Most RedTiger dash cams let you adjust settings, start or stop recording, and review footage without pulling out your phone. But the way you do it depends on which model you pick — some use a touchscreen interface, others rely on physical buttons. Both get the job done, but they feel very different in daily use. This guide breaks down the touchscreen vs button control experience across the RedTiger lineup so you know what to expect before you buy.
RedTiger offers touchscreen controls on three main models. The F7N Touch is the most popular — it has a 3.19-inch IPS touchscreen that handles menu navigation, playback, and settings. The F9 uses a similar touch interface on its 3-inch display. The ViewClear 70 mirror cam runs a 12-inch touchscreen that controls everything from camera angle to split-screen views.
On the button side, the F7N Elite uses four physical buttons along the bottom edge of the camera. The F7NP and F17 Elite use a similar button layout. These models trade the slick touch interface for something that works every time, even when you are wearing gloves or the screen has rain on it.
On the F7N Touch, you swipe through menus just like a smartphone. Pull down from the top for quick settings (resolution toggle, microphone on/off, G-sensor sensitivity). Swipe left or right to scroll through recording modes. Tap to select an option. It feels natural if you have used a phone in the last decade.
Button-based models like the F7N Elite use a different logic. The four buttons are labeled Menu, Up, Down, and OK. You press Menu to enter settings, use Up and Down to scroll, and OK to confirm. It takes a few days to build muscle memory — after a week, most users can change settings without looking at the camera.
The tradeoff is speed. Changing the F7N Touch from 4K to 1080p takes about three taps and five seconds. On the F7N Elite, the same change takes seven button presses and about twelve seconds. For something you do once during setup, that difference does not matter. But if you frequently switch between recording modes or adjust exposure on the fly, the touchscreen saves time.
The F7N Touch capacitive screen works well with bare fingers. Response time is about 200-300ms per tap — slightly slower than a modern smartphone but perfectly usable for dash cam menus. The ViewClear 70 mirror cam is the snappiest of the bunch with a more responsive panel, likely because it uses a higher-quality automotive-grade touch digitizer.
Here is where physical buttons win: winter driving. With the F7N Elite, you can change settings while wearing thick ski gloves. The buttons are tactile rubber with an audible click. The F7N Touch requires you to either remove a glove or use the touchscreen with a knuckle — which works maybe 60% of the time. In a Minnesota winter, this matters more than you would think.
Both control schemes give you one-button emergency recording lock. On the F7N Touch, there is a dedicated Lock button on the bottom edge. On the F7N Elite, the OK button doubles as the lock function when held for two seconds. Both work fine without looking at the camera.
For changing settings mid-drive, the F7N Touch is safer. A quick tap to mute the microphone requires less attention than pressing Menu, scrolling to Audio, pressing OK, then scrolling to Off. RedTiger designed the touchscreen shortcuts — pull down the quick settings panel — specifically for one-handed use at a stoplight.
The F7N Touch display shows a live preview of your camera feed, which helps when adjusting the angle. Point the camera, tap the screen to focus on the horizon, and you are done. Button-based models also show a live preview, but adjusting the angle means parking, getting out, and using the physical buttons while watching the screen — an awkward dance.
Both display types use IPS panels with good viewing angles. Brightness on the F7N Touch maxes out at about 400 nits, which is readable in daylight but not amazing. The F7N Elite screen is comparable. The ViewClear 70 mirror cam is the standout here with an auto-dimming display that adjusts brightness based on ambient light — it never blinds you at night and stays readable during the day.
| Use Case | Touchscreen (F7N Touch, F9, ViewClear 70) | Buttons (F7N Elite, F7NP, F17 Elite) |
|---|---|---|
| Daily settings changes | Faster — 3 taps | Slower — 7-10 clicks |
| Glove use (winter) | Frustrating | No issues |
| Angle setup | Easy — tap to focus | Awkward gymnastic |
| Quick lock footage | Dedicated button | Hold OK button |
| Parking mode review | Swipe through clips | Scroll with buttons |
| Learning curve | Instant | 1-2 days |
| Screen off while driving | Auto-off after 30s | Auto-off after 30s |
If you change settings often, park and review clips in the car, or want the quickest possible setup, get the RedTiger F7N Touch. The touchscreen experience is good enough for daily use, and the angle-adjustment shortcut is genuinely useful.
If you drive in cold weather, prefer tactile feedback, or just want something that always works without thinking, the F7N Elite button controls are bulletproof. They are slower for deep menu navigation but faster for the things that matter — locking footage, muting audio, and parking mode confirmation. Both cameras record the same excellent 4K video. The only question is how you want to talk to your dash cam.
The ViewClear 70 mirror cam offers a hybrid: a large touchscreen for menus plus a physical power button and mount release. On the F9, you get touchscreen menus but the important actions — record, lock, microphone — have dedicated hardware buttons too. This is the best of both worlds, though the ViewClear 70 carries a higher price tag.
RedTiger also offers voice control on several models. The F7N Elite and F7N Touch both respond to voice commands like "Take Photo" and "Lock Video." Voice control works well enough at highway speeds when you do not want to touch anything. It is not a replacement for either control scheme, but it is a nice fallback when your hands are busy or your gloves are thick.
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