Redtiger vs 70mai, which is the better buy?
Hello,
I know there are probably a bunch of posts asking for recommendations, but I'm not seeing anything that exactly fits what I'm looking for. I've done a ton of research and have my own thoughts, but I wanted to check Reddit to see what users think and see if that sways anything.
I'm looking to replace the old Nexar dashcams in 2 of my vehicles, with a budget of $200 or less. I want one with a 4K front camera, a rear camera of at least 1080p, and, if I'm being honest, features comparable to the old Nexar beam with the grandfathered cloud features.
I've narrowed my search to three options across two brands: Redtiger and 70mai.
The Redtiger F7NP seems decent, and you get a lot of good features for not a lot of money. The other Redtiger I am considering is the ViewClear 70. If I buy either one from their website, they come with a hardwire kit for "free," so that is an added bonus.
The 70mai A810 camera is the last one that I am considering.
Redditors who have used both, or have experience with one brand/camera over the other, is there a specific recommendation that you have and a reason? If there are any good sales for Memorial Day weekend on something different that's even better than what I'm looking at, getting the price down into my budget, I'm open to hearing about it.
Also, the F7N is available on eBay right now for under $100 with the hardwire kit. I could get two cameras for the price of one of the higher-tier ones on the list. Is there any major difference between the F7N and F7NP other than the rear camera being able to go outside on the F7N and the mount being different?
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My thoughts and conclusions/notes from my own research:
F7NP and 70mai
The F7NP has a better screen, a better warranty, and is cheaper. It also comes with a hardwire kit if you get it from their website, so you get the parking features “for free”. 128GB SD card included. The field of view is also marginally better, but it’s so close we probably wouldn’t notice the difference. It also wins on price; it is $15 cheaper.
Since you get the parking features for free, comparing the budget cameras, the F7NP wins because you have to pay for those on the 70mai.
The 70mai wins on the futureproofing. The hardware is supposedly higher quality, and they are known to update their software more regularly, and it is set up with 4G capability if you wanted to add that later. The mount uses adhesive and an electrostatic sticker so it’s more sticky, the Redtiger has more complaints of falling off since it just uses a suction cup. A bit of VHB tape will solve both of these falling off.
The 70mai is better supported in terms of hardware/software. From what I have seen, Redtiger tends to be more responsive. With 70mai, you are less likely to need support, but they tend to be slower/language barriers. Redtiger has a negative history with its products being subpar, but the newer stuff has improved.
Between the budget cams, unless you want something futureproof, the Redtiger wins on value. I’d say the specs are probably close enough.
The 70mai is a better camera and has better reviews, but the Redtiger is decent, and a good value for the money. It’s a good budget starter series.
Moving up a level, still comparing the 70mai, but with the hardwire kit free gift, and the Redtiger View Clear 70.
With the Redtiger, going from the budget to the $200 one gets you:
- A better rear camera (2.5K vs 1080p)
- better performance on the front camera (better HDR, night footage, blur)
- Mount uses adhesive
With 70mai, upgrading to the $200 one gets you:
- Everything mentioned earlier, it’s still the same camera
- Hardwire kit, unlocking the parking features
- 256 GB SD card
- CPL filter
- Canvas bag
- Sticker set
Where the $200 Redtiger wins:
The rear camera. 2.5K beats 1080p. The wifi transfer is also faster. Not a whole lot, but it will make the 70mai feel older. Redtiger has a better warranty of 2 years. Redtiger is also more responsive on their support if you need it.
The 70mai wins on literally everything else. The front camera has better processing (HDR tuning and night readability), the SD card is double the size, CPL filter reduces glare, and has some lane departure-type alerting features. Do we need that? Not really, but it’s nice to have, especially if you’re in a rental or something that doesn’t have it.
Since this model has parking features built in with the hardwire kit, let’s compare the two. Here is how the 70mai is better:
- AI motion detection — will activate the camera if something looks suspicious, not just if the G-sensor gets activated
- With 4G integration (optional with a charge), get notified of events from anywhere
The Viewclear:
- Not bad, but is only activated by the G sensor. Someone needs to actually hit you to activate the camera. This could mean less false recordings, and it could also mean more missed incidents.
- 4G integration not an option. You can’t upgrade it later if you wanted alerts from anywhere. You are stuck with what you have.
The Viewclear doesn’t have as much information out about it yet; it’s still pretty new. It’s a bigger risk. For almost the same price, this is where the 70mai is a stronger winner than with the budget buys. It’s more refined and has a better overall reputation. If you’re looking to spend a little more and want the upgraded parking features, the 70mai seems to stand out more. It’s been out longer, so you can buy it with more confidence than the Viewclear. The ViewClear will get you a better rear camera, but there isn’t really enough info out there to make an informed decision yet on whether the camera will be good in the long term. It has decent reviews on Amazon, but it hasn’t even been out a year yet.
They have good support, so if there is a problem, they should fix it/make it right pretty reliably. 70mai should too, but it may not be as easy.