Renowned in the world of dashcams, the Vantrue brand has made waves in the market once before with the sensational N2 Pro camera, the very first dual dashcam with 1080p definition. Can they do it again with the smaller Vantrue Element 1?

 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Vantrue E1 box

The first thing that jumps out at me when I assembled this nifty little device is exactly that- it’s very small size. Perfectly capable of fitting in a pocket or backpack, the Vantrue Element 1 is very handy for trips abroad, with its portability and lack of bits and bobs making it easy to pack. The size also means you won’t have a big camera sticking out like a sore thumb on your windshield, something which will help you keep your eyes on the road.

Additionally, the camera itself looks very smart, with a clean design that isn’t too complicated, but has just enough buttons to the point where you can see that it’s technologically advanced – the perfect balance.

 

 

 

WHAT’S IN THE BOX?

  • Vantrue E1 WiFi Dash Cam
  • GPS Adhesive Mount
  • 11.5ft Type C Car Charger Cable
  • 3.3ft Data Cable
  • Wireless Remote Control
  • Electrostatic stickers
  • Warning Stickers
  • Crowbar
  • User Manual

What's in the box?

 

FEATURE BREAKDOWN

A High Resolution HDR Camera and the 1.54 inch display screen with a ultra-high transmittance glass frame in a 2.5D design on the mini Vantrue Element E1 is something special and when paired beside it’s built-in WIFI and GPS functions, along with the wireless remote control or voice control (only in English/Japanese/Russian/Chinese), the VANTRUE Element E1 is no doubt appearing to be a very high quality dashcam just from its features alone.

Opened box

Not to mention its CPL polarizer, which optimizes reflected light and improves picture quality and on top of all that, a RTC Built-in large capacity battery that lets you use all these gizmos for 2 months.

I know that’s a big list of features to feast your eyes on. A proper breakdown is what I’ve done to see if this little beast can live up to its impressive face value features:

  • Camera Quality

The Vantrue Element E1 comes with a solid 2.5K 2592* 1944P/30fps camera, equipped with a 160° wide angle. Using its Sony IMX335 sensor and lens with an advanced F1.55 aperture, it allows for some spectacular wide-angle shots.

This gives a very highly detailed picture, with the 1944P High Resolution camera being able to capture license plates easily even in low-light situations. The E1 is also fitted with top-of-the-range SONY 5 million ultra-clear photosensitive image processor, giving you a very decent picture, especially for a camera this small.

camera lens

You can adjust all the settings within the Vantrue App, where you have the ability to see what the camera sees, download footage and make sure it’s all running how it should be.

 

 

  • Voice Activated Control

The E1 is great at responding to voice commands on demand, with simple phrases such as “Turn on WIFI” setting the E1 camera to automatically enter ‘WIFI mode’ in an instant. The voice control aspect helps keep your hands where they should be when driving- on the steering wheel.

voice control

You won’t have to fiddle about with small buttons with this handy voice control option, although if you’re on a loud road, this may be where you experience some problems. Syncing video to mobile phone is easy, with no delay, and you can download and edit videos quickly, making this dashcam a very up to date and multifunctional option.

 

  • Parking assists

The Elemental E1 dashcam excels in the more confusing and tough parking scenarios, with modern parking tech to keep you and your vehicle covered from all angles. It has quick trigger, pre-movement response recording (3-5 seconds) and parking mode with motion detection, giving you everything you need to execute those pro-parking situations and help you prevent any accidents.

Obviously, this doesn’t completely stop accidents from happening, with this feature being limited by the camera’s lack of size and range, however it no doubt helps.

buttons

 

  • Good for the more extreme traveller

One thing I must highlight is the safety quality of this dashcam. The shell of E1 is made of fireproof material, which can withstand high temperatures up to 106°. The E1 can be burned, but it will not spontaneously ignite and it will be extinguished when it leaves the fire. It can ensure that it will not become a combustion accelerant in the event of a real accident.

Screen

It’s pinpoint GPS can show a basic driving route and monitor your speed, which can come in handy for traffic conflicts, where any videos you capture will show the exact location, specific dates and actual speeds, helping you should any legal dispute occur, God forbid.

Another feature which will perk the interests of any driver who happens to find their selves often in a tricky situation, the Vantrue Element E1 has TS storage technology and MP4 format compatibility, meaning that even if the recording automatically stops in abnormal state, it will still successfully record the latest video. So, if you get in a crash that wasn’t your fault, even if the camera turns off, you will have the latest video saved onto the device.

 

  • Hefty Storage room

This feature is one that I will be straight-up with you, the Vantrue Element E1 Dashcam supports cards up to 512 GB. This feature gives you mountains of storage space, meaning you won’t be rushing to the nearest SD card every few records to find more room.

close up

One downside is you will have to purchase a 512 GB SD card yourself as one isn’t included, which can be expensive, with the prices that I’ve seen being around £50-£80.

 

  • G Emergency lock sensor

This feature is something that I think should be a given in future dashcams due to its importance in accidents. The E1 has built-in gravity sensors that detect any sudden shocks and collisions, instantly saving the footage of that shock to its emergency files, prevent that vital piece of video from being overwritten and ultimately capturing the most important footage and keeping it safe.

 

 

  • Ergonomics

This diddy dashcam can be attached to your car with a relatively low amount of fiddling. You can whack it on the windshield using its 3M adhesive magnetic support, making it hassle-free, something we can all agree is lovely.

mount

The process of uploading the video is also pretty effortless, with either the option of a SD card which you can pop into a laptop or PC, or through Wi-Fi and onto your phone. Either way works fine, with little problems whatsoever.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

RATING – 8.1/10

Taking everything into account, there is no doubt in my mind that the Vantrue Element 1 is up there with the best mini dashcams available right now.

If you have the budget, then I would firmly say go for something like the Vantrue N4 over the E1, however this little cam definitely is a solid option if you prefer a smaller, more discreet camera that doesn’t scream ‘I AM RECORDING YOU’.

The voice control combined with the emergency video recording tech sets this mini dashcam apart from others in its market and at the price of around £130-£150, the Vantrue Element 1 is a solid and decent option.