Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector Review
Don't give a hoot about what your radar detector looks like? Well thank goodness for that, because the Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector is one hideous piece of work. From the plastic casing, to the tacky silver buttons, to the static user display, there is literally nothing pretty about this radar detector.
Then again, for less than $50, what were you expecting? In all likelihood, you probably knew that the device you ended up with would be an ugly duckling, but you were possibly hoping that it had something special under the hood. So does it? Well, you'll have to read on to find out.
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Cobra ESD7100 9 Band Radar/Laser Detector
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Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector Specifications & Features
Band Detection
Arguably the most important bands which need to be included in a radar detector these days are Ka band and K band. Anything else is helpful, but not vital. Thankfully, the Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector provides us with these necessities (and a few extras on top of that).
Furthermore, Cobra have even provided us with state of the art LaserEye technology, which is able to pick up signals coming from any direction - not just from the front! And, further still, there's VG-2 immunity, so you won't get in trouble when you joyride around with this machine turned on.
Display & Layout
Oh dear. If only we could skip this section entirely. The Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector is not pretty, but the good thing about it is that it doesn't profess to be. There's nothing worse than a design which screams "ugly" only to be countered by developers and designs as being "elegant and slender". Amazingly, Cobra has admitted from time to time that the design of the Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector needs improvement, and all way can say to this is that yes, we agree.
Unique Technology
Having recovered from writing the above paragraph, we can now get back to the positives of this machine. One technological inclusion worth noting is the "Instant-On" sensor, which is able to pick up pre-signals from the latest speed detection machines.
Instant On radars do not provide a continuous signal, which makes it difficult for radar detectors to spot them. However, the Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector is able to spot leakage and noise from these radars, and therefore provide advance warning to drivers before their vehicle gets pinged.
Performance & Range
When it comes to radar detector performance, you often get what you pay for. Because you're paying under $50 for the Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector, the performance is in no way equivalent to top of the line radar detection systems. In our road test, we were notified of an oncoming, continuous Ka radar at a distance of 600 meters, and the machine picked up leakage from an Instant On radar at just 200 meters.
Our Rating of the Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector
For the price, the Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector does offer decent value for money. This machine will give you the important K and Ka band protection, albeit as a relatively close distance. The design is awful, but we can quickly forget about that by looking at the price.
Overall, 4 stars is in order with the Cobra ESD7100 Radar Detector.
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