Garmin’s Dash Cam Mini 3 is one of the cameras turning up in this season’s Prime sale roundups, and it fits a Canadian fall well: more dark commutes, more ice, more reasons to want video of what happened. The camera records 1080p video with a 140-degree field of view from a body Garmin calls ultracompact, and it is listed on Amazon in Canada and the US.
What Garmin says it is
According to Garmin’s product page, the Mini 3 combines 1080p HD video, a 140-degree field of view, voice control, automatic incident detection and a built-in Clarity Polarizer. The owner’s manual says the default wake word is “OK, Garmin”, and you can change it if you own more than one Garmin device with voice features.
Garmin Canada lists the camera at C$219.99. Garmin’s US page lists it at US$149.99. The Drive’s October Prime Day dash cam roundup showed the Amazon US price at $131.99 at the time of writing, and warned that prices may change at any time. We could not confirm a current Amazon.ca price, so check that listing before you buy.
What you need to know before buying
The manual sets out a few practical points:
- A memory card is required to record. It must be microSDHC or microSDXC, from 8 to 512 GB, Class 10 or higher.
- Garmin says the camera works from -20° to 60°C.
- Recording while parked needs an always-on 12V cable or Garmin’s parking mode cable accessory.
- Vault cloud storage and remote Wi-Fi features need a paid subscription.
You pair the camera with your phone through the Garmin Drive app, which also offers a live view to help you aim the lens.
Winter installation tips
The camera sticks to the windshield with an adhesive mount that Garmin describes as a long-term installation that can be difficult to remove, so choose the spot carefully. For the best bond, Garmin says the air temperature should be from 21° to 38°C. If you have to install it in the cold, clear all snow, ice and moisture from the glass and warm the windshield with the defroster first.
Who it suits
The Mini 3 suits drivers who want a small, unobtrusive front camera with voice control and automatic saving of incident footage, and who are comfortable adding their own memory card. Skip it if you want a camera that also covers the rear window. The Drive’s roundup lists dual-camera models for that, such as the ROVE R2-4K Dual at $149.99 at the time of writing, though it is a different kind of product with a different install.
Check which bundle you are looking at, since some listings add a card or a cable and others do not.
