Instant On Testing: 13 Radar Detectors vs. Ka Band

Let's find out how fast different radar detectors alert when picking up instant on Ka band!
Here's the full lineup/ranking of radar detectors:

Fastest response times (under 0.5s):

Honorable mentions (0.5 - 1.0s):

Slower detectors (Sometimes over 1.0s)

Unusably slow (2-6s):

0:00 Intro
2:59 Uniden R7
3:49 Uniden R3
4:10 Uniden DFR8
5:04 Batman Detector
6:04 Radenso Pro M
6:32 Radenso XP
8:06 Valentine 1 Gen2
8:59 Power Cable Discussion
13:59 RMR Judge 2.0
14:56 Whistler CR97
15:33 Escort Max 3
16:07 Escort Redline 360c
18:22 Escort Max 360c
19:16 Cobra Road Scout
20:38 Takeaways
22:03 Stalker DSR 2X
22:48 Ending

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Full disclosure: The purchase links in my videos are typically affiliate links and I may make a percentage when you buy. Whether I get paid or not (on some things I don’t), it’s important to me to ensure that I stay objective and unbiased and give you my honest opinion so you can make an educated decision as to what’s best for you. You deserve that and I wouldn’t have it any other way. :)

© 2021 Vortex Radar, LLC. All rights reserved.

#RadarDetector #VortexRadar #RadarDetectorTesting #RadarDetectors

[lindafoxwood]

Great video, again. Thank you so much. I got the Uniden R3 because it was mentioned in the CanonBall Run and because you reviewed it; I got mine in Jan 2021. The best signal from a Ka I have obtained was 2 miles away, around a bend in the highway, that reflected off a semi-trailer. Then the signal stopped, they were using an instant ON radar gun. I am extremely fascinated by this detector. Keep up the good work on your videos.

[isaacarnold]

Myself, I'm a Valentine guy. But I have recommended & given as gifts Uniden LRD/DFR series detectors. Glad to see they made honorable mention. Kinda surprised Rocky Mountain outranked Escort Redline 360c, but I did notice your (entirely correct) comment. That was a lot of work, thanks for doing that.

[kxe]

The multiple signals on the R7, V1 and any others is being created by reflections of the source signal from objects at a different distance from the radar gun plus the 2 antennas in the detectors. In truth, the detectors are actually receiving multiple signals be it from the same gun. That is a good thing actually. That is an indication of extreme Sensitivity. One of the reflections from possibly a closer object reflecting the signal could actually be the initial detection.

[joseanderson-cuff]

Thank you very much for taking the time and effort to do these tests and edit these videos for our benefit. Your work means a great deal to me and I would to acknowledge your work and applaud you as well. God Bless you.

[jrmt]

Recently was coming back home from Austin, TX and driving along I-10 E.

Texas state troopers sure loved using Instant on Ka band right outside of Katy/Houston. Thankfully my Uniden R7 picked up Ka band alerts from the other cars they were targeting waaay far ahead!

[serg]

The face was priceless after the cobra radar test 😅

[MrK]

00:48...."Yellow Eye?" We don't want to know.

Nice video. When I lived in NC, Instant On was my tormentor.

[madsprrd]

Education is always the best defence. Great video

[aosan]

I am surprised that the Batman radar detector can outperform better than those Cobra.

[santoslorenz]

Just bought Uniden R3 few days ago.. we.went to Pheonix from Tucson and my dad was amazed.. we caught a Police right before it merges on the freeway ramp on I10

[LawrenceMarkFearon]

Vortex is the top countermeasure authority extant. Surprised Escort didn't produce quicker response times. But I need the Max360 for the MRCD robots here in Maryland.

[tonymcflattie]

Excellent work! Damm and I just bought a radenso sp as a 2nd detector. It is good to know it’s weakness. One thing I will test with my radenso sp is if quick trigger on the radar will go undetected by the detector, or if it is just a delayed response.

[dadams]

The Radenso Pro-M is the radar detector I regret buying most. R3 and R7 smoke it.

[alp]

I got mine base on your earlier reviews, I have to say that my Uniden R3 is fantastic for the price. I got a refurbished one for 30% less new. This little thing does not fail me every time it's on. Moreover, updates are a breeze to do. I never had even one issue. Ka works like a charm. I can't see myself getting anything else.

[gardenst]

Keep up good honest reviews...hats off🙏🙏

[shaunwilliams]

Love the video as always!! Love how u double check results.

[TypeAPositive]

I’m so glad I bought the R3. Perfect for my price range and it gets 100% of cops I see sitting on the highway, sometimes over a mile away! Haven’t dealt with instant on much out here in IL but it is good with MRCD in Chicago

[sezwo]

This is fantastic, and very practical, thanks. Instant-on is what cops use in my location Cali/Nevada border. I hope you do similar testing on some older radar detectors to compare if new tech is better than old. Say old Valentine vs New. As you said better filtering as in newer radar detectors may slow down the response time.

[robertshunter]

As someone who was a very long-term Escort customer, I've never been happier with having become a V1G2 owner. In combination with JBV1, it's simply unbeatable.

[NKaumans]

Reaction time on Escorts have been really neutered for a while. Going all the way back to the M4s. I can slip QT shots all day and get speeds without Escorts chirping a bit. The only exception to this would be a old M4 with Ka turned off, then it sees the fastest K shots. They have really turned down the reaction times to avoid false alerts, but it's a detriment to the driver if the officer is running QT