I expected the Road Angel Pure Sync to annoy me. We already have Google Maps and Waze, running on Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, or on a phone attached to a cradle on your windscreen. The idea of adding another screen to the dashboard felt a bit unnecessary.
Then, within three miles of my first test drive, it warned me about a mobile speed camera van that Google Maps knew nothing about.
That rather changed my expectations.
Pros
+ Clear, easy-to-read display
+ Excellent average speed camera mode
+ Useful mobile speed camera warnings
+ Compact magnetic dashboard mount
+ Can be set for car, van or pickup limits
Cons
– Subscription is expensive
– Default alert sound is awful
– Mobile camera coverage is not flawless
– Adds another device to the dashboard
The Pure Sync is a small dashboard-mounted speed camera and road safety alert device. It uses GPS, live data and Road Angel’s UK-validated database to warn you about fixed cameras, mobile camera locations, average speed zones, variable limits, red light cameras, school zones and smart motorway restrictions.
It isn’t an old-fashioned radar detector, and it doesn’t detect police equipment in real time. Instead, it knows where you are, checks that against Road Angel’s live database, and tells you what’s coming up.
The unit itself costs £99.99, although it is often discounted (it’s currently £59.99 at Amazon
), but it also needs a subscription to work. That costs £9.99 a month or £99.99 a year, which is the awkward bit.
Setting up the Road Angel Pure Sync
The Pure Sync is a neat little thing with a compact body, a matte finish, and a clear 2.4-inch screen. A discreet mounting panel sticks to the dashboard using an adhesive pad, while the device itself attaches to that magnetically. That means it feels secure when driving, but can be removed easily when you park.
Power comes from a USB cable and 12V adapter, although it can also be hardwired for a tidier setup. I do wish it had a built-in battery, because a fully wireless version would feel slicker.
Pairing it with the Road Angel app took me a few attempts, but once connected it behaved perfectly. The app takes a little getting used to, but it lets you change alert sounds, adjust settings and choose your vehicle type.
That last bit is useful because the Pure Sync can be set up for car, van or pickup speed limits. Even if you’re not driving a van, it shows this is a more considered device than a basic camera warning app.
What is it like to use?
In normal driving, it’s very good. The screen is bright, clear and easy to read, showing your GPS speed and the current speed limit. If you go over the limit, the screen turns red and an alert sounds.
That alert sound is horrible by default. Loud, shrill and about as relaxing as a smoke alarm in a biscuit tin. Thankfully, you can change it in the app to something far more melodious or mute it entirely.
For fixed and mobile cameras, the Pure Sync gives you an alert and a countdown to the camera location. It’s simple and hard to miss. Mobile camera coverage wasn’t flawless, because it missed a couple that Google Maps knew about, but it also found a couple that Google didn’t. We’ll call that a draw.
The best feature is the average speed camera mode. Rather than just warning you that you’re entering an average speed zone, it tracks your average speed through the whole section. That’s genuinely useful, especially through motorway roadworks where it isn’t always obvious where the zone starts or ends.
Is it better than Google Maps or Waze?
Not exactly. Google Maps and Waze are free, and most of us already use them. The Pure Sync doesn’t replace them so much as sit alongside them.
Its advantage is focus. It isn’t trying to navigate you, reroute you, find a petrol station and warn you about cameras all at once. It just concentrates on speed limits, cameras and road safety alerts.
It’s always visible, it doesn’t get interrupted by phone calls or other apps, and it keeps doing its job even when you’re not using navigation. That makes it more useful than I expected.
Is the subscription worth it?
If you only do short local journeys and already use Google Maps or Waze, £9.99 a month will probably feel expensive. But if you drive a lot, rely on your licence for work, or regularly use motorways and unfamiliar roads, it starts to make more sense.
For van drivers, the ability to switch speed limits to match your vehicle’s lower limits is a game changer, as that’s something Google Maps can’t manage.
One speeding fine can cost more than a year’s subscription before you even think about points, insurance and the hassle that comes with it.
Road Angel Pure Sync: The Average Joes verdict
I expected to be cynical about the Road Angel Pure Sync, but I ended up liking it far more than I thought I would.
It’s compact, easy to use, genuinely helpful, and the average speed camera feature is excellent. It doesn’t completely replace Google Maps or Waze, and the subscription is hard to ignore, but it does enough to justify its place on the dashboard.
For occasional drivers, it’s probably a nice-to-have. For high-mileage drivers, van users, those in older cars without infotainment screens, or anyone who really wants to protect their licence, the Road Angel Pure Sync makes a surprisingly strong case for itself.
What is it: Road Angel Pure Sync
How much: £99.99 RRP plus £9.99 a month subscriptions
Average Joes rating: ★★★★☆
He is the founder of Huff Media, publisher of Professional Pickup, Professional Van, Average Janes, Average Joes, and CALIBRE. His work focuses primarily on light commercial vehicles, pickups, and real-world vehicle use, with much of his time spent on manufacturer launches, industry events, and long-term vehicle testing.