All people, as well as their needs, are different. While some want the maximum, others look at life more simply. Therefore, for us, ordinary people, 70mai has launched the new M310 car recorder on the market, which is characterized by compactness and a budget-friendly price. We will discuss the capabilities and quality-price ratio of this little one by testing its functions and other advantages, so let's go on another journey with 70mai!

Unboxing

The packaging of this 70mai dash cam is small in size. On the front, we have a picture of the M310 dash cam, which is almost life-size. Looking at the sides of the packaging, you will get acquainted with the main functions of the dash cam, and on the back, you can find information about the device itself.

Upon opening the box, you will immediately find the user manual and electrostatic stickers for attaching the recorder to the glass. Next is the firmly framed 70mai M310 itself, below which is a USB-C power cable. Under the plastic frame you will also find the accessories necessary for using the recorder: a car 12V adapter, an additional sticker for attaching the recorder, and a tool for neatly installing the power cables. 

It also comes with a Micro SD card, without which you will not be able to use the recorder, and a 70mai Hardware Kit cable set, which provides full access to the recorder's functions. Unfortunately, these accessories must be ordered additionally, as they are not included in the standard package.

First impressions

The 70mai M310 can be classified as a compact and space-saving dash cam due to its minimalist design. This cylindrical car dash cam has no screen and fits easily in the palm of your hand. The M310’s body is mostly made of gray, matte plastic with “breathing” holes, which also house a microphone for recording sound.

On the front is a 2K resolution QHD camera, on one side we have USB-C and Micro SD card slots, and on the other side we have the main and only physical control button of this recorder. The recorder is very light, its body parts seem quite sturdy and high-quality, however, the main holder on the top of the recorder looks a bit thin and weak.

So it feels like the mounting mechanism can easily break if you accidentally hook it. The power cable is long enough, so it will definitely be enough for any car. The 12V adapter has only one USB port, so you can only use it to power the recorder.

Preparation for use

A few steps and you will be traveling by car recording traffic with the new 70mai M310 recorder! Just stick the electrostatic sticker in the desired place on the car window (this sticker will help you move the recorder to another place without problems). Then attach the M310 recorder itself in the indicated place on the sticker.

True, to take advantage of all the features and functions of the 70mai M310, you will need a special 70mai Hardware Kit. This additional accessory provides access to 24h Smart Parking Surveillance and Time Lapse functions. However, connecting it requires some knowledge of car electronics and a little more time for its installation.

70mai APP

The 70mai M310 is so small that there is no room for a screen or physical control buttons. As I mentioned earlier, this little one has only one control button, which means that the main control and settings of this recorder are accessed using the app on your smartphone.

Once you install the 70mai app, you will connect to the recorder using the Wi-Fi hotspot provided by the recorder itself. To enable the hotspot, simply press the side button or say the voice command “turn on hotspot”. Then, all you have to do is pair your phone with the recorder and all settings will be immediately accessible.

The main tasks of this app are to quickly access captured footage, download or view it, and also enable/disable certain functions and settings. In the main window of the app, you will see the live broadcast image in real time, with one click you can capture that image by taking a photo, and you can also enable/disable audio recording.

A little below is a link to the album, where you can find all the fixed content. There is also a settings section nearby. Here you can access the video quality, sound and language settings, as well as enable certain smart functions of this 70mai M310.

Smart features

This compact recorder not only does its job by recording traffic and the surprises lurking in it, but it also has features that can be useful and make using this recorder easier.

Voice control

Since there is no screen or control buttons, and you shouldn't use your phone while driving, it's a good thing that the M310 model can be controlled with voice commands. There are more of them than control buttons, but not too many: Turn on audio, Turn off audio, Turn on Hotspot, Turn off Hotspot, Take a picture, Lock the video.

Voice commands work well enough and are really helpful when you're driving and don't want to pick up your phone, but you often have to repeat or say certain phrases louder to get the voice command to be heard. In other words, the recorder may sometimes not hear you.

Emergency video

The main task of this function is to record video material to a separate folder when the recorder senses an impact or a loud sound. This is a great thing to have when, in the event of a traffic accident, it is necessary to quickly find the video material and view or download it. As soon as it senses a major impact, the recorder will sound an alert about the Emergency Video recording and start accumulating the material to a separate folder.

With the default settings (medium sensitivity), the M310 reacts to impacts perhaps a little too sensitively. I conducted a little experiment and, having lifted the car wipers, threw them back onto the glass, this “vandalism” was instantly responded to. However, there is no point in thinking that this function is not working properly, since the sensitivity can be adjusted in the 70mai app. By slightly reducing the sensitivity, the situation changed and the recorder began to respond more adequately to the impacts felt by the car during the trip.

You should not overdo it with increasing the sensitivity, because the recorder can overreact to minor impacts and start to be a bit annoying, which can interfere with the driver. Fortunately, nothing hit my car during testing, but after increasing the sensitivity, the recorder began to react even to slipping windshield wipers.

Collision & Motion detection

The previously mentioned (un)required wiring accessory for this recorder, the 70mai Hardware Kit, allows the M310 recorder to remain on standby while your car is parked. There are cases when careless drivers "beautify" your car by hitting it and leaving the scene.

There are also cases of vandalism, when a car is damaged or stolen without any problems. In such situations, the little car guard 70mai M310 rushes to save your property like a movie hero! As soon as it senses a hit, this recorder will activate the Collision Detection function and start recording separate video footage. 

Also, if it notices unclear movements near the car, it will enable motion detection mode and also start recording the material in a separate folder. All recorded material can be checked and viewed in the parking surveillance folder in the 70mai app. This function is really great and useful, but it is completely lacking a rear camera that would allow recording such cases not only from the front of the car.

Video quality

The small 70mai recorder is wallet-friendly, but it is very important to find out what its capabilities are for filming. According to the manufacturer itself, the 70mai M310 3-megapixel, 2K QHD camera with MaiColor Vivid + Solution image enhancement effects is ready to ensure high-quality and bright video capture during the day. Even at night, trips will be clearly visible thanks to the Night Owl Vision function. But is it really?

As soon as I installed this M310 recorder, I started driving around the city and the first tests were done during the day. After reviewing the recorded material, the image quality appeared to be of sufficient quality. Since the day was not sunny, the image looks quite bright and colorful.

The recording angle is wide enough, and the road users are really visible. Also, during testing, there were sunny days when you had to exit a dark tunnel directly into the sunlight. Here, the recorder copes well with changes in lighting and the image always remains clearly visible.

You can capture various situations on the road even at night. In twilight, the Night Owl Vision function comes to the rescue, as the image becomes bright enough to see not only the license plates of nearby cars, but also people's faces. When traveling through the streets of a lit city, the image is quite contrasting and bright, but you will only be able to see the license plates of cars from a distance of a few meters.

The 70mai M310 dash cam is quite small, but its recording capabilities are truly amazing. No matter what weather or time of day you drive, you will always get quite good and high-quality video footage. Maybe some places lack detail, but in my opinion the camera is really not bad, because during the event all the necessary episodes and details will be recorded.

I mentioned earlier the weak mounting part of the recorder, which seems to be easily damaged. This recorder has not been drop tested, but the recorded video material shows a shaky image due to larger impacts, as well as vibrations caused by louder music in the car.

Verdict

With so many dash cams on the market, the customer needs to figure out their needs and decide what they need. If you want a low price and a quality product, the 70mai M310 would be a smart choice.

For under €50, you'll get a compact, easy-to-install, and high-quality dash cam. What's more, this travel companion will act as a sentinel even when your car is parked.

To get a complete protection package and even better filming quality, I would recommend choosing 70mai A810 model, but you will have to spend significantly more money. You can find a review of this 4K resolution video recorder with integrated GPS by clicking this link.