{"id":1403,"date":"2023-07-11T14:50:13","date_gmt":"2023-07-11T14:50:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eliicpower.com\/?p=1403"},"modified":"2025-09-09T10:18:22","modified_gmt":"2025-09-09T10:18:22","slug":"thinkware-u3000-dash-cam-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eliicpower.com\/index.php\/2023\/07\/11\/thinkware-u3000-dash-cam-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dash cams<\/a> are a popular accessory for motorists these days, so we decided to review one first-hand. Here’s what we made of the Thinkware U3000.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you’re in the market for a dash cam, it’s quite likely that you’ll have come across the Thinkware brand. Within this market niche, Thinkware is a pretty big name, so we figured they’d give us a great benchmark to get an understanding of what the industry standard for dash cams is like. Kindly, they sent us one of their latest cameras – the U3000, complete with optional rear-facing camera – for us to put through its paces. So, is the Thinkware U3000 worth your hard-earned money? Let’s find out…<\/p>\n

How we tested the Thinkware U3000<\/h2>\n

How do you comprehensively test a dash cam in a limited space of time? With a weekend road trip of course!<\/p>\n

There were two main criteria I wanted to test during my time with the Thinkware U3000; namely, ease of installation, and quality of results. So, this review is split into two major segments. In the opening segment, we’ll discuss what sort of skill level you’ll need to install it into your car. Then, we’ll hit the road and see how the camera performs.<\/p>\n

Sound good? Cool. Let’s get into it!<\/p>\n

Installing the Thinkware U3000<\/h2>\n

\"Thinkware<\/p>\n

What’s in the box?<\/h3>\n

Before we begin properly, let’s first see what the package actually includes. In the box, you’ll find a front-facing dash cam (obviously), a mount for it, heat-blocking film, and a car charger power lead. There is also a small plastic box containing a MicroSD memory card and an adapter to plug it into older\/less fancy laptops. On top of that, you’ll find a hardwiring cable, CPL filter for the camera lens, plastic trim lever tool, and an adhesive cable holder.<\/p>\n

There is no physical user’s manual supplied. Instead, you’ll need to scan a QR code on the warranty leaflet, and use the associated link to download the manual online.<\/p>\n

Naturally, if you’ve opted for the dual cam<\/a> setup, you’ll also get a small rear-facing camera provided too, and a cable to connect it to the one at the front.<\/p>\n

The standard front camera-only package costs $549.99 \/ \u00a3399.00<\/a> if you buy it direct from Thinkware, whereas the dual front & rear combo will set you back $699.99<\/a> \/ \u00a3529.00. Interestingly, the hardwiring cable is an optional add-on as well in some markets ($34.99), and if you’d rather power your camera via your car’s OBD2 port, you can do so for $54.99 \/ \u00a329.99. As you can see, this is no entry level product, so hopefully when we test it later, the quality will stack up to the price tag.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, check out price comparisons for your region below:<\/em><\/p>\n

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\"front<\/p>\n

Setting up the front mount<\/h3>\n

First things first, you\u2019ll need to identify where you\u2019re going to place the front camera. There are a few ground rules to consider here. Obviously, you don\u2019t want to put it anywhere that\u2019ll obstruct your view, and perhaps less obviously, Thinkware also recommends that if you\u2019re running a separate aftermarket GPS then the camera should be at least 8 inches\/20cm away. Otherwise, you might find that the camera obstructs your sat-nav\u2019s reception. You\u2019ll want to position the camera centrally in line with your rearview mirror for the best view of the road ahead, so if this is problematic, the easiest solution would be to reposition your standalone sat nav rather than compromise your footage.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve decided where you\u2019re going to place the camera, the next step is to secure the mounts. To begin, attach the heat blocking film to the installation location. Then, remove the protective tape from the adhesive mount and stick the two surfaces together. Next, remove the protective film off of the camera mount and mate it up with the adhesive surface you\u2019ve just added to the heat blocking pad. When you do this, apply a reasonable amount of pressure to ensure a firm hold.<\/p>\n

Top tip \u2013 removing the protective film is much easier if you haven\u2019t bitten your nails down to nothing\u2026<\/p>\n

\"front<\/p>\n

Mounting the camera<\/h3>\n

Now, attach the camera to its mount. It\u2019ll only go on a certain way, so it\u2019s just a case of matching up the correct pegs to the correct holes. You\u2019ll hear a click when it locks into position.<\/p>\n

At this point, it’s likely that the camera lens will be pointing downwards. Fortunately, it\u2019s designed to swivel upwards for a better view. The lens housing might seem reluctant to move at first, but gently apply gradually increasing pressure, and it\u2019ll soon point in a more useful direction.<\/p>\n

\"dash<\/p>\n

Connecting to a power source<\/h3>\n

With the camera mounted, you now need to connect it to a power source. The easiest way to do this is by using the charger adapter provided. Simply plug it into the camera\u2019s DC-in input and connect the other end to the car\u2019s 12V DC power socket.<\/p>\n

To prevent the wires from being an ergonomic nuisance (or safety hazard, even), it\u2019s best to tuck them away behind headliner and interior trim. Depending on your car, this might be easy or difficult. For example, the Celica we\u2019re using in this test has fabric headliner which is easy enough to peel back, but the actual dash and surrounding panels offer little in the way of obvious channels to run wire through (without unbolting bits, that is). In this instance, we didn’t worry too much about presentation, but if you were to permanently install this camera into your car, we’d highly recommend using the supplied trim tool and adhesive cable holder to tuck it away more neatly. Overall though, hopefully you get the idea.<\/p>\n

Once that\u2019s sorted, the camera should automatically boot up when you switch the car\u2019s ignition on, and then it’ll switch off again when you park up and turn the engine off.<\/p>\n

There is another way to connect the camera to a power source though…<\/p>\n

\"Hardwiring<\/p>\n

Hardwiring for parking mode<\/h3>\n

The alternative to using the 12V power socket is to hardwire the dash cam into your car’s onboard fuse box. Thinkware provides a separate set of hardwiring cables for you to do this, as pictured above.<\/p>\n

In my Celica, it’s easy to locate the fuse box. You simply pop open a little plastic cover on the right side of the center console, et voila, there it is. Every vehicle differs in terms of the exact location of its fuses, however the vast majority will be behind some sort of plastic trim or cover on the driver’s side of the car. If you’re stumped, consult a forum, or check the owner’s manual.<\/p>\n

What’s the point?<\/h3>\n

The next question we need to answer is: why would you want to hardwire the dash cam into your car’s core wiring setup anyway? Well, to put it simply, doing this unlocks another feature: parking mode. Parking mode allows your camera to run on standby (thanks to a supply of energy from the car’s battery) when you’re parked up, ready and waiting to record once it detects a collision. Essentially, this covers you against any damage gained from a hit and run while you’re away from the car.<\/p>\n

You’ll have to forgive me for not being too keen on putting that theory to the test with my own vehicle, so as we aren’t missing out on anything else (besides the ability to timelapse) by not doing it, I decided to bypass this bit of the install and instead stick with the 12V power socket option.<\/p>\n

However, I’m sure there are plenty of you that will want to use parking mode if you buy one of these, so fear not. Thinkware provides a handy tutorial on its YouTube page which discusses how to hardwire your dash cam into the fuse box and what sort of specialist tools you’ll need to do it. Watch the video here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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