Azdome M550 3-Channel Dash Cam Review
Last Updated October 16, 2023 by Zach Harmon
My car has turned into my office-on-wheels recently. After almost getting in an accident, I realized I need a 3-channel dash cam for full coverage of my car to protect both myself & my business. Soon after I discovered the Azdome M550, a 3-camera dash cam system. With sharp 1440p video & clear night vision, the front cam captures every detail.
The interior & rear cam work together to give me a complete 360° view in my footage. I drive stress-free knowing my M550 dash cam’s three sets of eyes are watching over me. With that being said, my experience wasn’t fully positive… lets dive into both the pros & cons I experienced during my time using the dash cam.
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Pros
- Triple Angle Dash Cam: Front Camera, Cabin Camera and Rear Camera
- Video Quality on Perfectly Capture License Plates
- Ultra Wide Angle Lens on Front Camera
- IR night vision offers Proprietary Focal Length Technology
- Survive Extreme Weather Conditions
- Built in GPS can Track Driving Route
Cons
- Parking mode Drains Battery Without Hardwire Kit (Not Provided)
- Lower Quality G-Sensor
- Different Resolutions in Each Camera (1440p 1080p)
Product Highlights
Product
Features
* Parking Mode Functionality on all Cameras
* Built in GPS Dash Camera Records Speed Accurately & Tracks Driving Route
* Connect Dash Cam to Phone with Free Azdome App to Easily Share Recorded Videos
* Super Capacitor Functional in Extremely Hot & Extremely Cold Areas
* Built in GPS Tracking & Wifi
My Experience with the Azdome M550
The M550 dash cam comes equipped with three cameras to provide complete 360° coverage – a 1440p front camera, 1080p interior cabin camera, and 1080p rear camera:
Off the bat I was impressed with the HD video quality from all three cameras. The ultra-wide 150° lens on the 1440p front camera captures the road and surroundings in stunning detail. It easily covers 4 traffic lanes to record distortion-free footage. The videos are sharp, easily picking up license plates from pretty far away.
Even in low light and nighttime conditions, the footage remains vivid and clear thanks to the camera’s f/1.8 aperture and IR night vision from 6 built-in infrared LED lights. Driving home late at night, the camera still caught super clear footage.
The interior 1080p cabin camera provides the perfect view inside my vehicle. I love having a permanent record of all my passengers and any interactions.
Takeaway: The added security of an interior camera is especially important for Uber & Lyft drivers.
The rear 1080p camera captures everything behind me in full HD like my own extra set of eyes for any potential bad behavior from other drivers.
Across all three cameras, the video quality is simply superb. Azdome developed the dash cam with top-of-the-line GC4653, Sony IMX307, and GC2053 image sensors. Combined with the Novatek NT96670 processor, the footage remains stunningly clear regardless of lighting conditions or camera angle.
What Stood Out
The thing that stood out the most was the versatility. In fact, the M550 earned a spot on our best 3 channel dash cam list for this reason. Out of all the three way dash cams I’ve installed, this one is the most beginner friendly. If you drive rental cars frequently & you’re looking for the 3-channel that’s right for you, you found it with the Azdome M550.
The built-in GPS allows the dash cam to track my driving route and speed. The G-sensor auto-locks and saves video footage when sudden motions or collisions are detected. I feel safe knowing my most important footage will never get overwritten by accident.
The free Azdome dash cam app lets me wirelessly connect via WiFi. I can view and download footage directly my phone, making sharing videos a breeze. The live view is handy when adjusting the cam’s positioning.
Loop recording continuously records over old footage when the storage is full. I never have to worry about manually clearing space. And the added motion detection parking mode is genius. When the camera detects motion, it powers on to record to capture hit & runs or vandalism.
The supercapacitor enables the M550 to be crazy durable in extreme temperatures compared to lithiumion batteries.
Takeaway: My car can sit in subzero winter or sweltering summer heat without damaging the Azdome M550.
Impressive Build Quality
The design is both intuitive and user-friendly… within a few minutes I had the system running smoothly. The responsive touchscreen makes navigating menus incredibly easy, just a few clicks and I could change whatever settings I wanted (not on the road though)!
Beyond the performance and features, the physical build of the M550 is very impressive. The exterior casing feels durable and the camera mounts provided don’t have any flimsy plastic parts that can break easily when driving over bumps. Even after a month of use in a ton of different driving conditions, my Azdome M550 still looks like new.
The extra-long 26 ft cables allow for flexible mounting options and clean hidden wiring in my vehicle. I was able to mount the rear cam high on my SUV’s rear windshield to get the perfect downward angle out the back.
What I Disliked
While I’m overwhelmingly satisfied with the M550, there are a couple minor downsides worth mentioning.
The parking monitoring can drain the vehicle’s battery without the optional hardwire kit. This kit isn’t included, so keeping parking mode enabled does risk killing my battery after a certain number of hours. Don’t know what a hardwire kit is? Learn what it is here.
Some competitors’ cameras have built-in voltage cut-off protections that the M550 lacks.
Additionally, the G-sensor technology could be a bit more advanced. It occasionally locks files when going over bumps or potholes without any actual incident occurring. Some refinement to the impact detection thresholds would be nice. It’s also a bit disappointing the front and rear cameras have different resolutions.
Takeaway: While the 1440p front cam looks amazing, having uniform 1080p across all three would provide a more consistent experience.
However, these are relatively small complaints given the otherwise fantastic performance of the Azdome M550. And the exceptional customer service from Azdome more than makes up for any shortcomings.
Azdome's Customer Service
While the dash cam itself is impressive, I’m equally amazed by Azdome’s customer service and warranty protections. Right from my initial questions during the purchase process, the support team has been consistently helpful, responsive, and eager to ensure my satisfaction.
The 1-year warranty gave me peace of mind that any defects are quickly dealt with (many competitors only offer 6 months of coverage).
Their exceptional customer service shows me that they truly care about customers & are willing to stand behind their product. That level of confidence gives me a lot of respect for the brand.
Final Verdict
4.5 out of 5
4.5/5
The Azdome M550 has quickly become the most interesting part of my daily driving. I find myself watching back my dash cam recordings whenever I’m bored. Given both the pros & cons of my experience using the dash cam, I’m rating the Azdome M550 a 4.5 out of 5 stars based on our rating criteria.
It exceeded my expectations & quickly became a part of my driving routine. The incredible HD video across all three camera angles and smart safety features make this dash camera system an incredible value for cost.
While no product is completely flawless, any driver looking to invest in the protection and security of dash cam footage should consider Azdome M550. This is hands-down one of the top 3-channel dash cams available on the market today. Read our recent Redtiger F17 review for another example of a high quality triple view dash cam to compare their features & pricing.
FAQs
What are the features of the Azdome M550?
The Azdome M550 is a 3-channel dash cam with a 1440p front camera, 1080p interior cabin camera, and 1080p rear camera. Key features include built-in GPS to track speed and routes, WiFi connectivity to download footage to your phone, parking monitoring mode to detect motion when parked, loop recording, collision detection, night vision, and a supercapacitor for durability in extreme temperatures.
What is the maximum SD card for Azdome M550?
The Azdome M550 supports microSD cards up to 512GB in capacity. Using a high capacity card allows you to store more footage before loop recording needs to activate & save over your previous footage.
How do I format my Azdome M550 dash cam?
You can format the SD card right from the dash cam’s settings menu. Under the “Format” option, select “Yes” to format the installed memory card. This will delete all existing footage & prepare the card for new recordings.
Who is the Azdome dash cam manufacturer?
Azdome Technology Co. Ltd., headquartered in Shenzhen, China, designs and manufactures Azdome brand electronics including dash cams, action cameras, security cameras and more. Azdome products are sold on their website, as well as online retailers like Amazon.
How Do We Rate Dash Cams?
At Dash Cam Discount, we thoroughly test and evaluate every dash cam to provide shoppers with unbiased ratings.
Value (0 to 5 stars): Do you get quality and features that match the price? How does it compare to 2 or 3 channel competitors with similar focal length technology? How was the Quality Control of External parts? Lithiumion battery dash cams need to be tested for longevity. Time-lapse and other bonus modes also need to be evaluated to ensure proper function.
Ease of Use (0 to 5 stars): Was it simple to install and operate? Can you easily playback footage on your phone via Wi Fi?
Image Quality (0 to 5 stars): We rate video quality across lighting conditions. Does the lenses capture distortion free images with high resolution footage? Can you clearly read plates and signs? Does night vision produce quality video?
Features (0 to 5 stars): Does it have GPS to record driving trajectory and speed? Parking monitoring that auto-records when detecting motion via the external power source? Collision detection that locks footage?
By testing key criteria like video clarity, build quality, and features, we provide unbiased dash cam reviews to help drivers like you find the right product.
About Post Author
Zach Harmon
Zach Harmon founded Dash Cam Discount to pursue his passion. He created the site to share his experience in the industry & provide quality information to the people. Connect with Zach on LinkedIn or send an email to zach@dashcamdiscount.com.
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