Sleek and effective, the Beltronics Pro RX65 offers top-quality radar detection with fewer false alerts.

The first thing to catch our attention was how visually appealing the Pro RX65 is out of the box. There's no doubt about it, this unit is a looker. For a retail price of about $330, the Pro RX65 is capable of detecting X, K, Ka, Ku and laser radar bands, in addition to instant on "POP" radar detection. It also provides highway mode, three city modes and an autoscan mode. The Pro RX65 can even be programmed to match one of seven individual driving styles. During our testing, we favored autoscan mode, which was very effective for both city and highway driving conditions.

We also were impressed by the Pro RX65's ability to deliver voice alerts in addition to standard tones and beeps. We found this feature extremely useful in situations that required us to keep both eyes on the road. As an added feature, the Pro RX65 includes a built-in auto mute controller that automatically lowers alert volume levels a few seconds after detection. The first few alerts commanded our attention, while the remaining alerts were easy on our ears.

As for technology, Digital Signal Processing (DSP) is used to reduce false alarms and to provide additional detection range, while a rear-laser port detects signals from behind the vehicle for added coverage. We found that compared to other detectors, the RX65 produced significantly fewer false alarms. The unit also offers what Beltronics terms "Shadow Technology," which is designed to detect VG-2 detectors.

The Pro RX65 features three levels of illumination. We found the standard setting surprisingly bright for daytime driving conditions; the brightness made it very easy to read the display, even in direct sunlight. This unit also features a "dark" mode, which uses only audible alerts for stealth radar detection in nighttime driving conditions.

The Beltronics Pro RX65 comes packaged in a durable charcoal-aluminum travel case, which is a nice addition that stores the Beltronics SmartPlug 12-volt coiled-lighter plug and the detector unit. As for the SmartPlug adapter, we were impressed by its mute feature, which completely silenced the surprisingly loud detector easily and effectively at the push of a button.

Setup was simple. We connected the detector unit to the SmartPlug power adapter, attached the suction-cup mount to our windshield and plugged the unit in. Seconds later, the detector was ready for use. Removal of the unit was equally easy. We pressed the built-in locking button on the detector and the unit detached, leaving the suction-cup mount in place for future use. The only thing missing in this setup was a visor clip or double-sided mounting tape. These items would be extremely useful in locations where mounting anything on the windshield is illegal. Unfortunately, they are not included in the standard packaging, but are available at an additional cost.

In spite of this minor shortcoming, Beltronics has created a sharp-looking detector that reduces the number of false alarms encountered on the road. We recommend the Beltronics Pro RX65 to anyone willing to pay a moderate price for a quality radar detector with many useful features.


Pros: Fewer false alarms, bright standard display, sleek design, reliable detection
Cons: Limited mounting options out of the box

Warranty
1 year, limited