MioFive S1 Ultra 4K Dashcam – Review
By Steve Crabtree, November 2026
Video evidence on our roads has become massive lately. Most of us carry some sort of recording kit in our pockets, and drivers are capturing daily road incidents like never before.
I’ve seen my fair share of near misses and had a couple of minor bumps over the years – anyone tackling the M62 in rush hour will know that dread. I’ve even been involved in a couple of bumps myself, so joining the dashcam brigade felt long overdue. To get sorted, I plumped for the MioFive S1 Ultra 4K dashcam.
What’s in the box
- MioFive S1 Ultra 4K Dashcam unit
- 12V cigarette lighter power lead
- Windscreen mount bracket with adhesive pad
- Electrostatic windscreen stickers
- Prying trim tool for neat cable routing
- User manual and quick start guide
“Up and running in minutes”
Straight out of the packaging, fitting the camera to the windscreen of the Volvo was a total doddle. The mount sticks firmly into place without any wobbles, and the instructions are clear enough for anyone to follow.
You can simply let the lead dangle down to the 12V socket if you want quick results. Alternatively, MioFive provides a trim tool to tuck the wiring cleanly behind the rubber seals and headliner. If you prefer a clean dashboard without wires, you can buy an optional hardwire kit to wire it straight into the fuse box. (I’ll eventually get round to that…!)
Every time you turn the ignition, the camera chimes in. It greets you cheerfully and reminds you that it’s rolling. Do I strictly need that announcement every single trip? Probably not, but it never bothers me. It serves as a handy reminder that it monitors your own driving habits as well as everyone else’s though.
It also acts a bit like Google Maps on the go. The built-in GPS keeps you honest by warning you of nearby speed cameras, speed limit changes, and chiming if you drift over the limit.
“Crystal-clear video”
The main event is video recording, and that is where this unit really shines. It records true 4K Ultra HD footage at 3840 x 2160 resolution running at a smooth 30 frames per second. Backed by an 8MP sensor and HDR tech, number plates remain sharp and easy to read during bright daylight and rainy evening commutes.
Now, I did hit a snag early on with the camera capturing my journeys. My initial unit proved a bit faulty. When someone ran a red light and forced me to slam on the brakes, I went to check the clip and discovered it was missing. It had only recorded a handful of random three-minute files over a two-week stretch.
Thankfully, that was just an isolated hardware blip. The replacement unit worked like a dream straight out of the box. I took a few minutes to tweak the menu settings, and it has reliably logged every single journey to the microSD card since.
Reviewing footage on my MacBook is a breeze. It breaks journeys into tidy three-minute chunks, which makes finding and saving a specific incident simple without any editing faff. You can also pull clips straight to your phone over the built-in 5GHz Wi-Fi via the app. Just keep in mind that raw 4K files are hefty beasts, so transferring multiple files over wireless takes a couple of minutes rather than split seconds.
What MioFive says
“The Miofive S1 4K Dash Cam is the ultimate road safety companion. It features true 2160p UHD recording at 30FPS with an 8MP sensor for crystal-clear footage. A 3-inch IPS screen provides ultra-wide viewing angles, while advanced DAG HDR and FPPI technologies ensure superior night vision. Equipped with high-speed 5G Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and built-in GPS, it connects seamlessly to smartphones via an app. Smart AI driving assists include a ‘Stop & Go’ traffic alert, alongside crucial security features like 24-hour parking mode, a supercapacitor, and optional rear camera support.”
The verdict
I’m genuinely impressed with the MioFive S1 Ultra. Once you get the initial settings dialled in, it sits quietly behind the rear-view mirror and gets on with the job.
The video quality is fantastic day or night, and having pin-sharp 4K footage could easily prove the difference between an unfair insurance claim and a clear non-fault verdict. For under a hundred quid, it punches well above its weight and gives you proper peace of mind behind the wheel.
The MioFive S1 Ultra 4K Dashcam is available from amazon.co.uk. RRP: £98.99
Give Steve music, give him food, give him theatre, tech or travel… and he’s a happy man. He’s been writing professionally since 2003, turning to journalism in 2017 when it offered him the chance to enjoy a lot of his existing passions, and learn some new ones at the same time. Steve can be found spending many of his summer nights watching bands at The Piece Hall in his hometown of Halifax, or enjoying a bite to eat and a drink with his wife anywhere in Yorkshire at any time of year. Random fact: He does the best impression of Zippy and George from Rainbow that anyone has ever heard.
