Great for novice or pro.

I have received about one speeding ticket every two to three years for the past fifteen years. Because I gauge my speed with the flow of traffic and don't consider myself a lead foot, I never considered purchasing a radar detector. But I got tired of the hassle and expense of that one ticket every couple of years.

So I got this radar detector upon the recommendation of the radar guru at my local Circuit City. He recommended this one because, at the time, it was the top of the line. I still question whether I could have gotten by with a cheaper one, but that is neither here nor there. It was about $249 at CC, but you can get it cheaper on ebay.

The Review
As a radar detector novice, this has been a great device for me. I leave it in autoscan mode, which has served me fine, as it has already gotten me out of more than a few hairy situations.

The device is programmable, based on one's own personal driving habits, although I haven't felt the necessity to do so. Display is adjustable, from bright to light to full dark mode, and you can switch from standard mode to tech mode to display the exact frequency of any radar signal. Why you would want to is beyond me, but I guess some people have their reasons, and it's cool to have. Like I said, I leave it in autoscan.

It does alarm often in x band and k band around supermarkets, banks, Walgreens, etc., but only at level 1 - 2, and after the initial louder audible alarm then it switches to a lower level. Of course, you can program it to city mode, which would lessen that. The lazer also false-alarms sometimes when certain cell phones are used nearby (i.e. my IPAQ sets it off).

In regards to the "annoying voice alerts" that someone posted, I believe you can disable that feature. I, myself, like it.

This unit also features the vg2 immunity, which keeps you from being seen by radar detector detectors. Kinda feel like James Bond or something.

Also, this unit is supposedly upgradable, via computer USB with a cable attachment, purchase separately. I have not purchased this, nor do I know someone who has done this.

In summary, from my perspective, this is a great detector. I can't imagine any other functions I would need in one.