V1 4K Dash Cam
If there is a “baby” version of these 4K dash cams based solely on size, it’s the V1. This camera is big on features but leaves the smallest footprint on your windshield, including the tiniest mount I think I’ve ever seen on one of these cameras. The V1 can operate in very extreme temperatures (-28 Celsius all the way up to 80 Celsius, which is the highest range I’ve ever seen) and has a wide 170 degree field of vision.
The one thing I really like about the V1, however, is the side crank to adjust the camera. Where the V1 Max requires a bit more manual pulling and jostling, the V1’s camera is on a side crank. There are also side ports to add on an optional GPS if needed.
Review of the Rexing V1 Max and V1P Max 4K Dash Cams
The only difference between the Rexing V1 Max and V1P Max Dash Cams is the fact that the Max kit comes with a rear camera, while the V1 Max does not. The rear camera records in 30 frames per second, 1080p, and time & sound stamps are very similar to the front camera. The front camera records in 3840 x 2160 UHD at 30 frames per second.
One thing I do want to stress quite a bit is that there doesn’t appear to be a battery backup on this camera, but that’s not necessarily true. While the camera will shut down when your car does, there’s a built-in parking sensor and super capacitor that jolts your camera awake and recording the moment your car is impacted. The camera can perform in as low as -20 degree Celsius temperatures, to as high as 70 degrees. It’s not quite as high as the V1 in that regard, but I’d have a really hard time picturing any scenario where the inside of your car would be more than 70 degrees Celsius, even on the hottest of Canadian summer days.
The camera on this one is manual. If you need to adjust it, it’s done by hand from underneath the camera itself.
If you end up purchasing the V1 Max and want to add a rear camera later on, you can add it. The V1 Max has a port that will allow you to hook up a rear camera later on, while the standard V1 does not.
What’s missing in the line of Rexing 4K dash cams?
There isn’t a lot missing here. A fairly simple installation and user interface are always helpful. It doesn’t come with memory cards, so you will have to buy one, but they’re fairly cheap nowadays. One thing that is not included at all is a large battery backup of any sort. All 3 of the cameras have battery backup sufficient enough to complete your recording and shut down, and do keep in mind that the V1 Max comes with a parking monitor/super capacitor feature for the purpose of parking assist. If you wish to take full advantage of the camera’s motion G-Sensor and parking recording mechanics, I would recommend getting the hard-wire kit that is on offer. As a consumer, it does really help that Rexing has thought these through and can provide both of these missing pieces for free. However, you’re best off purchasing a memory card in any event as memory isn’t that expensive nowadays.
While the manual menus to access anything on the cameras can be a bit clunky, the app connectivity and functions are great, and the access and download speeds aren’t bad. Video footage is very clear and crisp. I don’t think that most of you will necessarily need a 4K camera, but for those of you that will be taking these videos to social media (or plan on creating compilations of driving footage), this is far and away a better option than 1080p recording, which you’ll see in the review videos.
It was really nice to get to review 4K dash cams for the first time. If I had to pick a favorite based on my current needs, I’d be more likely to get the V1 Max Camera (without the rear camera), but it’s only because both my wife and I are working from home, and on most weekdays, our drive is to the school bus stop and back home. I don’t have as much need for fancier dash cams nowadays, but if your commute is long, you can’t go wrong with any of these options. I really like that they take up a very little footprint on your windshield, come with mounts for more than one car, and, most importantly, are packed with features to make your life as a user much easier.
These Rexing 4K dash cams are now available at Best Buy and online at BestBuy.ca!
