Reproduction without permission is prohibited. Its our pick for the best budget radar detector under $100. One possible explanation is a dirty power outlet or cigarette lighter socket. I bet 2/3 of the people who buy this are bros who have tribal arm band tattoos and wear mostly Ed Hardy. And without a doubt, the detection range of the RAD 480i is excellent like freakishly good for something in this price range. Here we showcase the latest makes and models, often before they hit the market. Radar doesnt just come from police radar guns. As a general rule, we tend to avoid blatantly inexpensive radar detectors. I like to go fast when we go on road-trips and this saves me every time. That said, there are multiple display adjustments to cope with this, including an auto setting that adjusts to the ambient light. Good coverage. The RAD 380, the little brother of the RAD 480i, retails for $99.95. The Cobra RAD 480i is one of Cobra's newest upgrades in their radar/laser detector family. Get all speed and red light camera notifications plus real-time shared alerts from the Cobra community. The Cobra RAD 480i packs in a lot of powerful features. The Cobra RAD 480i went from making a lot of racket to nothing. And with these settings, you would have different needs. The 480i has a surprising number of features for the price. Though it responds to some interference at times, these false alarms are much less intense. This way, you wont be bombarded by false alerts and you get the performance you expect. Whether that hassle is worth it will be up to you, but it would be helpful to determine the location of your vehicles power outlet and how the cord might impact your driving experience before buying. I just made a road trip to ct,CT, awsome system.my ride.. The RAD 480i is the best performing radar detector in its class with 2x the detection range of its predecessor for advanced warnings plus next generation IVT filtering to eliminate unwanted alerts. I personally enjoyed the iRadar app while driving. It also knows the difference between static and LIVE laser signatures. Switching to Low, however, corrected this. With its long-range detection and an early-warning system, youll know whats ahead of you on the road. In Auto mode, the RAD 480i alerted to every road construction zone and flashing sign on I-75 through Michigan and Ohio. As an Amazon Associate, Automoblog earns from qualifying purchases, including the radar detectors featured in this article. It does not come with all the bells and whistles, but considering the price, it's a pretty good deal. Connect to smoother driving with this Cobra detector. If you are not a commercial driver, and you are not in Virginia or Washington DC or Canada, then it is perfectly legal to use a radar detector. Theyre made for all popular radar detectors and are meant to mount the unit in the best possible place for detection without blocking your view. But, you can pair it with your smartphone if you want to add GPS functionality, so this isnt necessarily a deal-breaker. The RAD 480i radar detector keeps you safe on the road with real-time speed trap alerts from the Cobra community and advanced tech for longer range detection and accurate alerts. The warranty covers defects in workmanship and materials. Millions of users update the database all the time, so you always get the latest information for that ultimate road coverage. Bluetooth allows you to connect to other gadgets and devices, including your smartwatch and smartphone. If youre looking for an effective radar detector thats a little more budget-friendly, we recommend the Escort Max 3. Cobra Electronics offers portable power & automotive electronics for everyday consumers, fleets, RV & Trucking communities. To experiment, we ran through the same area (both north and southbound) in Low sensitivity. . Speeding tickets can really put a wrench in your day and the most in-depth and scientific tech reviews, Bluetooth connectivity, community shared information, adjustable sensitivity, Adjustable X, K, and Ka-band sensitivity, super long range, built-in GPS, user friendly, High value, great for city driving, can mute feature for those distracted by noise, great customer service, X, K, Ka-band and laser detection, good range, user-friendly, budget-friendly, Simple, inexpensive, impressive range for the price, No location lockouts, sensitivity adjustments cannot be performed individually, lots of false alerts, Little memory, inadequate BSM filtering, trouble with MultaRadar detection, no directional arrows, Range is subpar, not meant for long road highway driving, lockouts need work, No MultaRadar detection, limited memory, false alerts, low-quality mount, No GPS, limited filtering, little customization, lots of false alerts, A highly customizable radar detector with an extremely long range at a fair price, This detector is fairly priced and perfect for around town, complete with adjustable features that help it stay quiet in the presence of false threats, A simple radar detector with an impressive range for a very friendly price, An inexpensive radar detector with impressive range but limited filtering and lots of false alerts. Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm EST The Valentine One Gen2 also has a ramp-up feature, which slowly increases the alarms intensity as you near the source. Our response to COVID-19, Sign up for exclusive offers and the latest news. Youre not going to get the same performance as you would from our top picks, but this one is impressive for the price. When you click on links to buy products we may earn money to support. Why is it a Best-Seller? Does Bluetooth make your radar detector more feature-rich? The new Cobra RAD 480i is definitely one of the best radar detectors on the market today. This is us talking shop and talking cars. The question is whether or not the extra $50 is worth it for the iRadar app. Unfortunately, it is missing some vital features like location lockouts, but it connects easily with your smartphone to give you the power of community at your fingertips. Although it will depend on your preferences, the iRadar app is a nice bonus. If you want to see more radar detectors with dash cams, check out some of our favorites. My main issue aside from the false alerts would have to be that its supposed to block out/eliminate blind spot mirrors and vehicle avoidance systems. In 49 states, yes. You can turn off any band you don't want it to scan for it. Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm EST BEST BUY, the BEST BUY logo, the tag design, and MY BEST BUY are trademarks of Best Buy and its affiliated companies. For one, most radar detectors are mounted on the windshield, so theyre easily visible. Its much cheaper thanthe DualPro 360and the Road Scout, but you still get amazing performance from the Cobra RAD 480i. . To ensure that you only hear the alerts you need to hear, the Cobra RAD 480i has a sensitivity button so you can adjust the sensitivity and filtering modes according to the situation. The 480i comes equipped with X-band, K-band, Ka-band, and laser detection but cannot detect MultaRadar. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market. So I've had this radar for about 3 months now, and I can tell you that it has already saved me hundreds of dollars on speeding tickets. One possible exception is Uniden DFR1, which is among thebest-selling radar detectors on Amazon. Based on our experience between the Cobra RAD 380 mentioned above and RAD 480i, the RAD 380 issues fewer false alerts. GPS also allows you to monitor your speed more precisely and makes it so you can mark red light cameras and other hazards that you notice along your route. <> The RAD 480i radar detector from Cobra features a gorgeous black chassis and a stupendous white OLED screen, but it's much more than just a pretty face. As with most things in life, it depends. No questions asked. The range of features that a radar detector can offer is vast, and the RAD 480i offers quite a few for the price. One of the best features of the Cobra DualPro 360 is the directional arrows that point towards the threat. Provides Early Warnings and rapid response on all radar bands. Are radar detectors worth it? This guide toradar detector lawsin the United States will help if you have additional questions. Not satisfied? endobj This way, you can control how many notifications you receive. Get 2x the range plus enhanced Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for rapid warnings. Although the screen is small, its very easy to decipher between multiple threats at the same time. For large semis and other trucks, a speed gun can measure speed from a mile away. There are no apps or fancy tech features to worry about; if you just need an extra set of eyes, the Cobra RAD 380 is a perfect choice. Bonus: Best radar detector mount for motorcycles. Lol, I would like to see less false alerts an Ka band on highway use, Works great saved me a lot of times would recommend to anyone. Ample suction with cups provided keep it stuck to your windshield fairly well. To install the new firmware, click the green software update button. As such, we opted for Low sensitivity. Do you have a question about the Cobra RAD 480i or do you need help? View detailed alert information and access Cobra detector settings directly on your phone. Model: 0180009-1 | SKU: 6404074. Rating 4.3 out of 5 stars with 462 reviews, Accurate, sleek, with map options on your phone to report accidents, patrol vehicles and changing speed limits. New Technology Alerts You When One of Your Wheels is Loose. IMO it makes you a better driver. Best Budget Radar Detector: Cobra RAD 480i. Let us know! He serves on the board of directors for the Ally Jolie Baldwin Foundation, is a past president of Detroit Working Writers, and a loyal Detroit Lions fan. The Cobra RAD 480i will alert you to X, K, and Ka radar bands and laser (LiDAR) guns. User rating, 4.3 out of 5 stars with 462 reviews. 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