Yaesu VX-8G vs Yaesu FT-270R - Comparison in 2025

Trying to choose between Yaesu VX-8G and Yaesu FT-270R? Below you'll find a side-by-side comparison of key features, specifications, and performance to help you decide which handheld radio best fits your needs. Click the link below for a full review and detailed test results.

Feature	Yaesu VX-8G	Yaesu FT-270R
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Radio Name	Yaesu VX-8G	Yaesu FT-270R
Bands	2m, 70cm	2m
Max Power 2m/70cm	3.7/2	4.5/0
Battery Type	Li-Ion	NiMH
Battery Volts	7.4 v	7.2 v
Rated mAh	1100 mAh	1400 mAh
Antenna Connector	F-SMA	F-SMA
Height w/ant	296 mm	263 mm
Width	67 mm	67 mm
Thickness w/clip	37 mm	47 mm
Weight	294 g	413 g
Color Screen	No	No
GPS	Yes	No
USB-C Charging	No	No
Review Link	LINK	LINK
Price	$330	$140
Purchase Link	LINK	LINK
CHIRP Program	Yes	Yes
Rating by Price	C	A
Rating Overall	B	A
Conclusions	You may be surprised at my scores for this radio, and believe me, when I bought the radio I really wanted to love it. But I just never did. It is just too difficult for an idiot like me to use (maybe even now, lol), the buttons are too small for my fat fingers, and the screen has too much on it at such as small font. Don’t get me wrong, the Yaesu VX-8G is extremely capable and packs an enormous amount of capability into a really small package. If that is your thing, and you have small hands and excellent eye site, maybe this is the radio for you. For me, it is relegated to helping me test other radios.	My Yaesu FT-270R is the radio that goes in my backpack when I head down a trail, it is the radio that goes in my car when I decide to take the roads less traveled, and it is the radio that is on my side in the pouring down rain when weather spotting. Does it have the features of most of my other radios? No. Can it do digital modes? No. Does it have a built-in flashlight? No. But it will take a twenty-foot tumble down a rock face into the river and keep right on putting out an excellent signal when I need it to. That is why I love my Yaesu FT-270R.