Escort Solo S4 Review
The Escort Solo S4 radar detector is touted as one of Escort’s best products on the market and a lot of people have positively reviewed this detector but is it worth the hype? Does it have the detection capabilities as previous models and is it something you should add to your collection?
One of the first things you should know about the Escort Solo S4 is that it’s completely cordless, so you don’t have to plug this detector in. However, that does mean you’ll need to supply batteries so if you’re not someone who likes spending money on batteries or constantly changing them, that can become problematic.
Design
The design of the Escort Solo S4 seems kind of old school when you look at it. It doesn’t have a lot to offer in terms of visual appeal but the display screen is well done. It’s a bit smaller than it is on some of the other models but the information is easier to read and we think it’s best that way.
Also, the volume and the buttons that allow you to easily control everything on the detector are in an easy to reach the spot and easy to customize. This is great for people who are visually impaired or have a hard time reading things at close distances.
Features
Long Range Detection
When you’re on the highway, you need something that detects radars over a lengthy travel distance and you need something reliable, which is why we’ve chosen this particular model because it’s amazingly accurate on the highway.
It also detects even those instants on radars that police love using so much on the highway, so if someone’s getting flagged, you’ll get the alert for that even half a mile away.
Fast Response
This is one of the fastest and most responsive radar detectors on the market due to the hyper quick CPU built into the unit. You can get one of the earliest reports of speed threats and you can get warnings before other drivers who don’t have a unit like this one. When alerts come in, you need to be able to read them fast and react to them even faster, which is what this unit allows you to do.
Crystal Clear Display
When results do come in, they need to be readable and concise. This is something that other radar detectors on the market fail to do. They never give clear or concise readings, which can be frustrating and can lead to faulty readings.
The Escort Solo S4 unit though projects a crystal-clear reading and you won’t have any confusion about what it’s saying because the message is very easy to read thanks to the high-quality display infused in with the design of this unit.
Programmable
Similar to its little brother, the S3, Escort Solo S4 is really easy to program and customize. You can customize up to 9 different features and you can set different modes for different methods of driving or traffic.
If you’re confused, there’s a nifty hand guide that’s available with the purchase of this detector that tells you how to set all of this up and more. (Or read the manual [1]).
- Features an E-Z programming system and lets you configure just about anything on the device that can be displayed from the modes with the ExpertMeter technology like Passport 8500×50 and the SpecDisplay which is exclusive to Escort models
- Completely cordless which is highly convenient and you won’t find many other detectors out there on the market that give you the convenience of not having to plug in a cord every time you want to use it
- The laser is a 33 MHz bandwidth and 904nm powerhouse, so when you need messages fast and you need them to be crystal clear, this unit has one of the best displays out there
- The menu is really easy to customize and all the buttons are in an easy to access place so you don’t have to do any guesswork as to how to turn the volume down or customize something to your liking
- Has incredibly long-range, so when you need to pick up a signal or laser from a distance, this unit is one of your best bets
- You will have to constantly change the batteries and the runtime doesn’t last as long as it should for how much power this unit consumes
FAQ
Q: Is cordless better than corded?
A: It depends on what you’re looking for and comes down to your personal preference. Some people don’t like corded and some people don’t like cordless. Some people don’t want to be constantly changing batteries in a car accessory and some people don’t mind. With that being said, the batteries do last for quite a while so you don’t have to worry about them giving up on you any time soon. For one of the best-corded models, we reviewed read here.
Q: Does Escort Solo S4 offer front only coverage or full coverage?
A: This product only offers frontal coverage and is great for areas like the highway because of that. You won’t get a full bird’s eye view of everything around you but it does a really good job of covering everything in your frontal range. This is why this product is recommended for people who do a lot of traveling on road trips or take the interstate to work a lot.
Q: Can I use a cord if I want to?
A: If you want to but this product comes as a cordless and battery-powered unit. You can get a cord for it because some people have complained that the batteries on the unit die a little too fast when you compare it to some other units.
Escort Solo S4 Review Conclusion
Whether or not you like cordless, the Escort Solo S4 is a pretty decent product in our opinion. It’s not one of the best out there on the market but it’s also not one of the most expensive detectors out there and it does an amazing job of catching any kind of speed traps in front of you. We would highly recommend this product.
Changed your mind about cords? We covered the new Redline 360C from Escort, which you can read about next!
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.
