Comparing the 2023 BlackVue DR970X-2CH LTE, BlackVue DR770X-2CH LTE Dash Cam, and Amazon Ring Car Cam

BlackVue DR970X-2CH 4K UHD Dash Cam Sample Footage

BlackVue DR770X-2CH 1080P Full HD Dash Cam Sample Footage

Ring Car Camera: Day & Night Video Quality Samples

Compared to the usual dash cam form factor, Amazon’s take is really different. The Ring Car Cam has a small, 1.6-inch square camera box that tilts up and down to help you find the best view. It connects to a thin, 8.4-inch-long arm that you stick to your windshield with an adhesive patch and wedge above your dashboard. It appears strange and, in our opinion, can be distracting, especially for US states and provinces that only require a specific size when attaching a surveillance camera to the windshield.

With BlackVue dash cams, you simply install them beside your rearview mirror on your windshield. The DR970X and DR770X, and the rest of BlackVue models are designed to be screenless and discrete. This way, you avoid attracting the attention of thieves, keep your vision undistracted, and ensure that the video recordings are properly angled.

Aesthetically, the DR970X-2CH and DR770X-2CH LTE have the same form factor as the DR750X-2CH LTE Plus, but it now has a matte black casing instead of silver, giving the dash cam a more sleek and premium appearance. Moreover, you can add a tamper-proof case and CPL filter to these cameras to maximize video security and quality as well.

Aside from the CPL filter, it is also highly-recommended for you to get a BlackboxMyCar Aqua Shield - compatible for both the Ring Car Cam and BlackVue dash cams - to keep your front lens protected from unnecessary reflections, rain droplets, dust, and other environmental elements that can negatively affect the quality of your footage. Added protection, better vision!

In terms of keeping an eye on your vehicle, the Ring Car Cam, while not a dash cam, has multiple recording modes. There's a feature called Traffic Stop that lets you say "Alexa, record" and the camera will record for up to 20 minutes, even if you're parked and the car is turned off. It also has continuous recording, just like a regular dash cam, and parking protection mode, which records motion and impact - just that.

While you don’t get advanced recording modes with Ring, BlackVue performs the same notable functions as the Ring (except the Voice-controlled Alexa) - even better. In addition to normal and continuous recording modes, the BlackVue DR970X-2CH LTE and DR770X-2CH LTE provides innovative parking mode solutions such as Motion and Impact Detection mode, Time Lapse, and Buffered Recording which is critical in recording the before-and-after scenarios during an incident.

To activate this feature, you have to hardwire your BlackVue dash cam to your car’s fuse box, which is made easier as the hardwiring kit is already included in every BlackVue purchase. You can also extend your parking modes with the B130X Ultra Magic Battery Pack or the PowerCell 8. 

BlackVue dash cams, LTE and non-LTE, offer Loop Recording and Time Lapse. Aside from using it to capture the best of sunsets and sunrise for your road trip destinations, Time Lapse recording also helps you record more footage by saving storage space. Each 1-minute Time lapse Parking Mode video covers a real-time period of 30 minutes, allowing you to cover a period of more than 27 hours on a 16GB microSD card for a dual-channel model at the highest quality setting. Both the DR970X and DR770X can support micro SD cards up to 256GB. In case you’ll get this dash cam, you’ll also get a 64GB microSD card for free.

Moving to the Ring Car Cam’s storage capacity, you might be disappointed as it doesn’t have removable storage, plus, you can only record up to seven hours of video. If you want to store more, you must subscribe to the Ring Protect Go service, which costs $6 per month or $60 per year and is separate from the Ring home plans. You can use the Ring Car Cam without the Protect Go service, but you'll be limited to the storage space inside the Ring Cam - so better start clearing out old footage more frequently. Another scary thing is that when unsubscribed to this plan, you also lose Cloud storage and all of the other Ring features. That’s something that we’re not a fan of - Who loves subscriptions, anyway?

The BlackVue DR770X and BlackVue DR970X-2CH LTE dash cams include GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth, but what sets them apart from the competition is that they include built-in 4G LTE connectivity, so you don't have to connect to an external module or stay in your driveway to connect to the internet. All you need is a BlackVue SIM card, which comes with the package! It is also compatible with the networks of T-Mobile, AT&T, Rogers, and Telus.

The Ring Car Cam, on the other hand, lacks Bluetooth for a more seamless Wi-Fi connection. It's also worth noting that its Wi-Fi is only 2.4GHz, as opposed to the 2.4GHz and 5GHz of the BlackVue DR970X-2CH LTE. It's always nice to have both WiFi options available, and a 5GHz wifi network will allow for faster video streaming to your phone. For Ring, you must purchase an additional subscription if you want to use 4G LTE. Yup, add-on cost once more!

Lucky for us, BlackVue has made mode of its dash cams like the DR900X Plus, DR750X Plus, and now the DR970X and DR770X ready for the Cloud.

The BlackVue Cloud is a free add-on service for BlackVue users that includes Alert Push Notifications, Remote Live View, Video Backup or Auto Upload, Two-Way Communication, Remote Video Playback, and Live Event Upload - basically everything you need to have that peace of mind whether you're leaving your car in an unfamiliar location, want to see what's going on in your vehicle when you asked someone else to drive it, or simply want to make sure that your vehicles, and video recordings safe and accessible.

While it won’t be necessary for the daily driver, BlackVue also gives an option to upgrade your plan; highly recommended if you want to manage multiple vehicles for your fleet business.

If you’re getting the Ring Car Cam, a few of the features the BlackVue Cloud offers like Real Time Alerts, Live View, and Cloud Storage can be accessed too, but you must pay an additional $6 for it every month through a Ring Protect Go subscription.

So, if you don't subscribe to the Ring Car Cam's plan, you won't be able to use all of the features that have been advertised. We believe it is not worth it when compared to BlackVue Cloud, which provides more Cloud features even without paying for a subscription.

While the Ring Car Cam is designed to look like a dash cam and sit on your dashboard, it is actually a car security camera, similar to the other Ring home security products. In terms of video resolution, it only captures full HD and does not have the option of having a rear camera in case you want to capture traffic or incidents happening from the back of your vehicle - unlike the BlackVue dual-channel DR770X and DR970X, which guarantees full coverage eyewitness for your car in Full HD and 4K respectively.

Ring Car Cam’s best features can only be enjoyed once you are subscribed. So if you’re not, you basically have a camera recording video when you drive. But don’t be too complacent, as the Ring Car Cam is not a hundred percent reliable to do the job, even if you’re subscribed to it.

Conversely, Blackvue has the best cloud-integrated dash cam on the market. It’s easily accessible, intuitive, the live notifications are responsive in real time and can provide you access to your car wherever you are in the world. Aside from the BlackVue DR970X-2CH LTE and BlackVue DR770X-2CH LTE being both Cloud ready, they also have a Free plan for the BlackVue Cloud, including everything you'll need, including 5GB of storage. So, unless you have a strong need for unlimited viewing, unlimited playback, and up to 365-day storage, you don't need to upgrade.

The Ring Car Cam is also not recommended if you’re taking car compatibility and weather resistance to account. When you have a dash cam, you want every drive to be as convenient and secure as possible, and in reality, having Alexa speaking to record traffic is not enough for your total peace of mind.

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