K40 Platinum100 Moveable Radar Detector
Professionals
Ticket Free Assure
A number of GPS Capabilities
Optionally available Laser Defuser Safety
Cons
Not totally offered on the distant
No sprint digital camera choice
In an ever-growing market of premium-grade radar detectors, the choice from K40 Electronics tops many best-of charts. One of many firm’s newest choices is the K40 Platinum100 with GPS. Because the identify suggests, this unit encompasses a full vary of GPS-enabled capabilities, superior filtering know-how, and radar band selectivity. Moreover, K40 designed the Platinum100 unit to remove false alerts.
Different extras embody the company-backed Ticket-Free Assure. Should you obtain a ticket within the first yr of proudly owning (and utilizing!) the unit, the corporate can pay it (in fact, some circumstances apply).
Whereas a fast look on the K40 Platinum100’s prolonged listing of options is definitely sufficient to pique one’s curiosity, I felt it finest to withhold my ultimate judgment till I used to be capable of truly put this unit to the check. The next is what I discovered upon inserting the K40 Platinum100 in my truck.
Affiliate Disclosure: Automoblog and its companions could also be compensated once you buy the merchandise featured on this overview.
What Comes With The K40 Platinum100?
The K40 Platinum100 I obtained included all the pieces wanted for fast, environment friendly, and trouble-free set up. The equipment consists of the particular Platinum100 unit, its mount, two energy cords, and a distant (if ordered as an RC bundle). This equipment additionally features a set of complete directions for set up and use.
K40 Platinum100 Options
The K40 Platinum100 radar detector with GPS features a broad vary of options that drivers ought to discover useful.
LNA Expertise
The Platinum100 makes use of Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) know-how to extend vary and sensitivity. Equally, each Platinum100 is customary with a extra highly effective CPU, permitting the unit to be extra responsive and customizable.
GPS Controls
I just like the in depth array of GPS-based options on the Platinum 100, which streamline operation. One of many first I attempted was the guide Mark to Mute perform. I simply needed to push the “MM” button to mark the supply of non-police radar. That’s the place the “distraction-free” profit is available in. While you use the Mark to Mute characteristic, the system gained’t provide you with a warning to each computerized gate or storage door that dot your travels.
The Mark to Alert perform is the reverse. It allowed me to mark factors of curiosity, together with velocity traps, faculty zones, and red-light cameras. I favored that when I marked these spots, the Platinum100 wouldn’t “alert” at these areas throughout subsequent travels. This button is labeled as “MA” on the Platinum100.
The detector’s built-in velocity monitor tracks your velocity and sounds an audible alarm should you exceed the preselected velocity threshold. That helped me keep acceptable speeds with out glancing away from the highway and down at my speedometer. One other useful characteristic is the Quiet Trip perform. Because the identify implies, it silences all alerts once you drive at a preselected velocity. That means that you can hearken to music, discuss, or simply get pleasure from a leisurely drive with out interruption.
I particularly loved the Auto Filter characteristic that routinely adjusted detection energy primarily based on the velocity at which I drove. As K40 notes, it’s nice for these of us who like a “set it and neglect it” strategy. At low speeds, sensitivity is diminished to attenuate false alerts, whereas sensitivity is elevated at excessive speeds to supply drivers with a lengthier response time.
Superior Filtering Options
K40 geared up the Platinum100 with a number of filtering capabilities. They embody:
Okay-band Filter: This filter routinely senses and rejects alerts from safety-based radar alerts, reminiscent of these produced by Collision Avoidance and Lane Departure Warning programs of different autos.
Ka-Band Filter: I discovered this diminished the variety of alerts I obtained from non-police radar sources, reminiscent of these triggered by different radar detectors and satellite tv for pc broadcasts. You’ll be able to customise the alerts you obtain, too.
Visitors Sensor Filter: This minimizes false alerts from site visitors monitoring gadgets, reminiscent of those who rely the variety of autos by explicit intersections or on the freeway.
Radar Band Choice
I used to be capable of customise the detection vary by Handbook Radar Band Choice. With this useful characteristic, you possibly can customise the way you need the K40 Platinum100 to work primarily based on the day, time, and space of your travels. This guide Okay-Band filter makes it potential to hone in on a particular frequency vary related to radar use in a specific space, thereby minimizing false alerts. They’re as follows:
- Okay-Band Slim/Extensive/Prolonged: Customise the frequency vary of Okay-Band radar alerts.
- Ka-Band Slim/Extensive: Customise the frequency vary of Ka-Band radar alerts.
Wi-fi or Hardwired Distant Management
What Does The Distant Management Do?
One distinctive characteristic of the K40 Platinum100 radar detector is its distant management. The Platinum100 might be ordered with or with out a distant. Each hardwired and wi-fi controllers can be found for buy, permitting drivers to customise their interplay with the Platinum100 interface.
The distant management means that you can make on-the-fly changes with out taking your eyes off the highway. K40 specifies this as a safety-related perform meant to attenuate distracted driving. I didn’t take care of the distant management, which I’ll elaborate on a bit additional down on this overview.
Optionally available K40 Laser Safety
Can My K40 Platinum100 Diffuse Lasers?
Just like the elective distant management, the Platinum100 is appropriate with the optionally-installed K40 Laser Defuser Optix. This technique might be plugged into the Platinum100, which provides drivers safety towards police lasers. Based on K40, the interface can hearth as much as 5 laser diffuser transponders without delay to jam police laser weapons, together with the newest VPR (Varied Pulse Charge) LiDAR weapons.
The check unit K40 provided us with didn’t have this feature, however it’s accessible for drivers who need an additional layer of safety.
Utilizing The K40 Platinum100 Radar Detector
Set up
After taking supply of the K40 Platinum100 radar detector, I rapidly unboxed it, thumbed by the instructions, and affixed the unit to its mount. Upon informal commentary, the Platinum100 gave the impression to be strong in its design. I discovered it easy to snap in place. In lower than 5 minutes, I headed for the driveway.
Putting in the Platinum100 in my truck was about so simple as one might think about. I rapidly secured the unit’s mount to my windshield, plugged within the included energy cable, and was able to go. Your entire set up course of took no a couple of minute. Should you can plug in a lamp, you possibly can set up the Platinum100 in your automobile. It’s that straightforward.
Settings
Toggling by the Platinum100’s varied settings appeared comparatively self-explanatory. Every perform is just not solely denoted by an on-screen immediate however can also be audibly voiced by the unit itself. I initially set the unit to its auto setting (i.e. Auto Filter) and hit the highway.
How Correct Are The Alerts?
After a brief jaunt down an area county highway close to my dwelling, I entered town limits and merged onto the interstate. Roughly one mile into my interstate travels, the K40 Platinum100 began to alert, and I started looking for what may need triggered its response.
With no signal of regulation enforcement, I used to be perplexed, questioning why the K40 Platinum100 continued to alert. After cresting an increase, practically ¼ mile later, I seen a cruiser touring northbound whereas I used to be within the southbound lane. Upon this commentary, the K40 Platinum100 instantly gained my belief.
This was removed from an remoted occasion, as time and time once more, the Platinum100 alerted to radar exercise lengthy earlier than I might visually affirm the supply. This was fairly spectacular and left me with a optimistic impression of the unit’s capabilities.
How The Completely different Settings Carried out
All through my check, I alternated between the Platinum100’s settings, trying to familiarize myself with the nuances of every. From my commentary, the Auto setting proved to be most useful. The unit’s different settings required me to precisely match every to its designated goal to keep away from a number of false alerts. I didn’t discover this detracted from the Platinum100’s effectiveness. It labored as described.
The Auto setting was probably the most worthwhile in my explicit circumstance. My day by day commute to work fluctuates between rural driving, interstate journey, and navigating by closely congested site visitors, all in a span of 15 miles. You might discover the K40 Platinum100’s extra settings work higher in your particular wants, however for many drivers, Auto ought to work wonderful.
I had ample alternative to check the Mark to Mute perform. As luck would have it, the native police division positioned a cellular radar trailer alongside a roadway inside my day by day commute. I marked its location and waited to see what would occur.
After two successive weeks of going previous this location twice day by day, the cellular radar trailer continues to be in place. The Platinum100 has but to flag its presence once more. For me, this totally validates the Mark to Mute perform’s effectiveness and proves the characteristic is as helpful as it’s sensible.
Ought to I Get The Distant Management?
All through my overview course of, there was one perform that I hardly ever had use for, and that was the distant. Whereas I used the distant occasionally, I felt it simpler to make any mandatory changes through the Platinum100 unit itself.
From my standpoint, it appeared way more cumbersome to look downward on the buttons on the distant management than it was to achieve ahead whereas nonetheless sustaining my line of sight. Nonetheless, that is purely a matter of opinion. One other driver could really feel fairly in a different way upon turning into acquainted with the distant management, solely by contact.
What Does The K40 Platinum100 Value?
The K40 Platinum100 with GPS retails for $559.95 through Amazon. Whereas this may appear to be loads, this top-tier detector has an array of options and settings. I discover these extras, mixed with K40’s superior buyer help, definitely worth the value.
Ought to You Purchase The K40 Platinum100?
With the Platinum100, I consider you may be buying a unit that may cater to your particular wants, regardless of the place you drive. Nonetheless, there are a couple of benefits different manufacturers have over K40.
Worth
If you’re buying on a price range however nonetheless need a high-quality radar detector, the Escort MAX 3 is most popular over the K40 Platinum100. The MAX 3 retails for about $160 lower than the Platinum100 however nonetheless presents strong performance. In our complete overview of the MAX 3, we have been pleasantly stunned how nicely it labored with Waze and different navigation apps to supply real-time alerts. The Platinum100 doesn’t have this functionality.
Nonetheless, the MAX 3 doesn’t have the best magnetic windshield mount, which is problematic on a bumpy highway. In contrast, the Platinum100 stayed on my windshield for everything of this overview.
Sprint Digicam Possibility
Each Escort and Cobra have K40 beat on this regard as K40 doesn’t supply a appropriate sprint digital camera for the Platinum100. If you’re seeking to pair your radar detector with a splash digital camera, we advise “bundling” them to save cash. In our roundup of the very best radar detectors with built-in sprint cameras, the Escort MAX 360c & M1 Digicam and Cobra Street Scout Elite have been our high picks.
The Cobra Street Scout Elite stands out particularly. It retails for about $110 lower than the Platinum100 and is each a radar detector and sprint digital camera. When you’ve got even a hunch that you may want a splash digital camera sooner or later along with your radar detector, the Cobra is a much better choice than the K40.
Incessantly Requested Questions
The place can I discover K40 customer support?
Whether or not you’re uncertain of a specific setting’s meant utilization or are experiencing operational points along with your unit, we suggest K40’s 24/7 Stay Seek the advice of Assist line. Based on K40, their gross sales and customer support employees tenure averages 20 years. This could present customers with the peace of thoughts to know their questions and issues will probably be answered and resolved.
What’s the warning time for a K40 radar detector?
Many components decide this, together with the energy of the radar sign, path and site of the radar gun, and the place the patrol officer is sitting. Thus, a precise measurement by way of time might be inconceivable, though we are able to confidently say the Platinum100 all the time alerted us in time whereas conducting this overview.
My home windows are tinted. Does that compromise the efficiency of my K40 radar detector?
Whereas radar microwave alerts are unaffected by fiberglass, plastic, and glass, they can not penetrate metallic. In case your window tint comprises metallic, any radar detector’s effectiveness will probably be compromised, not only a K40 unit.
Will my K40 Platinum100 “jam” police radar?
No. Radar jammers have been banned by the Federal Communications Fee since 1997. The fines for every violation can attain as much as $11,000.
What’s “POP” Mode? Ought to I take advantage of it?
POP Mode detects a specific band of radar often known as POP. This comparatively brief transmission sign permits a radar gun to seize a quick learn of a automobile’s velocity earlier than setting the gun to a different band. K40 recommends preserving the POP Radar Mode turned off. POP radar doesn’t transmit lengthy sufficient to collect the mandatory data wanted to concern a ticket. As well as, POP Mode is extra more likely to set off false alerts than actual ones.
Is K40 the very best radar detector?
Should you want to shield your self from incurring pricey rushing tickets, whereas additionally retaining a quiet, distraction-free driving expertise, there are doubtless few higher investments than that of the K40 Platinum100. Whereas there are different top-performing radar detectors available on the market, K40 continues to be top-of-the-line.
Josh Boyd is an ASE Licensed technician with over a decade of expertise in automotive restore. When not below the hood, he might be discovered within the woods or on the water, pursuing his different passions of looking and fishing.
