VIOFO A229 Plus vs A229 Pro: Which One Should You Buy?
This lesson draws on VIOFO’s product pages for the A229 Plus, A229 Pro, A229 Ultra and A329S, VIOFO’s HK4 listing on Amazon, and DashCamTalk’s A229 Plus review and A229 Pro page. How we research explains the method.
The front camera is the real difference
The two 2CH kits share a body, a rear camera and almost every feature. What changes is the front sensor and the video it records, per VIOFO’s pages and DashCamTalk’s figures:
| Spec | A229 Plus 2CH | A229 Pro 2CH |
|---|---|---|
| Front sensor | Sony STARVIS 2 IMX675, 5MP | Sony STARVIS 2 IMX678, 8MP |
| Front video | 2560 x 1440 at 60fps, HDR at 30fps | 3840 x 2160 at 30fps with HDR |
| Front bitrate (DashCamTalk, 30fps) | About 29 Mbps | About 57 Mbps |
| Rear camera (2CH) | IMX675, 2560 x 1440 at 30fps | Same rear camera |
Bitrate decides how fast a card fills. Our calculation from DashCamTalk’s figures: about 13 GB per hour for the Plus front camera and about 26 GB per hour for the Pro. Add DashCamTalk’s rear camera figures (24 Mbps on the Plus, 25 on the Pro) and a 2CH kit writes about 24 GB per hour on the Plus and 37 GB on the Pro.
So the Pro loops over old footage about 1.5 times as fast on the same card. DashCamTalk’s Plus figure is for 30fps; it gives none for the 60fps mode.
4K at 30fps or 2K at 60fps: what you trade
The Pro packs more pixels into each frame, which helps most with plates and signs at a distance. How much that helps, and what Consumer Reports found about frame rates and night video, is covered in can a dash cam read license plates.
The Plus records twice as many frames each second at 60fps, so a passing car moves half as far between frames. The catch: VIOFO lists HDR on the Plus front camera only at 30fps, so you choose between 60fps and HDR. The Pro records 4K at 30fps, with HDR.
Heat is the other trade. DashCamTalk says the Plus “runs much cooler” than the Pro, and its Pro page notes that some users report the camera turning itself off on hot days. Both carry the same VIOFO temperature rating; what that rating means in a parked car is covered in supercapacitor vs battery dash cams.
What the Plus and Pro share
VIOFO lists the same hardware around the sensor: a 140° F1.8 front lens, a 2.4 in (6.1 cm) screen, built-in GPS, 2.4 and 5 GHz Wi-Fi, a supercapacitor instead of a battery, voice control, buffered parking mode and microSD cards up to 512 GB. The 2CH rear camera has a 160° F1.9 lens on both.
Each model comes as a 1CH (front only), 2CH or 3CH kit. The 3CH adds a 1080p infrared cabin camera, the subject of is a 3-channel dash cam worth it. VIOFO also lists these add-on cameras for both the A229 Plus and the A229 Pro:
- RE200: 2K rear camera
- RC320: 1080p rear camera
- RWC200: waterproof exterior rear camera
- RF200: 1080p infrared cabin camera
- RNF210: 1080p infrared fisheye cabin camera
- RTC320: telephoto camera
Whether you need a rear view at all is covered in do I need a rear dash cam.
Where the A229 Ultra and A329S fit
VIOFO now sells newer, higher-spec models. The A229 Ultra 2CH puts the Pro’s 8MP IMX678 sensor in the rear camera too, recording 4K at 30fps front and rear, and VIOFO lists both its HK4 and HK6 hardwire kits for it. The A329S 2CH records 4K at 60fps in front and 2K at 30fps in the rear, moves to Wi-Fi 6, and VIOFO says to switch to 4K 30fps for HDR.
One caution before you buy an A329S. VIOFO’s A329S page lists both kits, but says the older HK4 gives only basic parking modes with a cutoff timer, while the HK6 is required to unlock hybrid parking mode, cutoff-voltage protection and Bluetooth battery monitoring. VIOFO calls the HK6 highly recommended for A329S owners, so plan on it for that camera.
Which one to buy
- Hot climate, tighter budget, or you want 60fps: the A229 Plus. It usually costs less than the Pro, runs cooler per DashCamTalk, and fills a card more slowly at 30fps.
- Plates and signs ahead matter most: the A229 Pro and its 4K front camera.
- Buying new and want 4K at 60fps: compare the A329S first, and budget for the HK6 kit to get its full parking features.
VIOFO A229 Plus 2CH
Front and rear dash cam with a 2K front camera that records at 60fps (HDR at 30fps) and a 2K rear camera. DashCamTalk says it runs cooler than the 4K A229 Pro. Parking mode needs a hardwire kit such as the HK4.
Read the full guideKey specs
- Front: 2560 x 1440 at 60fps, HDR at 30fps
- Rear: 2560 x 1440 at 30fps
- 140° front lens, 2.4 in (6.1 cm) screen, GPS
- microSD cards up to 512 GB
Paid link
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)VIOFO A229 Pro 2CH
Front and rear dash cam with a 4K 30fps front camera and a 2K rear camera. It stores power in a supercapacitor, not a battery, and parking mode needs a VIOFO hardwire kit.
Read the full guideKey specs
- 4K 30fps front, 2K rear camera
- 140° front lens
- Rear cable about 20 ft (6 m)
- microSD cards up to 512 GB
Paid link
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)Parking mode on either camera needs constant power. VIOFO’s HK4 kit has a Type-C plug and four low-voltage cutoff options and works in 12-24 V vehicles; the Amazon bundle below adds 8 circuit fuse taps.
What the cutoff levels mean for your battery is in does dash cam parking mode drain your battery. If you are not sure how to tap a fuse box, have it professionally installed.
VIOFO HK4 Hardwire Kit with 8 fuse taps
Type-C hardwire kit for parking mode with four low-voltage cutoff options. VIOFO cameras only, such as the A229 series and A119 Mini 2; for the A329S, VIOFO advises the HK6. Unsure about fuse boxes? Use a pro installer.
Key specs
- Type-C plug, 4 low-voltage cutoff options
- For 12-24 V vehicles
- Bundle includes 8 circuit fuse taps
Paid link
View on Amazon (opens in a new tab)
