The Polaroid C201 is the sibling of the C270 dashcam which is priced locally at just Php500 cheaper. It comes with similar specs and features so let’s take a look how these two differ and how does the C201 perform in everyday usage.
Design and Construction
Just like the C270, the C201 carries a rectangular form factor although this one has a more compact body than its relative that we recently reviewed. Both utilize a 2MP camera with F2.0 aperture and interpolates images to 14MP.
While the right side of the device is devoid of anything, the microSD slot and Mini-USB port is located at the bottom and on the left side, respectively.
The physical buttons of the device are lined up next to the 2-inch display of the C201. Here, we see the pinhole for its microphone at the top followed by the power, navigation, and confirm buttons. There’s also the reset trigger if you want to restore the device to its factory settings.
What we experienced while using the dashcam was that it could sometimes be hard to hard from its screen (when tweaking the settings, for example) as some words appear to be cramped up. Since it is smaller than the 2.7-inch display of the C270, reading through the menu could be an issue for people who are near-sighted.
Another difference between the two dashboard cameras is the way they attach to your car — through the use of a plastic suction or using double adhesive. The suction could be used if you want to attach the device against your windshield while the adhesive is for sticking the camera on the dashboard.
Features
The C201 dashcam is equipped with almost the same features as the C270 and each of those are equally important to provide security and peace of mind when driving or leaving your vehicle.
- File auto-protect – During an accident, the device automatically saves and protects the recent clip that captured the collision.
- Auto ON/OFF – Recording can be automatically started or stopped when your car is turned on or off.
- Loop Record – Overwrite oldest unsaved files to maximize memory.
- Motion Detection – Activates camera upon detecting external movements.
Compared to the C270, the C201 lacks Parking Mode that makes the camera automatically record when an impact has been made to the vehicle with the engine off.
Video Quality
Once again, Polaroid proved that you don’t specifically need a high-resolution camera sensor to produce decent images. The 2MP shooter generally performed well even in low light situations, although understandably with some digital noise present.
Details are reliable since plate numbers can easily be read by pausing the video even while cars are moving.
Conclusion
There are a lot of similarities between the C270 and the C201. Both have glossy plastic bodies, a 2-megapixel sensor interpolated to 14MP, records 1080p Full HD video, and have overcharging safety features.
However, there are also differences that may or may not be deal-breakers for you. For one, the C270 shoots a bit wider at 130 degrees compared to the 120-degree limit of the C201. It also has a smaller display at 2 inches, but makes up for it by having the option to stick it against the windshield or attach it on the dashboard.
For Php500 less, these are the key differences between the two and if we were to choose one, we’d go for the C270 for the extra features.
The Polaroid C270 is locally available for Php5,999 and can be bought at Ace Hardware and Blade Auto Center and comes with 1 year of warranty.
Polaroid C201 specifications:
2-inch LCD display
2MP CMOS sensor (images interpolated to 14MP)
Shoots Full HD videos
120-degree wide angle lens
Support for 32GB microSD cards
Built-in speaker and microphone
30V overcharge voltage protection
What we liked about it:
- Easy to use
- Equipped with useful and convenient features
- Detailed image quality
What we didn’t like:
- Words are sometimes hard to read due to the smaller display size
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