Nextbase 622GW Review: Still Worth Buying in 2026, or Is the VIOFO A229 Pro a Better Fit?

This Nextbase 622GW review compares it with the VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH. Both are 4K dash cams, but they suit different drivers. The Nextbase 622GW is a front camera with a magnetic mount, a touchscreen and emergency alert features. The VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH is a front and rear kit with a supercapacitor and a 2K rear camera in the box.

We sell the VIOFO and we do not sell the Nextbase, so weigh that up as you read. This review is part of our guide to Nextbase dash cams in Australia. The VIOFO side sits in our guide to choosing a VIOFO dash cam.

If you are in a hurry

• Choose the Nextbase 622GW if you want Emergency SOS, what3words and a camera that lifts off its mount with one hand.
• Choose the VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH if you want front and rear recording in one box, a supercapacitor and a wider published temperature range.

Is this a fair comparison?

Mostly, with one mismatch you should know about. Both cameras record 4K at 30 frames per second (fps) on the front, and both sit near the top of their maker's range. The Nextbase 622GW is sold as a front camera, and its rear camera is an optional module. The VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH comes with the rear camera in the box.

We have not tested these two cameras side by side. Every figure below is the maker's own published figure, and we say which document it came from.

Nextbase 622GW vs VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH compared

How to read this table. The Dash Cam Guys has not tested these two cameras under identical conditions, and we make no night-time number-plate claim for either. Nextbase figures come from the Nextbase 622GW user manual and nextbase.au. VIOFO figures come from the VIOFO A229 Pro user manual and viofo.com. Specifications checked 5 October 2026.

Where the Nextbase 622GW wins

The mount. Nextbase's Click&Go PRO mount is magnetic, and the power contacts sit in the mount itself. The cable stays on the windscreen and the camera lifts off with one hand. If you park on the street and take the camera with you, that is a real daily convenience.

Emergency SOS and what3words. Emergency SOS is designed to alert emergency services if the camera detects a serious impact and you do not respond. what3words gives a three-word name to every three metre square, so you can pass on an exact spot on a road with no address. Nextbase lists Australia among the countries where Emergency SOS is supported. The VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH has nothing that replaces either feature.

There are two conditions. Nextbase Australia states that Emergency SOS is "only available as a subscription feature", and its manual says the alert is sent through the Nextbase app on a paired phone. No phone and no subscription means no alert.

Frame rates, lens and screen. The Nextbase 622GW can record 1440p at 60fps or 1080p at 120fps, as well as 4K. Its f1.3 lens has a wider opening than the f1.8 lens on the VIOFO, which on paper lets in more light. It also has a larger touchscreen, digital image stabilisation and a polarising filter built into the lens. We have not tested how much any of that changes the footage.

Where the VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH wins

The rear camera. It is in the box, and it records 2K at 30fps with HDR. HDR, or high dynamic range, blends exposures so bright and dark parts of the same scene both stay readable. The Nextbase rear module is an optional extra, and Nextbase's manual states it stays at 1080p at 30fps.

Power storage. A supercapacitor holds just enough charge to close the last video file safely when power is cut. The Nextbase 622GW uses a small lithium-polymer battery for the same job. Nextbase's manual says the battery is not intended as an alternative power source. A supercapacitor is generally better suited to repeated high-temperature cabin exposure than a rechargeable lithium battery, although no electronic device is failure-proof.

Published temperature range. VIOFO lists -20°C to 65°C for the VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH. Nextbase's manual gives -20°C to 45°C for the Nextbase 622GW. To be fair to both, neither maker treats a hot parked car as nothing. Nextbase's manual says not to leave the camera in the sun or in an unattended vehicle, and VIOFO's manual advises switching the camera off if the cabin passes 60°C.

Storage, sensors and warranty. The VIOFO takes a card up to 512GB, and VIOFO names both image sensors. Nextbase's current manual lists the card reader at up to 256GB, while its recommended card line says 64GB to 128GB. VIOFO's warranty runs 18 months against 12 months for Nextbase.

What neither camera does well

Neither one comes with a memory card. Nextbase's manual requires a U3 card, which is a speed rating fast enough for 4K video. Budget for a high-endurance card either way, because 4K fills a card quickly and a dash cam rewrites it constantly.

Neither one includes a hardwire kit, so neither gives you parked recording out of the box. And neither one has a mobile data link, so there is no live view from your phone and no alert when you are away from the car.

Parking mode and heat in Australia

Parking mode means the camera keeps watching after you switch the engine off. That needs permanent power, which means a hardwire kit wired to the fuse box. Nextbase's manual recommends Smart Parking only when the camera runs from its hardwire kit.

The VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH needs a VIOFO HK4 or HK6 kit. Our parking mode guide explains how it works, and the kits are in our hardwire kit range.

We do not install cameras ourselves. If fuse boxes are not your idea of a good Saturday, we keep a directory of independent installers. They are independent businesses, so you book and contract directly with them.

A properly completed accessory installation does not automatically remove Australian Consumer Law rights. However, a manufacturer or dealer may dispute coverage for damage shown to have been caused by the installation. Check the vehicle documentation and use an appropriately qualified installer when required.

Which one should you buy?

Choose the Nextbase 622GW if Emergency SOS and what3words are the reason you are shopping, you want the magnetic mount, or you only need a front camera and like a big touchscreen. If you drive long rural stretches alone, an automatic alert with an exact location is a real argument.

Choose the VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH if you want front and rear coverage in one purchase, your car parks outside through summer, or you want a 2K rear camera. For most Australian drivers who want both ends covered, the VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH is the one we would take.

Choose neither if you want live view on your phone. That is the job of a 4G camera, which we cover in our Nextbase iQ 4K review. If you only want a front camera from VIOFO, look at the VIOFO A229 Pro 1-CH.

For more on the VIOFO, read our VIOFO A229 Pro review, the A229 Plus vs Pro vs Ultra comparison and the VIOFO A229 Pro manual guide. The rest of the range is in our VIOFO collection.

Nextbase 622GW questions

Is the Nextbase 622GW worth it?

It is worth it if you will use what sets it apart, which is Emergency SOS, what3words and the magnetic mount. Those are the reasons to choose it over anything we sell. If you mainly want front and rear footage, remember that the rear camera, the memory card and the hardwire kit are all separate purchases.

What is the difference between the Nextbase 522GW and 622GW?

Resolution is the main one. Nextbase's manuals list the 522GW at 1440p at 30fps from a 5.14MP sensor, and the 622GW at 4K at 30fps from an 8MP sensor. The 622GW manual also lists image stabilisation and Extreme Weather Mode, which the 522GW manual does not. Both have a built-in polarising filter.

Do you have to pay a subscription for the Nextbase 622GW?

No, not to record. The Nextbase 622GW records to its memory card with no plan. Emergency SOS is the exception. Nextbase Australia states that it is a subscription feature and will not work without one.

Does the Nextbase 622GW need to be plugged in?

Yes. Its internal battery is small, and Nextbase's manual puts it at about 15 minutes of recording. The manual says the battery is not intended as an alternative power source. In normal use the camera runs from the car's 12V socket or a hardwire kit.

What we could not verify

• The Nextbase 622GW sensor part number. Nextbase publishes the resolution, not the part.
• Whether Alexa is still a current feature. Nextbase's Australian product page lists Alexa as built in, but the current user manual does not mention Alexa and describes Nextbase's own voice control instead.
• What the Emergency SOS subscription involves in Australia beyond Nextbase's statement that one is required. Ask Nextbase if that feature is why you are buying.
• How either camera reads number plates at night. We have no test record for that comparison.

Still weighing it up?

Message Michael or Harrison through our contact page with your vehicle and where you park it. You will get a straight answer, including "buy the Nextbase" if that is the right call.

How we put this together

Retailer review and buying advice from The Dash Cam Guys. Nextbase figures are taken from the Nextbase 622GW user manual, nextbase.au and Nextbase support pages. VIOFO figures are taken from the VIOFO A229 Pro user manual and viofo.com, and are manufacturer claims. We have not independently tested the Nextbase 622GW, and we have not run a controlled side-by-side comparison of these cameras.

Author: The Dash Cam Guys. Facts checked: 5 October 2026.

Last reviewed: 5 October 2026. We do not sell Nextbase, and anything said here about how a Nextbase behaves as a dash cam is based on Nextbase's own published material rather than on testing by us. If a specification, a feature or a claim on this page is wrong or has gone out of date, tell us and we will correct it.

Commercial disclosure: The Dash Cam Guys sells the VIOFO A229 Pro 2-CH, so read this as retailer buying advice rather than an independent laboratory test. We do not sell Nextbase and we have no commercial relationship with Nextbase. We have never had a Nextbase 622GW on our bench, so every Nextbase figure on this page comes from Nextbase's own user manuals, Australian product pages and support pages, and we have said which. We are not neutral. We have tried to be accurate instead. Where Nextbase is the stronger choice, we have said so. No brand paid for, sponsored or supplied anything for this review. We buy the cameras we review out of our own stock, the same stock we sell; we have not bought or tested the Nextbase 622GW. VIOFO specifications are VIOFO's own published figures and are manufacturer claims unless we say otherwise. We have not run a controlled side-by-side test of the two cameras. If a specification, a feature or a claim on this page is wrong or has gone out of date, tell us and we will correct it.