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The best dash cam for hot weather
Updated
For a hot climate, buy a dash cam with a supercapacitor instead of a lithium battery. A windshield in summer sun is one of the hottest spots in a car, and lithium batteries do not like it. They can swell and fail. All four cameras on this site list a built-in supercapacitor. Our pick is the VIOFO A229 Plus.
Capacitor vs battery
| Supercapacitor | Lithium battery | |
|---|---|---|
| Job | Saves the last file when power cuts | Same, plus a minute or so of unplugged use |
| Heat | Handles a hot windshield far better | Can swell, leak or die early |
| Life | Usually lasts as long as the camera | Wears out, faster in heat |
| Downside | Camera will not run unplugged | The heat risk |
The downside of a capacitor does not matter in a car. The camera is always plugged in.
How to check a listing
- Search the page for "supercapacitor" or "capacitor". If the maker has one, they say so.
- If the listing talks about "built-in battery" or a battery size in mAh, it is a battery model. We'd skip it for a hot climate.
- If it says nothing either way, assume battery.
What the listings say
- VIOFO A229 Plus: "built-in supercapacitor" is in the product title. It is our pick here for the same reason it is our pick overall, which is strong video from both cameras. Caveat: no card in most bundles.
- ROVE R2-4K Dual: lists a supercapacitor for heat and cold, and says the camera has built-in thermal protection. Caveat: the 4K is upscaled.
- REDTIGER F7NP and REDTIGER F17: both list a supercapacitor. Caveat: the F7NP listing also warns not to leave it in high heat for long periods, and owner reports on reliability are mixed for both.
These are maker claims from the listings. We have not seen a listing here that gives a tested temperature limit, so we are not going to quote one.
Heat still matters with a capacitor
The capacitor fixes the battery problem. The rest of the camera still gets hot. A few habits help:
- Skip parking mode on the hottest days. A camera that runs in a closed, parked car has no airflow and makes its own heat on top of the sun. Many cameras shut themselves off when they overheat, so you may not get the video anyway.
- Use a sunshade. Put it between the glass and the camera if the mount allows, or crack the windows where that is safe.
- Buy a high endurance card. Heat is hard on memory cards too. See the memory card guide.
- Check the mount. Adhesive pads can let go in heat. Press the mount on a clean, warm windshield and give it a day before hanging the camera, if the maker suggests that.
- Look at your video monthly. Heat damage shows up as missing clips and restarts before the camera dies outright.
The full comparison of all four cameras is on the shortlist page.