VIOFO WM1
The budget pick that still takes parking seriously: for around $100 the WM1 pairs a supercapacitor with three parking modes, so it holds up to heat and can guard a parked car rather than only recording while driving. A 2K Sony STARVIS front lens keeps footage sharp, and 5GHz Wi-Fi and GPS round out a genuinely capable compact camera at an entry price.
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Our Verdict
Proof that real parking protection does not have to cost much: for around $100 the WM1 pairs a supercapacitor with three parking modes — features usually reserved for pricier cameras — and a 2K Sony STARVIS front lens keeps the footage sharp. It ranks last because it is a single front-facing channel on an older, non-STARVIS-2 sensor, and like most cameras here it needs a separate hardwire kit for parking power. But as an entry-level parking camera that still holds up to heat and captures events reliably, nothing else here comes close on price.
Score Breakdown
Pros & Cons
Pros
- •Supercapacitor and three parking modes for around $100 — parking features usually reserved for pricier cameras
- •2K (1440p) Sony STARVIS front lens is sharp for the price
- •Compact, discreet body with 5GHz Wi-Fi and built-in GPS
- •Voice notifications and loop recording built in
Cons
- •Front-only, single channel — no rear or cabin coverage
- •2K rather than 4K, on an older STARVIS (not STARVIS 2) sensor
- •Parking mode needs the separate HK4 hardwire kit
Specifications
| Parking Mode | 3 modes (buffered / auto-event / time-lapse) |
| Channels | 1 (front) |
| Front Resolution | 2K (1440p) |
| Image Sensor | Sony STARVIS (IMX335) |
| Power Source | Supercapacitor |
| Cloud Backup | No |
| Connectivity | 5GHz Wi-Fi + GPS |
| Max Storage | microSD up to 256GB |
Who Is This For?
Best For
- Budget buyers who still want real parking-mode protection
- Drivers who want a small, simple front camera
- A first dash cam with supercapacitor reliability
Not For
- Drivers who need rear or cabin coverage
- Anyone who wants 4K footage
Where to Buy
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Alternatives to Consider
Thinkware U3000 2CH
Thinkware
The U3000 is built around parking protection: a low-power built-in radar watches for motion and impacts while the car is off, so it can guard a parked vehicle far longer on a given amount of battery than a camera that leaves its image sensor running. A 4K Sony STARVIS 2 front lens and a 2K rear lens with Super Night Vision 4.0 capture the incidents it detects, and it bundles a hardwire/OBD cable so parking mode works out of the box.
VIOFO A229 Plus 2CH
VIOFO
The value pick for parking protection: dual Sony STARVIS 2 sensors record the front and rear in 2K each, and a built-in supercapacitor — not a lithium battery — lets it sit through the heat of a parked car far more reliably than battery-based cameras. With the add-on hardwire kit it unlocks three parking modes, so drivers can trade off storage against continuous coverage.
Nexar One
Nexar
The connected pick: the Nexar One carries an always-on LTE connection, so when its parking mode detects an impact while you are away it sends a real-time alert to your phone and lets you live-stream the car — and every clip backs up to unlimited cloud storage, meaning your evidence survives even if the camera itself is stolen or destroyed. It pairs a 4K front lens with a cabin-facing lens.
Vantrue E1 Pro
Vantrue
The compact pick: barely larger than a coin, the E1 Pro is easy to mount discreetly, yet it records true 4K on a Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678 sensor with PlatePix processing to keep license plates legible. A supercapacitor — not a battery — lets it run its 24/7 buffered parking mode through prolonged sun and heat without the failures that plague battery-based cameras.