These radios are not new. There are a half dozen versions of them out, the first version has been out for a while.
I also own the UV-5R, as well as an FT-60 (what many including myself consider the benchmark of ham HT's, so let me offer a comparison. First off, I get that the Baofeng costs one third the money, and that is important to remember. As far as overall performance with stock parts, no comparison. The Baofeng antenna is pretty odd when you look at the VSWR readings that people in the UV-5R yahoo group have gotten. On 440, it's actually not too bad for reflection, but that does NOT mean it gets out like the FT-60R, because it doesn't do as well. On 2 meter, the VSWR is absurd, 6.0 or more I believe, meaning that there is no way it can get out properly. The best alternative antenna I have found is the 7.5" antenna sold on Ebay and Amazon that is really a Wouxun TG-UV antenna (another radio I own). It works OK, but fits crooked which is really annoying to an OCD person like myself. Even with this, it will NOT RX or TX like the FT-60R, on either band. I've done enough side by side comparisons and have enough to say this at this point. Sensitivity is good, but selectivity is poor, so you hear a lot of intermod in a big city like Phoenix where I live. Scan speed is SNAIL SLOW compared to the FT-60R. Programming by this thing by hand is annoying, and ridiculous. The manual is a cruel joke, comprised of broken (horrid) English. A cable is a MUST. With the cable, it's not too bad, but the software STINKS, and doesn't allow things like shifting lines, or inserting lines, so changing a program can be a real pain the rear. Lithium batteries are NOT a good choice of a SHTF / storage radio, as fully charged Lithium Ion batteries destroy themselves over time when stored at anything more than refrigerator temperatures. The AAA and AA battery packs are a JOKE, which with full cells yield excessive voltage that prevents TX often times. Some put in a "dummy cell" to prevent this.
With all of this said, you can get them for $40 shipped, so for the money they are STILL a great value. I use mine as a "beater radio" that I can allow to roll around in my truck, which I use for close-in 70cm repeater work. If you have a really tight budget and only have $50, you can't do better.
If you can spend a bit more, get the Wouxun TG-UV, as it is a much better radio.
If you can come up with $150, get the FT-60R. It has a full five watts on both bands, even with the AA battery pack. Can speed is really fast for an HT, and you can scan most everything analog including milair, which it does well at. It comes with a standard SMA female on the radio meaning you have a huge selection of aftermarket antennas available without adapters. I ordered mine with extended TX from Hong Kong for $220 (yes you can mod a $150 radio, also voiding your warranty as you clip that diode, if you choose). With the AA battery functionality and the capability to TX out of band (only for true life or death emergencies where no other means of communication is available!), this is the ultimate SHTF radio, and a truly top notch ham HT for everyday use. It uses good old NIMH batteries that aren't destroyed when you leave them charged, and provide very adequate capacity for everyday use. Oh, and you get a well written ENGLISH manual.
My suggestion to those shopping for an HT and looking at the Baofeng. For the money, it's a great deal, but be aware of the pros and cons.
