The VS1 by Viofo is a compact dash cam that records 2K resolution and benefits from the improved low light capabilities of a Sony Starvis 2 imaging sensor. It lacks a screen, so is instead set up and configured via Vioso’s smartphone app.
The lack of a display makes this a pretty compact dash cam that takes up very little space on the windshield. It also has a compact mount that also takes up little space yet offers a good amount of adjustability.
Other features include HDR video, a 140-degree viewing angle and Wifi that operates at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. The dash cam comes with a 32GB microSD card in the box, along with a power cable and a 12-volt power adapter with two USB ports.
Priced at about $140 (or between £115 and £135 in the UK at the time of writing), the Viofo VS1 Mini promises to deliver a lot of performance for the price, especially when compared to other compact dash cams like the pricier Garmin Mini 3.
Is the Viofo VS1 the best compact dash cam for you? Read on to find out.
Viofo VS1: Specifications
Viofo VS1: Price
The VS is priced at $139.99 in the US and £134.95 in the UK, although at the time of writing, I have seen it reduced to £114.99. For that you get a 2K dash cam with a 32GB microSD card, a full-size SD adapter, a windshield mount with two transparent films for easy application and removal, and a 12-volt power adapter with a separate USB cable.
It’s a comprehensive kit, and I was especially pleased to see Viofo include a memory card, as some manufacturers skimp on this and expect buyers to pick up their own.
This price point makes it slightly more expensive than the $149.99 Garmin Dash Cam Mini 3, while the new Nextbase Piqo can be snapped up for just $99.99 – again, that’s at the time of writing; its usual price is $129.99.
Viofo VS1: Design & Handling
The VS1 is one of the smallest 2K dash cams I’ve ever used. It measures 3in long (including the windshield mount), 1.25in wide and a little over an inch deep. It’s the sort of dash cam that can fit neatly behind your central mirror, practically out of view and providing zero distractions as you drive. Its compact size is especially useful on smaller vehicles with shorter, shallower windshields, as none of your forward visibility is obscured.
Viofo has kept things simple with the VS1. There’s a lens on the front, a microSD card slot and a button to mute the microphone on the left, and a button on the back to manually save footage – such as when you witness an incident but aren’t directly involved. The windshield mount is integrated at the top of the dash cam, and uses a hinge to offer a wide range of vertical adjustments. There’s no horizontal adjustment, however, so you’ll need to install the VS1 as close as possible to the center of your windshield.
As is increasingly common, this dash cam comes with a pair of transparent films. Stick one to your windshield, then stick the dashcam’s adhesive mount to that, and when it comes to removing the dashcam at a later date, you simply peel the film off the glass – the logic being, the film comes off far more easily than the adhesive pad of the dash cam mount.
I opted to install the VS1 using the included 12-volt adaptor. For a more permanent and discrete installation, Viofo sells a hardwiring kit separately. It also sells a polarizing lens filter to cut down on glare, and a wireless button for controlling the dash cam via Bluetooth. That’s only really useful if the dash cam and its manually-save button is out of reach, such as on the large windshield of a truck.
Be aware that, since the camera detaches from its mounting plate by sliding to the right, you shouldn’t install it close to the left side of your central mirror, as there won’t be enough clearance to remove it.
Viofo VS1: Performance
Setting up the VS1 is easy. All you do is download and open the Viofo smartphone app, then power up the dash cam by plugging it in and turning your car on. Enable Wi-Fi pairing mode with a long press of the record button, then connect to the dash cam as you would any other Wi-Fi network, and its live view will appear in the app, helping you position it correctly on the windshield.
I like how Viofo doesn’t ask you to create a user account or hand over your email address. In fact, you can sidestep the WI-Fi pairing and app entirely, since the dash cam starts working the moment it is powered up for the first time – and because the default settings use the highest resolution and frame rate, and have HDR enabled, most buyers will find nothing actually needs changing.
If you do decide to download the app, the home screen shows a live view of your camera and gives access to recordings, while the settings menu is packed with options to adjust. These include image exposure, HDR, recording length, sensitivity of the G sensor, and much more. All of this can be left to the default setting, but it’s nice to see Viofo offer the configurability to those who want it.
The VS1 produces high-quality video, with enough clarity to read license plates, road signs and the like. It isn’t quite as sharp as I was expecting, given the 2K (1440p) resolution, with some muddy pixelation diluting the sharpness. Even on a bright, sunny day it sometimes wasn’t possible to read the license plate of a vehicle just a few yards away from my own, which was a little disappointing.
That said, the footage would still be plenty good enough to understand the position and movement of vehicles ahead of an impending collision. The VS1’s night time performance is much better, with the Sony Starvis 2 imaging sensor producing footage that is clear, sharp, detailed and lacking in the usual low-light grain we see from dash cams in this price range. It really does produce excellent nighttime footage.
At 140 degrees, the viewing angle is about on par with other dash cams. This prevents footage from suffering with lens distortion but also means the camera doesn’t record much beyond the sides of your hood. A wider lens would capture more of the road at either side, too.
The VS1 boots up quickly when you turn your car on and starts recording right away, complete with a voice message to say as much. There’s a voice control system for turning functions like the Wi-Fi and microphone on or off, but I can’t see myself using this, since I prefer to leave both off.
Viofo VS1: Verdict
This is a very good dash cam. It is so small that it’ll tuck neatly behind your car’s central mirror, while also packing enough performance to shoot Full HD video with HDR, log you location and speed with GPS, respond to voice commands, and capture fantastic night time footage that is totally lacking in noise and grain.
If you prefer your dash cams to be small and without a screen, it is very hard to look beyond this one, especially given the relatively low price. It makes the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 3 seem fairly expensive – even though that model is even smaller and packs a polarizing lens filter. Only the Nextbase Piqo offers better bang for your buck when it comes to pint-sized dash cams, and that model has the additional benefit of recording at 60 frames per second instead of the Viofo’s 30.
You shouldn’t overlook the VS1 Mini, though. It fits a lot into its compact body and majors on simplicity, since you don’t need to hand over your email address, create an account or even use the smartphone app at all, if you don’t want to. Just stick the mount to your windshield, plug it in, and away you go.
✅ Buy it if…
- You want a small dash cam: This is an excellent compact dash cam. It can be entirely hidden behind the central mirror, making for a discreet and distraction-free installation.
- You want bang for your buck: I think this is a keenly priced dash cam and offers good value for money, especially considering the 2K resolution, strong night time performance and GPS.
- You don’t need a rear camera: This is a one-channel system with no option to add a second or third camera. If that’s fine by you, and you don’t need a rearwards or interior view, then the VS1 is a great choice.
❌ Don’t buy it if…
- You need high resolution: The 2K video produced by the VS1 is fine. It doesn’t wow by any means, especially during daytime, but it’s of slightly higher resolution than Full HD and performs especially well in low light thanks to that Starvis 2 imaging sensor.
- You need a display: Its lack of a screen makes the VS1 nice and small, but means you have to connect your phone and open the Viofo app to adjust settings and view recordings (or pop out the microSD card and transfer them to your computer manually).
- You want a higher frame rate: Recordings are limited to 30 frames per second, which is really the minimum expected from today’s dash cams. Ideally I would like to have seen 60 fps, or even 120 fps at a lower resolution, like 1080p.
