PNI Sensoro Traveller II - No Strings... Err... Cords Attached
Written: Jan 17 '04 (Updated Jan 18 '04)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cordless, Price is adequate, Voice-alerts, Bilingual, Good display
Cons: Cordless
The Bottom Line: For a cordless, the PNI Sensoro Traveller II is good since it offers performance and features at a good price.
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| soupcraze's Full Review: Freecom Traveller II CD-RW/DVD-ROM Combo Drive |
After hearing many mixed reviews about the PNI Sensoro Traveller II, I decided to give it a spin. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II is a cordless radar detector, which means that it runs on AA batteries. I personally would never own a cordless detector since they are fairly expensive and sacrifice sensitivity for battery operation. Since the PNI Sensoro Traveller II is a cordless, I did a test where I drove solely with it, and didn't compare it to any other detector. Here's what I found.
-Price-
*The prices for the PNI Sensoro Traveller II differ within the range of $160 to $170. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II is identical to the cheaper PNI Sensoro Traveller I except for its color scheme and voice alerts. If you don't need voice alerts, then you would be perfectly happy with the cheaper model, but if you want them, then this is a good model. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II doesn't get to having quite as much range as the more expensive Escort Solo S2 which costs about $300 depending where you buy it. The price is fairly similar to that of the Bel Express 946. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II and Bel Express 946 both offer similar performance, but the PNI Sensoro Traveller II has more features because of its voice alerts and also I like the screen display better on the PNI model. If you're looking for a cordless, then the PNI Sensoro Traveller II is a great choice. It's very comparable to the Bel Express 946. Both will offer good coverage for AA batteries powering them, but the PNI Sensoro Traveller II edges it out when it comes to features. If you need the ultimate in cordless protection, the Escort Solo S2 offers more but at a significantly higher price tag. Overall, the PNI Sensoro Traveller II is an excellent buy for what you get.
-Performance-
*When I tested out the PNI Sensoro Traveller II, I performed a test of using it solely and no other detector. Comparing it to a corded detector would make absolutely no sense since it's a lot like comparing apples to oranges. If someone needs cordless protection, then a corded detector wouldn't make any sense at all. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II does have the option of being run off of a 12V power cord which is included, or two AA batteries which are also included (And what I tested it on). Out of curiosity, I first took it out to be tested against an X-Band threat. I was on a straight stretch of road where there was a strong X-Band source which would make any detector go up to full alert. Well, the PNI Sensoro Traveller II was up and running and I was heading for it at about 45mph. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II started to go off with a very nice advanced warning. So if you live anywhere where X-Band is prevelant, the PNI Sensoro Traveller II should do a good job of picking it up, even when it's a cordless! Then it came down K-Band. When finding a K-Band speedtrap on a straight road, I went for it. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II began to pick up K-Band with a fair amount of warning time. It gave about numerous seconds of warning time before the cop was actually visible. This is enough to slow down if you're going about 10-15mph over the speed limit. Then when it boiled down to Ka-Band performance, it was slightly shorter than K-Band, but a driver would have enough time to slam the brakes before coming into view of the cop. For a cordless detector, this is pretty good protection. The performance is very comparable to that of the Bel Express 946 which is similarily priced, but still behind the Escort Solo S2.
-Ease of Use & Features-
*The PNI Sensoro Traveller II is different from the cheaper PNI Sensoro Traveller I since it has bilingual voice alerts which can also be heard in Spanish. That's pretty neat I think. The display is an icon display, but it's pretty easy to read and nicely laid out. This detector differentiates between K and Ka band icons so you can tell the difference between those two bands. It's much better than icon displays that show 'K/Ka' band. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II has some other nice features that make it work nicely such as Mode Memory which retains the memory settings of the detector even after it's turned off. It has multiple City modes that completely shut off X-Band when it's in the strongest-filtration mode. It has a headphone jack for motorcycle users so that they can hear the alerts when riding their bike. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II also has an automatic shut-off features if the detector is untouched or doesn't detect radar for one hour. That's a great feature if you forget to turn it off, so then your batteries don't get completely drained. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II is a fairly easy radar detector to use. It has a power on-off button which turns the detector on and off. It has a dim button which makes the screen darker or brighter depending on what you prefer. There's the mute button which is useful for muting false alerts or if you're already in view of the cop. Finally there's the City/Highway mode button which lets you switch between these modes. When it comes to battery longevity, PNI claims that a high-efficiency design allows the detector to operate on two AA alkaline batteries for up to 50 hours.
-The Verdict-
*The PNI Sensoro Traveller II is a good cordless model for the money. You can obviously find more sensitive detectors in this price range, but some people just don't want their radar detectors to be corded. The PNI Sensoro Traveller II comes in at a pretty good price, and is very similar to the Bel Express 946. It's not quite as effective as the Escort Solo S2, but it's significantly lower in price. So if you want a cordless detector with good range, good features, and a good price, then the PNI Sensoro Traveller II is a fine choice.
Curious about other cordless models?
Escort Solo S2
Bel Express 946
Escort Solo (Original)
Recommended:
Yes
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soupcraze
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Member: Soup Enthusiast
Location: Chicago, Illinois
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