. endobj Like its big brother, the R7, the Uniden R3 offers aGPS lockout featureto prevent any reoccurring false alerts. Will the New Jeep EV Lineup Deter Longtime Fans. Other reviews we read before our three-week drive supported this as well. If youre looking to get the best bang for the buck, we recommend the Uniden R3. Some radar detectors are designed to sit on your dashboard, while others attach to the windshield with a suction cup. In my opinion, there is little to no point in upgrading to a higher tier system past this, it's not going to eliminate false positives or increase range dramatically, unless you want light statistics, etc. 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. Since it false alerts often it can be challenging to focus on the road. If youre looking for an effective radar detector thats a little more budget-friendly, we recommend the Escort Max 3. 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. Best overall: Uniden R7Best connected: Valentine 1 Gen2Best stealth: Escort Redline 360cBest mid-range: Uniden R3Best budget: Cobra RAD 480i How we chose the best radar detectors I eliminated a number of the cheaper units right off due to poor testing results, and cut out a number of brands that were outlandishly priced. I have used this whilst highway driving and city driving. a cord that plugs into your cars cigarette lighter. Cobra_RAD480i Cobra As you might imagine, there's not much to installing the RAD 480i. Were a news & analysis website covering anything related to cars, cars accessories and driving. Yes. Radars are everywhere these days, and one of the bigger challenges that the radar detector industry is faced with is false alerts. Its good, does its job but it really scans every laser on the road. 800-964-3138 Option 1 It doesn't have GPS built into the system, but Bluetooth capabilities allow you to connect to your smartphone via an app and use GPS that way. 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. However, I rarely use apps when I drive, other than Google Maps on occasion. It offers great detection range, lighting-fast response, advanced anti-falsing circuitry, and access to the iRadar app. The Cobra RAD 480i is a great option for a radar detector under $200. Plus, get access the nationwide database of red light and speed cameras. The Cobra RAD 480i offers four different sensitivity levels: High, Medium, Low, and Auto. Customer Service: They should be easy to understand while driving and play the role of copilot seamlessly. w4 'CqO viRXkp#SvT8A g+{~PZ^y^idp)ZCkeg@vJ^j=l^gt8j%xues1C~9MhlIF #P5,=!kd/66{CPzaa!k>lYS.%!k To lock out a false alert, no matter where you are driving, hit the MARK button on the top of the unit. 4.3 (462 Reviews) . :M=$AG,X-ns;28*GirFlIObA~)+a YM.WtlL?&dvQ The RAD 380, the little brother of the RAD 480i, retails for $99.95. Its a subscription service, but the benefits are well worth it, especially when traveling someplace new. The Cobra iRadar app is available for free from Google Play (Android) or the App Store (Apple). <> Although the visible displays are different, the main selling point of the Cobra RAD 480i over the RAD 380 is the iRadar app compatibility. Through the iRadar app, you can view an alert history, set over speed reminders, and manage different devices (a number of other Cobra products are also compatible with the app). 6 0 obj Bouncie GPS Vehicle Tracker Review: How It Works, Top Safety Features & Cost (2023), 12V Slime Inflator Review: An Easy Solution for Unexpected Low Tires, 5 Best Jump Starters (2023 Buyers Guide), Driving On Wet Roads: 6 Essential Tips to Increase Your Safety, Best Radar Detectors With a Dash Camera (2023 Buyers Guide), Furiously Ridiculous: The Worst Car Movies of All Time, 5 Most Romantic Classic Cars For Valentines Day, AAA Drivers Ed Review: Courses & Prices for 2023, 2023 Genesis Electrified GV70: Trim Levels, Safety Tech, Pricing & More. Basically, DSP is responsible for providing you early warnings whenever there are threats around. Radar jammers are illegal, so you should definitely get a radar detector. In-store pricing may vary. You cant get pulled over for this unless it is obstructing your view, so be careful where you put it. 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. Cobra RAD 480i BEST BUDGET RADAR DETECTOR The old "you get what you pay for" saw is more true with radar detectors than most other electronic gadgets. Radar Detectors Drive Smarter and Safer Smart Dash Cams <> However, if you want the best of the best, and your budget will allow it, the Redline 360c is worth every penny. Not only is it thinner and sleeker, but it also has new power and volume controls that are much easier to use than on the Gen1. I upgraded my Cobra RAD 450 to the New RAD 480i and I have got to say Great Job Cobra. That said, there are multiple display adjustments to cope with this, including an auto setting that adjusts to the ambient light. The Wi-Fi-enabled camera includes a 16GB card that stores up to four hours of recordings before looping back over whats stored. To address this, the Cobra RAD 480i is equipped with an advanced anti-falsing circuitry to significantly reduce the false alerts that come from blind spot monitoring (BSM) systems and collision avoidance systems. However, since it runs on batteries, youre going to have to change those regularly. The worlds largest database of threats and our community of drivers sharing real-time alerts. Overall, it provides a great and reliable performance to help any driver avoid speeding tickets. So, not only do you have protection from radar and laser signals, you also get advanced warnings on traffic and law enforcement cameras, speed limit signs, road hazards, accidents, and any road threat. Installation usually comes in one of three flavors: A corded radar detector is the most common and comes with (you guessed it!) One of the best things about the Cobra RAD 480i is the access it gives to the Cobra iRadar app[1]. Model: 0180009-1 | SKU: 6404074. The RAD 480i is also VG-2 capable, meaning it can identify the infamous radar detector detector. Typically, radar detectors themselves emit a low-level signal that VG-2 can sniff out. Cobra boasts that the 480i effectively doubles the detection range of other units in its price range. They are illegal in Virginia and Washington D.C. Commercial vehicles arent allowed to use them, and they are prohibited on military bases by federal law. The longer the range of the radar detector, the earlier youll know to slow down. In the Subaru and Honda, the 480is power cord and mounting position worked out well with the location of the 12-volt outlet, but in the Cadillac there was a bit of annoyance stretching the cord and then having it draped across the infotainment screen and controls. 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. In our experience, you will sacrifice quality and performance. It will ultimately depend on what you think you will realistically use each day. 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. 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. Just real, honest, side-by-side testing and comparison. Useful apps are available on both iOS and Android to add functionalities like voice announcements, logging alerts, and automatic lockouts. I dont own a radar detector, and even though Im lucky enough to test some of the fastest vehicles money can buy, I dont stretch them out on public roads. A desktop icon (Cobra RAD 480i Update) will be created on your desktop. 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. Get . stream Intelligently reduces false alerts from blind spot systems and other vehicle avoidance systems. IVT, or In-Vehicle Technology filtering, helps filter out technology like Blind Spot Monitoring on more modern vehicles. Be mindful if this happens, especially if the intensity of the alert increases as you climb the hill or begin to cross the bridge. The warranty covers defects in workmanship and materials. Unfortunately, the RAD 480i does not come with a carrying case, so Igrabbed this oneon Amazon (as an Amazon associate, Automoblog earns from qualifying purchases). However, for only <200$, you're getting a package that can read crash frequencies, cops, and more, at the range that's astounding to me. I then assembled a wide range that covered the gamut of prices out there . Condition Rating. 5 0 obj Discounts for Military, First Responders, Teachers and Students through. Since it uses the 12-volt outlet in your vehicle, there is only one wire to deal with. Cobra.com is proud to offer a discount of 5% to select customers who have served our country in the Military and their spouses and immediate families. Device Settings Now you can manage your vehicles and Cobra device settings and features, all from one unified app. As a general rule, we tend to avoid blatantly inexpensive radar detectors. Generally speaking, this device is an easy one to use, but it has a lot of room for improvement. Keep the installation in mind when youre choosing the one thats right for you. Even though Ive tested a few different radar detectors over the years, I still consider myself to be an amateur user, and the 480i makes it very simple to figure out whats going on. Similarly, you receive access to Escort Live, an app that connects you to other drivers, so you know whats ahead. ?~ nx9e Cobra recommends installing the unit as close to the center of the windshield as possible, which may be difficult in some vehicles, depending on the location of the power outlet. There are sensitivity settings that allow you to determine how many alerts get filtered out. When compared side by side to others in our test, the RAD 480i lagged very far behind our top performers. While more expensive units like the Uniden R7, K40 Platinum 100, and the Escort MAX 360c have their perks, buying something at that level, with that many features, might be overkill if all you want is a little extra peace of mind. As far as the initial set-up goes, the RAD 480i is very easy. No, really, leave this for professionals to install because it requires wiring the unit directly into your cars electrical system. This model maintains the aesthetic of the Cobra radar detector line,and thats not a bad thing because the products look sleek and modern. With DSP, youll be able to know faster if police are targeting the area. Works good. View the manual for the Cobra RAD 480i here, for free. The 480i comes equipped with X-band, K-band, Ka-band, and laser detection but cannot detect MultaRadar. The LaserEye should have a clear view out of your rear window to ensure maximum coverage. In making this list of the best radar detectors for 2023, we considered the five main points below. It depends on the size of your vehicle and the model of radar gun the police use. It does exactly what it is supposed to, although it goes off on a lot of other bands. Adjust sensitivity and filtering modes to control how many notifications you receive. The Cobra RAD 480i comes with a 12V power cord, suction cup windshield mount, a hook-and-loop fastener for dashboard mounting, and a quick reference guide. Whats the difference between the Cobra RAD 480i and the RAD 380? The RAD 480i in this review was supplied to Automoblog by Cobra Electronics. Any good radar detector with built-in GPS will alert you to speed cameras, red light cameras, and speed traps. Setting your detector to Low or Medium sensitivity delays the audio alerts for weak X band and K band signals until they become stronger. 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. The Uniden R3 offers X, K, and Ka-band driver-set sensitivity levels, MRCD/MRCT detection, and an auto-dimming feature. Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm EST A: The difference between the Cobra RAD 480i and the RAD 380 is the absence of Bluetooth, lesser range, and access to the iRadar app. When it comes to the more affordable radar detectors offered by Cobra, there are two to consider: the RAD 480i and the RAD 380. 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