The New Full HD Entry-Level Dash Cam from Thinkware
Thinkware F200 PRO In-Depth Review
The Thinkware F200 PRO captures from the front and rear in 1080p Full HD at a wide 140° angle. Super Night Vision and Time Lapse Parking Mode offer reliable surveillance both day and night, and Safety Warning System to ensure your safe drive - all less than half of the price of a top-tier 4K UHD dash cam.
But is the Thinkware F200 PRO another classic case of “you get when you paid for” - or does it exceed all our expectations of a budget-friendly entry-level dash cam?
Redefining Budget-Friendly Entry-Level
Thinkware has long been one of our most favourite dash cams brands. Every new model builds on the success of the last, offering exciting new features and upgrades.
The Thinkware F200 PRO is an upgrade to the Thinkare F200 that hit the market in mid-2018 as a versatile dual-channel dash cam system that offers all drivers premium features at an affordable price.
Key Features
- 1080p Full HD @ 30FPS
- 140° wide-angle lens
- 2.0 Megapixel, 1/2.7" SOI Image Sensor
- Super Night Vision
- Energy-Saving Parking mode recording
- Built-in WiFi
- Advanced Driver Assistance System
- Safety Camera Alerts
- Thinkware App Viewer
Pros
✓ Budget-friendly, value-driven
✓ Full HD Rear Camera
✓ Discrete design
✓ Built-in WiFi
✓ Reliable in hot temperatures
✓ Optional GPS Antenna for ADAS
Cons
❌ Not 4K UHD
❌ Not Cloud-compatible
❌ GPS Antenna not built-in
Discover all the specs and features of the Thinkware F200 PRO
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Unboxing Experience
Here is what you’ll find Inside the box when you purchase the Thinkware F200 PRO from BlackboxMyCar:
- Front Camera
- 12V Power Cable
- Thinkware 16GB microSD Card
- Card Reader
- Mount and Adhesive Cable Clips
- Quick Start Guide
- Front Camera
- Rear Camera
- Camera Connecting Cable
- 12V Power Cable
- Thinkware Hardwiring Kit*
- Thinkware 32GB microSD Card
- Card Reader
- Mount and Adhesive Cable Clips
- Quick Start Guide
*Thinkware Hardwiring Kit is not included if you have selected the OBD/OBDE or Battery Pack options at time of purchase.
Externally speaking, the Thinkware F200 PRO resembles the Thinkware F200 and the FA200 - it’s got a simple black exterior, lens placed off the center of the dash cam, and mounting platform on the top of the unit.
The F200 PRO is compact, measuring just 3.9 x 0.9 x 1.3 in - it is tiny, comparable to a small sized USB power bank, but weighing only 54g. Its unobtrusive design makes it easy to tuck away behind your rear view mirror without impacting your field of view at all.
Both the Single-Channel and Dual-Channel bundle come with a 12V power cable and a microSD card (16GB for the Single-Channel, 32GB for the Dual-Channel), making the F200 PRO a straightforward plug-and-play system. For those who want to utilize the dash cam’s parking mode features, you will need the Thinkware Hardwiring Kit - an optional add-on for the Single-Channel; included with the Dual-Channel.
Image Quality & Recording Capabilities
Facing the front of the car, we have a 2.0MP camera offering 140 degree wide angle view. Because of the wide field of view, the full shoulder of the road ahead is captured, allowing you to capture more details of your drive. Video is captured in 1080p Full HD at 30 FPS.
How is the video quality compared to the 2.1MP FA200 or the F200? We find it very much the same - crisp and clear. It is not 4K or 2K, but it certainly is sufficient for your normal everyday driving.
If you are purchasing the 2-Channel version, you also get a rear camera to capture the traffic behind; and the rear camera is where we see the first upgrade.
The F200 Rear Camera is a 1.0MP camera giving you 720p HD video. With the F200 PRO, you get a 2.0MP camera offering 140 degree wide angle view, capturing video in 1080p Full HD at 30 FPS.
File Sizes
The F200 PRO records from the front and rear camera simultaneously at 1080p Full HD, and uses the H.264 encoding technology.
F200 PRO 1-CH (Front-only)
F200 PRO 2-CH (Front + Rear)
16GB
3 hours 15 mins
1 hour 40 mins
32GB
6 hours 30 mins
3 hours 20 mins
64GB
13 hours
6 hours 55 mins
128GB
26 hours
13 hours 40 mins
*The Thinkware F200 PRO can support microSD cards up to 256GB
Parking Surveillance
Using the Thinkware Hardwiring Kit (or a dash cam battery pack like the BlackboxMyCar BI-750), the F200 PRO offers different options under parking mode.
Energy Saving Parking Mode
In Energy Saving Parking Mode the F200 PRO will go to sleep and will wake up to start a 20-second recording when an impact is detected by the built-in G-sensor. Upon recording the 20-second footage, the dash cam will return to sleep mode to conserve power. Because of this, overall power consumption is reduced by half, giving you twice the recording time than normal parking mode. This mode is strongly recommended for anyone who is looking for extended parking surveillance and coverage.
Time Lapse Park Mode
If you prefer a continuous account of events, the F200 PRO offers Time Lapse Parking mode that records 2 frames per second, giving you up to 7 times longer parking coverage than basic motion detection recording. In other words, if you are using a 128GB memory card, you can get up to 500 hours of parking mode recording. The option to choose Time Lapse Parking mode is the second upgrade seen in the F200 PRO.
Regardless of which parking mode you select, you do need to hardwire the camera to your car so that the camera remains active even when the car is switched off.
Is It Heat Resistant?
Like all Thinkware dash cams, the F200 PRO has a built-in thermal sensor that protects it from getting damaged by intense heat. Fitted in a specially-designed heat discharge construction, the sensor automatically shuts it down to prevent overheating. This allows for the dash cam to thrive even in the harshest summer conditions.
Advanced Driver Assistance System and Safety Camera Alerts
If you purchase the optional GPS antenna then you can unlock the suite of road safety features that the F200 PRO offers. With Safety Camera Alerts, the F200 PRO delivers voice alert warnings for red lights, speed cameras and, average speed cameras also indicating the correct speed. It announces when you are in an area where mobile speed cameras are used. Yes, these features were found in the FA200 and the F200 models - so nothing new here.
But, what the F200 PRO also brings is Thinkware’s Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS). For instance, if you are driving at normal speed and tailgate the car in front, or approach it too quickly the front vehicle departure warning (FVDW) alerts you to drop back to a safe distance. You will also get an alert as you approach the car in front at a stop light. Urban Front Collision Warning System (UFCWS) warns you if you are stopped at an intersection and the car in front of you moves off, in case you are not looking at the traffic. When driving at over 50km/h, if you drift out of your lane the lane departure warning system (LDWS) will alert you, reducing the chances of a collision.
These are all wonderful road safety features that are usually in more expensive models of dash cam (such as the Thinkware U1000 or the Q800PRO) - and this is the third major upgrade the F200 PRO offers.
Comprehensive Driving Information Logging with GPS
With the optional GPS Antenna, the F200 PRO can record your vehicle’s driving speed and provide its precise location and routes identification on the map - this feature not only provides comprehensive driving data in case of an accident, but it can also be used to track your holiday travel routes.
Installing the Cameras
Installation of the F200 PRO front camera is the same as that of the FA200 or the F200 dash cams: simply align the mount to the mount rail on the front camera, and then slide it until you hear a click. Once you have determined the installation location on your front windshield, remove the protective film from the adhesive mount and press the mount on to the windshield. After you have set the vertical angle, tighten the screw on the mount with a flat-head screwdriver or a coin. Then finally, connect the power cable and the dash cam is ready to capture your drive.
Likewise, the rear camera installation is similar to the other Thinkware models: just mount the rear camera on your back windshield and connect it to the front camera with the coaxial cable. The connecting cable is 6m in length and can be tucked away very easily along the trim of your vehicle.
Using the Thinkware App
Note: The A139 does not offer any Cloud capabilities.
You can control and manage the F200 PRO dash cam using your smart phone app via a WiFi connection. This enables you to download and delete recorded footage or update firmware and safety camera locations through.
When downloading the app from the App Store or Google Play Store, look for the Thinkware Dash Cam Link app. Once you have downloaded and installed the app, connect your phone to the dash cam using WiFi. The Wi-Fi password “123456789” is required when you connect the product to a smartphone for the first time.
Upgrading from the Thinkware F200 or FA200 Models
Because the F200 PRO rear camera is Full HD whereas the rear camera for the F200 is only 720p HD, when upgrading from the F200 to the F200 PRO, you will need to replace the rear camera and the rear camera connecting cable. This also applies if you are currently using the F200 Dual-Channel IR system - Yes, Thinkware will be releasing a Full HD IR camera for the F200 PRO.
If you currently have a hardwiring cable setup, you can simply leave that in place and plug it into your new F200 PRO. The CPL filter and the GPS module are also reusable.
Difference Between the F200 PRO, F200 and FA200
Our Final Verdict
The new “Perfect Entry-Level Dash Cam”
All in all, the Thinkware F200 PRO is a really simple, unobtrusive dash cam that will capture your drive in Full HD, watch over your car when it’s parked and alert you to potential dangers on the road.
If you are looking for a dashcam that offers both front and back footage when driving and Advanced Driver Assistance System, this dash cam is a good investment. That said, if you are thinking of upgrading from the FA200 to the F200 PRO, we would like to remind you that the only difference between the two models is the addition of the Advanced Driver Assistance System and the Full HD rear camera.
If you are simply looking for a Full HD dash cam system that is easy to use and covers all the essentials, then the FA200 and the F200 PRO are pretty much the same.