FineVu GX33 vs. Garmin 47 Dash Cam

Spending $150 to $200 on the best budget dash cam may not seem like a lot of money, especially when these portable cameras capture in Full HD and have advanced security features.

However, there is a wide range of dash cams available in this price range, including a few from popular brands such as FineVu and Garmin. When you search for affordable and budget friendly dash cams this 2022, two models that you may encounter are the 2022 FineVu GX33 and 2021 Garmin 47.

Find out which among them offers better value with its below-200-USD price tag.

The FineVu GX33 is the most recent addition to the FineVu Full HD lineup, launched by the Korean manufacturer in February 2022. Unlike other entry-level dashcams on the market, the GX33 is only available in a two-channel configuration. You can disable the rear-facing camera if you only want to use the front-facing camera.

The FineVu GX33 is equipped with a 2.1MP front-facing camera that captures 1080p Full HD video at 30FPS with a 132-degree wide-angle view. It is powered by an Allwinner V536 processor. The V536 is a high-performance processor from Allwinner that supports WDR, noise reduction, and other image enhancement algorithms.

Even though you won't get 4K UHD or 2K QHD, the FineVu GX33's performance is quite good for a Full HD camera. You get high-quality video that looks great on both smartphone and computer.

In any lighting condition, the 2.1MP "/28" Sony Exmor R STARVIS image sensor captures stunning, full-color video. The FineVu GX33 also includes Auto Night Vision and HDR, which automatically adjust brightness and clarity.

In contrast to other entry-level dashcams that do not allow you to change the recording frame rate for continuous driving recording mode, the FineVu GX33 includes a new feature called Smart Time Lapse recording, which is a recording mode in which the camera takes snapshots at regular intervals and replays them at normal speed.

With the FineVu Hardwiring Kit (or a dashcam battery pack such as the BlackboxMyCar PowerCell 8), the GX33 provides various parking surveillance options, including impact and motion detection, parking time-lapse mode, and Smart Time-Lapse.

The GX33 is also equipped with a Power Saving Parking Mode that encompasses FineVu's advanced power consumption technology to keep the GX33's power consumption at 0.15 W, which is less than 5% of the regular parking mode's 4.1 W power consumption, providing up to 30 days of standby runtime. 

It is also built with the AI Damage Detection 2.0 feature, which is a game-changing feature for added peace of mind. Using high-resolution machine vision cameras and sensors, the AI Damage Detection scans the entire vehicle body structure from various angles to generate a computational representation of the vehicle and its damage.

The GX33 also offers ADAS, or Advanced Driver Assistance System, that can detect front vehicle motion and provide lane departure warning alerts. Its Speed Camera alert function provides seven types of camera information in voice guidance: speed camera, red light camera, speed limit camera, and average speed alert. It also has a Driving Rest Guide which sends you notifications when you need to take a break from driving.

Taking budget-friendly entry-level to a whole new level, the GX33 is FineVu's most affordable screenless Wi-Fi model, including a 32GB microSD card, and a 3-year manufacturer warranty.

With its G sensor, the camera immediately records footage whenever it detects an incident. You'll also have proper documentation of the time and place that events took place through Garmin's integrated GPS. Similar to the GX33, the 47 model also carries safety features such as Forward Collision and Lane Departure Warnings, Go Alerts, and Red Light Speed Cameras.

By downloading the Garmin DriveTM app, footage can be safely kept in the online Vault. If you want to share it with others, you can send a link and passcode over an active Wi-Fi® connection. Moreover, you can also utilize the Travelapse feature to let your pals drive along with you. It creates a fun film that is simple to share by condensing hours of travel into a few minutes of highlights.

For a more convenient Garmin experience, you won't have to choose between running the dash camera and charging your phone while driving. You can do both because the included charger has an extra USB port. In addition, the Garmin 47 is also ready to use right out of the box and includes a 16GB microSD memory card.