Viofo A119 Mini 2 Voice Controlled Dash Cam Review: It’s Good
Viofo is here with another excellent dashcam. The Viofo A119 Mini 2 is an affordable camera featuring the newly launched Sony STARVIS 2 image sensor. The recently launched sensor promises to deliver excellent daytime and low-light videos. Viofo is the first one to use this image sensor, so it will be interesting to see how it performs.
So, is it good enough?
Let’s Inspect!
Summary
Pros
- Affordable pricing
- Incredibly useful design and controls
- Better optics and wide lens
- Excellent video quality
- Handy Smartphone app
Cons
- No ADAS Support
- No option to connect the rear Module
Viofo A119 Mini 2 – Price
The dashcam is launched at the price of $129.99, just $10 more than the price of the previous generation. It has solid hardware and packs a ton of excellent features. Viofo A119 Mini 2 is competing against mid-range and some high-end models of 70Mai, BlackVue, and Thinkware.
Viofo A119 Mini 2 – Unboxing
The unboxing experience is pleasant. The box is small as it does not have a rear camera module. It is well-designed and has a sleeve with some details about the features of the camera. Then we have the main box in which Viofo A119 Mini 2 is nicely packed with thick foam padding with all the accessories and user guides underneath.
We have the user guide, car charger, USB Type-C charging Cable, trim removal tool, sticky pad, two screen folios or static stickers for the windshield, and the Viofo A119 Mini 2 in the box.
Appearance and Build Quality
Viofo has kept the iconic wedge shape in the A119 Mini 2. It has an excellent design and size to sit discretely on the windshield. Let’s start from the front side. We have a 1.5-inch screen with 4 LEDs and five buttons. The handy buttons are for mic, video recording, menu, Wi-Fi blocking, and emergency recording. They are pretty useful and make using the screen easier. Then, we have the Type-C port and microSD card slot on the right. Lastly, the optics and the quick-release stick pad are on the backside of the dashcam. The optics are adjustable and can be moved up and down for optimal angle.
The camera feels strong in my hand and has a nice feel to it. Moreover, it also has grills all around for cooling, a speaker, and a microphone.
Technical Specifications
- Camera: 5MP Sony STARVIS 2 IMX 675 sensor with f/1.6 aperture and 140° Field of View
- Video resolution: up to 1440p (2k) at 60 FPS
- Display: 1.5-inch
- MicroSD Card: Supports up to 512GB
- GPS: Yes
- G Sensor and Motion Detector: Yes
- Wi-Fi: 2.4GHz and 5 GHz
Viofo A119 Mini 2 – Features
Viofo A119 Mini 2 is an excellent dashcam. In addition to having good optics, it has amazing features that make it incredible. The first thing is the voice commands. Viofo has the feature in many dashcams, but having them in a budget version of their dash cameras is excellent. The microphone in the dashcam is pretty good and quickly identifies the commands. But sometimes, the dashcam overhears our talks and initiates the command, which can result in extra and pointless recordings.
The ultra-fast Wi-Fi is an excellent addition. It significantly reduces the download speed, making it easier to empty the SD card with no physical connection.
Moreover, you can turn on the parking mode with a hardwire kit, motion detectors, and a G Sensor. Keep an eye on the things happening around your vehicle. It also automatically turns on the camera in case of an emergency.
Installation and Configuration
Installation is not difficult if you have used a dashcam in the past. Just find a suitable spot, stick the screen folio for easy removal afterward, and attach the dashcam. It is pretty simple, and nothing special needs to be done. But if you are looking to attach the hardwire kit, I would recommend going to a car electrician if you don’t know car electronics. This will ensure fast and easy installation while saving your car from a potential mishap.
Regarding configuration, I would recommend staying with defaults because the chosen settings are well-balanced. But you can do it on the screen if you want to change some settings. If it’s too small, use the Viofo smartphone app.
Video Quality
The Sony STARVIS 2 is a very capable image sensor. It has excellent day and nighttime performance. The video looks great. Out of the camera, of course, on cloudy or rainy days, you will face some exposure issues, but other than that, the Viofo A119 Mini 2 is an incredible dashcam.
The camera can shoot in 60FPS. It is a power-intensive bitrate great for daytime footage but will certainly reduce the amount of details at night. So, in most cases, I like to keep it down to 30FPS for excellent video quality in every condition.
The night footage also looks spectacular. Light flares are tiny, and the video is very stable and detailed. It has excellent colors and better contrast, even better than the four times more expensive BlackVue DR790X.
Watch Our YouTube video for more samples.
Drawbacks
- No ADAS Support
- Rear Module is not supported
- No option to attach an external microphone
- The microphone struggles a bit.
Conclusion
Viofo A119 Mini 2 is another solid addition to the dashcam family. It has better and newer optics, excellent features, and a nice design that complement each other. Moreover, the video quality is on par with many high-end models from various manufacturers at a price of just 129$, making it a worthy upgrade over most dash cameras.
