For anyone who takes radar and laser detectors seriously, there are only two brands to consider: Escort and Valentine One. For years Escort has added new technology to its detectors, from GPS lockout to minimize false alerts to its red light camera database. Meanwhile, Valentine One has quietly updated its software, and gotten slightly thinner over the years, but it's basically lived off of one feature: directional arrows.
Today, Escort announced its new Max 360 radar and laser detector, and it has arrows. Before you even ask how that's possible, Escort informed us that Valentine Research's patent on the arrows expired in 2012. Since then there have been whispers of Escort making a detector with arrows, but for years the company has waxed on about how the arrows are a gimmick and aren't necessary.
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Now Escort says, "The Max 360 features a dual antenna detection technology that can detect multiple threats simultaneously and uses arrows to show drivers where a threat is coming from--front, rear or side--each time the detector alerts." If that sounds vaguely familiar, that's because it's essentially what Valentine Research has been touting for years.
Escort Max 360 Radar And Laser Detector
The reality is this could be a game changer, as Escort has theoretically taken the key parts of the Valentine One and combined them with the strengths of the Max 2 and other Escort detectors. Those strengths include things like auto learn tech (which allows drivers to lock out false signals with the press of a button), Escort Live crowdsourcing, and the Defender Database of red light cameras.
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Back in 2014 Car and Driver did a real-world comparison test between the then new Escort Max and Valentine One. While the Escort Max won, it was a spread of a mere three points. What's more, when it came to performance that counts--not features which don't actually save you from tickets--the Valentine One outperformed the Max in nearly every category.
Whether Escort has just changed the game with the Max 360 is yet to be seen, but one thing is for sure: Escort just created something that will likely give every Valentine One owner pause, and that's no small feat.
The Escort Max 360 is available for pre-order now on Escort's website for $649.95
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