I've purchased Yaesu, Kenwood, and ICOM radios before and have other brands, other than Baofeng, but in side by side, on air, comparisons this particular Baofeng has prevailed over the other Yaesu and other radios that I have purchased and used. The battery definitely last longer and the quality of my transmissions when compared to my Yaesu hand held radios favors the Baofeng. I actually wanted to prefer the Yaesu and pick them over the Baofeng and yes they do seem to be better made, but this Baofeng is also very well-made and looks great with the new display. The charge ability with the USB-C connector/jack is also very useful, but the included AC charger also does a great job. Money wise you are way ahead with the Baofeng radios and feature wise and quality wise I have to tip my hat to Baofeng for providing a very competitive radio that outperforms my Yaesu radios with every on air test that is conducted without the other side knowing what radio I'm using. They also just sound better. Is it worth it? Absolutely and I would purchase it again, in fact I might purchase another just to have around in case my current one breaks, is stolen, or just needs recharging. I also want to note that there is one quirk that I have yet to get used to, and that is the display. Although the display is very helpful, very clear and great, it does shut off very fast and the radio appears to be turned off even when it's on. Maybe, though, that is one adjustable feature that can be controlled.
Item Weight | 1.34 pounds |
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Package Dimensions | 7.99 x 5 x 4.57 inches |
Item model number | AR-5RM |
Batteries | 1 Lithium Ion batteries required. (included) |
Warranty | NO |