Escort Redline EX vs. Radenso Pro M
Escort Redline EX vs.
Radenso Pro M
Which is the best radar detector?
By Radartest staff
Last updated: 2023
Note: The Escort Redline EX has been replaced by the Escort Redline 360c.
The Escort Redline EX ($599) competes with the Radenso Pro M ($449). Both tout high performance and the ability to detect the Gatso RT3 and Multaradar CD/CT radar increasingly being used for red light and speed cameras.
Each also has GPS, used to lock out nuisance radar like the automatic door-openers at the local Safeway.
The two are roughly comparable in performance but differ widely in features. We tested both to see which one is the better value. Here's how they stacked up.
The Escort Redline EX has GPS, to recognize and ignore nuisance signals. It uses the same technology to warn of red light and speed cameras.
Like its Redline forebear, the Redline EX is unique in having two forward-facing radar antennas. This divides the microprocessor's workload and increases range.
- Superior performance
- Effective filtering
- Great windshield mount
- Advanced features
- Low-contrast display
- Pricey
The Redline EX is unique in having two forward-facing radar antennas. These optimize range but make the Redline EX larger and heavier than single-antenna models.
However, there's some penalty for the extra hardware— it makes the Redline EX larger and heavier than competing single-antenna models.
Features
The Redline EX feature set is shared with the Escort Redline 360c and Escort Passport Max 360c. This includes is an IVT filter to identify BSM radar and resist false alerts.
The Redline EX feature set is shared with the Escort Redline 360c and Escort Passport Max 360c. This includes is an IVT filter to identify BSM radar and resist false alerts.
Also shared with other upmarked Escorts is a clever windshield mount that attaches magnetically to the detector. Its big, GPS-style suction cup clings tenaciously to the glass.
A feature borrowed from its upscale siblings is an annoying Overspeed Alert. Factory-set at 70 mph, if you exceed that speed a female voice shouts Overspeed! and the speed display ominously turns red.
Fortunately the speed nanny can be disabled by entering Advanced mode and deactivating it via the Preferences menu.
The Redline EX has an OLED display that's found on other high-end Escorts and has drawbacks we've noted before: lots of data crammed into a small space and low contrast.
Built-in Bluetooth lets the Redline EX link quickly with the Escort Live app, a crowd-sourced ticket-avoidance network. The system broadcasts warnings of nearby speed-enforcement activity and helps keep tabs on the enforcers.
Performance
We found the Escort's performance to be quite good, with a bit less range than the Pro M on K band while the two scored within feet of each other on the most commonly used Ka-bands.
Its IVT filter was effective at limiting false alerts triggered by BSM radar and the AutoLearn feature reliably locked out door-opener radar automatically.
The Verdict
The Redline EX benefits from its GPS and sophisticated software, with good resistance to false alerts. It's also unique in being undetectable by police radar detector-detectors.
We found the Escort Redline EX to be a very capable radar detector, equal to the Pro M in performance and offering some unique features in exchange for its higher price.
Radenso Pro M
- Superior performance
- Effective filtering
- Advanced features
- User-customizable filters
- No AutoLearn feature
- No speed-variable sensitivity
The Radenso Pro M is about half the size and one-third the weight of the Escort Redline EX. Users who mount a detector high on the windshield may find the featherweight Pro M better able to fit cramped spaces.
While the Pro M display uses OLED technology, same as the Escort, its amber alphanumeric characters are larger and stand out sharply against a black background.
Features
Like the Redline EX, the Pro M detects two models of European-made radar, the Gatso RT3 and Multaradar CD/CT. Both are increasingly being used in red light and speed camera applications.
The Radenso uses GPS to warn of red light and speed cameras. The same technology allows users to lock out automatic door-opener radar, reducing false alerts. However the Radenso doesn't do this automatically; users must wait until it's alerting and then press a button.
A USB port can be used to link the detector to a PC and download updates of red light and speed camera locations. Firmware revisions to meet future threats can be updated the same way, keeping the detector from becoming obsolete.
Unlike the Escort, Radenso users can adjust radar sensitivity, at least if they know a lot about radar. The Pro M also lets the driver set a threshold speed for the onset of audible alerts. Only visual alerts are given until the threshold speed is reached, then audible tones and voice alerts begin. This keeps it quieter at the lower speeds when over-the-horizon range isn't needed.
The Radenso isn't a set-and-forget device like the Escort and requires quite a bit more user interaction get the most out of it.
Performance
We tested both detectors are our Hill/Curve test site north of Phoenix. Here the Pro M outpaced the Redline EX on K band and the two scored nearly identically on both common Ka bands. K-band performance isn't necessarily an advantage: there's hardly any radar using this frequency anymore but millions of Blind Spot Monitoring radars use the frequency, making for unending false alarms.
We found the Radenso to be effective in locking out door-opener radar and it showed good resistantance to BSM radar.
The Verdict
We liked the fact that the Pro M allows the enthusiast driver to tailor its operation. On the flipside, extracting maximum performance and getting a handle on K-band false alarms takes a bit of doing.
While the Escort automates some tasks—locking out door-opener radar and regulating sensitivity, for instance—the convenience doesn't come free.
The Escort and Radenso are both class leaders in performance, although a lower price and smaller packaging may tip the balance in favor of the Pro M for some shoppers.
