Vantrue N4 Pro S vs N5S: Which Dash Cam Should You Buy?

Compared from Amazon listings, manufacturer manuals and owner forums. Not a hands-on test.

Short answer: Pick the Vantrue N4 Pro S if reading plates and fine detail on the road ahead matters most, because it records 4K up front instead of 2.7K. Pick the Vantrue N5S if you want the back seats, trunk area, and side windows on record too, since its fourth camera covers the rear cabin with infrared night vision.

Side-by-side specs

Video quality and night footage

This is the clearest split between the two. The N4 Pro S records 4K on the front channel, and Vantrue pairs its STARVIS 2 sensors with HDR and PlatePix processing. The listing claims readable plates at night on lit streets for cars moving up to 31mph. A detailed dashcamtalk.com review measured high bitrates and H.265 encoding and rated it the best image quality of the Vantrue cameras that reviewer had used.

The N5S drops to 2.7K up front to make room for a fourth camera. Its listing promises clear plates at 20mph with HDR/WDR, a lower bar than the N4 Pro S claim. Forum regulars who own several Vantrue models sum it up the same way: the N5S shows what happened all around the car, but it will not capture the fine detail the N4 Pro S can. One long-term reviewer found front plate capture at night very difficult on the N5S.

The picture flips once you look behind and inside. Both cameras use a 2.5K rear channel, so rear footage is roughly a wash on paper. The N5S rear unit uses an IMX675 sensor with HDR, and forum reviewers say it handles night scenes reasonably well. The bigger gap is the cabin. The N4 Pro S has one infrared cabin camera aimed at the front seats. The N5S has two, and a long-term forum review described its front cabin view as one of the sharpest interiors the reviewer had seen, with faces visible in a fully dark car.

If night driving footage is your main concern, our night driving dash cam guide covers more options.

Features that matter day to day

Parking mode

Both cameras offer buffered motion and impact detection that saves 10 seconds from before an event. Both need a hardwire kit, sold separately, to run parking mode. The N4 Pro S keeps all three cameras active while parked. The N5S switches into parking mode automatically when you turn off the ignition. Vantrue has added new N4 Pro S parking options through firmware since launch.

Wi-Fi, app, and GPS

Both use 5GHz Wi-Fi to move big multi-channel files faster. The N5S listing adds dual-system GPS, mileage reports in the app, and over-the-air firmware updates. Owner opinion of the app on the N4 Pro S is split, with at least one published review naming Wi-Fi reliability as its main annoyance. Reviewers of the N5S describe the app as stable with smooth live view. Both have voice commands for saving clips and taking photos.

Storage

Each supports microSD cards up to 1TB, and neither includes a card. Vantrue estimates about 37 hours of triple-camera recording on the N4 Pro S and about 40 hours of 4-channel recording on the N5S at that size. Use a high endurance or industrial-grade U3 card. Vantrue's support page says Samsung EVO Plus and PRO Plus cards are not recommended for its dash cams.

Heat

Both run on a super capacitor instead of a battery. The N4 Pro S listing says switching to front and rear mode cuts heat by 30% compared with triple recording. The N5S lists a rated range of -4°F to 140°F and lets you drop to fewer channels when you do not need all four.

Mounting and size

Neither camera is discreet. The N4 Pro S is a large unit, and one forum reviewer measured it as noticeably wider and more than 25% heavier than the smaller N4S. Forum owners like its magnetic mount and its rear camera, which rotates 360 degrees to face traffic or the cargo area. The N5S front unit is also bulky because it holds two lenses and a 3.19-inch screen. Its rear housing holds two cameras, and its bracket has limited up and down movement, so it suits an angled rear window better than a flat headliner.

Reliability and common complaints

N4 Pro S. The most specific complaint is an over-the-air update that kept rebooting until the camera would not start, which support fixed with a manual microSD update. App and Wi-Fi reliability come up in reviews. Owners on Reddit also point out that Vantrue's own site sells a version with a waterproof rear camera, while this Amazon listing describes the rotating rear camera, so read the listing before you order. One owner comparing it with a VIOFO A229 Pro noticed slightly less smooth motion on fast-moving objects up front.

N5S. Most feedback is positive, but a few owners on Reddit report freezes and glitches. One described the camera dropping into parking mode while the car was still moving on a hardwire kit, and said the issue continued after a replacement and a firmware reflash. Some owners also find the default G-sensor too sensitive, which fills the event folder with locked clips from potholes. Lowering it a step usually helps.

Both share the same extra costs: a hardwire kit for parking mode and a memory card. Reviewers suggest an optional CPL filter for the N5S to cut windshield glare. Registering either camera gets you the 18-month warranty, which is worth doing given these reports.

Which one should you buy?

Choose the Vantrue N4 Pro S if

• Plate reading and detail on the car ahead are your top priority.
• You only need the front seats covered inside the car.
• You want a rear camera you can rotate toward the trunk or cargo bed.
• You want a front and rear mode that runs cooler in summer.

Read our full Vantrue N4 Pro S review

Choose the Vantrue N5S if

• You drive for a rideshare service and want both rows of seats recorded.
• You want to watch kids, pets, or cargo in the back, including at night.
• You care more about what happened around the car than the finest front detail.
• You want flexible 1 to 4 channel recording from one system.

Read our full Vantrue N5S review

Frequently asked questions

Is the N5S an upgrade over the N4 Pro S?

Not exactly. The N5S adds a rear cabin camera, but its front camera records 2.7K instead of 4K. It covers more of the car, while the N4 Pro S captures more detail up front.

Which one reads license plates better?

The N4 Pro S. Its 4K front camera claims readable plates up to 31mph on lit streets at night, while the N5S claims 20mph. Forum owners of both models agree the N4 Pro S captures more front detail.

Do both need a hardwire kit for parking mode?

Yes. Both listings say the buffered 24/7 parking mode requires a hardwire kit sold separately. Both cameras record normally while driving with the included power cable.

Which is better for Uber or Lyft drivers?

The N5S, for most rideshare drivers. It records the front cabin and rear cabin separately, and both interior cameras have infrared lights for dark cabins. The N4 Pro S only has one cabin camera facing the front seats.

Do they use the same memory cards?

Both take microSD cards up to 1TB, and neither includes one. Use a high endurance or industrial-grade U3 card made for dash cams, and avoid Samsung EVO Plus and PRO Plus cards, which Vantrue's support page does not recommend.

Bottom line

These are two takes on the same idea from the same brand. The Vantrue N4 Pro S puts its effort into a sharp 4K front view and keeps the cabin and rear covered with three cameras. The Vantrue N5S spreads its effort across four cameras so nothing inside or around the car goes unrecorded, at the cost of front detail. Both need a hardwire kit for parking mode, both are large on the windshield, and both have a minority of owner reports about firmware or app trouble. Decide whether you need the clearest plates ahead or the most complete record of the cabin, and the choice follows.