A radar detector that has Bluetooth connectivity to an app on your smartphone but leaves out a few favorite features in exchange for a friendly price, Sensitivity adjustments cannot be performed individually. Whenever we recommend a radar detector to someone or purchase one ourselves, we always look at these five things: The detection range determines how much time you have between an alert and the police radar signal in question. True, it is one of the more expensive units, but Escorts TotalShield technology is also what sets it apart. We found it best to turn the volume off and simply keep an eye out for visual alerts. The display screen will show you alerts according to your desired detail mode. In More Detail mode, the RAD 480i displays the detected band, signal strength, and frequency (pulse rate for lasers). The downsides to hard-wiring? All rights reserved. Specific details. The first is a 30-day price match promise. The more squares that appear, the closer you are to the source of the radar. Its a subscription service, but the benefits are well worth it, especially when traveling someplace new. Sometimes we go in-depth and analyze something, or we talk about car history or motorsports, or maybe were just giving our thoughts on something in the automotive industry. The RAD 480i is compatible with Cobras iRadar app (hence the i in the name). Cobra RAD 480i Review A radar detector that has Bluetooth connectivity to an app on your smartphone but leaves out a few favorite features in exchange for a friendly price $148 at Amazon Price: $150 List Manufacturer: Cobra By Hayley Thomas Review Editor Mar 19, 2021 62 OVERALL SCORE RANKED #10 of 13 Features - 30% 6.0 Accuracy - 25% 7.0 Get all speed and red light camera notifications plus real-time shared alerts from the Cobra community. Are radar detectors worth it? Will you get decent alerts without Bluetooth? Your vehicles cigarette lighter socket or a household outlet work best Using the Drive Smarter App Power up your camera by connecting to constant power source such as your vehicles CLA adapter or a household outlet. From performance supercar windshields to ready-to-rumble Jeeps the Premium Mount will hold fast. For one, most radar detectors are mounted on the windshield, so theyre easily visible. Penpen55 | Verified Purchase. Sales: Bluetooth connectivity allows you to access the Cobra community and receive real-time driver alerts from the Cobra iRadar app. It will ultimately depend on what you think you will realistically use each day. You cant get pulled over for this unless it is obstructing your view, so be careful where you put it. Detects from an alright distance. Some police officers use RDDs, or Radar Detector Detectors, which can detect your units signal. Page 4: Product Service And Support We went to a family wedding in Bryant, Indiana, about a 200-mile drive from Detroit. Increased awareness and ultimate road coverage. The RAD 380, the little brother of the RAD 480i, retails for $99.95. I like to go fast when we go on road-trips and this saves me every time. Whether youre shopping for a new car, looking for the latest products, or wanting something to spruce up the man cave, youll find our review of it here. It works best on long flat roads, so if you live in the country where there are fewer obstacles to obstruct your detector, then this is a good budget option. As you might imagine, theres not much to installing the RAD 480i. I upgraded my Cobra RAD 450 to the New RAD 480i and I have got to say Great Job Cobra. Even if you dont have a newer car changes are youll pass one when driving. Just change the brightness settings via the DIM button on the top of the unit, based on your preferences (Bright, Dim, and Dimmer). :M=$AG,X-ns;28*GirFlIObA~)+a YM.WtlL?&dvQ Condition Rating. Both radar detectors have advanced technology to detect the radar bands from law enforcement. And with a retail price of $149.95, its easy to justify the cost of the Cobra RAD 480i. The OLED display screen is one of our favorite things about the RAD 480i, especially when driving at night. Millions of users update the database all the time, so you always get the latest information for that ultimate road coverage. Voice alerts allow for hands-free operation and even alert you to the type of radar youre approaching. Overall, it provides a great and reliable performance to help any driver avoid speeding tickets. And with these settings, you would have different needs. high-performance But because it comes at an affordable price, its hard not to doubt that promise. Verified Purchase | Posted 3 months ago. Price Checker. It was a stark contrast. We also report on other significant announcements in the automotive industry. works very well alerts you long distance status there are no problems if you have the window open and you pass by since its volume decreases when you are close. Prices and offers are subject to change. Its much cheaper thanthe DualPro 360and the Road Scout, but you still get amazing performance from the Cobra RAD 480i. Typically, we dont suggest units that fall much below $100. We also report on other significant announcements in the automotive industry. You will inevitably need to upgrade if you'd like to stay current with the devices that law enforcement uses, but this detector will do just fine for now. Join the Cobra Nation! Overall, I found the RAD 480i to be useful and easy to operate. The Cobra RAD 480i offers four different sensitivity levels: High, Medium, Low, and Auto. As far as the initial set-up goes, the RAD 480i is very easy. In Auto mode, the RAD 480i constantly alerted on this stretch of M-10, even though there were no threats (patrol cars are pretty easy to spot in this area). My only gripe is that I don't know what to do with the wire, and it's way too long so ultimately ends up getting wadded up in a cupholder. Has saved me a ticket or two. 800-964-3138 Option 1 As a bonus, there is an emergency recording feature too, which is activated by a G-sensor. When you purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Great Unit On High mode goes off a lot which is explained in directions but definitely Lights the Ka band up from around corners and far distances. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market. You only really have to worry about this if youre using your radar detector in a state or vehicle where it is illegal. This guide toradar detector lawsin the United States will help if you have additional questions. $1,699 at AL Priority. It also boasts lightning-fast digital signal processing for quicker alerts. Lets start with the radar detector. $129.99. But, you can pair it with your smartphone if you want to add GPS functionality, so this isnt necessarily a deal-breaker. I have used this whilst highway driving and city driving. Adjusting the band sensitivity is a wonderful feature, but unfortunately, the RAD 480i does not offer individual band sensitivity adjustments. 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. <> . If you have a small car, putting a radar detector on the windshield might obstruct your view. Be mindful if this happens, especially if the intensity of the alert increases as you climb the hill or begin to cross the bridge. Owned for 1.5 years when reviewed. For the most part, yes. Everything you record is timestamped with the location and date, and you can share and edit videos on your phone. For large semis and other trucks, a speed gun can measure speed from a mile away. Accuracy is a two-part metric when it comes to radar detectors. High sensitivity has no filtering to pick up as many alerts as possible, medium features minimal filtering, low is maximum filtering, and there is an automatic setting that changes sensitivity based on the vehicles speed. Maybe you wont continuously have the thing alerted you down the road but spend the extra money and get one that works. Customer Service: The Cobra RAD 480i went from making a lot of racket to nothing. Previous firmware releases also include improvements to fix screen freezing, BlueTooth Communication, and general fixes. Check your specific model to be sure. The Cobra RAD 480i has no trouble detecting LiDAR. Are they really going to save you from a speeding ticket, or are they just another fancy gadget to show off inside your car? The most obvious reason is to avoid a speeding ticket. Join our community to stay up to date on cool car stuff and updates every few days: Audi activesphere Debuts With Futuristic Interior, Self-Driving Mode & Off-Road Muscle, Porsche 911 GT3 RS Tribute to Carrera RS Package: Saluting The Most Iconic 911. If youre looking for an effective radar detector thats a little more budget-friendly, we recommend the Escort Max 3. A desktop icon (Cobra RAD 480i Update) will be created on your desktop. The Redline 360c quickly filters out interference and false alarms by learning where they are, using intelligent-GPS technology to learn your daily route. 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. Next generation updateable IVT Filter and advanced anti-falsing circuitry intelligently reduces false alerts from blind spot systems and other vehicle avoidance systems. It has an ultra-fast long range protection, voice alerts, Bluetooth connectivity, and next-level IVT filtering for significantly less false alerts on the road. In this article, I will run through the RAD 480i spec sheet and summarize our three-week drive as I go along. Sales: You can toggle through them by hitting the SEN button on top of the unit. Although it will depend on your preferences, the iRadar app is a nice bonus. The advantages of a corded detector are that it remains very portable and never runs out of batteries. I bet 2/3 of the people who buy this are bros who have tribal arm band tattoos and wear mostly Ed Hardy. Built-in Bluetooth connectivity allows Cobra's iRadar app to . Several times, while driving through Ferndale and Royal Oak on Woodward Avenue, the RAD 480i alerted us to patrol cars during heavy rush hour traffic; patrol cars we would not have seen otherwise. It uses Cobras LaserEye technology to provide front and rear protection, and the iRadar app gives you real-time alerts for everything from speed cameras to police activity crowdsourced from a community of more than three million other users. This is a great brand. + $10.00 shipping. If you consider the average cost of a speeding ticket in the United States (around $150, not counting the increased insurance premium), then yes, a radar detector makes sense. The RAD 380 rarely, if ever, interrupted us with false alerts. As a general rule, we tend to avoid blatantly inexpensive radar detectors. 5 0 obj Or are you better off with another model? 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