Whistler XTR-695 Radar Detector Review
In the past, we've reviewed a number of products from Whistler, which have proven to be on both sides of the usability spectrum - from extremely easy to use through to very complex and sophisticated.
With the Whistler XTR-695 Radar Detector, the manufacturer has clearly looked to place the model in the middle ground (no man's land), by providing the basic features by default, with many advanced features in the background which can be optionally turned on or off as necessary.
We took an in depth look at this device, putting it through our usual checklist of necessary features and specifications, to see whether or not the mixture of sophistication and simplicity was balanced or alternatively a little out of skew.
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Whistler XTR-695 Radar/Laser Detector with Real Voice Alerts and External Audio Jack
List Price: 1 used from $198.99  
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Whistler XTR-695 Radar Detector Specifications & Features
Band Detection
Because Ka band is the most commonly used detection band employed by law enforcement agencies these days, the Whistler XTR-695 Radar Detector has a major focus on improving the range and performance of this signal in particular. The unit has a function called Ka Max, which is able to be turned on and off according to your requirements.
When off, all of the bands (X, K, Ka, etc) share the same detection strength - that is, the range for detection of all of these bands is almost identical. However, when Ka Max is switched on, the Ka detector is awarded extra power at the expense of less important bands such as X - and therefore the performance of this individual band can be significantly increased.
Display & Layout
The display screen on the Whistler XTR-695 Radar Detector is slightly bigger than other Whistler models, and this is definitely a good thing. Previously, it was a bit of a struggle to see the specifics of a notification (especially if the unit provided frequency and strength details), so this issue has been completely resolved with the XTR-695. Also, there are 7 different back light colors for you to choose from!
Additionally, the user buttons on top of the machine have been streamlined, and are now arranged in a far more logical way.
Unique Technology
There are a few added extras on this unit which we have never seen on any other radar device. One of these is the "stay alert" feature, which provides random test signals requiring a button press within a certain amount of time. We're not sure whether anyone would actually use this, but it is a clever feature to keep you awake if you're tired.
Perhaps a slightly more useful feature is the automatic battery monitor, which is able to keep an eye on your vehicle battery capacity, and switch the detector off (when not in use of course) if you forget to manually turn it off when exiting the vehicle. This certainly saves flat batteries as a result of your radar being left on overnight.
Our Rating of the Whistler XTR-695 Radar Detector
We think the Whistler XTR-695 Radar Detector finally represents an evolution of the radar detector industry, and the added features on this model clearly show that this company is not afraid of innovation and creativity. Therefore, this model gets a concrete 5 stars from us.
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