How long does a 512GB card record on a 1080p front and rear dash cam?
About 48 h 6 min. A 512GB card at a typical 22 Mbps (12 Mbps front plus 10 Mbps rear) keeps roughly 48.1 hours of 1080p front and rear footage before the oldest files are overwritten.
SANDISK 512GB High Endurance microSD Card + Adapter
512GB / high endurance
A high-endurance 512GB card rated for continuous video, the size this page is about. Check your camera's maximum supported card size first.
How does bitrate change the answer?
The same 512GB card at three bitrates for a 1080p front and rear camera. Cameras that record H.265 sit near the efficient row; cameras set to their highest quality sit near the high row.
| Total bitrate | Loop on 512GB |
|---|---|
| 17 Mbps (efficient H.265) | 64 h 8 min |
| 22 Mbps (typical) | 48 h 6 min |
| 31 Mbps (high quality) | 34 h 21 min |
What about other card sizes?
Recording time scales in a straight line with card size: double the card, double the loop. The step that matters is whether the loop covers your longest driving day plus any parking-mode time.
| Card | 1080p, front and rear |
|---|---|
| 16GB | 1 h 30 min |
| 32GB | 3 h |
| 64GB | 6 h 1 min |
| 128GB | 12 h 1 min |
| 256GB | 24 h 3 min |
| 512GB | 48 h 6 min |
How does 512GB compare across cameras?
Typical bitrates: 12 Mbps for 1080p, 16 Mbps for 2K, 20 Mbps for 2.5K, 32 Mbps for 4K, plus 10 Mbps for each extra 1080p channel. Usable space is taken as 93 percent of the labeled capacity.
| Front resolution | Front only | Front + rear | Three channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1080p | 88 h 11 min | 48 h 6 min | 33 h 4 min |
| 2K | 66 h 8 min | 40 h 42 min | 29 h 24 min |
| 2.5K | 52 h 54 min | 35 h 16 min | 26 h 27 min |
| 4K | 33 h 4 min | 25 h 12 min | 20 h 21 min |
1080p front and rear dash cams and 512GB+ cards
Check your camera's maximum supported card size before buying.
THINKWARE F200 PRO Dash Cam 1080p Front and Rear, Wi-Fi, G-Sensor1080p / 2 channel / Wi-Fi$149.99Check price on Amazon
BlackVue DR770X II, 1080P+1080P Dash Cam Front and Rear, Free 64GB Card1080p / 2 channel$347.99Check price on Amazon
VIOFO 512GB Industrial Grade High Endurance microSD Card for Dash Cam512GB / high endurance$229.99Check price on Amazon
Other card and camera combinations
Frequently asked questions
Is 512GB enough for a 1080p front and rear dash cam?
512GB keeps about 48 h 6 min of footage at this setting. That covers a full day of commuting and most road-trip legs, so it is enough for most drivers. Parking mode and locked event files both use the same card, so allow some margin.
What happens when a 512GB dash cam card is full?
Loop recording deletes the oldest unlocked clip and keeps writing, so the card never stops recording; it just reaches back about 48 h 6 min at this setting. Clips locked by the G-sensor or the event button are protected and are not overwritten, which shrinks the loop until you clear them.
Why might my camera record less than this?
This page assumes a typical 22 Mbps. Some 1080p cameras record at a higher quality setting, H.264 instead of H.265, or reserve part of the card for event and parking files. Record ten minutes and check the file size on a computer to find your real bitrate, then use the recording time calculator.