Looking for a radar detector that will give you a full protection of the annoying POP band?
Well your search is over. In this article you’ll learn all about the POP alert radar detector models so you can be fully covered when there is police around. Keep reading to find all the best pop radar detector models.
What Is POP On A Radar Detector?
One of the features that some of the radar detectors have nowadays is the POP mode. If you are unfamiliar with that term, here in the article below we are going to explain what it actually is. We are also going to list five of the best radar detectors that have the POP radar feature and review them giving you some basic information about them.
What Do POP Radars Do?
The POP mode is a feature that can be found in some of the radar detectors and was first introduced in the year 2001 by the MPH Industries. When this feature is turned on, it allows the detection of the radar band called the POP band. POP radar band is actually a super short signal for transmission which will give you the ability to detect and quickly reads the current speed of the vehicle, before setting it to another band after that.
Pros And Cons Of POP Radar Alert
This feature has its advantages as well as disadvantages. A lot of people will say that you should definitely turn off the POP mode if you have the POP alert radar detector because the transmission from this product is not long enough to make valid information and because this mode often gives too many false alerts.
Brands Mentioned In This Article
We mentioned two of the Escort models as well as the two Whistler models, as well as one affordable option from the brand Meter. Ilc. All of these radars have the POP mode option, but all of them are shipped with the POP mode turned off. That means that you will have to manually turn it on before you use it. This feature is definitely not required to have, but in some cases, it can be beneficial to be able to recognize the POP bands.
Most Popular POP Alert Radar Detector Reviews
Escort X70 Radar Detector
This is one of the radar detectors created and manufactured by the brand called Escort. This is the X70 model, which is a POP radar detector. It has many great features and one of them is the POP mode.
The radar detector comes with laser sensors which have a high level of sensitivity and can detect bands from a long distance. The bands that it is able to recognize are the Ka wideband, backband as well as X-band. The POP instant-on mode is also included and it is used to detect radar guns. Aside from the POP mode, you will also get the Auto sensitivity mode which is able to eliminate all of the detected signals, to focus on the most important one, if there has been more than one signal detected.
The information is being shown on the OLED screen which comes with three levels of brightness, which you can set according to your preference. There are also the voice notifications plus you have the options such as mute and automate which will reduce the level of volume when needed. One of the downsides of this model is that does not come with the Bluetooth feature.
This model is compatible with the real-time network and app, which will send you warnings about threats that have been seen on the roads by other users of this specific network. The app is compatible with the iOS and Android devices. When you buy products from Escort you will get the limited warranty which will last you for one year. With this radar detector, you will get a travel case included in the price, which is very convenient to put your detector in when you are going somewhere, to protect it from the possible damage.
Cobra XRS 9745 Voice Alert 15 Band Radar/Laser Detector
The next POP alert scanner I want to share with you is Cobra XRS 9745 model. The great thing about this radar detector is that is comes with 15band detection. That means you can use it to detect different devices and that list includes 2 safety signals, 7 radars and even 6 lasers.
The text display on this Cobra 15 band 360 laser is large enough and clear enough so you can notice everything on time. You’ll be notified of anything suspicious all around you because it has 360-degree laser detection. There is even a voice alert so you don’t miss any detection the model makes.
When it comes to battery consumption, you will be happy to hear that the radar detector shuts off when you turn the car down so it won’t drain the battery even if you forget to turn off the detector. Just as this article says, this is a POP alert detector so you can be sure it will detect even the latest POP radar guns.
We know that false alerts can be tiring and that is why we have to mention that you can choose the operating mode on the device. The best part is that no matter what you set on the radar detector, it will be there even if the model runs out of juice. You can forget about setting the mode over and over again.
Whistler Z-31R+ Bilingual High-Performance Radar Laser Detector
Whistler is one of the brands that offer some of the best radar detectors on the market. This Z-31R+ laser-radar detector is a must-have if you often drive in the areas with speed cameras and red light cameras and you would like to avoid getting charged for driving a little over the speed limit. With the built-in GPS, you will be warned about the upcoming red light cameras and speed cameras in the US and Canada area.
The GPS uses the internal database which can be updated using the USB cable to connect it to your computer. It also gives you the ability to receive the warning notifications in the form of the voice or text. The model is bilingual and you can choose between English and Spanish to be displayed on the green OLED display or played as tone alerts. The display also has the dim and dark mode for different conditions, and they can be set manually or automatically.
To avoid all of the false alerts you get the Traffic Flow Signal Rejection feature and the Field Disturbance Sensor Rejection. You will also be able to set the Alert Priority feature which will then show you only the most important signals of the bunch. There is also the total band protection as well as the POP mode and VG-2 detection feature. The coverage of this model is 360 degrees, which means it is able to detect signals from all of the angles.
Along with the device, you are also getting the 12 V power cord with USB, bracket kit for putting it on your windshield as well as the user guide for all the instructions and questions you might have about this product. The dimensions are 1.23 inches in height x 2.85 inches in width as well as the 4.44 inches in length. The product weighs 0.34 pounds.
Escort Passport S75 Radar Detector
Another one of the Escort products is this S75 radar detector, which is very similar to one of their best selling models – 9500ix. Both of the models are from the Passport series. It comes with a very high level of protection because it has the ability to detect all of the know bands such as X, K, Ka, and POP mode.
The model also includes the BSM filter and the built-in GPS system with the Auto Lock feature. It includes a few lasers which will detect all of the threat as they are high-performance ones. The off-axis protection is also included. That way you are going to be protected in the 360-degree range. The GPS comes with the database with thousands of locations for safety cameras previously loaded. You can also add your own locations manually.
The database needs to be updated and you can do it online for free once a month. However, one thing to keep in mind is that it is based on the North America area. All of the info is being displayed on the high-resolution screen or are in the form of the audio notifications. An additional feature is an AutoLearn feature which has the ability to learn which signals are real threats and which ones are false alerts, so you do not get notified about them the next time encounter them.
In the box, you will also get a windshield mount kit, SmartCord, and the reference guide. If you want to carry your radar detector with you without damaging it in any way, you also get the travel case included. There is a one-year long warranty that comes with this product as well. This device is ready to use out of the box, but if you want you can also set it to your personal preferences.
Beltronics RX65 Red Professional Series Radar Detector
This is probably the most impressive model on the lis becuase it belongs to PRO series, which means mostly professionals use it and you know that they expect nothing but the best performance. It comes in two versions which differs only in the color of the display (red or blue).
Probably the best feature is its front and rear laser detection that uses special digital process so you can be sure it will detect everyting right on time (even sooner). But, the speed is not the only forte of this Beltronics RX65 for sale. It also has a wide range of POP alerts that include 7 features and reduction of false alarms.
I have already mentioned the two-colored display, but, let’s focus on the performance. It comes with 280 LED ligths so you can be sure that its visual warning will catch your eye when needed. You can adjust the power, brightness and even the volume on this model so you can say it is a pretty user-friendly radar detector. The most interesting part in its feature list is probably the City mode.
The City mode is a feature that can help you reduce false alarms when you are traveling to a crowded place like a center of the city. When that happens, there are too many false alarms triggered by door openers or other devices. With City mode, the model filtrates only the most important detections and notifies you when needed. Besides City mode, you can pick highway and AutoScan option.
Valentine One Radar Detector
When it comes to great quality radar detectors, Valentine one is at the top. It has impressive features, simple design and its price is not that high as you would expect it. But, the problem is that it can be hard to find so if you want to buy it, make sure that you know where.
The most famous feature of Valentine V1 detector is its classic, some might even call it retro, design. But, don’t get fooled by that design, its detection range is off the charts thanks to the multiple antennas included in the package.
The Valentine V1 radar detector can detect multiple laser signals and bands. Some of the bands are famous X, K, Ka band but it also detects Ku band which is more common for Europe than USA. The detector scans all around you and you will know where is the threat located, in front, the back or the side thanks to simple arrows located on the model. The screen might not be big, but it is easy to read what it say no matter if it is day or night.
The dimensions of this Valentine One 1 v1 POP 2 radar detector are 6inch length x 2.5inch width x 4inch height. The weight is around 1.6 pounds. You don’t have to worry if you aren’t experienced because you will get the manual with the radar detector. Just make sure you read it before you start pressing the buttons.
Whistler XTR-560 Laser/Radar Detector
The Whistler’s XTR-560 model is one of the laser and radar detectors that come with the 360-degree detection and can recognize all of the currently used band such as X, K, Ka, safety radar band as well as the laser bands. This POP radar is great, no matter if you are a professional driver or you just drive occasionally and offers many interesting features.
Aside from the mentioned band sit can also detect the Ku band which is used a lot in the European area and has just recently started to spread the use in the USA. The advance laser sensitivity is being achieved by the high-gain optical lens. One of the most important features is the ability to detect quick bursts of the POP mode radar. Those usually last for less than 1/15 of a second and they cannot be detected by those radars who lack the POP mode.
All of the pieces of information are being displayed on the LCD screen which has the dim and dark mode, so you can have effortless access to all of the visual alerts at any time of the day. You can even program the settings to display your personalized text and tones, Also you get to have three modes depending on where you are driving. That way a lot f the false alerts will be avoided, but you will also get notified if the strength of the signal becomes much stronger.
This POP alert radar detector is small and not heavy at all so can easily fit on your windshield without disturbing you while you are driving. The actual dimensions of the product are 3.2 x 9 x 10.2 inches. You will also get the windshield bracket and the power cord as well as the manual for the owners. You can also turn on the Tutorial mode on your screen which will guide you through all of the features and settings. The external audio jack on this product is about 2.5 mm in diameter. The trim rings on this site can come in three colors which are blue, pink and red.
Conclusion: The Best POP Alert Radar Detector For You
Now that you have seen what the market has to offer you can choose the one that has the best features. If I may suggest, the Cobra XRS 9745 seems like a great investment. It can detect more than 15 bands and you can choose the operating mode to minimize the false alerts. Also, check out my article about the best radar detector bands, as well as the one about the best GPS radar detectors. Also, read my article about the best police radar detectors to learn more.