What's New With The Thinkware ARC800?

The Thinkware ARC800 has joined the BlackboxMyCar lineup. For someone moving from an ARC700, the touchscreen changes how you use the camera: you can check the camera's live view, review recordings and adjust settings on the device. The ARC700 has no LCD. The ARC800 also moves from the ARC700's Sony STARVIS IMX415 front sensor to the Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 used in the ARC900.

That sensor change does not increase the maximum front resolution. All three record 4K UHD at 30 FPS. The ARC800 supports a larger card than the ARC700, up to 512GB rather than 256GB, but it records rear footage at 1080P FHD where the ARC700 and ARC900 offer 2K QHD alongside a 4K UHD front recording.

The ARC900 already has the same front sensor, a larger 3.5-inch touchscreen and a STARVIS 2 IMX675 rear sensor. If you own one, compare the features you would gain and give up before deciding to replace it.

The ARC800's 60 FPS option requires 2K QHD front recording. It cannot record 4K UHD at 60 FPS, and the rear remains 1080P FHD at 30 FPS in either two-camera mode. Choose 4K UHD 30 FPS + 1080P FHD 30 FPS for the highest front resolution, or 2K QHD 60 FPS + 1080P FHD 30 FPS for a higher front frame rate.

This is why front and rear modes belong together in a comparison. The ARC900 reaches 60 FPS on both cameras in 2K QHD front + 1080P FHD rear mode. Its 2K QHD rear resolution belongs to the 4K UHD 30 FPS + 2K QHD 30 FPS mode. Comparing each camera's separate maximum would describe a combination you cannot select.

The ARC800 uses different processing for driving and parking. HDR is available on both cameras during continuous recording. AI Night Vision or Super Night Vision is available during parking recording. Their names do not tell you how much detail a particular night recording will retain.

For parking coverage, choose the mode that matches what you need to record. Motion Detection saves triggered motion and impact events, including footage from before detection. Time Lapse records at a reduced frame rate. Energy Saving monitors impacts and starts its event recording after impact detection, so it does not give you the same lead-up footage as Motion Detection.

Smart Parking switches from Motion Detection or Time Lapse to Energy Saving when cabin temperatures are high, then returns to the selected mode when temperatures fall. The ARC700 and ARC900 also have Smart Parking, so this is a shared feature rather than an ARC800 first.

Parking operation needs a suitable power installation. Thinkware's ARC800 product page lists hardwiring or its OBD-II power cable; confirm the correct option for your vehicle before installation. Recording duration also depends on the power supply and settings. Back up parking clips before changing parking-mode settings: the ARC800 manual warns that this change deletes recordings made with the previous settings.

The touchscreen lets you review footage at the camera. Local Wi-Fi connects a nearby phone through THINKWARE DASH CAM LINK. USB-C provides another way to access files, but the included USB-C cable is for power only. You need a cable that supports data transfer, and recording stops while the USB-C data cable is connected. After the transfer, disconnect the data cable and check that normal recording has resumed before driving.

Remote access uses a separate connection. Thinkware documents optional THINKWARE CONNECTED support for both ARC800 and ARC900 through a compatible LTE module, SIM and applicable service plan. Wi-Fi alone does not provide access from away from the vehicle. Available CONNECTED features depend on the service plan, so confirm compatible hardware and service availability for your US or Canadian setup before choosing an add-on.

For a file you need to keep, save a separate copy and check that it opens. Viewing a recording on the screen is not the same as backing it up.

An ARC700 owner who wants a touchscreen, the newer front sensor or larger supported storage may find those changes useful. Weigh those changes against the move from 2K QHD to 1080P FHD rear recording. If rear resolution is your priority and your ARC700 is working well, keeping it may suit you better.

An ARC900 owner already has the ARC800's front sensor, a larger screen and 2K QHD rear recording in 4K UHD front mode. Consider whether the ARC800's parking-processing options answer a need you actually have before replacing it.

If the ARC800's mix fits your needs, view the Thinkware ARC800 for the current package options. You can also view the ARC900 if its rear camera or larger screen matters more to you.