Cobra - RAD 490i Radar and Laser Detector, works with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto - Black

I recently started using the Cobra RAD 490i Radar & Laser Detector as I spend a decent amount of time on the road and want an additional layer of protection. I haven't used a radar detector in years and was a bit sceptical if it would be worth the investment. It proved its worth on the very first road trip! Previous detectors I had used were decent in providing alerts for the road ahead, but the rear of the vehicle seemed to always be an afterthought. With the RAD 490i's front and rear LIDAR, they make sure there are alerts ahead...and creeping up from the rear! I was on a highway driving the speed limit and an alert went off so I kept an eye out for a trap up ahead...well it turns out there was an unmarked vehicle coming up from behind that had used laser to check my speed. The rear alert was very timely and impressive! Set Up: The RAD 490i is ready to be installed straight out of the box, so it's simple to connect and get going for anyone. It includes a mounting bracket, cigarette lighter adapter, USB-C cable, static cling disk for easy mounting and the radar detector. There are adjustments for sensitivity, display brightness and volume. Simply mount it where you want it, plug in the cable and you're ready to hit the road. Real World Usage: The RAD 490i is very low profile and does not distract while driving. Everything is black which matches my car interiro really well and keeps it less conspicuous. The unit can quickly be removed from the mounting bracket with the push of a button so it can be hidden out of sight while the car is parked. One of the feartures that was a real improvment over older models I've used is the voice alert added to the alerts. The voice is easy to hear and understand even with the windows rolled down or in a louder cabin environment. Additionally, the integration with the Drive Smarter community is a great feature that steps up the 490i's value in my opinion. I've always been a big fan of the crowd sharing approach, so this is a nice addition to the radar detector environment. Pros: - Low-profile design and easy to install in any vehicle - Easy setup and good adjustability - Real world proven Rear LIDAR detection - App integration with the Drive Smarter community - Addition of voice alerts to the warning system - USB-C cable so no need for a proprietary power cord Overall I'm very impressed with the RAD 490i's features and real world capabilites and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking to add an additional layer of security on the go.

This is my first radar detector as I use to live in the only state in the country they’re illegal,VA! So recently relocating to Texas I was finally able to get one and hopefully not get anymore tickets! Unboxing, in addition to the detector you get a USB-C cable and a 12v USB-C cigarette adapter, windshield mount and transparent mounting film. Cobra also offers an optional mount for rear view mirror mounting and a hardwire kit. The Cobra drive smarter app allows you to control and change the features of the detector which makes operating it much easier. There’s also a CarPlay version so if you have CarPlay or Android auto, you can use it instead of their navigation apps. It’s one thing to have an app, it’s another thing for it to be good and the drive smarter app is good feature wise and how well it works with the detector. Being that it’s my first detector I can’t compare it to other radar detectors, but the features and the ease of use more than satisfy me. If you’re in the market for a radar detector that gives you protection front and back, has CarPlay and Android auto functionality and is easy to operate, the 490i is a great choice.

I have used several radar detectors over several decades, dating back to the 70s. Cobra has always been a strong competitor in this field and this latest offering, the RAD 490i Radar and Laser Detector, is a good example why. However, this radar detector is not perfect. I’ll start with the shortcomings. The biggest shortcoming is the lack of any GPS to remember where the false alarms are located. I read that Cobra decided to not include it on this model in order to keep the cost down. I find having to deal with the same false alarms a bit annoying. My next complaint is that you have to use the Extreme Sensitivity to really get good advance warning of radar in patrol cars. Several times I physically noticed the police vehicle prior to the alarm going off. In my first week of use, only once was I truly alerted to radar I did not see or expect. It can be said that the one time alone pays for the unit - I won’t argue with that. The last negative is that the mounting tape they provided does not hold the weight of the unit. Where and how to mount a radar detector , especially one you prefer to take down and hide when not driving, remains a decades-old challenge. On the positive side, it does what it is supposed to do - alert a driver to the presence of radar or laser, whether it be from a speed gun or possibly an alarm system or other source. For the price point and - very important - my device included the subscription to the Drive Smarter app - avoiding one speeding ticket will probably pay for the device given the cost of fines nowadays. One last note, I would not consider an option which required me to pay to subscribe to the Drive Smarter app. Overall, it is a good radar detector, but as with most devices of this type, you will most likely have to put up with false alarms and an occasional failure to detect in time to avoid a fine, which prevents me from giving it 5 stars.

This Cobra radar detector is a full featured bargain. I have been out of the radar detector game for a while but I never would have stopped using one if the one I had could do everything the RAD 490i does. DESIGN: It looks like most radar detectors, a sleek black plastic box with a cable coming out of it. This one is a bit different than what I am used to though because it is USB-C which is fantastic because it is the most universal way to connect power to any device. Pretty much everyone has a laptop, phone, tablet, razor, monitor, mouse, keyboard or a hundred other devices that charge, are powered by, or otherwise connected via USB-C. This means everyone has a spare cable or twenty. No more proprietary cables and you are also not limited to a 12v port in your car to power it. Most new cars have USB-C connections and most that don’t have the older USB-A. It also uses an OLED display which is really easy to see even on the sunny days I’ve used it for the past week and a half. I’m not sure if I love the mount for it. On one hand it is great because you can easily remove the RAD 490i from the mount but the mount has 3M permanent adhesive. That means it will stay where you put it but also means you need to make sure it is perfectly level when you install it. If you’re a bit OCD like me it will really bother you if it is not level. I wish there was an option for the old suction cups or a 3M removable adhesive. USE: As I mentioned, I’ve used this for about a week and a half and I really like it so far. I thought using the menus to adjust settings was going to be difficult but it was actually quite easy. The volume is quick to adjust since they kept the dial! I love the dial because that is probably the adjustment I make the most while driving and it is simple to operate. It’s the only dial and you know exactly what you are doing without looking at it. There are three different levels for detection as well. This is nice because if you are in a city setting it may go off all the time so you can adjust it to be less sensitive to non-police radar it may pick up The app adds a whole new element to radar detectors. Using the app in Android Auto or CarPlay is awesome. It’s kind of like Waze for Radar! The app is also very easy to use. Overall I could not ask for a better radar detector. I’m also not sure what I would do with more features. I absolutely recommend this for anyone new to radar detectors or for those that just want something simple that works well.

Back in 2012, I purchased my first Cobra radar detector. Back then, cars didn't have the sophisticated blind-spot detection, lane-assist, and adaptive cruise control systems they do now. Today, the RF environment is incredibly jammed—modern cars constantly trigger false alerts. To correctly use the Cobra RAD 490i, you need to educate yourself on radar bands and how police speed devices actually work. You have to learn how much reaction time you actually have once a signal is detected. Be warned: if you catch a laser signal and you are speeding, you are pretty much done. Laser is highly directional; by the time it triggers the Cobra, you have already been targeted. The Good: It is lightweight, looks stylish, and the new windshield adhesive mount with the static sticker completely avoids accidental detachments. Moving to USB-C is a huge upgrade. Most modern cars have USB outlets now, and using my USB meter, I verified the current draw is low (under 500mA). It’s robust and universal. The Drive Smarter app works well for me, especially since I use it for both my Cobra dash cam and this RAD 490i. Speed traps pull up directly on the screen, and the in-dash smartphone integration is solid, though I did find the Bluetooth connection a bit spottier on one of my mobile devices compared to the other. The Bad: I really expected Cobra to include an onboard GPS chip at this stage. Having internal GPS would allow the device to handle its own low-speed muting and perform GPS lockouts to ignore fixed false alerts (like grocery store automatic doors). Instead, you are entirely reliant on your smartphone app to do this heavy lifting. In conclusion: As an introduction to the radar detector world, the RAD 490i is a good start. The features added by your phone essentially boost your Cobra's capabilities. Cobra is a reliable brand—my 2012 model is outdated, but it is still kicking. This is a good device to let you know what is going on around you, but it is not a foolproof ticket preventative device if you want true protection without the hassle of constantly linking your phone.