We see a current trend of giving everything as many technological features as possible, from cars to smartphones to kitchen appliances. So when Garmin produces a dash cam that is all about simplicity with the Mini 2, it’s as surprising as it is refreshing.
Garmin has a history of building rugged, dependable products and the Mini 2 appears to be no different. With solid plastics and a minimalist, utilitarian look that even sacrifices a screen in the quest for smallness, this could represent the ultimate no-distraction dash cam on sale.
However, while the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is quite simplistic, the £120 price tag seems a little at odds with its ethos. We’ve therefore tested the Mini 2 thoroughly to see if it’s earned its worth.
Verdict: A very smart and tempting mini dash cam, just missing a few features to justify its price.
Score: 4.5/5
Pros
- Small but solid build
- Excellent companion app
Cons
- Missing a few techy bits
| Resolution/frame rate: | 1080p/30fps |
| Field of view: | 140° |
| Dimensions: | 3.13 x 5.33 x 2.91cm |
| Weight: | 32.1g |
| Screen size: | no screen |
| Max memory card size: | 512GB |
| Bluetooth: | Yes |
| Wi-Fi: | Yes |
| GPS: | No |
First impressions
From the image above it’s immediately obvious Garmin isn’t kidding when it says the Mini 2 is the size of a car key.
Even though the Mini 2 is the most important thing in the box, it’s also the smallest. Along with the dash cam itself, in the box there is an in-car connector cable, a 12V plug with two USB ports, a spare adhesive mount, and a shorter USB cable for connecting to a computer. The second USB cable is unnecessary because everyone already has 15 of those.
Setup
In achieving such a minuscule size, the Mini 2 doesn’t have a screen and Garmin’s Drive app is needed to operate the Mini 2. It seems somewhat paradoxical that this slim, simple dash cam needs an app.
Fortunately, the app is easy to set up and use. It’s how you gain a live view of what the camera is seeing and access recorded footage, although you can also do this from a computer too when you insert the memory card into it. On the app, the footage is stored for 24 hours and if you want it to stay for longer you need to sign up for one of Garmin’s Vault Storage subscription plans.
The Mini 2 uses adhesive pads to glue itself to a windscreen and no suction cups are provided. The adhesive pads are much smaller and stronger, which is no doubt why Garmin has used them. The real downside with these pads is that the adhesive commits you to one windscreen and one position. People change cars reasonably frequently these days, thanks to PCP and hire-purchase agreements. Perhaps it would have been better to at least provide the option of a suction cup in the box like Nextbase does. Strong suction cups do exist and we used one during testing so the Mini 2 wasn’t permanently glued to the windscreen of the test car.
Performance
While FHD 1080p is considered the bare minimum these days, it’s important to bear in mind it’s still very high quality. So the Mini 2’s resolution of 1080p might appear a bit disappointing for a dash cam pushing towards £100, especially when dash cams with 1080p are available for £30. But there’s no reason to think you’ve been conned with the Mini 2’s image quality because it’s clear and crisp.
The Mini 2’s frame rate could do with boosting from 30 to 60fps at that price. Doing so makes recording much smoother, particularly when footage is slowed down to examine an incident.
Under most conditions, the Mini 2 captures the view ahead in reliable quality. It does pick up windscreen glare under direct sunlight but you can reduce it by buying Garmin’s polarised filter. Unfortunately, the filter is a £25 accessory, which is a bit steep. After dark, the footage does become a little grainy.
Once the Mini 2 is installed, it’s mostly a case of leaving it to do its thing. It pays to keep your phone connected to the Mini 2 when driving because, on the off chance you need it to save a video, you can do so with voice commands.
Value
Quality products are certainly worth paying extra for over tinny, budget options. Though, with the Mini 2, carrying the Garmin name does push up the price further than it should. The Mini 2 is of better build quality than the very cheap dash cams and the app is better than most. These things are worth an extra £30 or so over the budget dash cams. However, while 1080p at 30fps is good quality, it’s still the bare minimum and equal to the most basic dash cams.
At nearly £120, the Mini 2 is jostling with serious competition. For the same price, Navitel offers the R6. It’s a little bigger than the Mini 2 and doesn’t have app connectivity but offers 1080p at 60fps or 1440p at 30fps, plus a wider 170° field of view.
The popular dash cam brand Nextbase offers the 322GW. The 322GW pushes just beyond the £100 price tag but like the Navitel R6, offers 1080p at 60fps and quite a lot more besides. In addition to app connectivity, the 322GW has an excellent 2.5-inch screen touchscreen for faster operation. The 322GW’s image clarity is better than the Mini 2’s, thanks to its night vision software and 6-layer lens. There is also a subscription-based emergency SOS service.
Verdict
The Mini 2 is a great little dash cam, but it’s just a bit expensive. The Mini 2’s simplicity is advantageous rather than a hindrance, it’s very well-made, its app is better than most and its minuscule size makes it nearly invisible. But its performance lies at the basic end of the dash cam scale and for £120 you expect more.
If the Mini 2 was £80 rather than £120 or if it had better performance, it would be a compelling case. But £120 puts it in the firing line of more accomplished dash cams.
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