The Viofo A229 Ultra is the newest release in the A229 line while the A329S sits a tier higher in Viofo’s product range. Both offer excellent video quality and coverage, but there are some important differences in sensors, cabling, recording features, and overall design. Here’s how they compare.

Front Camera

The A229 Ultra uses the same 4K Sony Starvis 2 IMX678 sensor as the A229 Pro and A329S. In the launch firmware, its bitrate drops when running 2CH or 3CH, while the A329S maintains a higher bitrate in every mode. The difference is noticeable when recording lots of fine detail such as trees or signs. Viofo has confirmed a firmware update is coming that will keep the Ultra’s front bitrate at full quality in 1CH and 2CH, with only the 3CH bitrate dropping.

Front cam comparison: A229 Ultra (left) and A329S (right)

The Ultra also supports 60 fps recording in 1CH or 2CH configurations, though in practice this doesn’t provide a major benefit.

Rear Camera

The A229 Ultra has the edge here with a 4K rear camera compared to the A329S’s 2K rear. The extra resolution makes it easier to capture plates or faces from farther away. It does not eliminate motion blur, so moving vehicles will still appear streaky, but the added detail is helpful when incidents happen at a distance.

Rear cam license plate detail comparison

The Ultra’s USB cables are thicker than the A329S’s coax, making them a little bulkier to route, but the ability to reuse existing A229 wiring is a nice perk if you’re upgrading.

Cable thickness comparison: A229 Ultra (left / top) and A329S (right / bottom)

Interior Camera

The A229 Ultra comes with a 1080p ultra wide interior cam while the A329S offers a 2K interior camera. Resolution is less critical for monitoring passengers inside the car since everything is close, but the A329S’s extra detail is useful if you want to capture what’s happening outside your side windows. That makes it the stronger option for rideshare drivers or anyone who prioritizes interior clarity.

Interior cabin cam comparison

The Ultra’s 210° lens also provides excellent coverage of both side windows, but the footage doesn’t capture as much fine detail as the A329S’s sharper 2K interior cam. HDR is always on with the Ultra, while the A329S lets you toggle it, but in practice I find it’s better to leave HDR on anyway. One installation difference worth noting is that the Ultra’s interior cam cable sticks straight out, while the A329S uses a compact 90° connector for a cleaner setup.

Interior cabin cam cable comparison: A229 Ultra (left) vs A329S (right)

Pro tip: If you already run an A229 Plus or Pro, you can order the new ultrawide interior cam separately to upgrade your existing system. The 4K rear cam is not cross-compatible.

Telephoto Options

The A229 Ultra has no telephoto support. If you want a telephoto view, you’ll need one of the A329 variants such as the A329T or A329TC, similar to the telephoto lens for the A229 Plus or A229 Pro to make the A229 Pro Tele. This flexibility is a big advantage for the A329S lineup.

New Parking Modes

The A329S adds some additional parking mode options, specifically the new low power options to give you long term parking recording. Instead of recording for about a day, it can now record for over a week.

A329S (left) adds Hybrid & Low Power Parking Modes

The new hybrid parking mode allows you to run the dashcam in one of the traditional parking modes initially and then switch to low power parking mode. This way instead of shutting off altogether, you continue to get extended protection while parked.

A329S (left) with Hybrid Parking Recording options

Note: Low power parking recording and hybrid parking recording with a timer are available using both the HK4 and HK6 parking mode cables. To use hybrid parking recording and switch modes based on voltage levels of your car battery, you’ll need the HK6. For more info, watch this video.

WiFi File Transfer Speeds

The A329S supports WiFi 6, and in testing transfers are more than three times faster compared to the A229 Ultra. If you regularly download footage to your phone, this is a noticeable upgrade.

WiFi Transfer Speed Testing

Other Features

The A329S also benefits from a more advanced chipset which unlocks additional features that the A229 Ultra does not have:

• Multiplexing: Combine multiple camera views into a single video file, so you can review and share front, interior, and rear angles together instead of juggling separate clips.”

A329S 3CH Multiplexed: Simultaneously viewing front, inside, and rear

• SSD Support: Expand storage with an external SSD (up to 4TB) for extended recording, useful if you drive long hours or want more recording time before your MicroSD card (up to 512 GB) fills up and begins overwriting older clips.

These features make the A329S a more premium, feature-rich platform compared to the A229 Ultra.

Pricing

On Viofo’s website, here’s how they compare:

• A229 Ultra 2CH: $339

• A329S 2CH: $399 ($60 more)

• A229 Ultra 3CH: $369

• A329S 3CH: $469 ($100 more)

Which Dashcam to Buy?

Both the A229 Ultra and A329S deliver excellent video quality, but the A329S is the more premium, feature-rich choice overall. The Ultra is a solid option if you want 4K front and rear with compatibility for existing A229 wiring, while the A329S adds features like higher bitrate recording, sharper interior footage, faster WiFi transfers, telephoto support, and advanced parking modes.

If you’d like a high end dashcam and you don’t need some advanced features like the long term parking recording, multiplexing capability, or SSD support, the A229 Ultra will do the job well. If you want the best overall system, especially in 3CH setups, the A329S is worth the higher price.

Purchase the A229 Ultra 2CH

Purchase the A229 Ultra 3CH

Purchase the A329S 2CH

Purchase the A329S 3CH

A229 Ultra (left) vs A329S (right)