Avoid Speeding Tickets: Experts Pick the Top Radar Detectors of 2024

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This article was updated in April 2024 with new products and information.

Radar detectors have come a long way since the days of the original Fuzzbuster. Now, in 2024, law enforcement has stepped up its speed-detecting tech—but so have the good folks who manufacture radar detectors.

Radar detectors can save you from costly speeding tickets and higher auto insurance rates by alerting you to the existence of different police radar and laser signals. But today's radar detectors do far more than pick up signals from speed guns. They're GPS- and WiFi-enabled, to pinpoint locations and record more accurate data. They frequently incorporate sensors that identify the locations of red-light cameras. Some even do double duty as dash cams. But which one is right for you?

Radar detectors mainly monitor and analyze signals from a distance. Still, it needs to be said that many of these fancy high-tech devices do jobs you already have devices to do for you, such as GPS units, dash cams, and even mobile phones. It can be difficult to choose the best radar detector, so the Gear Team has stepped up to handle the research for you.

Things to Consider When Buying a Radar Detector

How Radar Detectors Work

Radar speed guns use Doppler radar to measure the speed of a moving object. Speed guns, like other types of radar, consist of a radio transmitter and receiver that sends out a signal in a narrow beam, then receives the same signal back after it bounces off the target object. Your car's radar detector uses antennas, microprocessors, or some combination of both to detect active radar signals from speed guns.

In the early years, cops relied on the now-antiquated X-band of radar. In the late 1970s, the K-band became the industry standard, as its signal was more accurate—and more challenging to detect from a distance. Around the turn of the 21st century, Ka-band reset the industry again, and it's still in use today. Ka-band is the hardest form of radar to detect because it has a narrower beam pattern and lower power output than its predecessors.

The latest radar detectors detect two or even all three types of radar signals. Working properly and accurately set, a radar detector will alert you of an upcoming speed trap far enough in advance for you to slow down, if necessary.

Range

The range of your radar detector effectively dictates how valuable it can be. Short-range radar detectors can only detect radar up to around 100 feet away, while more powerful (and more expensive) models like Uniden's R3 Extreme Long Range radar detector ($300 at Amazon) warn you well in advance. High-end radar detectors can sniff out a photo-cop from up to a half a mile away.

Interference from things like weather and buildings can decrease the effective range of a detector. Because of this, most manufacturers refrain from pinpointing a detector's actual range and instead rely on generalizations like "extremelong range."

False-alert filtering

Sometimes, radar detectors will mistakenly detect radar signals from other devices. There are a number of variables that can trigger false alerts, from lane departure warning systems (LDWS) on other vehicles to garage door openers to automatic door sensors as you drive past your local grocery store. Most radar detectors feature a mute button so you can manually turn off alarms, but the latest software can filter out frequent false signals by using GPS to learn where they commonly occur.

So what's the best radar detector you can buy? It depends. Do you need a high-end model with all the bells and whistles? Or perhaps you already employ a dash cam and/or GPS unit, rendering much of that modern technology moot in your car? We perused the market, using our expertise in the gadget space and deep well of automotive knowledge, to bring you of a selection of top brands and personal favorites, hand-picked by the editors of Road & Track.

The Best Radar Detectors

MAX360C Laser Radar Detector

The Escort Max 360c MKII comes loaded with the latest tech. It has two antennas for maximum range, directional arrows that help you quickly identify risk, and an auto-learn feature that remembers false alerts on your commonly used routes. The MKII improves upon the legendary performance of the MAX family with a robust internal platform and more powerful components, offering 50% improved range, fast performance, and a quieter ride.

It also features an intuitive app that makes it easy to adjust settings, and you can opt into Escort's subscription plan, which allows you to use built-in Wi-Fi to download traffic detection database updates automatically.

V1 Gen2 Radar Detector

A massive upgrade from the first-gen V1, the Gen2 features a magnesium case and a radar-seeking engine adapted from military CHIRP radars, to find fainter targets farther away with higher precision. Ka-band range is impressive, and K-band range is also improved. The Valentine V1Gen2 boasts improved resistance to Blind Spot Detection systems in new cars and reduces false alarms from automatic store-door openers. Built-in Bluetooth 5.0 enables a wireless connection to Apple or Android smartphones and tablets.

R8 Radar/Laser Detector

The R8 is Uniden's top-of-the-line radar detector. It can identify threats coming from all four directions thanks to its dual 360-degree antenna, and you get notified via voice alerts. Even the band, direction, and signal intensity for each are audibly announced. If voice alerts annoy you, it also features a large multicolor OLED display.

It's pre-loaded with Red Light and Speed Camera locations, and firmware and data upgrades are free, so you always have the latest information at your device. Best of all, it's Spectra Elite undetectable, so you can feel confident that you're getting the best protection from speeding tickets available.

MAXcam 360c Radar Detector and Dash Cam

Escort’s complete driver alert system does far more than alert you to the presence of speed enforcement. In addition to the radar detection capabilities, the MAXcam 360C also functions as a dash cam. It continuously records video footage of your driving, serving as evidence in case of accidents or other incidents on the road.

While this two-in-one device is surely a breakthrough in both radar detectors and dash cams, the fact is most of us already have one or both of those devices in our cars. Still, now you can reduce the windshield clutter and simplify your driving experience while both recording video and detecting police radar. Yes, some features are locked behind Escort's subscription paywall, but we've glimpsed the future of cabin gadgetry, and this remarkable device could be it.

Platinum100 Radar Detector with Remote

Most radar detectors require you to reach the device mounted on your windshield to access features or adjust the volume. This Platinum 100 bundle from K40 solves that issue with a remote control. We're a bit dubious; fishing around for a remote that's buried in your glovebox or center console might lead to some distracted driving. (You can purchase just the Platinum 100 without the remote at Abt Electronics for far less.) Still, the LNA technology provides maximum range and sensitivity, and enhanced filtering options.

K40 also offers a user-friendly 12-month "ticket-free guarantee" that will cover your court costs if you get a radar or laser speeding ticket within the first year of your purchase. There are some exceptions—it's not valid in school or construction zones, or in conjunction with a DUI/DWI—but we love this feature.

RAD 480i Laser Radar Detector

The best-selling radar detector on Amazon comes from one of the most renowned names in radar detection. With 2x the detection range of its predecessor for advanced warnings plus next gen IVT filtering to eliminate unwanted alerts, the RAD 480i is a great radar detector for the price.

Bluetooth connectivity allows you to access the Cobra community and receive real-time driver speed and red light camera alerts from the Cobra driving community via Cobra's iRadar app including red light, speed cam, and law enforcement detection notifications.

Pro M Radar Detector

The Pro M by Radenso is a solid option in its price bracket. Despite being one of the more affordable radar detectors on our list, its features include many of the essentials offered by other brands.

What's cool is that it allows you to adjust the strength of filtering for the various radar bands, including the rarely used X band, without muting it entirely.

FAQs

What's the best radar detector?

While there's no simple answer to which is the "best," these days, the most reliable radar detectors are those which can ignore false alarms while sounding an early warning for genuine speed traps.

Because they can block out obtrusive signals from radar-controlled door openers, those with GPS offer a significant advantage.

Can a patrol car clock my speed while it's moving?

Yes, and moving radar is worse than static radar. The majority of these radars provide front-rear coverage. Vehicles traveling in the same direction in front of or behind the rolling cruiser can also be tracked.

The fastest car in a group can also be targeted. Meeting an approaching cruiser is the most common situation where moving radar is used.

Are radar detectors legal?

Radar detectors are permitted everywhere in the United States besides Virginia, Washington, D.C., and military sites. These rules only apply to passenger cars. Additionally, they are prohibited in all areas of the country for commercial trucks over 10,000 pounds and all vehicles over 18,000 pounds.

Ten U.S. states, namely California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C., have laws prohibiting the use of laser jammers. Radar jammers are illegal in every state.

Why is my radar detector alerting even when there are no cops around?

Your radar detector may be activated by a variety of radar sources. Only one such source is police radar. Other sources that may create a false alert include speed signs on the side of the road, automatic door openers in front of stores that use radar to detect when someone is approaching, and even some late-model vehicles with radar-based blind-spot-monitoring and collision-avoidance systems.

Why Trust Us

Road & Track and its sibling publications at Hearst Autos represent three of the most influential automotive publications in the world. We rely on decades of experience in the automotive and gear spaces to help readers make informed purchasing choices. Read more about our testing process here.

With the legacies of Autoweek, Car and Driver, and Road & Track behind us, the Hearst Autos Gear Team is more concerned with the trust our readers have in us than our bottom line. We won't tell you to buy something if we wouldn't buy it ourselves or recommend it to our friends, and we'll never claim to have used or tested something if we haven't.

We've evaluated dozens of products, from bike racks to rooftop cargo carriers to traction boards. Our picks and recommendations of products and gear are based on testing and knowledge, not hype.

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