Key Factors
- Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 Sensor: Delivers industry-leading 4K low-light readability and excessive dynamic vary.
- Constructed-in eMMC Storage: Eliminates the frequent “SD card failure” difficulty with built-in, high-speed reminiscence.
- Screenless Stealth Design: A compact wedge form that matches discretely behind the rearview mirror.
- 4G LTE & 5G Wi-Fi Connectivity: Allows distant parking alerts, reside monitoring, and lightning-fast video downloads.
- Superior AI ADAS: Consists of real-time warnings for lane departures, collisions, and pedestrian detection.
The “Screenless” Gamble: Why Smaller is Higher
The very first thing you discover in regards to the M800 is what’s lacking. There is no such thing as a display. For some, that’s a dealbreaker. We’re used to seeing that little glowing rectangle in our peripheral imaginative and prescient. Nevertheless, after about two days, I spotted {that a} display on a touch cam is usually a distraction.
The M800 makes use of a “wedge” design. It’s small—sufficiently small to tuck behind my rearview mirror so I actually cannot see it whereas driving. It is a large win for cabin aesthetics. It would not block my view, and it would not appear like a cumbersome piece of plastic caught to the glass. As a substitute, it looks like an OEM a part of the automotive.
The Tech Underneath the Hood: Sony STARVIS 2
For those who care about picture high quality, the one spec that actually issues right here is the Sony IMX678 sensor. That is the STARVIS 2 tech everyone seems to be buzzing about. Why? As a result of it handles dynamic vary in a approach that older sensors merely cannot.
In my testing, the 4K footage was remarkably crisp. Throughout a brilliant afternoon drive, the M800 managed to stability the cruel daylight on the hood of my automotive with the shadowed particulars of the timber on the facet of the highway. However the true take a look at is at evening.
Most sprint cams “blow out” license plates due to your personal headlights reflecting off the silver paint. The M800’s HDR (Excessive Dynamic Vary) is surprisingly good. I watched again some footage of a automotive merging pretty shortly in entrance of me at evening. Not solely was the plate readable, however I might even see the driving force’s silhouette. It’s not “cinematic” within the sense of a Hollywood film, however for insurance coverage functions, it’s precisely what you want.
The Demise of the “Reminiscence Card Error”
I believe my favourite characteristic—and I say this with a stunning quantity of emotion—is the built-in eMMC 5.1 storage. For those who’ve owned a touch cam earlier than, you’ve in all probability seen the dreaded “Reminiscence Card Error” message. SD playing cards aren’t actually constructed for the fixed warmth and write-cycles of a touch cam. They fail. Usually.
The M800 (a minimum of the 128GB model I examined) has that reminiscence soldered instantly onto the board. It’s quicker and way more dependable. I did not have to fret about shopping for a “Excessive Endurance” card or questioning if the digital camera was truly recording. It simply works. The peace of thoughts alone is well worth the value of admission.
Staying Linked: 4G and 5G Wi-Fi
The M800 is “good,” however not in a gimmicky approach. It helps 5GHz Wi-Fi, which appears like tech-babble till you attempt to obtain a three-minute 4K clip to your telephone. On older 2.4GHz cameras, this is able to take 5 minutes. On the M800, it’s performed in seconds.
Then there’s the 4G LTE possibility. For those who get the 4G hardwire package, the digital camera stays “alive” even when the automotive is off. I acquired a notification on my telephone whereas I used to be at dinner as a result of somebody walked too near my automotive for too lengthy. I used to be in a position to pull up a reside view of my automotive from the restaurant. Is it a bit paranoid? Perhaps. However in a crowded metropolis parking zone, it’s a pleasant security internet.
The ADAS System: Useful or Annoying?
Like many trendy cameras, the M800 has an Superior Driver Help System (ADAS). It tells you whenever you’re drifting out of your lane or when the automotive in entrance of you has began transferring at a inexperienced gentle.
In my expertise, ADAS is a combined bag. The “pedestrian detection” is definitely fairly spectacular; it caught a bicycle owner I hadn’t totally observed in my blind spot. Nevertheless, the lane departure warnings can get a bit chatty on slim metropolis streets. I ended up turning the sensitivity down within the app. It is nice for lengthy freeway highway journeys the place fatigue may set in, however for a five-minute journey to the grocery retailer, it may be a little bit a lot.
Actual-World Nuances
I observed just a few small issues that did not make the advertising brochure. For one, the digital camera will get heat. Not “melting” scorching, however noticeably heat to the contact after a protracted drive. 70mai says the serrated vent design handles the warmth, and I did not expertise any shutdowns, nevertheless it’s one thing to control if you happen to reside in a spot like the place the summer time is HOT.
Additionally, the voice management is surprisingly good. Saying “Take Photograph” truly works with out me having to shout. It’s a small contact, nevertheless it’s safer than fumbling for a button whenever you see one thing fascinating on the highway.
Set up: Not for the Faint of Coronary heart
If you would like the complete expertise—the parking monitoring and the 4G distant view—it’s important to hardwire this factor to your fuse field. 70mai gives the cables, however if you happen to aren’t comfy pulling aside your automotive’s trim, you’ll need to pay an expert to do it. I spent about 45 minutes tucking wires into the headliner and A-pillar. It’s not laborious, nevertheless it requires endurance.
Ultimate Verdict: Is it Price It?
For those who simply need a “set it and overlook it” gadget that hides away and offers you elite-level footage when issues go flawed, that is in all probability it. It would not attempt to be a GoPro; it tries to be a dependable witness. And in 2025, that’s precisely what a touch cam must be.
