Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector Review
If you're looking for a radar detector which has a major focus on cutting out false signals, and providing heightened sensitivity to all band types whilst out on the open road, the Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector may be the perfect choice for you.
Recently, Whistler (the manufacturer) has undergone a few structural changes to their company, and this is in fact the first product to be released from them since this time.
So, it does well on paper, but how well does it do in reality? We put it to the test to find out.
 |
Whistler Pro-78SE High Performance Radar Detector
List Price:  
|
Eligible for free shipping!
Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector Specifications & Features
Band Detection
The Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector provides protection from all of the major bands currently in use by law enforcement agencies - such as K, Ka, and the slightly newer Ku. Additionally, VG-2 and Spectre support come standard, and each of these bands noted above can be individually switched on and off.
One of the most useful functions of the PRO-78 is the band prioritization function. Usually, if two bands are detected at the same time, a typical radar detector will simply switch alerting between the two. However, the PRO-78 is unique in that it chooses the most important band, and only focuses on that one.
Display & Layout
This radar detector by Whistler seems to have taken a page out of Beltronic's design book with the Whistler PRO-78 SE model. It would appear that they have gone with a blue backlighting and blue LED user screen to give the device an added "cool" look.
User buttons have also been significantly modified from past models, and are now conveniently and elegantly positioned in groups on top of the unit.
Unique Technology
The Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector provides for a number of clever technological developments, including real voice alerts when a signal is detected, an auto-dimming feature which adjusts the power of the lighting on the unit at night, and 3 individual sensitivity modes, which are able to provide different levels of detection depending on your driving location.
Performance & Range
In our tests, the Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector performed above average in "line of sight" tests, where we had a Ka omitting radar advancing towards our test vehicle in a straight line. The PRO-78 SE started picking up the signal from 1,400 meters away, which is just over a mile.
In cornering tests however, the Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector only scored an average mark, as it was only able to detect a Ka band from 600 meters away.
Our Rating of the Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector
Overall, we feel that this "new look" Whistler product is definitely here to give the market a bit of a shakeup. Currently retailing for under $100, the Whistler PRO-78 SE Radar Detector provides all of the features found in models priced at $300 - $500, so it definitely represents value for money. We award 4.5 stars to Whistler for the PRO-78 SE model.
Related radar detector reviews:
