Dash Cam Mini 0826 Review 2023
April 30, 2023 by Glenn Mulvany, PMP
As a seasoned dash cam user, I’ve a ton of experience with different models. When I got my hands on the Mini series’ most recent model, I had high hopes that it would outperform the Mini 0805 and Mini 0806.
The design of the Mini 0826 is comparable to the other Mini models we’ve already reviewed, but it’s much bigger in size. Over the time I used this dash cam, I’ve encountered issues that left me frustrated to say the least.
Despite my initial hopeful feeling to explore the functionality, its subpar quality left me feeling like it was disappointed.
I used the Mini 0826 for three weeks before I decided to retire the product entirely. In the following sections, I’ll do a deep dive into my experience, providing my comprehensive analysis for those considering the Mini 0826 as their next dashcam.
Pros
- Links with Smart Phone Apps
- Above Average G-Sensor
- Decent Price
Cons
- Non-Functioning Auto-Firmware Updates
- Poor Loop Recording Performance
- Easy to Forget to Start Video
- Mount wouldn't stay on windows/windshield
- Much Larger Size (Hard to Watch Road)
- Ineligible for Parking Mode
- Capacitor Version Pending Release
- Out of Date (Made in 2015)
Product Highlights
Product
Features
* Loop Recording Not Optional
* GPS Mount Included with Purchase
* Camera Details Overstated
* .mov Video Files (Large files but some prefer this format)
* Must watch footage on PC for decent quality
Price
My Experience with the Mini 0826 Dash Camera
To be honest, my experience with the Mini 0826 hasn’t been very good. Although I like the build quality when I took it out of the box, I immediately has issues with the mount included with the device.
Even when I managed to set it up, the video quality was disappointing to say the least. In fact, it’s one of the worst dash cams on the market, and I’m not alone in this opinion, many Amazon reviews agree.
It’s frustrating to be misled by the lies told by the manufacturer, as they painted a picture of a dash cam that would deliver a far better experience than I actually encountered. I had intended to rely on this camera for my daily commutes, but its poor performance left me feeling that I had wasted my money.
The USB stick provided with the camera was the worst quality memory card I have ever had. It’s important to note that while the Mini 0826 may appear to offer a wide range of features, the overall usability of the Mini 0826 fell far short of these claims.
Takeaway: The reality is that many of these functions don’t perform as advertised.
The poor video quality and lack of storage capacity make it difficult to capture clear pictures or keep important footage, forcing me to delete files constantly in order to free up space (loop recording on this dash cam didn’t work as intended).
Mini 0826 vs Mini 0806 vs Mini 0805
Even though we didn’t like the Mini 0806 and Mini 0805, at least the other mini camera models were fairly cheap. The Mini 0826 is more expensive, and it offers the same features but with a USB port and less memory.
It’s also still waiting on the new capacitor version, and it doesn’t even have a new form factor as claimed. Additionally, the Mini 0826 is quite similar in terms of video quality to its predecessors, making the Mini 0806 or Mini 0805 superior choices in my opinion.
0826 Features
The Mini 0826 isn’t my favorite dash cam compared to previous models, and it’s not difficult to see why. Despite its lower video quality, it boasts a form factor that includes features such as a G-Sensor, motion detection, and a premium feel with its rubberized coating. However, my experience with this dash cam has been less than satisfactory, and I’ll delve into the reasons why in the following sections.
Video Quality
Mini 0826 claims to offer a broad range of resolutions, like 2560 x 1080 at 30 FPS, 1296p at 30 FPS, 1080p at 45 FPS, 1080p at 30 FPS, and 720p at up to 60 FPS. Unfortunately, my experience was vastly different, as I only had one option for video resolution.
The video quality during low light environments was poor, and even with the addition of a CPL filter, the recorded footage looked nothing like the sample videos. The dash cam’s “auto” setting produces videos in a .mov file type, which did little to improve the overall quality.
Storage
The Mini 0826 uses an SD card for storage, and with its Ambarella A7 chipset, one would expect decent picture quality. However, motion detection files were a larger size than anticipated, leaving me with less storage than that of the Mini 0806 and 0805.
To make matters worse, the Mini 0826 doesn’t come with 8 GB of internal capacity like competing dash cameras, which would have been very helpful when I forgot my SD card.
GPS
With the Mini 0826, the GPS is optional and not built-in. The poor tracking left me concerned, and I found myself preferring to use Google Maps over the GPS that comes with this dash camera.
Firmware
The Mini 0826 uses similar firmware as the other Mini cameras, containing functions that are similar to its predecessors.
The user manual for Mini 0826 camera doesn’t specify any instructions for the battery issues I encountered, and it was necessary to update the firmware constantly in order to record properly. To pour salt in the wounds, the company has stopped providing customer support for this dash camera so I was unable to receive help!
Night Vision Mode
The Mini 0826’s night vision mode produced poor video quality at night time and other low light environments like dusk. I experienced considerable glare from street lights, and the CPL filter did little to alleviate the issue.
The night vision mode also drains the battery, making it a less than ideal feature to rely on. The resulting night mode video isn’t clear, and I couldn’t see license plates, especially on the highway. The visibility of license plates at slow speeds is barely any better, as important details remain obscured.
User Manual
Downloaded the user manual here.
Mini 0826 Review Summary
2 out of 5
2/5
My experience with the Mini 0826 has been a forgettable one. As much as I wanted to give this model a fair chance, I can’t help but admit that I don’t prefer it to the Mini 0805.
There are several reasons I’m rating this camera 2 out of 5 stars. The most notable reason? It failed to live up to the promises made by the manufacturer. Its shortcomings significantly outweigh its benefits. The window mount constantly felt unsecured to the windshield while I was driving, leaving me to question the reliability of the device.
I would caution anyone considering this dash cam, as well as iTronics ITB 100HD, to look elsewhere, since there’s far better options available on the market. Unless you can get the Mini 0826 on a fire sale, I’d advise exploring alternative options.
About Post Author
Glenn Mulvany, PMP
Glenn wears many hats within the company. She is the project manager for our team, as well as the Marketing Director. She keeps our team focused and productive!
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