I ran a 8500 x50 for YEARS, like 2005. But in my local area, all the city cops and most the highway patrols have moved upto lasers. If you don't have a laser jammer, its your ace. No much thing as "early detection" with laser. My "laser shifter" that paired with the 8500 x50 ( both made my escort of course ) was more reliable than I ever ever ever thought possible. Laser detection has moved on, and I'm sure there are better lazer jammers out the now ( I know there is ).
My advice... Either research the best laser jammer and buy it at the same time as the newer escort 8500+ model ( the one with a cord to it, and GPS for marking false alerts ). Or don't buy anything. The day you count on a radar detector and get popped, it could mean jail time or $400+ at least. So unless your covering both bases, I'd fly without one. No one needs a false sense of protection, its like using a garbage can lid in a sword fight. You have something, its only going to work or well, and so many times.
Rich guys always use the V1. I'm sure its not bad. But that gps to cancel out flase alerts on the escort is SWEET. And when I was using it, i was so impressed with how far it could detect. When I needed the laser jammer ( 2 times in 3 years ), it worked perfect. But at the time, it just wasn't in my area. Now... I have my x50 in the closest and won't use it because 80% of the cops in my area now have laser, and I don't have the $ to buy a $600 laser jammer ( which is about how much you need to spend on one ).