Rennie Scaysbrook | April 11, 2020
The Sena 10C EVO all-in-one video and communication unit is finally here. The 10C EVO is the next evolution of the Sena camera system and the first to utilize a 4K camera, putting it in the same league (picture quality-wise) as the latest offerings from companies like GoPro and Sony.
The 10C EVO is the next evolution of the Sena camera system and the first to utilize a 4K camera.
The unit looks similar to the Bluetooth communication (sans camera) unit in the 10S, which we’ve used extensively over the past few years at Cycle News, and is a step up from the 10C Pro, which used a 2K camera. The 10C EVO’s 4K camera can shoot at 30 frames per second with an F/2.4 aperture/125° field of view/30° lens rotation, and still features Sena staples like video tagging (kind of like a dash camera in that you can save important parts of your ride on a continuous loop); voice command; four-way Bluetooth connectivity up to a mile apart; and listen to music/GPS/take calls and have your text messages read. Everything is controlled via the Sena app.
The unit will take a memory card up to 128 GB, which should guarantee over an hour of video if you have the camera on the Ultra HD setting of 2161p at 20 frames per second. Talk time stands at 20 hours, with a charge time of about two and a half hours from fully flat.
Sena 10C EVO Product Review Lowdown
MSRP: $399
Standout Feature: Vastly improved video quality
With the 10C EVO, you can get similar levels of video quality to a GoPro along with the already good audio quality from previous Sena camera systems.
Sena 10C EVO Product Review Rider Analysis
Seeing as I used the 10C EVO more on the video recording than it’s Bluetooth capability, that’s where I’ll focus my review today. I’ve been video recording my tests for Cycle News for five years, and it’s a never-ending pain to get video and sound at a decent level for publication. Sena’s previous models like the 10C Pro or the lipstick camera Prism Tube Wifi did a good job of recording the sound/talking, but the camera quality just wasn’t up to standard when you consider what GoPro was putting out at the same time. And not having image stabilization really was a letdown (the 10C EVO doesn’t exactly have image stabilization, either, but it’s not as big a deal as it was before).
Now, with the 10C EVO, you can get similar levels of video quality to a GoPro to along with the already good audio quality from previous Sena camera systems. The operation of the unit should be familiar to anyone who has used Sena gear in the past. You get the same jog wheel as the 10S, and a similar button layout to the 10C Pro with the camera activated by the button at the top of the unit, voice command activated by touching the button at the back. I’ve always been a fan of the way Sena lays out their systems, as the wheel is easy to use with gloves, likewise the large buttons. The 10C EVO is a much slimmer unit than the 10C Pro, although weight has never been much of an issue.
Considering I’ve been using this unit for a few high-speed track tests, the audio quality comes into question a little. It’s near impossible to get good quality audio when you’re going fast on the track, considering all the air rushing into the helmet, and I found the best option for me was to double up on the sound proofing for the little stick-on mic and hide it inside the cheek pad, thus damping the ferocity of the wind noise. It’s not perfect but at road speeds and a little above, it’s better than it was before. Using the boom mic is fine if all you’re doing is low-speed talking.
The sound from the speakers is excellent, if lacking a little in bass compared to the JBL speakers you get with the Cardo Bluetooth system. But considering you have a 4K camera attached that can also take and make calls, relay all the navigation I need, plus play music and sync with four other riders—I’ll take it. The 10C EVO is by far the best camera/Bluetooth unit Sena has released, and not a bad value at $400 for the budding moto-vlogger.
If you’d like to hear see the quality of the picture and audio quality, check out the video below. This is our 2020 KTM 1290 Super Duke R test from Portugal where we had the boom mic fitted.
VIDEO | Cycle News 2020 KTM 1290 Super Duke R World Launch and Review
After we fitted the microphone behind the cheekpad, we rode the 2010 Ducati Streetfighter, with vastly improved audio. Check it out below:
VIDEO | Cycle News The OG 2010 Ducati Streetfighter 1098 S Quick Test
For more information, visit www.sena.com
