Motorola Talkabout T5320

Reviewed on 6/24/02    Updated on: 6/24/02    Motorola's T5300-series FRS radio gets an upgrade with the release of the T5320. This 14-channel, two-way radio is your basic entry-level model with a few extras thrown in, and at $29.99, it's easy on the wallet.

Full review of Motorola Talkabout T5320

Motorola's T5300-series FRS radio gets an upgrade with the release of the T5320. This 14-channel, two-way radio is your basic entry-level model with a few extras thrown in, and at $29.99, it's easy on the wallet.

New look
The latest addition to the T5300 line has a water-resistant plastic casing and a changeable faceplate feature, as well as an arguably sleeker and more compact design (2.4 by 6.4 by 1.3 inches; less than 6 ounces). Like the , the T5320 has an on/off/volume button that sits atop the radio and the same rubberized antenna, which is a bit uncomfortable when worn with the included belt clip.

As with the T5200 model, the T5320 doesn't include a 38-subchannel privacy mode, but it does have five audible ring tones and a handy feature that helps identify who's calling. While it doesn't support hands-free Vox use, the T5320 does have an earphone jack, with the earphone sold separately. You'll also find roger alerts, a monitor button to check activity on your selected channel, and a battery meter with an audible low-battery warning.

Loud and clear
As for performance, we found transmissions clear and audio quality to be above average for a radio in this class. The T5320 impressed us even more during battery testing. Motorola claims up to 27 hours of battery life, but we managed to squeeze out almost 36 hours from the three AA batteries (not included). We should note that it can also accept rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries, though they'll give you a mere 12 hours of juice. Our only knock is that the T5320 couldn't quite live up to its promise of a two-mile range. At a distance of a little more than a mile and a half, we lost signals in a typical suburban region and a city, but this is often the case with FRS radios.

Although the Talkabout 5320 lacks subchannels, it's still a solid value for the money, especially if you can find it online for around $20. We just wish Motorola would provide additional removable faceplates so that we could take advantage of this new feature.

Enlarged photo of Motorola Talkabout T5320

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