I’ll admit it – I was drawn in by the cute factor when I purchased the Seiwa & Pixyda Hello Kitty dash cam. As a long-time fan of Hello Kitty, I couldn’t resist having her adorable face mounted on my windshield to record my drives.
The dash cam actually has some cool features but after using it for a few weeks, it also has some significant limitations that prevent it from being a top pick.
At A Glance
Pros
Adding Some Fun Flair
Auto-Start Recording
Sharp HD Video and Photos
Wide 136 Degree Field of View
Included MicroSD Card and Accessories
Cons
Cute But Limited Night Recording Quality
No Built-In GPS
On The Expensive Side
No App and Limited Wireless Connectivity
What I Liked about Hello Kitty Dash Cam
Adding Some Fun Flair
Let’s start with the most obvious thing – this is hands down the cutest dash cam out there. The entire unit is molded into the shape of Hello Kitty’s head, complete with her signature bow on one ear.
I have the pink and black model but you can also get it in pink and white or black and white color schemes. The all pink version would be great for a young driver or anyone who loves everything Hello Kitty. It adds some unexpected whimsy to the typically utilitarian dashcam category.
Auto-Start Recording
One of my favorite things about this dashcam is how seamlessly it starts recording. There’s no on/off switch – as soon as you start your engine, it automatically powers on and begins capturing footage. This is incredibly convenient as I don’t have to worry about turning it on or off each drive.
The Seiwa & Pixyda Hello Kitty Dashcam uses a continuous loop recording system. It records chunks of footage in 2, 3 or 5 minute intervals onto a microSD card. When the card fills up, it overwrites the oldest footage with new recordings. This means I never have to worry about manually clearing old videos.
A built-in gravity sensor also automatically saves footage if it detects any sudden impacts or vibrations. This gave me peace of mind that if I was in an accident, the footage leading up to it would be protected from getting overwritten.
Sharp HD Video and Photos
This dashcam captures video at 29.1 frames per second in high definition 2.07 megapixel resolution. Footage is saved in MP4 format so it’s easy to review directly on my phone or laptop.
The video quality is quite good for a budget camera – definitely sharper and more vivid than what my previous no-name dashcam captured. It clearly captures license plates and street signs even when driving at high speeds.
One handy bonus feature is the ability to snap still photo images as well as video. If I ever need extra documentation at an accident scene, I can use the dashcam just like a digital camera to take JPEG images.
Wide 136 Degree Field of View
The camera lens has a 136 degree horizontal field of view which is quite wide without causing image distortion. This enables it to capture multiple lanes of traffic to give the full picture in front of your vehicle.
I found the adjustable mount makes it easy to position the dashcam for optimal forward facing footage. Having the wide perspective made me feel confident I’d capture any hazards around my car.
Included MicroSD Card and Accessories
A nice bonus with the Hello Kitty dashcam is it ships with a 16GB microSD card so you can start recording as soon as it’s installed. It also comes with the necessary car power cord that plugs into your vehicle’s lighter socket.
The kit also contains several mounting options – a suction cup mount, 3M sticky mount and Velcro strips. I found the suction cup attaches tightly to my windshield for a stable setup.
What I didn’t Like
Cute But Limited Night Recording Quality
So those are the positives that make the Seiwa & Pixyda Hello Kitty Dashcam a fun novelty pick. However, there are a few performance limitations that prevent it from being a top choice if you’re looking for a serious dashcam.
The most disappointing drawback I noticed is subpar video quality at night. The camera really struggles without enough light and the footage gets quite grainy. I tested driving down the same street at night versus the day and it was striking how fuzzy the night video was in comparison.
If you do most of your driving during the day, the daytime video is perfectly fine. But for any night or low light driving, the quality suffers noticeably. This camera simply doesn’t have the advanced sensors found in pricier dashcams optimized for night capture.
No Built-In GPS
Another missing feature is the lack of built-in GPS. More expensive units have this ability to embed your driving coordinates, route and speed directly into the video footage.
With the Hello Kitty camera, you lose all that helpful telemetry data. If I ever needed to use video evidence, I’d have to manually note my speed using roadside references.
No App and Limited Wireless Connectivity
The Hello Kitty dashcam has only limited wireless functionality. It does not support any app connectivity or have its own WiFi network.
This means I can’t sync footage in real-time to my phone or use an app for managing the dash camera. The only way to see the video is to manually remove the microSD card and plug it into a computer. With so many dash cam brands that have apps these days, not having it is a huge red flag for me.
Dash cam brands with user-friendly apps like MyNextbase Connect or other comparable software go above and beyond for their users, while the Hello Kitty dash cam manufacturer does not. More advanced dashcams allow you to easily download driving footage on demand for quick review using your smartphone. So that convenience is missing with this budget camera.
My Verdict
The Hello Kitty dash cam is an adorable novelty dashcam that adds some flair to your daily drives. But with the limitations of poor night video, lack of GPS and no dash cam app functionality, it’s obviously not a premium dashcam (in my opinion).
For a young driver or Hello Kitty superfan, the styling may outweigh the downsides. But more serious users will be better served by a high-end dashcam with better video quality and smart features.
I’m rating the Hello Kitty Dashcam 2.5 out of 5 stars based on our rating factors. The cute styling and ease of use earn it some points but it lacks the full performance and features I’d want from a primary dashcam.
For a low cost novelty pick, it’s cute and gets the job done. But don’t expect the same quality as pricier high-resolution models. If you just want an easy to use camera to capture daytime drives for fun, this Hello Kitty gadget should put a smile on your face.
For reliable incident evidence and 24/7 monitoring though, there’s dash cams for a lower price with advanced night vision and smartphone app connectivity like Amy experienced in her review of the Kingslim D4 Pro. The Hello Kitty dashcam is cute but basic, I understand why you’d like this dash cam if you love Hello Kitty, but not for a reliable car camera.
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