Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam Hands-On Review: A Proactive Safety System

We see a fair amount of dash cams pass through our hands for testing. Most of them are unitaskers. They do one thing; record what happens in and around your car. The Thinkware U3000 does that. It also adds ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) functionality. Not only will it help prove fault in an accident, but it can even help you avoid getting into one in the first place.

I’ve said before that I believe dash cams are a great addition to any car. They can remove the uncertainty of what happened leading up to an accident. But, ideally, you won’t find yourself in a situation where you need the footage from your dash cam. So why not have a camera that adds forward collision and lane departure warnings along with front vehicle departure warning, which tells you when the car in front of you is pulling away.

I tested the single-channel version of the U3000. List price is $430 but as I am writing this, both Best Buy and Amazon are offering it for $380. There’s also a two-channel option that adds a camera for a rear view. You can also buy packages with extra battery packs to keep the camera rolling while parked.

What are the specs of the Thinkware U3000?

It seems as though every dash cam that comes across my desk in the past year uses a Sony STARVIS 2 sensor. It’s the current industry standard and provides 4K ultra-high-definition images at 30 frames per second. What each individual dash cam manufacturer does with that information is what sets one cam apart from the others. This Thinkware camera uses a 152° wide angle lens, which normally would make footage look round and distorted on a flat screen, but the cam features “dewarping technology” that flattens it out to a point, which you can see in the sample footage–the corners still look a bit fisheyed.

The lack of a screen means the U3000 is at the smaller end of the dash cam spectrum. Obviously still bigger than something like the Garmin Mini 2, but slightly smaller than something like the Viofo A229. The dimensions according to Thinkware are 2.75 x 3.86 x 2.19 inches. The dimensions of this sort of shape are a bit nebulous, so take a look at the photos of it on the scaled mat to get a better idea.

Like most dash cams, it includes a plug for a 12-volt socket. Although, there is an optional OBD2 plug as well. I used the 12-volt socket because I don’t want a dash cam draining my battery while the car is off. It also has an internal super capacitor so the dash cam will wake up if it detects an impact while the car is off, like if someone hits your car in a parking lot.

Videos are recorded to a microsd card, and it can take a capacity up to 256GB. The camera will turn itself off if it’s overheating; Thinkware says max operating temperature is 140°F. We recently had a couple of days where the temperature reached 118° and after leaving the car parked outside for 40 minutes or so, it was probably beyond the max temperature inside my car, but the dash cam still turned on with the ignition.

Installing and setting-up the Thinkware U3000

The U3000, like every dash cam I’ve tested so far, sticks to your windshield with an adhesive pad. It includes a small patch of heat blocking material that is to be placed above it on the windshield first. Before sticking on the windshield, install the Thinkware app on your phone, connect via wifi, and use the live view function to help aim the camera. The camera itself mounts in a pod that pivots up and down so you can adjust to the rake of your windshield. Sadly, my Countach and air-cooled Beetle were in the shop, so I couldn’t test it at extreme angles. It also includes a circular polarizing filter, which most brands offer as a separate purchase.

I’ve mentioned this before; Car manufacturers need to start putting both USB ports and 12-volt sockets in the overhead consoles so there’s an easy way to plug in dash cams, radar detectors, and whatever else you want to install on your windshield. I ran the power cord for the U3000 under my headliner, around the A-pillar, inside the door jamb seal, under the dash, and into the console to the center cubby where my 12-Volt socket lives. I keep threatening to install my own power in the overhead console, a few more dash cams and pull that trigger.

Setting up the camera with app is easy and quick. Push the connect button on the unit itself, and then find it on your Bluetooth device list on your phone. It will also pair via wifi for live view and transferring videos. You can select the level of sensitivity for the ADAS features; or if you want them on at all. There are a few audio settings, like do you want it tell you to have a safe drive everytime you get in the car, how loud you want the ADAS systems to alert, and an option to record audio. FYI, in some states, it’s illegal to record audio without the permission of those one camera.

How well does the U3000 function as a dash cam and ADAS?

You can have a look at the test footage that accompanies the photography for the review. The video is sped up, but there is no processing or editing done to change color, brightness, contrast, etc. The images definitely look a little boosted, but it helps with shadows and changing light conditions. Like all the other dash cams I’ve tested, you would be hard pressed to get a license plate out of any situation other than being a few feet from a car while stopped. Again, the footage is more about seeing who did what, when, and where.

The night footage is close to black and white, but it gives good detail, even in the dimmest light. This is all relative as Las Vegas is renowned for it’s light pollution. Still, this is one of the better dash cams I’ve tested for detail in the dark.

One of the complaints I’ve had with other dash cams is the convoluted process of retrieving the footage. I’ve had a few models that were stubborn to connect. Others that had over complicated download procedures. The Thinkware camera and app are one of the easier systems to use. First you have to find the file you want, download first to the app, then export it to your phone. My download speeds were on the slow side, but this isn’t something you’re going to do with any regularity. Again, I hope you never need to actually use the footage on your dash cam. So overall, I would put this in the top half for ease of use of the dash cams I’ve tested.

My car has some ADAS features of its own. It was interesting to compare the two. As I tried the different levels of sensitivity, I found they are almost on or off, without much in between. I like to consider myself an attentive driver. I had to put myself into situations that would activate the forward collision warning. It would activate before my car’s internal system would. Obviously, it only makes noise, it can’t activate the brakes.

The lane departure system was a different story. Las Vegas roads are a constant state of flux. Our freeways have so many different sets of lane markings from previous projects and expansions that the human eye has trouble deciphering which set is the newest and truest. With that in mind, it’s understandable that the flurry of bleeps, bloops, and screeches that come out of it are similar to a bonus stage of a side scroller on the SNES. One night on the freeway, the thing was singing away. My wife asked what was going on with it. I replied, “I think I’m winning and just got a bonus life.”

It does make quite a bit of noise. However, if you have a younger driver in your house that is driving a car without ADAS, that might be a relatively cheap upgrade for their car. It’s a nice bonus to get along with a good dash cam.

Thinkware U3000 Dash Cam: The Verdict

When I’m in between testing different dash cams, getting in my car without one is like leaving my house without my watch on my wrist. I feel naked an unprepared. I will be removing the U3000 shortly after I complete this review and I am focusing on a couple of different types of products before I put another dash cam back in. Unfortunately, I only have a single 12-volt socket—at least for the moment. I will feel less comfortable without it taking visual notes of my drives.

The dash cam portion of the U3000 works very well. I’ve been impressed with the ease of use and the video quality. For me, the ADAS systems are redundant since my car is already equipped with them. If I didn’t have them in my car, and wanted to add them, this is an inexpensive way to do it.

The cam feels as rugged and well made as any of the others I’ve tested. I should note, everything I’ve tested so far is from well known companies and I haven’t touched any of the under $50 units that are all over Amazon. It’s been a hotter than average summer in Vegas and even if this would have suffered problems on the hottest of days, I’m not sure I would have faulted it. But, it has never stopped working or shut itself down. 

Overall, I like the app and user interface more than some others. I never missed having a screen on the unit and it was rare I ever needed to push any button other than when I wanted to get video off of it. This is a very good dash cam period. It’s a very good dash cam, that also happens to be a great value if you are looking to add ADAS features to your car as well.