Vantrue E1 Pro Dash Cam review: Tiny but mighty with 4K clarity

One of my favourite things about dash cam technology is the fact that ongoing technical advancements are allowing devices to get smaller and smaller.

I've reviewed a few "stealth" dash cams over the years, and the smaller the better as far as I'm concerned. They're the only ones I use in my own vehicles.

While I do like a small dash cam, I'm also keen to see a few important features built in. Firstly, they really should have 4K these days. A Sony Starvis 2 sensor would be ideal, please.

Obviously a good parking guard system is becoming something of an industry standard, as is decent night vision, and maybe an LCD screen.

Imagine my delight, then, to find all these features packed into the extremely small Vantrue E1 Pro. Vantrue is a brand I've tested before, but not for a while, and I'm very impressed to see how far things have come.

Firstly, it's priced very competitively. I've just checked and there's a discount on Amazon, so it's £103.99. That's impressive for a 4K dash cam, let alone an absurdly small one with a trick Sony sensor.

That small size does make it a tad tricky to set up. There is a screen, and its as big as it can possibly be, but it doesn't offer any room for touch screen controls, and navigating the settings with the buttons takes some doing.

The Vantrue app is a happier place to take on some of these duties in, though, and the WiFi connection worked well and stayed stable.

Once set up, you have the option to hard wire it into your car, and this is ideal for the parking monitoring system. This works as well as you might expect, and syncs up to the app easily.

Once you've downloaded footage from the dash cam, it's very easy to view them, and the quality is just as good as you'd expect from a 4K Sony sensor. There's an HDR mode that seems to get a bit confused by some lighting conditions, but the night mode works well, and the clarity is top notch.

It would have been icing on a cake to have had 60FPS, but it's not a deal-breaker, especially at this price. You'll find the 30FPS adequate, thanks largely to the sensor, and there's a clever "PlatePix" setting to help you pick out details. Although at the slight compromise of some brightness.

While it is possible to buy the unit for £103.99 at the moment, it's worth budgeting for a few accessories. A memory card is a great idea, for example, and a hardwire kit costs another £20, but it's worth having to unlock the best bits of the parking system.

Altogether this package would cost £173.97, but I think that's actually terrific value for money for such a small, competent dash cam from a quality brand that offers decent customer support and wide availability.

Want more great deals? Then subscribe to the Top Buys newsletter

Most people will buy a dash cam and stick with it for years, but it honestly is worth checking out the latest technology, if only to downsize to a compact device.

The Vantrue E1 Pro has the latest technology, and it's incredibly small. It feels super-modern and works exactly as well as it should, even punching above its weight a bit considering the price. It's definitely one of the best all-round packages I've tested in a while.

Selling your car? Here’s the fastest way to get cash – and how it compares to rivals

Thinking of selling your car this summer? It all starts with a valuation – and you can get one in under a minute with WeBuyAnyCar. With over 500 branches across the UK and same-day payment available, it’s one of the quickest ways to find out what your vehicle is worth and get the cash if you’re ready to sell.

Used car prices have stayed surprisingly strong, especially for economical hatchbacks and SUVs. Whether you’re upgrading for road trips or switching to a hybrid, a fast online quote can give you a solid starting point – even if you’re still weighing up your options.

To see how WeBuyAnyCar stacks up against other top car-selling platforms like Motorway, Carwow and Auto Trader, read our full article comparing the UK’s most popular car sales sites here.