What SD card size do I need for a dashcam?

For a 1080p dashcam recording 1 hour per day, a 32GB card stores about 5-7 days of footage. For 4K dashcams or longer daily drives, 128GB or 256GB is recommended. Always buy a high-endurance card designed for continuous recording.

How much storage does a dashcam use per hour?

A 1080p dashcam at 30fps uses approximately 5-6GB per hour. A 1440p (2K) camera uses 8-10GB per hour, and a 4K dashcam uses 16-20GB per hour. Actual usage depends on the bitrate setting and codec used.

What is loop recording on a dashcam?

Loop recording means the dashcam automatically overwrites the oldest footage when the SD card is full, creating a continuous recording loop. Most dashcams record in 1-5 minute segments so only old, unprotected files are overwritten.

Do I need a special SD card for a dashcam?

Yes. Standard SD cards are not designed for continuous write cycles and will fail quickly. Use a high-endurance card (e.g. Samsung PRO Endurance, SanDisk High Endurance) rated for thousands of hours of recording. Check your dashcam manual for maximum supported card size.

How often should I replace my dashcam SD card?

High-endurance cards typically last 2-3 years with daily use. Standard cards may fail within months. Replace your card if you notice recording errors, corrupted files, or if the dashcam reports card issues.

Dashcam Storage Calculator — SD Card Size Guide

Calculate the SD card size you need for your dashcam based on resolution, frame rate, and recording time.

Resolution

Frame Rate

Daily Driving Hours

Daily driving hours in hours

Desired Recording Days

Desired recording days in days

How We Calculate This

How The Storage Is Calculated

Bitrate: 1080p ~ 12 Mbps, 1440p ~ 20 Mbps, 4K ~ 40 Mbps at 30fps
FPS adjustment: bitrate scales proportionally with frame rate
File size per hour: (bitrate x 3600) / 8 / 1024 = GB per hour
Total storage: file size per hour x daily hours x recording days

Notes

Actual storage usage varies by dashcam model, codec (H.264 vs H.265), and scene complexity. These estimates use typical bitrates. Use the Advanced Options to override the bitrate if you know your dashcam's exact setting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: March 2026

All calculations are estimates. Actual figures may vary based on driving conditions, vehicle specifications, and other factors.