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Hunting for artifacts in Stalker 2 is more lucrative than selling all your guns or other loot. Finding artifacts, for that matter, ought to be one of your frequent activities. And when it comes to locating artifacts, detectors in Stalker 2 are a godsend. We’re here to help you with your detectors in Stalker 2 and which among them is the most helpful while also helping you detect them.
Best Detector Types in Stalker 2
Your options are limited to two here. There’s only a total of four detectors in Stalker 2 and you get one of them by default (the worst one). So if you’re looking for some kind of endgame upgrade path, keep an eye out for these two detectors:
| Detector Type | Why It’s the Best | Location |
| Veles Detector | Displays the artifact’s exact location. It also displays the anomalies on its screen. | “In Search of Past Glory” main quest. Make sure to take the psi-radiation suppressor blueprint to Dr. Dvupalov. You’ll get the Veles Detector as a reward. |
| Bear Detector | Radial display and detection. Easier to obtain. | “A Sign of Hope” quest. It’s a side mission you can access in the Wild Island region. Talk to Prof. Lodochka. |
Either of those two is good, but the Veles Detector is your be-all, end-all option since it actually shows the exact location of artifacts and anomalies on its display. It’s a mid-game item, however, so you can’t rush to it as fast as the Bear Detector.
The Bear Detector, on the other hand, is a side mission reward and something you can access more easily. We recommend grabbing that one as fast as possible. It might struggle a bit with elevation and isn’t as good as the Veles Detector, of course.
Other Detectors in Stalker 2
The two other detector types in Stalker 2 are as follows:
| Detector Type | Why It’s Good | Location |
| Hilka Detector | Longer range than the Bear Detector. Better than the Echo Detector. | “The Budmo!” side quest in Slag Heap, Garbage. Steal it from one of the three stashes in the tower nest mission area. |
| Echo Detector | Free and effortless to obtain. | Given for free. |
The only thing we don’t recommend using is the Echo Detector since it’s the worst of the bunch though if you have no choice, then any port in a storm will do. We do urge you to at least upgrade to the Hilka Detector once you get to the Garbage region in-game.
Even though it’s the 3rd best detector in Stalker 2, it still has a longer range than the Bear Detector (50 meters vs. 100 meters). Thankfully, you can keep several detectors, so don’t sell them all unless you already have the Veles Detector.
