Interior vs Exterior Dash Cam: Which One Should You Buy?

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Interior vs exterior dash cam: what each view records

An exterior camera faces the road. It records the lane ahead, road signs, plates and the moments before a collision, which is the footage used as evidence after a dispute. The COOAU records a 170° front view, in single-front mode at 4K and in dual mode at 2560×1440, while the Yansoo records 1920×1080 on both cameras with a 170° front view and a 140° inside view, and the Juscar records a 2.5K front view at 170°. A wider front angle covers more of the road and the lanes beside it, but whether a plate or a sign stays readable also depends on resolution, distance and lighting.

An interior camera faces the cabin. It records passengers and the driver, which matters for rideshare, taxi and delivery drivers who want a record of what happened inside, and the Juscar rotating interior camera also covers the side views. The COOAU pairs its 170° front view with a 150° inside view and 4 infrared LEDs for the cabin, the Yansoo pairs its front view with a full inside view and 4 infrared LED fill lights, and the Juscar pairs its front view with a 360° rotating interior camera that covers the inside and the side views. All three listings name rideshare, Uber, Lyft or taxi driving as the use case, and the COOAU listing states that the cabin camera records in black and white in complete darkness.

Night vision separates the two views more than daylight does. The COOAU lists an f/1.8 aperture with a STARVIS 2 chip for low light, the Yansoo lists an f/1.8 aperture with WDR technology, and the Juscar lists a 6-glass lens with Dual HDR and 4 hidden infrared LEDs for the interior camera. An exterior camera without night help still sees headlights and street lighting, but an interior camera in a dark cabin depends on its infrared LEDs, so infrared lighting matters most for the cabin view, while aperture and HDR or WDR processing matter for both views.

Which one should you buy

Start with the job, not the resolution. A rideshare or taxi driver should weight the interior view first, because the cabin record is the point of the camera, and all three picks here record the cabin with infrared night vision. A driver who mainly wants evidence after a collision should weight the exterior view first, because the front camera carries that footage, and the COOAU front camera records at 4K in single-front mode. A driver who wants both should buy a dual camera and then choose among dual cameras on resolution, parking mode, storage and warranty, since every dual camera here already covers both views.

Parking mode is the second decision. The COOAU lists three parking monitoring modes covering collision detection, motion detection and time-lapse, and the Juscar lists a 24-hour parking mode that records when a collision is detected, but both listings state that a hardwire kit is required for parking mode. The Yansoo lists a 24-hour parking monitor that stays in standby after parking and records 30 seconds of video when it detects a shock, without naming a hardwire kit. Check the parking power requirement before buying, because a camera bought for parking protection still needs its stated parking power setup to record while parked.

The gear: dual cameras, ranked

Ranked by resolution, features and warranty term, strongest first. All three record a front view and an inside view at once.

COOAU D30S: the highest-resolution front view

The COOAU records 4K in single-front mode with a 170° front view, and 2560×1440 plus 1080p in dual mode with 170° and 150° views. Built-in GPS and Wi-Fi with an app, a supercapacitor, loop recording with a G-sensor that locks footage on a collision, and support for cards up to 256GB (card not included) round out the listing, with a 2-year warranty stated. It suits rideshare and delivery drivers who want the sharpest front footage and the longest warranty term here.

Juscar G60: the rotating interior camera

The Juscar records a 2.5K front view at 170° with a 360° rotating interior camera, 4 hidden infrared LEDs, a 6-glass lens and Dual HDR. Built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, a 3-inch IPS screen, a 32GB card included with support up to 256GB, a 24-hour parking mode that requires a hardwire kit, and a 12-month warranty complete the listing. It suits drivers who want side coverage from the rotating interior camera and a card in the box.

Yansoo X88: the simple 1080p pair

The Yansoo records 1920×1080 on both cameras with 170° and 140° views, 4 infrared LED fill lights, an f/1.8 aperture, WDR technology and a 2.0-inch LCD. It mounts with a suction cup, powers from the cigarette lighter interface, supports cards up to 64GB (card not included), and lists a one year warranty. It suits buyers who want a simple dual pair without chasing resolution or extra features.

Parking mode and power

Power decides what a dash cam can do when the car is off. The Yansoo powers from the cigarette lighter interface, turns on and records automatically when the car turns on, and stays in standby after parking for a 30-second clip on a detected shock. The COOAU uses a supercapacitor, and the Juscar lists advanced TS recording that keeps footage without a supercapacitor, with both listings stating operation from -4°F to 158°F. For storage, the COOAU supports cards up to 256GB, the Juscar includes a 32GB card and supports up to 256GB, and the Yansoo supports cards up to 64GB, with the COOAU and Yansoo cards not included. Buy the card size the listing supports, and confirm the parking power setup, before relying on the camera for parked hours.

FAQ: garage tools

Can one camera record inside and outside at once?

Yes. All three cameras here are dual cameras that record a front view and an inside view at once, so one unit covers both directions.

Do interior cameras work at night?

Yes, with infrared help. The COOAU, Yansoo and Juscar interior cameras each list 4 infrared LEDs, and the COOAU listing states that the cabin camera records in black and white in complete darkness.

Does parking mode work without a hardwire kit?

The COOAU and Juscar listings state that a hardwire kit is required for parking mode. The Yansoo listing describes standby recording after parking without naming a hardwire kit.

What memory card size do these cameras support?

The COOAU supports cards up to 256GB, the Juscar includes a 32GB card and supports up to 256GB, and the Yansoo supports cards up to 64GB. The COOAU and Yansoo cards are not included.

Do these cameras include GPS?

The COOAU and Juscar listings state built-in GPS that records route, location and speed with the video. The Yansoo listing does not name GPS.

Related: dash cam for rideshare drivers, 4K dash cam, our dash cams hub and measuring and inspection tools.