Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 Owner’s Review

SALE: as of November 6, 2023 it’s on sale at B&H for $99: www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
UPDATE 9/21/21: I just got an email from Garmin saying that with firmware v2.70 they now allow you to turn off the annoying beeps! Yay!
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Two years ago I bought and reviewed the original Garmin Dash Cam Mini. Now the new Dash Cam Mini 2 is out, and I have been testing it for over 2 weeks in the July Texas heat, and here are my results.
It's still the smallest and most discreet 1080p dash cam on the market, but the Mini 2 adds some new features while apparently fixing the overheating issue that we experienced with the original Mini.
0:00 - Intro
1:15 - Features & Cost
2:39 - Polarizing Filter
4:09 - Power & Parking Cables
5:32 - Sample Footage
8:34 - Annoying Beeps
9:34 - Parking Mode
14:33 - More Settings & Features
15:41 - The Vault
19:40 - Viewing Footage
22:42 - Conclusion

[@kevingrainger2530]

This video review is excellent, No music, informative, clarity, personal review. Well done Sir.

[@BrianGreenstone]

Thanks. I hate videos with long intros and unnecessary music and fluff. I just want the facts, so I just give the facts.

[@squidwardlongbottom4837]

@@BrianGreenstone the video exceeded my expectations, well done sir 👏

[@RichSphere00]

Agreed. Such a great review

[@rulin4962]

When I plug the camera into a USB charger while I set up the app, the mini 2 was already very hot to the touch. Is that normal?

[@Dill_doh]

Agreed. Excellent review!

[@jeffseigmeister2348]

This review is light years better than most "professional" review channels

[@BrianGreenstone]

Thanks!

[@matthewpham]

It’s rare to find review videos this comprehensive and straightforward these days. Thank you; I watched the whole thing.

[@BrianGreenstone]

thanks!

[@buccaneer5666]

Stunning monologue, no prompts, no aid-memoirs, no idiot boards, very impressed.

[@BrianGreenstone]

Thanks, but it’s mostly good editing to make it seem seamless. I usually do quite a lot of takes of each segment before I get it right.

[@buccaneer5666]

@@BrianGreenstone "to make it seem seamless" I'm even more impressed now! keep up the good work.

[@AncientAviator]

Brian...I've watched a *LOT* of product reviews during the preceding 15 years and this is HANDS-DOWN the most PROFESSIONAL, UNDERSTANDABLE, USEFUL I've seen. Just SUPERB! I hope other KZbinrs take a lesson from you regarding how it should be done. You set the standard with this one! Thank you sir.

[@BrianGreenstone]

Wow, thanks!

[@yakmaharg]

You sir are a brilliant reviewer. You should be on TV with your own review show.

[@ghoulbladee]

Straight to the point, doesn’t beat around the bush, no annoying music. Great review, I’m highly considering cancelling/returning my Gramin 57 for this. You made great points.

[@connectionoflivesandinterests]

*You're an amazing person for doing reviews. You have such a real down to earth personality & yet professional of detail is spot on. Your speaking of details is flawless. Thank you. 😊😊😊* Sharon in SC

[@bobcarter5548]

Hi Brian. Just came across this vid and your channel by accident. Great explanation of the pro’s and con’s of this cam. I will certainly investigate getting one of these fitted. Very impressed by your content. A must subscribe and I have passed on your link to others. Keep up the good work.👍

[@y2kmadd]

I prefer a small camera without a screen. The camera should be almost invisible.

[@stanhalen4072]

“That’s what we call, EVIDENCE.” Lmfao thanks for the review.

[@madmaximilian5783]

@stanhalen4072• this guy is basically telling about all the features that you would need, but this Garmin camera doesn't have.😆😂🤣

[@arxvphoto809]

They’ve since updated with the ability to turn off the beeping on/off and alerts. Purchased this camera because of this review. Thanks for the review.

[@no-knickers-emma1112]

How are finding it? Night time ?

[@arxvphoto809]

@@no-knickers-emma1112 it’s solid for 1080. Not the best video quality at day or night but it’s so small and out of the way that it’s a fair trade off. If they made a 4K version I’d definitely upgrade.

[@no-knickers-emma1112]

@@arxvphoto809 Thanks. I'm holding out for a while to see if there is a mini 3 with 4k in the pipeline. I really want a dash cam.

[@arxvphoto809]

@@no-knickers-emma1112 I’d get this one for now. It’s important to have!

[@tommcqueary7831]

Thanks for great review. Especially thank you for not having annoying music. Many you tubers think music makes their videos somehow better. But music makes many videos inaccessible to older folks who are a little hard of hearing and cannot tolerate the distraction of music. (My pet pieve.)

[@eddie918]

“Because that’s what we call… Evidence” When I tell you I fell out of my chair

[@holkomichal]

Brian, thank you very much for this review. I must admit that this is the best review of a product that I have seen in a very long time. Super informative!

[@kevind.6137]

Such a thorough and thoughtful review. So many cameras to choose from and this review said everything you need to know! Thank you.

[@AndreFouche]

well delivered, well spoken, articulate - thats how a proper review should be carried out !!

[@DCol]

Best review I’ve seen on this camera. Told me everything I wanted to know in the first 2 minutes. Thank you.

[@user-we9pd4ym3h]

Well thought out review sir! Simple and straightforward description and explanation. Purchased one on the basis of this review 3 days ago. Very pleased so far. Thank you!

[@takeitzenman7894]

This is an EXCELLENT example of how to review a product. You have a new sub!

[@rohanpala]

“Because that’s what we call evidence” that killed me lol!

[@lurd5533]

Thank you Sr for taking the time to share with the community your experience with those cameras. What an easy to watch video. 👍

[@adi96adi]

Your reviews are the best man, keep it up!

[@mran7042]

Hopefully Garmin has been made aware of your concerns with this product. Great review.

[@JeffChambersMotoResources]

Thank you for providing such a detailed and thorough review of this camera. I purchased one today and learned so much about the operation and features from the information that you provided. I have a couple of accessories to acquire before I install mine, so thank you for recommending them.

[@audidryvera3503]

Brian, thank you for such a detailed but at the same time practical review which also feels very balanced - you've helped me make up my mind to buy a Mini 2.

[@brettlathrope3612]

What a great, professional, detailed, review. I'm very impressed!

[@michaeljemery]

Probably the best dash cam review I've seen anywhere. Answered all my questions, and I am now certain this is the dash cam for me. Thank you also for posting the update about the annoying beeps as I absolutely despise needless beeping from obnoxious gadgets and appliances. Great stuff!

[@denstorebog]

70mai Dash Cam Pro Plus+ A500S much better camera

[@BrianGreenstone]

There are plenty of “better“ Dashcams, but that’s not the point of this one. The point of this one is that it is discrete. The 70mai is not.

[@Gio-nl7eg]

@@denstorebog no uses lithium..

[@finchers_garage]

Excellent review, sir. Didn't expect to watch the whole thing but I was impressed by your delivery. I've been thinking about getting a camera for a few months now. Had a moment today with my mom in the car and finally decided to get a camera. It was between this Mini 2 and the 47 but settled on the Mini 2. Thanks, and that Aston Martin sounds amazing!

[@peytonbass5396]

Thank you Brian for your detailed review. My Garmin nuviCam from 2014 finally failed this week and I'll be purchasing this dash cam now. I have used dash cam footage on several occasions to show that I was not at fault for an accident. Dash cams are indispensable, especially in Florida.

[@kaue]

Got one because of your review! Thanks! Regarding the annoying beep, you can now turn the beep off in the app settings its called "Alert Volume". While I never had the mini 1, I can tell that the mini 2 still gets warm (almost like when your phone gets hot) but no issues so far. Overall it's a massive upgrade from my old dashcam from wish.

[@JP1050x]

Great review. I use a Garmin 57 on my primary car, and Mini 2 on my secondary cars. The 57 is better in every way (resolution, build quality, ease of use). But the 57 still works well if you need a smaller, more discrete camera. The Mini 2 resolution is ok, but hard to make out license plates unless you are close. The plastic feels cheap all around, and can wiggle a bit more on the mount compared to the 57. The Garmin dash cams work well powered by a cigarette lighter or usb, and turns off and on reliably when you turn the car off and on. No need for the parking cable, unless you want it to record while the car is parked. Also, the Mini 2’s had a firmware update that enables you to mute the beep if you find it distracting.

[@FatKitty797]

Thanks for the great review! I just received the Mini 2 as a birthday gift, and your review answered the questions that I had, so I think that I'll keep it. Initially GPS was a feature that I thought that I wanted, but your comment about "evidence" quickly squashed that. Thanks again!

[@xy4489]

Purchased. Almost purchased Nexar, only by chance saw your reviews in recommended videos. Thank you for saving me from stepping on the rake.

[@33818ual]

Great,Great video.Thanks so much for explaining so perfectly how this camera works.Very professional.

[@BrianGreenstone]

Thanks!

[@MR-wh6ji]

Wow thank you! I coincidentally bought one this morning and afterwards I found your very good video 👍🏻. Some peace of mind now with all these maniacs out on the road…

[@andrewdanjumbo7584]

Spot on review… the Information was presented in a concise, detailed, & thoughtful manner. Thankyou !

[@cammacgregor9354]

This is an excellent review---thank you, Brian. And...I think it's nice to know when the Dash Cam is operational by an audio on/off beep indication, such as we experience with a cellular phone, GPS unit, car security system, et al. Beeps are good. Video Recording awareness is a good feature for commercial drivers advising passengers they are being recorded. PS...I just subscribed to your channel with hopes of learning more great stuff. Thanks again. PS...Texas Hill Country is awesome. I live in Fredericksburg

[@LtdKaup]

Thank you from Germany for sharing your experience with the dashcam with us.

[@techsocial626]

Thanks for the follow up review on the new model! I'd been meaning to get around to test out the parking mode overheating issue with mine, but now I know. Glad you mentioned the WIFI inconsistency as I noticed that too. Hoping they release a firmware update that might fix it. Great review!

[@mornebenkenstein318]

Thanx for the great review Brian, I purchased the mini 1 on your recommendation and had it installed with the parking cable. Fortunately for me I have been using the parking mode ever since install (about 3 months ago) without a single overheating incident. I was also hoping for a higher resolution in the mini 2 but since it's still 1080p I see no point upgrading. Let's hope for a 4k mini 3

[@MartyInTheWoods]

@@mornebenkenstein318 is the overheating issue fixed with a firmware upgrade? Or is it a hardware problem in earlier versions of the mini 1?

[@mornebenkenstein318]

@@MartyInTheWoods I don't think firmware updates fixed the problem that some of the units had, it seems very random and still unresolved

[@MartyInTheWoods]

@@mornebenkenstein318 Thanks, I will look into the Mini 2 then!

[@Westcoastjazzer]

Thank You for the very informative review of the Mini 2. One of the best review guys ever! Now I need to get one!

[@stevehorvat69]

Nice follow up review. I too had the overheating issues with the original mini and ended up returning it for a 2 channel Thinkware unit. I just picked up the Mini 2 for my son’s SUV and will be installing it this week. I’m hopeful after seeing your review. Thanks.

[@cderry]

Owns a $300,000 Aston Martin Vanquish and yet recommends one of the cheapest dash cams on the market. Full respect. We just installed a Garmin 67w and absolutely love it so far! Great video!

[@BrianGreenstone]

$327,000

[@neilmcmillan2144]

@@BrianGreenstone :😊

[@21psd]

@@BrianGreenstone 😂

[@katietatey]

@@BrianGreenstone Holy Shit! Just... wow. Had no idea.

[@TreesOnTheBeach]

Great review. Really enjoyed it. Thanks for posting.

[@zocalo1990]

Excelent video ,,very well explained, no music ,just what i was looking for, in the process of finding a camera i found this channel. Thank you for taking the time creating it

[@majuro]

another excellent review. I’ve had the Dash Mini for 6 months now after you convinced me. I haven’t had any of the heating issues so far. 🤞🏽I regularly post my videos and friends think it’s a higher end cam like a blackvue. Love the form factor, no frills (screen/cloud) and even with the wire dangling (because I didn’t bother getting it installed properly), people don’t notice it until they’re right in front of the car.

[@dzsukovszki]

I use Dash Cam Mini 2 as a rear camera, and put Dash Cam 57 on front. Perfect!

[@jonniebosh2238]

What a great review. It’s nice to see someone review an item and explain it clearly and honestly.

[@cpt_sweettooth]

now thats an honest review

[@patriotone755]

A very good down to earth review! Thank you for all the excellent details, pros and cons.

[@TRex-ti2io]

This is an excellent review. Love the details and thoughtfulness. Super smart, really helpful. 👏🏻

[@DashCamTravelCarCamera]

Awesome descriptions, explanations and details. Thanks 👈

[@YouTubebackstories]

Lol says it’s quite expensive as you humbly sit in your Aston Martin, great video very informative!!!

[@mikewells8403]

Just because people have nice things doesn't mean they don't care about the price of things.

[@Artur-kn4te]

Thanks Brian great review I went through all videos about mini dash cam and just ordered mini 2 as I am fed up with all no name dash cams. Great reviews and keep it up.

[@joeestes3671]

Very good commentary. To Garmin: We don't need a "beep" to tell us that we hit a pothole.

[@polarexpress2316]

"that's what we call evidence" I love this guy lol

[@PCgamer923]

@1:05-@1:15 "If you speed everywhere like me, you don't want something that tracks your speed, so that when an officer pulls you over there's no evidence". Great review, but that's an interesting bit.

[@MrKirkCaptain]

We have a right to remain silent, which includes the right against self-incrimination. So it's a valid point!

[@mrtopcat2]

Another great review! Many thanks! Little less than a year ago, I bought the Garmin Mini 1, following watching your review of that camera and I'm very happy with it - thanks again! For me the small size trumps over everything else. So I will probably buy this Mini 2 as well at some point or when my Mini 1 gives up working. Interestingly the same problems with connecting the phone to Mini’s Wifi, as you have mentioned, I have with the Mini 1. Luckily I only use it as emergency recorder, so this is not a big issue for me. I also don’t use parking mode and hence had no overheating or concerns there.

[@seven58o]

Been waffling on these since the 1. This vid convinced me, so thank you!

[@stephenj8576]

This guy is a good reviewer

[@j1scott2s]

Vanquish.... subtle flex. :)

[@carlosarturorentando]

Hi Brian, this is the best review of a product that I have seen for all the products that I have lloked for, you explained everything that I wanted to know and even you talked about other things that I was not aware, Congratulations!!

[@BrianGreenstone]

Thanks!!

[@Muchkneadedmassage]

Thank you for such a thorough review and especially the + and - of this dash cam. I didn't know these things had polarizering lenses available - great suggestion! You confirmed my suspicion about Nexar using up my phone data.

[@dirtfpv]

Great video. Thanks so much.

[@Gmar69]

Love Garmin products, GPS devices, watches, etc,, but BEEPING feature kills it for me. Great and honest video.

[@BrianGreenstone]

Beeping was fixed in a firmware update

[@cookie9471]

Honestly the best review I’ve ever seen. You deserve more subscribers. At least you got my subscription today.

[@BrianGreenstone]

Thanks!

[@johnbower]

Excellent review every thing you said made perfect sense, I have a Garmin 56 installed on the front screen, now thinking of buying a Garmin mini 2 for the rear.

[@scottmilesnick994]

Thanks for these reviews. I own two Garmin Minis and they had the overheating issue with parking mode. Even with parking mode off I found sometimes they still got hot, and once or twice while the car was in the sun they turned off. Rare situations, but it happened. My new Mini 2 doesn't overheat, but also gets very hot which I understand is normal. So maybe overkill, but I bought some small black stick-on heat sinks (~3/4" x 3/4") and stuck them on the back of my cameras. It really helps to reduce the heat load due to the increased surface area of the heat fins. The cameras are so small I don't even notice it, and the extra cooling was only a few dollars on Amazon. So maybe this will help someone who is experiencing heat issues.

[@BrianGreenstone]

I thought about adding heat sinks but ever tried it. Glad to see someone tried it!

[@scottmilesnick994]

@@BrianGreenstone Seems to work well, and you can feel the heat radiating off the fins and the camera body is cooler. Here's the link to the heat sinks if you're interested: Easycargo 10pcs 22mm Heatsink Kit 22x22x10mm + 3M 8810 Thermal Conductive Adhesive Tape, Cooler Heat Sink for Cooling Raspberry Pi, SSD M.2 2280 GPU IC Chips VRAM VGA RAM (22mmx22mmx10mm) www.amazon.com/dp/B07D4DY2MZ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_GN6RDW2SG2TT4FN7AZ3F?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[@MartyInTheWoods]

👍 Good idea 👍

[@MartyInTheWoods]

how much power does the camera use in normal operation?

[@Pstaines439]

Great review thanks. I can't live with the annoying beeps so this is a no go for me. You really helped with the Vault stuff too. I don't want to pay Garmin for storage so wanted to make sure I didnt HAVE to use it.

[@c5mjohn]

Looks like they updated the software so that you can disable the beeping

[@BrianGreenstone]

Yep, beep has been fixed.

[@alexanderwagner9524]

Thank you for this review. I was about to order this cam but the beeping is something I cannot accept. Good thing you updated the info and pointed out it can be disabled now.

[@Htl3648]

EVIDENCE! sooooooo true. I’ve wondered and have been looking for a cam like this. Thanks for the great review!

[@ZachMcFroggie]

Just purchased OG mini. It was $45 cheaper than mini 2.. I'm happy with it. Connected it to powerbank, so when car is parked, it uses power bank and when the car is running, powerbank recharges.

[@rohita3197]

Nice you can now get rid of clutter and power bank and use garmins new OBD connector cable :D

[@priscilalala4577]

Do you still use the power bank? How does it work? I didn’t know we had to install it perm and my battery is draining I figure it was the dash cam. If I can avoid the extra purchasing I would, I have so many power banks.

[@madddvillain]

This man deserves a million subs…

[@BrianGreenstone]

Wow, thanks. I’m surprised that I have as many as I do considering how random my channel is.

[@lilybrandes]

Thanks for a great review! This is definitely one of my top options I'm looking at getting. Simple, but does the job.

[@JF-vf6xp]

Great review and really appreciate you pointing out the pros and cons. Thank you so much Brian.

[@christinearmington]

That’s what we call evidence. 🤦‍♀️🤩👍😆

[@alandoran5428]

Excellent video. What’s your thoughts with regards to the mini 2 V 67w? You put me off the mini 2 only because of the beeps going over bumps etc. your video is extremely informative and not the usual distracting music that a lot of KZbinrs use.

[@BrianGreenstone]

The beeping issue was resolved in a firmware update a long time ago. It no longer does that. I do like the other Garmin Dashcams as well, but I have the minis in both of my Astons because they are discreet. For me that’s the number one thing.

[@alandoran5428]

@@BrianGreenstone thank you so much for getting back to me….. thats great news. Liking your car…. Coming from Scotland they look great when in the open road

[@scaleonkhan183]

Thank you for such an informative video. You answered my questions before I even knew I had them!

[@franka.m.1860]

Thank You!! for your honest and Clear description of the Mini 2

[@matthewbyrd2329]

If I had a Vanquish, I would have a dash cam covering all four corners!

[@BrianGreenstone]

It’s a convertible, so can’t put a rear dash cam anywhere.

[@calburnIII]

I found it interesting that you were bothered by the obnoxious beeping but not the really obnoxious LEDs! Perhaps where you’ve mounted your camera obscures them, but because of the way I had to mount mine, it’s to the left of the mirror, and those darned LEDs are bright! I’m not bothered by the “audio on” one, because I don’t have the audio on very often, but the power indicator was too much, even in daytime. So I put a small piece of electrical tape over it, and I punctured the tape so that there’s a pinhole size hole that allows me to see the LED without it being nearly so bright. Your video was otherwise very helpful. Incidentally, my camera and iPhone have connected quickly 100% of the time so far, so perhaps yours is anomalous. I’ll update my comment if I find out otherwise with more use.

[@kymmoulds]

A great and honest review and thanks for taking the time to make it. Oh, and BIG thumbs up also.

[@lpandy21]

Very thorough. I really appreciate your time and effort with this review.

[@ASURAN24]

Plus, the parking mode removed the motion detection makes it less desirable

[@victorjngv]

Hi, great videos, thank you for that. I am not sure if I should buy a 1080p camera, or shoot for a 4k. do you know if a camera like this would capture the plates at night of a hit and run, something like that?

[@BrianGreenstone]

If you don’t care if the camera is discreet go for 2K or 4K, but if being discreet matters this is the one to get.

[@menghounly]

Thank you so much Brian. Great review and I really appreciate your shared experience .

[@TimPaddy]

Perfect review, with a practical and logical point of view. Thanks!

[@jazzbeau507]

Professional installation of power source----do car dealers do this type of work with experience and competence. What is the price range?

[@seangould3664]

Dude…is Adam West your dad? You could totally do a passable 60s Batman.

[@BrianGreenstone]

I’m not seeing the resemblance, but WHAM!!!

[@JoeCannon1]

I was thinking the exact same thing!! He really looks like Adam West

[@latrace1986]

This was a thorough and practical review. Thank you!

[@richardschunicke5540]

Great review!... I bought one half way thru this review... looks like it's exactly what I want! Thanks!

[@KevKlopper]

Imagine developing a recent tech product and still put micro USB inside your product. Blows my mind

[@BrianGreenstone]

Yeah, I was just thinking about that because tomorrow I’m installing another one of these in my new car. I can only imagine it’s a legacy issue since they don’t want to have 2 different sets of power cords: one type for some cams and another type for the rest. Eventually, however, they’re going to have to bite the bullet.

[@KevKlopper]

@@BrianGreenstone yeah because the EU stops the madness. I can literally hear the managers talking to the engineers "many people are still familiar with micro USB and we can save 5cent production cost per unit"

[@colo5220]

Be advised about connecting the camera and the phone app. If your phone turned on VPN, your phone Garmin app can't connect to the camera. I have had this problem, and it took me a long time to figure out. So, you have to turn off your phone VPN in order to connect the camera and the phone app.(I have the Iphone and in 2022)

[@BrianGreenstone]

Excellent to know, thanks

[@RickEverett]

Excellent video, and well, perfectly stated. Started off with the mini myself, and loved it! I now have the same 512g Micro SD running in my mini 2, and a second mini 2 at the rear window, both using the Garmin constant power adapter. Mini 1 is now only recording when I start the vehicle, and records inside the vehicle. Before the second Mini 2 was purchased, I used the Mini 1 in the front window, and it would continuously record with the adapter. (There is a difference between the cable and adapter.) (You need the cable to have the Mini 1 work in parking mode) Information I noticed, The mini 1 didn't overheat, it did record day and night, the 512g SD held 3 days of video before rewriting the card, and it didn't drain my battery. Keep in mind, I drive a 2018 Tacoma with a Truck battery, so more cold cranking amps than a car battery. Cheers!🍺

[@fazalrehmanhameedi4181]

You are doing an awesome job. Love the way you review it and point out all the issues. I have been using the mini 1 for almost 6 months now but I feel like i need to upgrade to 4k and this aukey dashcam is also a small size dashcam and i kinda like how it looks, but unfortunately there is no detailed review of it and I was hoping if you could review Aukey dashcam 4k DRS1.

[@breakthroughmadeinusa9184]

Nice job dude, anybody ever tell you you look like Adam West from TV Batman series?

[@keanusalimi1750]

When i start recording, does it record from the last 30 seconds or does it record when I click record? Just wondering because it would be a shame to forget to click record one day, and you get into an accident with no evidence

[@malcolmalexander5246]

This Mini2 video convinced me to have one fitted earlier this week and it is excellent. Having enquired about the same one in the rear of my car, I found that the instructions were rather lacking in how to adapt front and rear cameras if you wish to take photos of the 'chump' behind. So, having set up the front camera to answer a call of Hi Garmin ...... take photo, for the rear camera that needs to be set up to have a Wake Word that is different. So set up with Hi Dashcam .... take photo. You may need to raise your voice a little, but they then both answer verbal commands. I hope this helps others.

[@21psd]

Great review and breakdown of the app. I think this one is for me and my driving situations too. Thx

[@DerrickOil]

Nice Aston Martin.