The VIOFO WM1 2K Quad Dash Cam is a compact camera with a 135-degree wide-angle recording and camera lens. This camera has a built-in GPS, three parking modes, and an iPhone- and Samsung-compatible app to save any dash cam footage onto your device. And coming in under $100, this dash cam could end up saving you hundreds right away.
Our team tested the VIOFO WM1, noting the ease of installation, user interface, video quality, and additional features. Our review highlights the features of this dashcam and our in-depth testing process to provide an honest review of the VIOFO WM1.
VIOFO WM1 Dash Cam Overview And Features
- Built-in GPS tracker
- 135.0-degree wide-angle
- Free app to save camera footage
- 18-month warranty
- Bluetooth® remote control
- Occasionally choppy footage
- Requires separate purchase of microSD memory card to upload footage
- Live view from the app is inconsistent
- No interior or rear dash cam
The VIOFO WM1 is a single channel dash cam designed for simplicity, making it a good budget option for drivers looking for extra peace of mind.
Key Features
- Recording image quality: 1440P 30 frames per second
- Warranty: 18 months
- Voice notification system
- G-sensor detection
- Auto event detection
- Time-lapse recording
- Loop recording
- Sony STARVIS IMX335 image sensor
*Because cost data fluctuates, the prices in this article are approximate values that our team regularly updates.
What’s In The Box?
Included in your purchase of the VIOFO WM1 dash camera, you’ll receive a type-C USB data cable, a USB-C car charger with a 12.0-volt power port, a trim removal tool for hardwiring and concealing cables, and a sticky mount adhesive to secure the camera to your windshield.
The items below are not included in the box but are recommended for the best experience.
- VIOFO HK4 hardwire kit
- MicroSD card to save any video recordings onto a computer
- Bluetooth remote for a more hands-free approach when you’re behind the wheel
VIOFO WM1 Testing Process
To accurately test this dash cam, we wanted to look at the ease of installation into our vehicle, the overall video quality, the user interface in correlation to our phone, and any additional features we look for in a dash camera recorder.
Ease of Installation
To test the ease of installation, we wanted to determine the amount of time and degree of difficulty it took to get the VIOFO dash cam installed in our testing vehicle, a Hyundai Santa Fe. This score also considers the simplicity or difficulty and time it took for our testing team to adjust and readjust the dash camera to capture the right angles.
Video Quality
We tested the video quality of the VIOFO WM1 through the clarity of the dashcam footage we recorded. We wanted to see how well the dashcam processes video and captures angles. By driving around in our testing vehicle, we wanted to see how well the dash camera picked up license plates, road signs, and passing vehicles.
User Interface
To test the user interface, we wanted to look at the smartphone app, VIOFO, which can be downloaded on Apple and Android devices. We determined how simple the dashcam was to connect to our smartphone, an iPhone 14 Pro Max with the latest iOS update. Lastly, we wanted to see how easy the footage was to save, review, and upload from the smartphone onto a computer or into the iPhone Cloud storage.
Extra Features
Our team has tested multiple dash cams, which helped us to compare the features of the VIOFO WM1 against other cameras. We wanted to look at features of the VIOFO WM1 including live view through the phone app, parking mode, GPS tracking, and more.
Why You Can Trust Us
Each year, we test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and handles each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.
We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, detailing kits, car seats, pet products, and much more. For more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product, check out our methodology page here.
What We Like
Overall, we enjoyed testing the VIOFO WM1 dash cam and found installation incredibly simple for us. The entire process took only a few minutes to securely adhere the camera to our testing vehicle’s windshield just below the rearview mirror. While we didn’t hardwire this dash cam, VIOFO has a hardwire kit if you want a cleaner installation and exclusive features such as parking mode.
Looking at the user interface, the VIOFO app itself is super simple to navigate and use. Connecting the dashcam to our smartphone used for testing was simple and took only one try by going into our phone’s settings and selecting for correct Wi-Fi. While this may not be the case for everyone, we found the process efficient and the Wi-Fi connection was reliable throughout our testing time.
What We Don’t Like
While the video we captured was fairly clear thanks to the Sony STARVIS sensor to enhance image quality, we did run into some issues when watching the footage back on an iPhone. We noticed parts of the footage were choppy and there were a few skips and glitches throughout the video. In the event you need to use this footage for an insurance claim regarding a car accident, this could be an issue if you experience the same problem we ran into.
While we are pleased with the simplicity of this dash cam, we noticed a lack of features in comparison to various other dash cams we’ve tested. This dash cam has no interior-facing or rear camera included in your purchase, which has become seemingly more common in dash cams.
While this camera has features including live view and loop recording, we stumbled into issues with getting these to work reliably during our testing process. We noticed that some buyers on Amazon left reviews sharing they had similar issues, especially with getting the live view to work on the app.
VIOFO WM1 Dash Cam Reviews
The VIOFO WM1 2K Quad HD camera is a newer release from VIOFO, affecting the number of customer reviews. With just over 35 reviews on Amazon, this dash cam has an average score of 3.8 out of 5.0 stars from buyers.
Positive VIOFO WM1 Reviews
Positive reviews of the VIOFO WM1 highlight the sleek design and the ease of use, noting the simplicity of connecting the camera to their phone after downloading the app and connecting to the built-in Wi-Fi.
“I was able to download and install the VIOFO Camera app on my receiver, it was easy to set up. The VIOFO app sets up in [a] virtual VPN so that your phone (or Android receiver) can stay connected to the camera and other apps at the same time,”
– B. Gilles via Amazon.
“The first thing that caught my eye was how compact it is. The design is unobtrusive, blending into my car’s interior like it was meant to be there. It fits so snugly on my windshield without obstructing my view, and setting it up was a breeze.”
– T. Brown via Amazon.
Negative VIOFO WM1 Reviews
Negative reviews emphasized the slow processing speed of the dashcam and the overall software and functionality of the camera when it comes to uploading and saving footage onto a secondary device like a desktop or into Cloud storage.
“Where software meets hardware, there is a serious disconnect…Configuring the camera was not difficult but pulling the footage was a nightmare. The footage took a long time to load and download and long enough for me to give up and just pull it by removing the SD card and dragging it onto my computer. This essentially makes the dashcam non-functional if I can’t review important footage on site.”
– Jeffrey via Amazon.
Our Take On The VIOFO WM1 Dash Cam: 3.5 Stars
| Overall Rating | 3.5 out of 5.0 |
|---|---|
| Ease of Installation | 4.0 |
| Video Quality | 3.0 |
| User Interface | 4.0 |
| Extra Features | 3.0 |
Our team would recommend this product to anyone looking for a lower-cost, simple dash cam. We agreed with positive reviewers that emphasized the ease of installation and connectivity. However, we also had our difficulties with testing, between watching back the footage and uploading it to a computer, though this wouldn’t deter us from buying the dash cam for use in one of our vehicles.
VIOFO WM1 Dash Cam: FAQ
*Data accurate at time of publication.