Radar detectors are a great way to maintain awareness of your environment while driving. However, it can be overwhelming to try to choose the best radar detector with so many options available. With this in mind, let’s compare two of the best radar detectors currently on the market: The Escort Redline 360c vs Valentine One Gen 2 (>>> Check on Amazon).
Both Escort and Valentine have been in business over 40 years and provide high quality radar detectors packed with features most, if not all, drivers want in a radar.
Escort Redline 360c vs Valentine One Gen 2 Side by Side:
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Escort Redline 360C | Valentine One Gen 2 | |
| Range | Extremely long range | Long Range, 360° Protection |
| Built-in GPS | Yes | No |
| Display | OLED | Multi-color OLED |
| False Filter | AI Assisted, updateable IVT Filter | K-Verifier technology |
| Red Light & Speed Camera Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Speed-based Auto Mute | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth connectivity | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Find on EscortRadar Find on Amazon | Find on Amazon |
Effective Range
A radar detector is only as good as its range; drivers need to be alerted of a radar’s presence before they come upon it. The Escort Redline 360c boasts long range covering 360 degrees, accomplished using a three-antenna system. The Valentine One Gen 2 also offers a 360-degree detection system and impressive range.
Testing of each detector indicates that while both offer excellent range, the Valentine One Gen 2 consistently outperforms the Escort Redline 360c, albeit by a small amount (less than 30 feet difference in many cases).
Greater Range: Valentine One Gen 2
Filtering Capabilities
Effective radar detectors have to be able to differentiate between the signal and the noise. For example, drivers only want to be alerted when there is a true police radar nearby (signal), and not when other systems using radar are picked up (collision detection in many modern cars, store doors that open automatically, etc.).
Both the Valentine and Escort radars come with their own filtering capabilities. Valentine uses what they call a K-verifier BSM filter, which is successful at limiting the false alerts from many common sources like modern safety systems and even door openers on cars. Escort also uses a BSM filter that is effective at quieting down the number of false alerts received while driving.
Although each radar performs well at filtering out the noise, neither are perfect and some false alerts will always get through. However, the Escort Redline 360c has some extra features in place to make the system even more useful. The radar can actually learn, using GPS, to mute alerts that are caused by things like automatic store doors after the driver passes by them several times.
In addition, the Escort radar can also mute alerts when a driver travels to a new location so they are not bombarded by false alerts that will inevitably be picked up.
Best Filtering: Escort Redline 360c
Smartphone Compatibility
Radar detectors often have apps that can be installed to enhance or supplement the radar’s performance. Both Valentine and Escort offer smartphone apps for their detectors. Valentine has multiple apps, and users have reported that the best experience comes with the Android-only app. Those with iPhones can also download an app, but it is not as functional as the Android version.
The biggest difference between the two radars is that while the Escort has on-board GPS, the Valentine does not. This means that while drivers can essentially plug and play with Escort, they will need to download an app and synchronize their phone’s GPS with the radar for the Valentine product.
However, for those who install the Android app, the Valentine offers way more customization and options through an app than the Escort does. In fact, the app can extend the filtering capabilities for the Valentine, including being able to use the automatic lockout and muting features that come with the Escort model.
Best app experience: Valentine One Gen 2
Escort Redline 360c
The Redline 360c from Escort is one of the top detectors on the market, and for good reason: Right out of the box it is packed full of features, including integrated GPS, 360 degree detection, great range, and stealth (preventing the radar from being detected by radar detector detectors, try saying that five times fast!).
The Redline 360c has received many updates since its initial launch as well, ironing out many of the bugs and headaches customers reported. It is better at filtering and smoother overall. Click here for our more in-depth Escort Redline 360c review.
Pros
- Integrated GPS
- AI guided learning for fewer false alerts over time
- Minimal setup needed
- Undetectable by radar detector detectors
- Wide range
- Easy to read display
Cons
- More expensive than the Valentine One Gen 2
Valentine One Gen 2
The Valentine One Gen 2 is a lightweight, small detector that offers a lot for those who wants to pair it with the Android app and set everything up to their liking. While it is not as plug and play as the Escort, it does offer similar performance and many of the same capabilities (if paired with a smartphone via the app) once properly set up.
This detector has easy to use buttons with a display that clearly indicates which direction an alert is coming from to keep drivers as informed as possible, all kept in a compact casing mounted to one’s windshield.
Pros
- Undetectable by radar detector detectors
- Wide range
- Easy to read display
- Cheaper than Escort Redline 360c
Cons
- No GPS onboard; have to connect through phone
- Requires Android app pairing to use all features
Full review: Valentine One Gen 2
In Sum
Both radar detectors offer excellent performance in terms of range, filtering, and additional features. However, the Valentine One Gen 2 falls behind the Escort Redline 360c due to its lack of integrated GPS and the necessity for an app to fully unlock its potential (even more so, it needs to be the Android app, limiting iPhone users).
On the other hand, the Valentine is at least a couple hundred dollars less than the Escort model (at least used here because the price does vary with stock and secondhand sellers), and the savings might be worth it for many drivers.
Both radar detectors are good and will work well. Those who want a detector they can buy and immediately use, with minimal setup, and not having to pair their phone constantly should go with the Redline 360c. For those who prefer to customize their radar detectors and don’t mind having to manually install an app and set things up, and are fine with having to have their phones constantly running the app while driving should go with the One Gen 2 (>>> Find on Amazon).