Cobra SC 400D dash cam review: three channels, fantastic video, and beaucoup features

Price when reviewed

399.95

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Although I could have gone for a slightly different styling, the Cobra SC 400D is, from experience, one of the nicest dash cameras I have ever tried. It feels good in the hand, has a handy magnetic mount, and supports three cameras.

You get the front and rear cameras in the basic $ 400 package, but for $ 480 a direct mount 1080p indoor view camera is included. That’s not a silly change, but it’s probably worth it, given the SC 400D’s overall high quality.

This review is part of our ongoing summary of best dash cams. Go there for more reviews and buying advice.

Design

Unusually, the SC 400D sports a light pewter color. Dash cameras tend to be dark gray or black, and by that I mean almost all of them. At first glance, I wondered if the lighter color might distract me, but that was not my experience in actual use. In fact, he might even have been less distracting than his darker-clad relatives.

I really appreciated that the SC 400D is a bit heavier than the average dash cam. It’s still light enough to handle, but it feels more substantial than most other models. The main unit uses a semi-permanent adhesive backing that incorporates the GPS unit.

If you want big shots, the SC 400D should be on your short list. Scratch that. It should be the short list.

The front camera is a 4K (2160p) unit with a 140 degree field of view (FOV). The rear camera is 1080p with a 120-degree field of view and connects to the main body via a 3.5mm mini-USB cable. It also uses a semi-permanent adhesive backing. Semi-permanent can be inconvenient for some. For example, I leave my convertible doors unlocked to prevent the top from being pried open. But then there’s that dash cam that begs to be stolen.

The rear of the main body houses a crisp 3-inch color touchscreen. My only minor complaint is that the touch icons could be larger. Beyond that, the menu system is easy to use and well thought out.

On one side of the main body it has the emergency storage and the SD card slot. On the other is the 3.5mm jack for the optional $ 80, 1080p, 120-degree FOV indoor camera. At the top are the micro-USB power port and the 3.5mm jack for the rear camera cable. I’d like to see dashcam vendors start transitioning to Type-C, but I guess there are still tons of older parts in inventory. I hope soon.

I wish the rear camera was styled more like the main body. But the excellent video quality outweighs the style issues.

The Cobra is also connected to the wazoo. There’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, the Drive Smarter app (of course) with tons of warnings and maps, plus local voice commands (“front video on,” “lock video,” etc), and Alexa. The camera must be connected to your phone and the phone to the internet for Alexa to work.

Performance

Video capture quality is where the SC 400D absolutely shines. The color is very well balanced and the level of detail is simply exquisite. I could go on, but if you want big shots, the SC 400D should be on your short list. Scratch that. It should be the short list. Look at the screenshots and let me know if you agree.

The daytime front shot above is very close to how I actually remember it, with slightly richer color anyway. Right click and open the image in a new tab to view it in full size.

Although it’s only 1080p, the rear camera produces very nice daytime shots, as shown above. Check the detail on the license plate.

While not entirely color-accurate, the frontal night shot shown above offers tons of detail. Details that are not evident in the default settings appear if you use a brightness filter on the video or image.

Sadly, my rear window was dirty for the rear night shot (I didn’t realize it until I was sitting in the car), but the SC 400D captured standout details anyway. Again, these shots are as good as anything you’ve ever seen on a dash cam.

The best video money can buy

I am a fan of Nextbase 422GW Telephoto Rear Camera, and I keep it in my car for that very reason. However, the sheer quality and outstanding detail of the Cobra SC 400D’s shots have me staring at a switch. At least for the front. I highly recommend it if you have cash.