Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
VanTrue Nexus 5S: two-minute review
I thought the 70mai 4K T800 three-dash cam bundle, which I reviewed recently, was one of the best dash cams I’d tried in a while. It’s still my first choice currently, because it’s such a well-rounded package; however, anyone wanting to top that particular trio of cameras now has the VanTrue Nexus 5S, which goes one better and offers full four-channel coverage. Overkill? Or a sensible option now that our highways and byways seem to be peppered with less-than-great drivers? I’m going with sensible I think.
The bundle consists of two cameras, with the front-facing unit also boasting a rearward or cabin-facing lens. Meanwhile, the second camera mounts on to the rear windshield and has a pair of lenses, one of which shoots video out of the back of your vehicle while the other lens captures the cockpit from a rearward perspective. This means the VanTrue Nexus 5S captures 360-degree coverage using the combined field of view of its lens combo. It’s a neat idea.
VanTrue’s thinking is that a lot of accidents occur from the side, so having this complete recording overview means all points are covered. The other benefit is the inward-facing cameras are useful for keeping tabs on occupants in the back, most notably small children and what they’re getting up to while you’re behind the wheel.
Although the VanTrue Nexus 5S is a bumper bundle, it’s actually easy to set up and manage all of the content. This is down to 5G Wi-Fi for quick and easy transfer of files, while there’s a very good VanTrue app to help with the task. The package boasts all of the latest features and functions too, with voice control proving handy for hands-free operation, while the option to hardwire the unit into a vehicle will unlock a 24/7 parking mode. This is in addition to everyday essentials that include GPS tracking and buffered motion detection. The latter means all four cameras record 10 seconds before, during and after any event.
While the VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam package comes with everything you need to get started, including the twin camera units, all cables, clips and mounting accessories, you can add to it. There’s the option of a two-level hardwire kit, a wireless remote control unit, and a CPL filter for diffusing light coming into the main camera lens, while you’ll likely need a 512GB microSD card, given the volume of files created by the combo.
VanTrue Nexus 5S: price and availability
The VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam is available direct from VanTrue in the US for $399.99, which puts it in the premium arena, but it still seems like good value given its four-channel capabilities. The VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam can be purchased in the UK from Amazon, which currently has it priced at £299.99. Again, this is a higher price for a dash cam, but the bundle does justify its cost. UK purchasers can also buy it direct from VanTrue if preferred, though it’s currently slightly pricier there than at Amazon, at £339.99.
VanTrue Nexus 5S: specs
|
Video |
Front: 2592 x 1944p |
|
Field of view (FOV) |
158 degrees front / 160 degrees rear / 158 degrees interior / 160 degrees rear |
|
Storage |
MicroSD up to 512GB, Cloud |
|
GPS |
Yes |
|
Parking mode |
Yes, with constant power cable, not included |
|
App support |
VanTrue app |
|
Dimensions |
6.8 x 3.8 x 5.6 inches / 17.5 x 9.7 x 14.3cm |
|
Weight |
2.42lb / 1.1 kg |
|
Battery |
Yes |
VanTrue Nexus 5S: Design
My VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam review unit arrived in a large white box that contained the twin camera units that make up the core of this bundle. The front-facing camera is quite a chunky thing, and I’d imagine it might seem a little obtrusive in a car with a smaller windshield, but I tested it in an SUV and had no issues.
At the front, the lens protrudes from the body of the camera unit, while at the back there’s a rotatable inward-facing lens and a landscape screen. The latter can be used for initial setup purposes, with four buttons along the bottom that you press to cycle through the options.
Once it’s been powered up, the same screen delivers all of the views from any camera that’s plugged in. The front-facing lens gets the bulk of the screen real estate, while cabin views, and the video being captured by the rearward-facing lenses, are shown in small boxes within the bigger screen. The main screen also displays the icons for the various features and functions, so I was able to see which of them were working and which – Wi-Fi for example – was switched off. I think the overall look, feel and visual quality here is excellent.
There’s a mounting bracket that clicks on to the camera, and this then slides into a piece of plastic with a 3M self-adhesive pad that fixes either directly to the windshield or to a standard static sheet for easier removal. Usefully, the mounting bracket can also be slid off the sticky pad base for removal too.
Meanwhile, the rear-facing camera unit is a fairly standard barrel-type design, which is slightly larger than some models I’ve tested. It also has a rotatable lens for the rear view, so this can be tweaked to capture the view of the road correctly depending on the slant of the rear glass. I got lucky and found my guesswork during setup got my views just about right, but if not, the view displayed on the screen can help you make adjustments before hitting the road.
I did have to double check the manual to find the microSD card slot, which is hidden behind the end of the main camera unit. You need to open the circular cover with the orange button, and the card then pops into the slot behind. Cable-wise, there’s plenty of length for reaching to the back end of the vehicle for connecting the rearward camera, while the main unit has another cable that runs into a standard 12V vehicle power port. An optional hardwiring kit will unlock the usual parking features and functions.
VanTrue Nexus 5S : Performance
I was expecting the VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam to be a bit of a fuss to get up and running, but it was surprisingly straightforward. Plugging it into the 12V power socket in my vehicle, I found it quick and easy to configure the unit. This is a simple step-by-step process during which I set the date, time and various functionality preferences, although it seemed to have everything right by default anyway. When I plugged in the rear camera, the screen became full of views from all four lenses, which was an impressive sight.
I did get the angle of capture about right from the off too, so there was little reconfiguring or adjustment needed. The cameras themselves offer solid video content from all angles, with all the trip details added along the bottom of the screen including date, time, speed and so on. I could also hear the stills capture working every so often, usually when I hit a more pronounced bump or sizable pothole, which would automatically trigger the function. All content is stored in its own dedicated folder on the card, which I found easy to get from the camera to my phone using the app.
File management was smooth too, considering the volume of files created by a four-lens capture arrangement, with the 5GHz wireless transfer capability helping here. Looking at the video on my phone, I’d say the overall quality and clarity was up there with any other premium rival. The performance in low-light conditions as also dependable, and I was impressed by the details all four lenses could pick out. In fact, the cabin detail was almost too impressive for something that’s really just a compliment to the all-important exterior-facing video.
One important thing to note is that if you want to access the parking monitoring features you’ll need the optional hardwire kit. This does increase the potential of the bundle, although I found the VanTrue Nexus 5S dash cam to be an impressive proposition out of the box.
Should you buy the VanTrue Nexus 5S ?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
How I tested the VanTrue Nexus 5S
- I installed the dash cam in an SUV for an initial period of two weeks
- I used it for various day and night journeys in all types of weather
- I connected it to my phone, and downloaded recordings to check their quality
VanTrue loaned me the Nexus 5S dash cam and supplied everything I needed to test it, including a microSD card.
I tested the package over a period of a couple of weeks, after plumbing in all of the hardware and wiring. The box contained everything I needed, although the microSD card was an extra which VanTrue also supplied. I didn’t hard-wire the bundle into my loan vehicle, however, and so I was unable to test the additional parking features.
During the course of testing I downloaded the VanTrue app, which proved useful for managing the files generated by a four-camera arrangement. I was using the app on an Apple iPhone 17, and it’s also available for Android devices. While transferring files between the cameras and the app I was able to check the efficacy of the 5GHz Wi-Fi, which enabled me to transfer multiple files quickly and easily.
- First reviewed October 2025
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/L6QJoSqjQTJsxatqAhoT4S-2560-80.jpg
Source link
