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Whats in the box:

• XRS 9960G Radar/Laser Detector
• GPS Locator
• Mini-USB to USB adapter cable
• Car power adapter
• Mounting bracket with suction cups
• Instruction Manual

Although not technically “in the box” the unit also comes with a lifetime subscription to the AURA Database which allows you stay up to date with the latest information including the locations of speed traps, speed cameras, red light cameras and dangerous intersections.

Setup:

The setup does take a few minutes, it is not hard by any means, but due to the GPS Locator it does require a little more effort than just sticking it on your windshield and plugging it in.  Of course, you could simply use the radar detector by itself, but the GPS Locator is what really makes this unit special.

The setup process for the GPS Locator consists of registering on the Cobra website.  This sets up the unit and also allows you to return to get database updates and take full advantage of your lifetime subscription.  The setup does require a Windows computer, but was a simple process that took roughly a few minutes from beginning to end.

After the GPS Locator was registered and updated, you simply plug it into the side of the radar detector.  Of course, because it is GPS it does require a view of the sky so take that into consideration when mounting the detector on your windshield.  That said, you also want to make sure you mount the unit with a clear view of the front and rear of your car.

Real world use:

Without getting super technical, I will say that using the XRS 9960G was a pleasure.  It has an easy to see/read display and offered quite a lot of information, everything from radar and laser detector to speed alerts, a compass, your latitude/longitude and even the current voltage level of your car battery.  Additionally, like most other radar detectors, the XRS 9960G also has a city or highway mode.  Overall, I would say the XRS 9960G was easy to use, but it did take a little getting used to, mainly because it offers so many types of alerts.

Driving with the XRS 9960G was a nice experience, and this is the important part—the alerts seemed to be both timely and accurate.  Another good item to note, is that I did not notice as many false alerts as I have seen with other (less expensive) radar detectors.  Based on my experience, the AURA Database appeared to be up to date, and made me aware of quite a few speed and red light cameras that I had not noticed before.  I also was pleasantly surprised to see alerts in areas that I had already knew about, although I was already aware of those locations, they did serve as a reminder, but they also gave me extra confidence in the database.

The one feature that I did not like (or need) and my only real complaint was the speed alert, which thankfully is turned off by default.  Assuming you turned this feature on, it would alert you if you exceeded the pre-set speed limit.  Honestly I know I sometimes drive faster than I should, I do not need an alert to tell me that.

Final thoughts:

The model that I tested was the Cobra XRS 9960G Digital Radar and Laser Detector with the GPS Locator, it is currently available and retails for $389.95. 

My time with the XRS 9960G could, and most likely should be considered a long-term review, which was not because I needed the time, but more because I really liked it and wanted to keep it for as long as I could before sending it back.  That said, I think this is a great unit and I would not hesitate to recommend it to any driver, of course due to the price it may better serve those who spend some extra time in the car.  Of course, the lifetime subscription to the AURA database does make the price tag seem quite a bit lower, because personally I would rather pay for something like that up front, as opposed to a monthly or one-time fee later on.

Product [Cobra XRS 9960G]

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