VIOFO A229 Pro 4K UHD Dash Cam In-Depth Review

Measuring 2.3 inches by 3.9 inches for the head unit, and 2.64 x 1.33-inches for the rear, the VIOFO A229 Pro is built to be discreet enough to be hidden behind the rear view mirror and rear window. The body of the A229 Pro retains the same sleek wedge design started with the A129 series, and perfected with the previous A229 model. Aesthetically, it is identical to the A229 model, with its sleek black finish from premium plastics, now with the A229 Pro label at the bottom. Things get more unique when looking at the ports, as the aux port on the camera is now used for the Interior Camera connection, and doesn’t have the option to connect an external microphone. They have also moved to only one power port on the unit instead of the previous 2, sticking with the port on the GPS mount.

On the front side of the camera, we can see that it comes with standard LED status’s PWR, REC, GPS, Mic and WiFi. The ventilation grills are placed on the sides, just above the speaker, for Voice Notifications and audio recording. Once more, all standard here with VIOFO’s lineup, though the navigation menus for reviewing footage and changing settings through the unit have been better organized.

Finally, another reason why we love recent VIOFO dash cams is because of their static sticker. VIOFO introduced this with the old VIOFO A229, and they've brought this sticker to all of its latest models, including the A229 Pro. The static sticker acts as a barrier between the mount’s sticky tape and the glass, so you’re not left with sticky residue or marks when you need to uninstall the dash cam. In other words, the dash cam is not mounted directly onto the glass – perfect if you typically move your dash cam from one car to another!

For the A229 Pro, VIOFO says that it is the finest image quality of them all – and we agree on that. The A229 Pro is now powered by a more advanced Novatek 96529 processor. Also available in two and three channels, the A229 Pro’s front camera records 4K Ultra HD footage through its Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 sensor at 30 frames per second, covering 140 degrees.

The rear camera shoots 2K Quad HD films at 30 frames per second, thanks to its Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675 sensor at 160 degrees. If you choose the three-channel, the VIOFO A229 Pro’s interior camera records 1080P Full HD footage at 30 frames per second and has a viewing angle of 150 degrees.

As for the interior camera, the VIOFO A229 Pro's IR camera makes use of a Sony STARVIS IMX307 sensor and superior HDR technology to capture the complete cabin view clearly and without overexposure. Moreover, it now includes an IR Cut Filter. The IR Cut Filter shifts filters automatically depending on light sensor data, screening out infrared rays in sufficient light to restore true colour and significantly reduce red or purple hue. It automatically retracts in low light to allow the lens to use all available light, considerably boosting low-light performance.

All of these dash camera variants are equipped with Super Night Vision 2.0, and multi-exposure HDR for enhanced lighting in all conditions – not just in front, but also for the secondary cameras! Less noise, and less motion blur in all angles for sure. We account these for the excellent nighttime recordings we are seeing from this unit, drastically better at lighting up the night than the competition.

Additionally, the CPL Filter comes standard with the A229 Pro. A circular polarizing lens filter can be used to dramatically increase image clarity and contrast by reducing reflections and glare from glass and road surfaces, also compatible with the BlackboxMyCar Aqua Shield for protection from glare, dust, rain and other environmental factors.

In terms of parking mode protection, the VIOFO A229 Pro emphasizes Buffered Parking Mode. This means that when an impact is detected, the dash cam will transition to standard event recording, including the 15 seconds preceding and following the incident.

Aside from Buffered Parking Mode, the VIOFO A229’s Parking mode settings include Auto Event Detection, Time Lapse, and Low Bitrate Recording.

When movement or impacts are detected, Auto Event Detection of the A229 Pro begins recording. If you wish to reduce recording size, the Time Lapse feature can constantly record video at low frame rates, similar to how Time Lapse works on your phone. Meanwhile, VIOFO’s Low Bitrate Mode records audio and video normally in parking mode, with the exception of employing a high compression ratio, which enables longer recording intervals, such as overnight recording without overwriting the previous day's recordings.

If you want to hardwire the A229 Pro for parking mode, keep in mind that it requires the VIOFO HK4 ACC hardwiring kit or a dash cam battery pack, which you will need to buy separately.

The VIOFO A229 Plus and the VIOFO A229 Pro share the same features. Compared to its predecessors, the VIOFO A229 series has integrated advanced features from their premium dash cams like the A139 Pro, while adding further modern improvements.

Now with Voice Controls, the VIOFO A229 Pro is easier to use than ever for hands-free dash cam controls. This allows you to utilize simple voice commands to start/stop recording, snap photographs, and turn on/off WiFi while remaining focused on the road. Furthermore, the A229 Pro uses Voice Notifications to keep you up to date on storage, features, recording modes, and video protection status. Available languages for this feature are English, Chinese, Russian, Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai.

In terms of connectivity, the A229 Pro is compatible with the VIOFO mobile app where you can stream your footage live, download media, and share on social networks. With a 2.4GHz and 5GHz Dual-Band connection, the VIOFO A229 Pro enables 4 times faster data transfer than 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.

The A229 Pro also has a new integrated Quad-Mode GPS module that provides more detailed location and speed data. By combining four global satellite positioning systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou), the VIOFO A229 Pro’ Quad-Mode GPS uses the geometric distribution of several satellites to boost 3D positioning precision for a more accurate driving trajectory, whether in urban regions between towering buildings or in mountainous places with difficult terrain. However, do note that it’s not compatible with the old A229 Duo's GPS module.

Beyond connectivity, the new VIOFO A229 Pro now supports micro SD cards up to 512GB for maximum storage capacity. And with Auto Emergency Lock, in case when a sudden impact or collision happens, the dashcam's built-in G-sensor instantly locks the ongoing recording file, preventing it from being overwritten. In the event of an accident, hit-and-run, or other incident, this feature gives critical video evidence.