Escort Max 360 VS Valentine One

09th Feb,2022

The Max 360 and Valentine One radar detectors are both premier detectors among the pack.

Valentine One is an oldie in the league of detectors and holds a patent for arrows. The heydays of the Valentine One patent on arrows have come to an end, paving the way for Max to include the arrow on their product. The competition gets tougher as both now come with arrows.

Both detectors are great in their performances. The V1 isn’t so modern and lacks a lot of features when compared with Max 360 but has a longer sensitivity range while, Max 360 is digitalized for contemporary times and comes with lots of convenient features for seamless usage. 

In this article, we review both detectors and help you make informed decisions on which to go for. 

Features of Both Radar Detectors

In this section, we will be comparing the features of Escort Max 360 to that of Valentine, and like earlier stated, the intention is to help you make the right choice.

Low Speed Muting

Both detectors come with the cruise alert feature which mutes any alert beneath a selected speed limit. It’s great for limiting noise created by numerous alerts.

The Escort Max 360 has a GPS based cruise alert feature. So it performs this role seamlessly and without your intervention.

However, this feature is absent with the Valentine One, you can only get it if you purchase Savvy (a device used for false alert filtering) or an iOS or Android Bluetooth module.

It should be noted here that, using the cruise alert feature alongside the Escort Live app in the Max 360 creates some complications in the alerting system and speed limits. Avoid it completely. 

GPS Lockout

GPS lockouts are used to detect the location of false alerts based on their frequency which can then enable you to lock out the signals so when next you pass by, they are automatically muted.

When comparing Escort Max 360 VS Valentine One, Max 360 lockouts are quieter than the chatty lockouts of the V1 known as YaV1. In terms of safety, the YaV1 is better at locking out signals and even prevents you from locking out signals from the police.

Programming

Both detectors bear sharp contrast to each other in programming. 

The Max 360 in its convenient style has a plug and play programming with different settings that are  aesthetically designed to enable any user adjust the settings. 

The V1 on the other hand require additional components like a phone and Bluetooth [1] module plugged into the detector as well as a mobile app to run it.

 The controls for V1 are more fine-tuned but then the extra accessories it demands like the phone mount, its charger and a power cable can be tiring to use for some persons. 

Arrows

Arrows are for indications and that’s a new feature with the Max 360 after the V1’s patent right expired. 

When comparing the directional arrows of Valentine One VS Escort Max 360, Max 360 incorporated the arrows and even made it better by using colors. Each color with its own meaning so identification becomes easy coupled with an OLED display while the Valentine One displays just one color –red. 

However, with the extra accessories in the programming of the V1 that requires you to use a phone and an android app, you can have the different color – different meaning feature with the V1.

The arrows in Max 360 are laggy while that of the V1 are bouncy, it all depends on individual preference here. 

Pricing

The V1 retails for a lesser price compared to Max 360. It’s a reasonable compromise for its archaic design and programming.

Updates

Both detectors come with an update feature. The Max 360 updating is can be done with its Wi-Fi feature without necessarily accessing a computer

Performance

In terms of performance which is the ultimate, both premier radar detectors are doing great individually. 

Relatively, the Valentine One has a slight edge over Max 360 with some consistency noticed in its performance testing. Max is quite unstable and that’s not something to bank on. 

The Val One provides top notch sensitivity across police radar bands. Its four directional threat arrows ensures optimal consciousness on threats from any direction and informs the user on the number of threats picked. It’s quite agile in performance. 

The Max 360 is exceptional in its own way. Packing all the modern features of the digital age, it’s quite easy to operate. 

It comes with its own arrows for threat detection, GPS lockout feature, GPS based low speed muting, Escort live app for sharing speed limits. It is Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabled and does very well in providing sensitivity across police radars but not compared to the V1. 

So if you are looking for high-end performance and can manage the extra hassle of connecting your phone and a Bluetooth module (both of which are quite archaic in modern times) to a radar detector, then the Valentine One should be your pick. 

If however, you drive in the city and require all the convenience you can get with a level of performance that can match up but not overly superb, the Escort Max 360 offers you that and more. Nearly all of its operations are automatic with a hands-free voice feature that gives you information, needless looking at its bright OLED screen which is also a plus. 

Conclusion: Escort Max 360 or Valentine One

At this point, user preference is what counts. Both devices are not doing badly and they both come with downsides.

The Escort Max 360 is best if you love convenience, integration of modern tech features for seamless operations and smart detector that can help you avoid the tickets. 

Valentine One is best if you demand more responsiveness from an agile detector, better security and alertness and you won’t mind all the extra accessories plus inconveniences. 

William Johnson

William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDetector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.