Tom's Guide Verdict
The N5S's four-camera solution offers unparalleled all-around coverage, though that's at the cost of exceptional image quality, and both can make all the difference in an insurance dispute.
Pros
- +
Excellent camera coverage
- +
All cameras are adjustable
- +
Decent app
Cons
- -
Tricky to install
- -
Front camera unit is huge
- -
No 4K/60fps
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Field of view front 158°, rear 165°, cabin 160°, rear cabin 160°
Resolution front 2.7K, rear 2K, cabin 1080p, rear cabin 1080p
GPS Yes
Voice control Yes
Display 3.19 in
Dimensions 6.8 x 3.8 x 5.6 in
When I first heard of Vantrue N5S’s quad-channel system, I first thought: that’s too much camera. Then, while on the road, I’m constantly reminded of the scary situations where all-around lenses could be extremely useful. Lovely individuals who key cars in parking lots for no reason. Adjacent drivers using poor road discipline, barging their way into my lane. Road ragers who come for a friendly chat at your side window. Perhaps Vantrue is onto something with its four-eyed solution.
As a dash cam tester of several years, I’ve put the best dash cams from manufacturers like Garmin, Nextbase, Viofo, and Vantrue through their paces. And while the latter has been churning out a dizzying array of dash cams like no one’s business, the Nexus 5S represents the manufacturer’s latest flagship model. However, is having four cameras worth it for the premium price point?
Vantrue N5S review: Price & availability
The N5S is available on Vantrue’s website or at Amazon for the princely sum of $419. It’s an expensive dash cam, but remember you’re getting four cameras in two units.
It’s also subject to instant discount coupons and deals, particularly during events like Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday or the post-Holiday period, so don’t expect to pay full price. You can often find it discounted down to around $299 whch is the price it's currently listed for at the time of this writing.
Vantrue N5S review: Design & features
Unpacking the front camera unit from the box, I instantly noticed how hefty and chunky the N5S is. Packing a beast of a 3.19-inch screen, there’s also a rotating in-cabin camera on the right (read: starboard) end. Thankfully, the rear camera is a fair bit smaller, even including the rear cabin lens.
Even if I’ve held dash cams with nicer and more premium plastics, the unit feels fairly solid and weighty in the hands, and the buttons have the right amount of give. The save button comprises a large orange button on the left side of the unit, and it’s easy enough to find without accidentally hitting the other functions.
Despite the N5S being the flagship model, you won’t find a 4K camera in the ensemble. Instead, the quartet packs a 2.7K front cam, 2K rear cam, and 1080p cabin and rear cabin cams.
If you’re willing to be patient, I’d expect a Pro option to be released in the near future with at least one high-def lens — I’m betting 4K front and 2.5K rear — just like the N4S Pro model.
Naturally, the N5S carries a G-sensor, which detects impacts, saving a recording of around 40 seconds before and 20 seconds after an incident.
There’s a range of decent sensors in this pack, with the front and rear featuring STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensors and both cabin cams toting IMX662 chips. The N5S is also one of the few Vantrue dash cams to include Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) in its external cameras over the more advanced HDR. This technique aims to improve the overall image contrast, while HDR focuses on enhancing detail and clarity.
Naturally, the N5S carries a G-sensor, which detects impacts, saving a recording of around 40 seconds before and 20 seconds after an incident. There’s also a parking mode with multiple parking modes, including motion and collision detection as well as low bit rate and low frame rate recording, but you’ll need to invest in a hardwire kit to handle the high power draw while the engine is off.
Finally, there’s also 5GHz Wi-Fi for quick and easy downloads via the app, as well as GPS and voice control.
It feels slightly cheap not to include a microSD card and polarising filters for both external lenses. If I’m paying out over $400, I’d want it ready to go right out of the box, with the filters to iron out pesky reflections and glare.
Still, there are window cleaner wipes, spare sticky mounts for the two units, cable clips, and electrostatic films for sticking your cameras to your windshield without leaving those dreaded unsightly adhesive marks.
Vantrue N5S review: Setup
Installing the N5S isn’t the easiest time. For one, the camera wires are actually a fair bit girthier than the ones I’m accustomed to. Plumbing them under my car’s trim was far trickier than usual, and there were some unsightly bulges in my door’s rubber seals, even if they’re difficult to see if you’re not looking for them
The size of both the mount and front camera unit can also take up a lot of windshield real estate, often feeling like you have two rearview mirrors. I stuck it on the passenger side of the windshield, as I felt it was too in my face on my side.
I also found that while the adhesive achieved a solid level of stick, there was a little give between the mounting bracket and front camera, which might translate to a wobblier picture.
The rear camera feels more stable, being a much smaller unit, though adjusting the external lens can be tricky, as it carries the cable port, so tweaking its position can be difficult with the cable in place.
Vantrue N5S review: Software
I quite like Vantrue’s app. It’s a touch simplistic, but the orange on white UI is clear and easy to read, even if the settings are all lumped into one big menu, making them a little unwieldy.
You've also got all the menu settings from the unit on your phone, so there’s no need to dive into the cam’s settings, though you do need to be in Wi-Fi range to adjust them.
Speaking of which, connecting to the Wi-Fi was a doddle, and you can access live view and any saved footage, where you can download clips in around 12 seconds.
During playback on my phone, I was able to pinch and zoom and brighten up clips on the fly, so if I needed to get a better look at a car tag, I could right there and then. Pretty handy.
You’re also supposed to be able to integrate Google Maps telemetry data with any locally stored video, but I couldn’t get it working after several attempts.
Vantrue N5S review: Video & audio quality
Image quality is generally decent on the N5S. During the day, the overall image is fairly clear, though there’s the unmistakable bit of grain — not enough for jagged edges — though it’s there nonetheless. And while number plates are distinctive when directly in front, it’s often much trickier to discern the tags of vehicles travelling in the opposite direction, particularly at speed.
That’s perhaps a combination of a little fish-eye distortion from those wide-angle lenses and the lack of 4K recording.
At night, the lack of an HDR is telling, with images appearing dull and unsaturated, despite overall night-time scenes being well-lit thanks to its onboard WDR. After hours, clarity is actually decent, though picking up finer details can still be difficult.
I also found the G-sensor overzealous, kicking in with protected recordings over the most minor speed bump or pothole, so I recommend lowering the sensitivity to the lowest or second-lowest setting.
Impressively, the four-camera system does what it promises to, eliminating blind spots in its coverage, whether from chunky A-pillars, headrests, or other passengers. The wide-angle lenses do capture more from the outside of my car, which can be reassuring when you’re driving and about to join a six-lane roundabout.
And while sound is fine if a little tinny, I did notice some electrical noise when travelling at speed, which perhaps might be linked to the loose contact points of the camera and mount I mentioned earlier. It’s a faint little buzzing that isn’t too intrusive, but it’s definitely noticeable in much of my test footage.
Vantrue N5S review: Verdict
Vantrue has made a decent effort on its quad-camera system, with overlapping cones of vision to help cover potential blind spots, offering no less than 360 degrees of protection.
However, this comes at the cost of reduced clarity over its 4K rivals, and while image quality is admirable directly in front or behind, there’s degradation in detail when you move out to the peripheries.
Would I recommend the N5S? It’s a good enough dash cam to see everywhere, even if it can’t deliver on outstanding detail. I’d be tempted to hold out and see what Vantrue can do with an N5S Pro (4K, HDR, and 60fps, please), though 4K quad-camera systems are going to be hugely demanding on battery, memory, and processor usage, and of course, your wallet.
The Nextbase iQ is also one to consider if you want advanced security features to protect your car, and even if it’s only a dual camera solution, overall coverage is decent.
For me, as someone who likes their dash cams discreet and out of sight, I don’t love how big the N5S is. I much prefer the Viofo A329S, which you can tuck in behind a rearview mirror. This model remains my daily driver for its triple-threat cameras and class-leading clarity.
Get cracking on that Pro model, Vantrue…
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