Carpuride 9 inch Infotainment System- Product Review
February 18, 2023
We hate the term “infotainment”. It sounds like a company from the early 2000s that used to make educational software under the false pretence of being fun when in actual fact it was merely creating boring tools for teaching kids about pie charts. But that’s the collective name nowadays for those huge screens that take up half of the dashboard in modern cars. In our day (God we sound old) it was ICE, or in-car entertainment. Back then it wasn’t so much about making phone calls and using maps but more about banging tunes with ridiculous amounts of bass. Today most modern cars will come with some form of device, typically touchscreen, that not only provides the aforementioned information and entertainment but also often serves as the main way to interact with and control the myriad functions of the vehicle. In layman’s terms it’s essentially a tablet connected to and integrated with the car, and that’s exactly what we’re looking at today with this 9 inch system from Carpuride.
Despite what anyone tells you, size is important. Generally speaking, when it comes to in-car systems such as these, bigger is indeed better. The more expensive the car the larger the screen and the more features will include, from simple things like audio, satellite navigation, Bluetooth and smartphone connectivity to more complex applications like voice control, reversing cameras and cappuccino machines. OK, maybe not that last one but these systems are becoming more and more advanced and more commonplace every year. Old fashioned, tactile switches will soon become a thing of the past but fear not, you too can embrace the digital age and install a stand-alone system. It might not be able to turn your heater on for you but there are still a whole host of useful functions to enjoy and a decent setup can seriously update your classic, dragging the old girl kicking and screaming into the twenty-first century.
Get your Carpuride in-car entertainment system here.
The Product
Carpuride is an automotive electronics company with a mission to make cars more interesting through technological innovation and its flagship 9 inch touchscreen wireless HD display is chock full of features. These include USB connectivity and a microSD slot for multimedia content as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility with mirroring functionality meaning you can wirelessly connect your smartphone to the screen in order to provide easy, instant access to music, maps, messages and calls. Bluetooth, voice control and a rear view camera input are also bundled as well as a built-in high quality speaker with three audio modes that allows you to use the device itself for sound or output via Aux or FM transmitter to incorporate your vehicle’s original stereo system. As long as you have a 12 volt cigarette lighter socket then you can power the device.
The Test
The current setup we utilise in our Volvo 940 Turbo is a stereo head unit that we plug our iPhone 6 into (yes, we know we’re living in the past but then we are classic enthusiasts after all…) for charging and music, using the phone itself for navigation when required so we thought we’d plumb the Carpuride system in and see how easy it is to a) set up and b) to live with on a day to day basis. We were interested to see how much improved functionality we would see with a dedicated device that encapsulates all of the functions we would need in one place.
The Result
The various methods of connectivity we tested all worked perfectly. From Bluetooth to Apple’s Wi-Fi CarPlay and phone mirroring modes, the device is incredibly simple and quick to setup. The only decisions you need to make are which approach to take that best suits your requirements and whether to deploy the suction cup or dash mount when it comes to securing it in place. The HD screen is clear and crisp and the automatic screen brightness functionality works well. The built in speaker isn’t anything to write home about so we used the Volvo’s original audio via the Carpuride’s FM transmitter which was surprisingly good. You can also use the supplied audio cable too. We were able to successfully use our maps, listen to music and make calls and the menu navigation is slick. If you don’t like dash clutter then it may not be for you but we do like its inherent portability which negates any fears of thievery.
The Verdict – 4 out of 5
With this device you can have a touchscreen with CarPlay in any vehicle – regardless of the make, model and year – in as little as ten minutes and that’s nothing to sniff at. The Carpuride 9 inch touchscreen definitely makes sense as an upgrade to an older stereo system that doesn’t have USB or Bluetooth connectivity and it does provide a higher level of functionality but we do have to ask ourselves if it’s necessarily justified in our case when we can use most of the features available on our humble little iPhone connected to the USB head unit in the Volvo. Having said that, the screen size is a huge boon, it does work well and it’s incredibly easy to set up and use. If you’re a tech-head then it’s going to appeal and the rear view camera connectivity is a plus should you struggle with parking. We would say if you’re upgrading from a tired old radio or 1980s cassette deck then it’s a strong choice but if you already have a more modern setup then perhaps not so much. Whatever the case it’s a solid block of ICE for the cash. And yes, you can watch Netflix on it.
