Review on Vantrue E2 Dual 2.5K Dash Cam: 1944P+1944P, 5G WiFi & GPS, Voice Control, 24Hrs Parking Mode + More! by John Hickey

The VanTrue Element 2 (E2) is a high quality dash cam with 2.5K front and rear 2596 x 1944P @ 24fps 160 FOV (or 2K front and rear 1440P @ 30fps 160 FOV) with Voice Commands, and an additional small button remote that you can mute the camera and take photos from, 5Ghz WiFi, GPS and a very easy to use VanTrue Cam App!I’m quite happy with my purchase. This is a very nice, high-quality dash cam. Unboxing is like unboxing a iPhone. The video quality (of both front and rear cameras) is really great. The camera is easy to install, the setup is straight forward especially with the accompanying app after connecting to the camera WiFi. I highly recommend it if you're looking for high-quality dual dash cam with voice commands, 5Ghz WiFi, GPS and a very easy to use App!Installation:The camera comes with three USB-C cables, one connecting the front camera/GPS mount to the power outlet (cigarette lighter), one connecting front and back camera and a USB-C data cable (to connect camera to computer). I purchased the optional Hardwire Kit which connects the camera to the fuse block. It provides power to the camera and for parking mode. I routed the rear camera cable and hardwire power cable along the front windshield tucking under the headliner then to the left A-Pillar away from the airbag following exiting wires there and then down to the interior fuse box. I then continued to route the rear camera cable back along the top inside the door frames and headliner. When I got to the rear hatch I was able to pass the cable through grommets in the hatch then up to the rear window. Both the front and back camera come with very good adhesive and are easily attached to the windshield glass. The total installation took me about an hour. If you have done this before it should be much quicker to install.Setup:Once all wires were connected and the camera was working I removed the front camera and updated the camera firmware. To update the firmware you must download it from the Vantrue website support page. After downloading the file copy it to the root directory of your micro SD card. I purchased a PNY Elite-X 256gb which is working good. After installing the SD card in your camera and powering it up in your vehicle it will take a little time for the camera to update and turn on. Use the camera’s buttons to setup the date and WiFi. Once that is done download the VanTrue Cam App to your phone. Connect your phone to the camera’s WiFi to continue setting up your camera. Setup is always a bit tedious. This camera is no different when setting things up directly from the front display. That is why I recommend downloading the app which allows for a very easy setup over WiFi.Video Quality:Another aspect where this dashcam shines is the video quality. Both front and rear cameras capture very high quality videos at 2.5K front and rear 1944P @ 24fps 160 FOV (or 2K front and rear 1440P @ 30fps 160 FOV). The videos and snapshots are very clear both day and night.Operation during driving:Operation of the camera is very easy using voice commands. There are many commands available like taking a picture or saving a video. See the attached picture for a list of commands. This one one of my main purchasing points I was looking for. I seldom ever look at the camera’s screen. I use voice commands and the app.VanTrue Cam App (Version 2.0.23):Although the rating in the app store is low the newest revision is very good. I gave it 5 stars. I have not encountered any problems with a iPhone 12 with IOS 16. Everything in the app is working correctly. One thing to remember is that you should have the most current firmware on your dash cam installed. To correctly run the app with your camera you must "Turn On Your Dash Cam WiFi Before You Start The App” do this and you should not have any app problems. You can still view your downloaded videos and snapshots without wifi and copy them to your phones photo gallery. The app also runs great on a iPad.Overall I am very happy with my purchase. I highly recommend the E2 if you're looking for a high-quality dash cam.Additional Items That Can Be Purchased:The hardwire kit:https://www.amazon.com/dp/B083XB8T7T?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsThe hardwire allows your camera to be powered with the vehicle running or off allowing parking mode features. It will power off your camera if your vehicle battery drops below a chosen setting (12v or 11.6v).Circular Polarizer Lens (CPL) for Vantrue E2 Dash Cam: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B2VMYQBL?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_detailsIt can effectively reduce reflections, enhance contrast and boost saturation while retaining neutral color rendition in all your shots.