The Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is about the size of a key fob and records 1080p with HDR through a 139-degree lens, with no screen and no GPS. TechRadar and Tom's Guide both liked how simply it installs and how completely it hides behind a rearview mirror. Voice commands work, the G-sensor locks a clip on impact, and everything else happens in the phone app. Drivers who want unobtrusive accident documentation are the fit; anyone who wants location data or higher resolution should spend more.
Full review
32.1 grams and smaller than a thumb
The Mini 2 measures roughly 3.13 by 5.33 by 2.91 centimetres and weighs 32.1 grams, which Digital Camera World's figures bear out and The Drive's reviewer summarised as smaller than his thumb. It sits on a small ball-and-socket adhesive pad and vanishes behind a rearview mirror. That is the point of it: a dash cam nobody notices neither distracts the driver nor advertises itself to anyone looking into a parked car.
1080p HDR through a 139-degree lens
Recording is Full HD at 30 frames per second with HDR, through a 139-degree lens with mild distortion at the edges that Digital Camera World found acceptable. PCWorld rated day and night capture as very good without matching Garmin's larger cameras. In daylight the footage resolves a plate; at night, per The Drive, legibility drops to a few feet, which still documents what happened even when it cannot identify who. The G-sensor locks a clip automatically on impact.
No GPS, no screen, no memory card supplied
There is no GPS, so clips carry no speed or location data - PCWorld treated that as the notable omission at this price, and it is the main reason to consider a larger Garmin instead. There is no screen either, so every review, download and settings change happens through the phone app. The microSD card is not included, and the camera takes up to 128GB. Recording is capped at 30fps, and Digital Camera World would have preferred the option of 60.
Voice commands and 12-volt power
Saying OK Garmin followed by save video or take a picture works reliably, which Digital Camera World and The Drive both confirmed. The camera has no battery and runs from the car's 12-volt socket, starting when the ignition does and stopping when power drops. Several units can be paired to one of Garmin's larger cameras to build a multi-channel system, which is the upgrade path once one angle stops being enough.
Around $130 for the smallest camera in the class
The Drive scored it 8 out of 10 for value and framed it as cheap insurance against an argument over fault, which is the honest case for buying any dash cam at this level. At roughly $130 it is not the cheapest 1080p camera available and does not try to be - the money goes on size, build and Garmin's app rather than on resolution or a screen. TechRadar and PCWorld both rated it 4.5 out of 5, landing on the same conclusion that basic done well beats a feature list nobody uses.
Strengths
- +Records 1080p with HDR at 30fps, clear enough to read plates in daylight
- +Small enough to hide completely behind a rearview mirror
- +Installs in minutes on an adhesive ball mount powered from the 12-volt socket
- +Voice commands save a clip or take a photo without touching the camera
Watch-outs
- −No GPS, so clips carry no location or speed data
- −No screen, so reviewing footage means opening the phone app
- −microSD card is not included in the box
How it compares
The Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 is the most discreet option here, with no screen where the Nextbase 522GW, Vantrue E1 Pro and Redtiger F7N all have one. It keeps the reliable Garmin app and easy install, but at 1080p it trails the 4K Vantrue E1 Pro, the 1440p Nextbase 522GW and the 2.5K Redtiger F7N on resolution, and it lacks the front-and-rear coverage that the Redtiger provides.
Rating sources
Counts as 4.42/5 in our score — this publisher's 195 scores on the site average 4.25, so its scores are adjusted down to compare fairly with other publishers.
Counts as 4.02/5 in our score — this publisher's 156 scores on the site average 4.15, so its scores are adjusted up to compare fairly with other publishers.
Counts as 4.64/5 in our score — this publisher's 60 scores on the site average 4.02, so its scores are adjusted up to compare fairly with other publishers.
Counts as 4.77/5 in our score — this publisher's 55 scores on the site average 4.42, so its scores are adjusted down to compare fairly with other publishers.
Our 4.4 score is the average of the 5 scored reviews above, each adjusted for how strictly its publisher scores; 1 more reviewed it without printing a score and is not in the average. More about methodology.
