Thinkware U1000 vs Blackvue DR900S

It used to be that a picture was worth a thousand words and made for excellent evidence if you ever had to go to court over a traffic incident. Today, we have moved beyond just photos and into video evidence. Police departments have been using dash cams to record traffic incidents, and now these cameras are affordable and being used by more and more everyday drivers to record accidents, protect themselves against insurance fraud, and document spectacular events or views they come across while traveling down the road.

Both the Thinkware U1000 and the Blackvue DR900S are outstanding models that are worthy of your consideration.

Thinkware U1000 vs Blackvue DR900S side by side:

THINKWARE U1000Blackvue DR900S
Resolution (front)3840x2160 UHD 30FPS3840×2160 30FPS
View angle150 degree162 degree
Built-in Wi-FiYesYes
Built-in GPSYesYes
Parking modeYesYes
Maximum capacity128 GB256 GB
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Field of View – A dash cam has to have a large enough field of view to capture events that could come from any direction. But at the same time, the view can’t be too wide or distortion occurs, causing a fish-eyed affect. 140° has been determined to be the optimum width.

Largest Field of View: Thinkware U1000

Loop Recording – Dash cams record to removable microSD cards. These cards have a limited amount of memory, so they need to be able to loop record, or overwrite, the oldest footage once the card’s memory is full.

Better for Loop Recording: Blackvue DR900S (only because it accepts a larger microSD  card)

Memory Capacity – Memory capacity depends solely on the size of the microSD card. A 128GB card is often the largest that any dash cam can use, and depending on the camera’s resolution, can store 12-35 hours of recording time.

Better for Memory Capacity: Blackvue DR900S

Built-in GPS & Speed Logging – Having the built-in capability to pinpoint where an event was recorded and the speed that you were traveling can be crucial when a video clip is used in a court proceeding.

Better for GPS Technology: Thinkware U1000

Impact Detection and Tagging – The dash cam should have a G-sensor to sense bumps or impacts and sudden changes in speed. The ability to tag videos will allow you to easily find important video footage at a later time.

Better at Impact Detection and Tagging: Thinkware U1000 & Blackvue DR900S

Buffered Parking Mode – In parking mode, the dash cam will monitor your vehicle while it is unattended. With a buffered mode, the camera will store footage from just before and just after an event has occurred.

Better for Buffered Parking Mode: Blackvue DR900S (captures better before and after footage)


Thinkware U1000 4K Dash Cam

Thinkware U1000

The Thinkware U1000 is a dual channel dash cam that records with the front camera at 4K Ultra HD at 30fps (resolution can be user adjusted down to 2K @ 60fps). The rear camera records at 2K and both cameras boast a 150° field of view. Equipped with a Sony STARVIS Image sensor, the U1000 will provide improved video clarity under low light conditions.

There is a built-in GPS antenna that will show you the vehicle’s location, speed, and direction of travel. The GPS adds another feature called GEO Fencing. Geo Fencing allows the vehicle owner to set limits of travel, that if exceeded, will notify the owner that the vehicle has left the permitted boundaries of travel. This is a great feature if you have younger drivers or if the cameras are installed in fleet vehicles. The GEO Fencing option allows up to 20 Fences to be set up at a time.

The Thinkware U1000 has what is called an Advanced Driver Assistance System. This system is designed to help avoid accidents and that include features such as forward collision warnings and lane departure warnings. The GPS will also allow the camera to alert the driver to the presence red light and speed cameras, helping to avoid traffic citations.

There are some downsides to this camera system. It only supports microSD cards up to 128GB, which means when recording at 4K UHD, it has room for only about 4 hours of recordings. Also while in parking mode, the camera only records for about 20 seconds and the recording starts just after an impact is detected. The camera also doesn’t have a screen; all setting changes must be done through a smartphone app.

Pros

  • 4K resolution at 30fps front camera
  • 2K resolution rear camera
  • Excellent video quality in low light
  • Ease of use

Cons

  • Only supports microSD cards up to 128GB
  • Parking mode recording only starts after the initial impact is detected
  • Wider viewing angle may hurt video sharpness
  • Installation can be difficult


Blackvue DR900S 4K Dash Cam

Blackvue DR900S

This is one of the best 4K, dual dash cams on the market. You don’t have to believe this review, look at the number of 5-star ratings it gets from satisfied customers that have purchased it.

The front camera records at an extremely clear 4K with an 8 megapixel sensor and the rear facing camera records at full HD (1080p) and features the Sony STARVIS sensor. Both cameras record at 30fps. The field of view is 162° for the front camera and 139° for the rear camera.

The DR900S offers a buffered parking mode that records continually to Ram memory without writing to the memory card. When the G-sensor senses an impact or motion it will save a few seconds before and after the event. The dash cam needs to be attached to an external power supply or hard-wired into the cars fuse box. If an event is sensed, the DR900S will send a push notification to your phone.

This Blackvue has built-in WiFi and can be connected to the Blackvue Cloud to allow for remote viewing in real time. All setup options must be done via a WiFi connection with a free app for either Android or iOS, as the camera has no display screen. It does have loop recording and an auto on/off function with a date, time, and speed stamp. There is a file lock button to prevent a file from being overwritten and a high temperature cutoff if the system gets too hot.

Pros

  • Ultra High Definition 4K resolution front camera, full HD rear camera
  • 162° wide front camera field of view, 139° rear
  • Automatic cloud backup
  • Impact and motion detection when in parking mode
  • 24/7 remote viewing using the Blackvue app
  • Supports up to a 256GB microSD card

Cons

  • Difficult to install
  • No display screen
  • Expensive


Conclusion

Both of these dash cams, the U1000 and the DR900S, are top of the line 4K systems that are priced on the higher end of the spectrum. Both are equally stealthy once installed. The Blackvue has a wider field of view and will support a larger microSD card. The U1000’s rear camera records at a higher 2K resolution than the Blackvue’s. The DR900S has a better parking mode in that it records a few seconds of video before and after an event. (>>> Check on Amazon)