Tested: KingSlim D4 Dash Cam

Having a dash camera provides solid peace of mind by serving as an extra security blanket in the form of a video camera. Recording photographic and video footage may become useful in the event of a collision or a wrongful run-in with law enforcement. Choosing the right dash camera can be a daunting experience since there are tons of options. The KingSlim D4 stands out from the crowded sea of dashcams as a quality, feature-rich dual-facing 4K camera at an affordable price.

Dash cameras had only consisted of forward-facing units recording up to 1080p quality footage. But with the advent of cheaper and improved camera technology, it’s not difficult to find a dash camera that records in 4K and can also watch your back. Today, most mid-range to high-end dash cameras come with parking features, multi-camera setups, GPS tracking, WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity.

The KingSlim D4 offers all of that at a fraction of the price and without much compromise, including upscaled 4K resolution, front and rear cameras, GPS and speed tracking and parking security functions, all of which you’d expect to find on model costing more than the D4’s $140 list price.

PROS: 

• Excellent build quality
• Dual-view (front and rear) recording
• Rich feature set for an affordable price

CONS:

• 4K video isn’t true 4K, but upscaled from 2.5K
• Requires frequent driving for supercapacitor to hold charge
• Smartphone app and WiFi connectivity are buggy

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how this product scores in our evaluations:

Is the Kingslim D4 a Good Value?

Most dash cameras with the same amount of features often cost well north of $150 and sometimes as much as $300. But because the KingSlim D4 costs significantly less while delivering the same combination of features without much compromise, it is incredible value for the money.

How Good is the Quality of the Recording Footage?

The forward camera records with a 170-degree wide-angle view and a Sony STARVIS IMX335 sensor, which can record up to 4K (3840×2160) resolution or 2.5K (2560×1440) at 30 frames per second. The rear solely records 1080p (1920×1080) with a 150-degree view. It all saves to a microSD card that you’ll have to purchase separately.

It should be noted that the forward camera isn’t actually recording full 4K resolution, but is recording at 2592×1944, while a Hisilicon Hi3559 processor upscales the image to a 4K resolution file. That’s because the Sony IMX335 sensor itself is physically limited to 5.14 megapixels with only 2592×1944 effective pixels.

Despite this workaround, the footage is on par with many other more expensive models, making out license plates on other vehicles pretty well during the day. The rear camera footage is just adequate and provides enough detail. Both cameras can struggle at night, particularly the rear unit.

The night-time footage is clear enough that it could show if someone was at fault in an accident, though making out plates might be difficult without saving a frame and tweaking the photo. Then again, most dash cameras don’t really perform at night due to the physical constraints of the camera sensor.

What Other Features Does the Kingslim D4 Have?

On top of dual-view recording, the D4 comes with GPS and speed tracking and a proprietary smartphone app with integration that allows users to view the live recording and download footage. Other features include a gyroscopic sensor with parking mode recording—which can sense if your vehicle was hit, triggering recording—a supercapacitor (as opposed to a bulky integrated battery), WiFi and a high-definition IPS touchscreen.

Is this a Quality Product?

With its solid build quality, sturdy materials and reliable functionality—the KingSlim D4 is a quality product on the premise of value alone. More expensive dash cams don’t improve much on the already quality footage recorded by the KingSlim, and in some cases, offer fewer features such as a forward-only view.

Our only criticism was with the smartphone app, which seems a bit outdated aesthetically. Also, we found downloading files using the camera’s built-in WiFi a bit sluggish. It was unexpectedly a faster transfer removing the microSD card and using a USB reader on a laptop.

Is it Easy to Mount and Set Up?

Overall, yes. The KingSlim D4 comes with all the mounting gear for both cameras. There’s a long USB cord for the main front camera’s power and an extra-long cable for the rear-facing camera. The camera also includes a wiring harness adapter that allows one to turn the rear-facing camera into a backup camera.
We used the smartphone app’s live video feature to make sure the right forward and rear views were achieved. The adhesive pads for the cameras are also very sticky, which may make repositioning them difficult.

Our Verdict:

The KingSlim packs a ton of features in a sleek and low-profile package and is one of the best value-for-dollar dashcams that we’ve ever experienced. It features a dual camera setup with a rear unit that can also be wired to function as a reverse camera. Plus, a three-inch IPS-panel high-definition touchscreen, support for up to 256 GB of storage, accident detection, parking monitoring and smartphone connectivity come included. It is an incredibly hard bargain to beat.

Methodology:

Though we’re only evaluating one product here, we evaluate all dash cams based on these weighted metrics: 

• Price (25%)
• Manufacturer reputation (15%)
• Resolution and sensor quality (15%)
• Extended capabilities such as night vision and sentry operation (10%)
• Memory type and limits (10%)
• Power source and battery life (10%)
• Inclusion of peripherals (5%)
• Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and/or GPS capability (5%)
• Warranty (5%)