Baofeng UV-82 vs Yaesu VX-6R

The Baofeng UV-82 is the clear winner for most buyers.

The single most important differentiator is price. The UV-82 costs $25 while the VX-6R costs $330, a 13-fold difference for radios with nearly identical feature sets. Both lack DMR, APRS, and GPS. Both support CHIRP programming. The UV-82 actually offers higher transmit power at 8W versus the VX-6R's 5W, and it has a listed IP54 rating for weather resistance while the VX-6R's weather rating is unknown. Owners of both radios report high satisfaction: 4.4 out of 5 from 830 reviewers for the UV-82, and 4.6 out of 5 from 238 reviewers for the VX-6R. The VX-6R's slightly higher owner rating reflects positive buyer feedback, but comes from a smaller sample.

The UV-82 is the obvious choice for anyone buying their first handheld, experimenting with frequencies, or operating on a budget. The VX-6R might appeal to someone who has already owned the UV-82 and wants to see if a premium price delivers something measurably different in your actual use, though our listed specifications do not reveal what that would be.

Buy the UV-82 unless your specific need or prior experience points elsewhere.