Nexar Beam Dash Cam Review

The Beam dash cam is a small black, box shaped car camera that is stealthy and small in design, with quite a bit of features packed into it. It does not have a screen on the back of the camera, so you will need to remotely connect to the Beam camera on your smartphone via wifi in order to make camera setting changes and view videos. With its small size, you should be able to easily mount it up and behind your rear view mirror, hidden from view.

Full HD video is automatically recorded at all times once you start your car. It captures video at 1080p at 30 frames per second.

The Nexar company makes dash cameras with a heavy focus on remote cloud video storage integrated into each one of their dash cams. With the Nexar App for iOS devices like the iPhone or iPad, you can have the app running in the background and if there is a major event, such as an impact/crash, the Beam camera will automatically upload the video file to the Nexar Cloud through your smartphone or iPad with a data plan.

Nexar Beam Specifications

Nexar Beam Dash Cam Photos

Nexar Beam Dash Cam Features

Video Quality

As with most dash cams in this price range that offer 1080p video, you will find that the video quality will be good enough for most day and night time lighting as well as overcast or stormy weather.

Nexar Beam Video Samples

Daytime dash cam video sample:

Video Storage and Loop Recording

The Nexar dash cam does not have any internal memory or a hard drive built in to store video files on. It uses a microSD card to save all video clips. Most Nexar Beam dash cams that are sold will come with a microSD, usually a 32GB, which is enough space to record around 4.5 hours of video. If you need to get one, make sure it is a “Class 10” microSD card. Most microdSD cards will be a Class 10.

The Beam camera supports a 256GB microSD card

The Beam uses “loop recording”, which means that once the memory card is full of video files, it will “loop” back around and start deleting the oldest video files. Each video file saved is only 1 to 5 minutes long, so you won’t be losing large chunks of video at a time.

Remote Video Storage on Nexar Cloud

The remote video storage service provided by Nexar to archive video clips that are considered to be an “event” are automatically uploaded to their servers through your smartphone.

In order to use the Nexar Cloud feature, you will need to have the Nexar app installed in your iPhone. Once it is installed, it will run in the background and stay connected to your Beam dash cam. If the dash cam detects a major impact for example, it will save a 40 second video file and upload it to the Nexar servers for you to access at a later time. You can also manually trigger a 40 second video yourself to be uploaded.

Read more on the Nexar Cloud service

Built-In WiFi & Nexar App

The Beam dash cam does not come with a screen on the back of the camera to access the menu and settings area. In order to make camera setting changes or to view and delete video you will need to use your smartphone to wirelessly access the dash cam via the Nexar APP.

• Nexar APP for Android on Google Play Store
• Nexar APP for iOS, iPhone and iPad on Apple App Store

With it’s built-in wifi you can remotely connect your smartphone or tablet directly to the Beam camera.

In order to use the wifi feature with the dash cam you will need to install the free iOS app for your iPhone or iPad, or the free Android app for Samsung and other Android devices.

Once your device is synced to the dash cam you watch videos, download videos directly on to your phone or tablet and make dash cam setting changes.

If you don’t want to use this wifi feature you can watch videos, delete videos and make all the necessary setting changes in the main menu right on the 2 inch display on the back of the dash cam.

Parking Mode Options

The Beam has a basic parking mode that you can use to help protect your car while you are parked. The main parking mode feature it uses is impact detection which uses its internal g-sensor to detect an impact on your car, such as a hit and run in a parking lot.

The Beam does not have motion detection like some higher priced dash cameras have included in their parking mode options.

To use the parking mode feature on the Beam dash camera, you will want to use a hardwire kit to wire the camera directly to your cars fuse box, as the dash cam will need a constant power supply.

Nexar Beam Dash Cam Accessories

What’s in the Box?

• Nexar Beam Dash Cam
• Suction Cup with Internal GPS Module
• Car CIG Adapater to USB
• Power Cable (9.8 ft)
• Wire Installation Tool
• Cable Clips with Adhesive Backing (4)
• 32GB MicroSD Card
• User Manual

PROS and CONS of the Nexar Beam Dash Cam

Installing and Mounting

The Beam can be installed in just about any car within about 5 to 10 minutes.

First you will want to test the camera by plugging it into your cars cigarette adapter with the including cord while you’re holding it. Turn your car key to the on position to engage the power. The dash camera should automatically turn on and begin to record. You can verify that the camera has turned on by seeing the green light on the back of the dash cam. You can also sync up to the camera with your smartphone using the Nexar app, then you will be able to see a live stream of the video lens.

Once you have verified the camera is powering on properly, you can now decide on the best location to install it on your car or trucks windshield. Because it doesn’t have a rear screen, you will not need to be able to see the dash camera.

We recommend mounting the Beam dash camera up and behind your rearview mirror, so it’s relatively hidden. Make sure the camera lens is not pointing through any dotted or tinted sun shading that is sometimes at the top of a cars windshield. Also, you will want the camera lens to point through an area that your windshield wipers keep clear.

For more info on where to place this dash cam, read our Dash Cam Mounting Guide

Final Thoughts on the Nexar Beam Dash Cam

Overall, we think the Beam dash cams is one of the best budget range cameras you can buy right now for just a little bit over $100 that offers remote cloud video storage. There are many budget range dash cams out there right now in this price range, but almost none offer the ability to sync up with a cloud storage service such as the Beam car camera.

If remote cloud storage is a priority and your price range is around $100, we would recommend the Beam dash camera from Nexar.