Let me preface this by making clear that it is the only radar detector that I have owned so far, and that I have returned it after two weeks of ownership.
If you're looking at this product, it's probably for good reason. Escort makes excellent radar detectors with a range of features. Other contenders for your money should be similar offerings from Beltronics and Valentine One's V1. Read more and I'll get to why this radar detector might not be the best fit for you.
The Escort Solo S3 radar detector's main selling point is that it doesn't require a car charger to stay on. The Solo S3 comes packaged with two AA batteries, which Escort claims will keep it powered for months of regular driving. In order to conserver battery life, the Solo S3 has an OLED display that turns off during regular operation. You'll know that the Solo S3 is still on because an LED will blink periodically to remind you that it is in fact working.
The supplied windshield mount works, but it's been often cited as a reason for dissatisfaction amongst owners of Escort radar detectors. I never had issues keeping the radar detector securely affixed to my windshield with the two suction cup design, but the radar detector would bounce and occasionally rap against the windshield as I was driving. This wasn't too much of an issue, but it did prove to be a minor annoyance at times.
The Solo S3 also comes with an attractive carrying case that has room for additional batteries, the windshield mount, and user manuals.
The Solo S3 sounds a clear alert when it first detects radar signals. The factory-enabled Auto Mute feature reduces the volume of this alert after a few seconds so that it doesn't become a nuisance. Upon detecting radar, the Solo S3's display also lights up to give an indication of the signal type and strength. I did pick up radar signals in advance of my being able to visually confirm highway patrol units, and received a couple of LIDAR alerts during my time with the Solo S3. I felt that the Solo S3 did an adequate job of alerting me about the presence of police radar in these situations, as the alert distance was sufficient for me to check my speed and take any driver action necessary to avoid police response. However, I felt that an extra few seconds would have been very helpful, and worth paying for.
One feature that the Solo S3 lacks is GPS capability. Fully featured radar detectors sometimes include GPS, which is used to store the locations of false alerts. This can be helpful when driving around town, as there can be roadside sources of radar that are irrelevant to drivers. Because the Solo S3 lacks this feature, you may find yourself getting alerts with no sign of police radar.
While the Solo S3 does a decent job, the more capable Escort Passport 9500ix Radar/Laser Detector (Blue Display) and Escort Redline Radar Detector have been shown to outperform in all conditions. Both of these units come with a higher pricetag, and require the use of a power cord that must be plugged in to retain functionality. While the Solo S3 can also be powered through an optional power cord, the detection range has not been shown to change. It is also worth considering the Valentine One Radar Detector, which has been consistently rated as one of the top performers in detection range.
For those about to buy, I strongly recommend that you consider what you find most important to you. Given my personal driving habits, I would do better to hardwire a more robust radar detector into my daily driver. If you frequently travel and every last bit counts, then you will be served well enough by the Solo S3's detection capabilities. The handy carrying case and lack of a power cord make setting up in rental cars clutter free. The Solo S3 is a decent radar detector that is worth your consideration. Just be aware that you will always make tradeoffs in portability versus performance.
At least for me, the loss of a power cord wasn't worth the tradeoff.
As a closing note: If you found this review helpful, give me a thumbs up and I'll keep on writing! In any case, your comments are welcome.
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Passport still reigns as the top brand of detectors. This was my third one over the years. I have had cobra as well as iradar . What was obvious at first glance , that when an alert sounds ,you might think that's it's false, however a few miles ahead there is the radar. In other words, the passport gives you more than enough time to adjust your speed. The flaw is that I have noticed a slight reduction in sensitivity with battery models over the wired units. Also, carrying extra batteries on trips is a pain. Once I was caught off guard because the units batteries were so weak, that it didn't notice the radar. in another instance, the batteries were dead and I wasn't warned to replace them... However, that said, it's still the best portable out there and even on the front seat picks up the radar..overall, I would give this 5stars simply because it's the best out there.
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I used this for a few weeks until I had a valentine 1 hard wired into my car. I thought I would test them both side by side just to see if there was a difference. The valentine 1 beat the escort by at least 5-10 seconds on both X and K bands, however the real problem was with the ka band, which is really the only band that cops use in the northeast (not including laser). The valentine 1 was at least 10 seconds ahead of the escort and the escort only picked up the ka signal when I had visual confirmation of the cruiser, which would have been useless at that point. I really wanted to like the escort because I remember when my dad got his first detector about 20 years ago which was an escort passport, but this unit was not worth the cost since the ka detection is so poor. I also tried an escort 8500 but it kept having laser faults which drove me crazy. I actually like the s3 better but it has nothing on the valentine 1. I would rather spend the money on the valentine than take a chance getting a ticket. I do not write many reviews but I wanted people to have this info before they spend a lot on a detector. I have no affiliation with valentine in case you were wondering.
Honest reviews on Escort Solo S3 Cordless Radar Detector
I just completed a 1200 mile, 20 hour drive (Seattle to San Diego) in a rental car with the Solo 3 was thoroughly impressed. I use NiMH rechargeble batteries and they are still at 75% charge after the long drive and three extra days driving around. For some reason, the detector never went off in Oregon. But I always had about 5+ seconds advanced warning of radar in California. I did go into the settings and use the customizing option to see the distinct radar types that I highly recommend. I love the auto-black out and auto-muting function. This is a big factor is saving the battery, as well as handy to not have to reach up and press the mute button every time you drive by a grocery store door or radar run emplacement. I like the visibility of the display. I find it easy to read in the day and the night. On a negative side, I was a bit disappointed in the overall size. This is my first detector in many years and I was hoping the would have shrunk to the size smaller then a smart phone by now. The accessories that it comes with, as well as the case and the instruction manual were great. Overall, I do recommend the detector. But I can't attest to how well it operates technically as I never received a laser indication, and would need another detector to compare it to. Still, I find this an outstanding detector if you travel and/or need to remove your detector a lot from you car or windshield.
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I gave this Solo S3 four stars rather than five because of the wholly inadequate suction cup mounting system. I had my previous detector on a visor mount, which worked well for me, however, this mounting would obscure the rear-facing antenna on the Solo. The suction cups on this Solo stuck securely to the inside of my windshield for only about a week. One of them will not remain stuck even without the weight of the detector. Yes, I diligently cleaned the mounting area of the windshield before applying the suction cups.
The detector itself seems to work well, although I have no sophisticated equipment with which to test it. It does seem to produce far fewer false warnings than the Bel cordless unit it replaced, and it has several times alerted me to a police cruiser well in advance of his appearance.
