When considering the purchase of radar detectors, there are two Uniden detectors that you should consider, the DFR9 Super Long Range and the R3 Extreme Long Range. Both of these detectors are high-quality detectors from a rock-solid company. In our opinion, the Uniden R3 is the winner of this comparison (>>> Check the current price on Uniden.com).
Uniden DFR9 vs R3 Side by Side:
 |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Uniden DFR9 | Uniden R3 | |
| Range | Super Long Range | Extreme Long Range |
| Built-in GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Display | Multi-color OLED | Multi-color OLED |
| False Filter | Advanced K /KA Band Filter | Advanced K /KA Band Filter |
| Red Light & Speed Camera Alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Speed-based Auto Mute | Yes | Yes |
| Updateable Firmware | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Find on Amazon | Find on Uniden.com Find on Amazon |
Are radar detectors worth it? Absolutely! The cost of one or two speeding tickets will more than justify the cost of a radar detector. Add to that “points” on your driver’s license and what they will do to your automotive insurance costs and you will quickly see that a good radar detector is worth every penny that you spend will on one. That is only if they function the way they should and provide you with an early enough warning to avoid that police officer with a radar gun hiding around that next bend.
So if you are going to purchase a radar detector, you need to buy a good one like the Uniden DFR9 or the R3. Here we will compare the two of them, Uniden DFR9 Detector vs. Uniden R3, and provide you with their benefits and shortcomings. Then you can decide which of the two would be better for your driving habits.
What to Look For In A Radar Detector
Range and Sensitivity – this should be your number one concern when shopping for a radar detector. More range and sensitivity increases the odds of your being able to respond to an alert. You need a detector that can “see” around the bend in the road or over the next hill before you get there. A detector’s range can vary widely depending upon the conditions and areas that you drive in.
Best for Sensitivity / Detection Range: Uniden R3
False Alert Filtering – there are lots of things that use radar these days. Automatic door openers on stores, some security systems, newer cars with accident avoidance systems just to name a few. If your radar detector consistently produces false alerts it will drive you crazy and defeat the purpose of owning it. A detector that has city and highway modes of operation is a plus. Also it should be able to reduce or completely shut off X band alerts. X band is the most commonly used band for all of these secondary radars and one that the police rarely use.
Best for False Alert Filtering: Tie
Voice Alerts – once your detector detects a radar signal, it sounds out the alert, usually with a tone, that gets either louder or faster depending on the signal strength. Detectors that have a voice alert will tell you the type of band detected before it sounds the tone warning. You don’t have to take your eyes off the road to glance at the detector’s display.
Best for Voice Alerts: Tie
Reaction Time – how quickly will the unit detect an on-and-off radar signal? Many police officers now use a method know as a “quick trigger”. They will turn on their radar gun, get a return, and then immediately thumb the gun off. Because of a slow detector reaction time, you just spent about $150 (average U.S. speeding ticket cost).
Best for Reaction Time: Uniden R3
Uniden DFR9 vs R3 comparison
Uniden DFR9
If you are willing to spend beyond what it takes to buy an entry level laser/radar detector but don’t want to spend what may be “crazy” money, the Uniden DFR9 may be the detector for you.
As its name says, this detector has super long-range capability and it also has GPS functions. Having GPS allows you to lock out false alerts when driving around areas of town that you are familiar with and have automatic door openers or digital construction signs, and other things that produce false alerts.
The DFR9 comes with alerts for speed cameras and red light cameras. It has an easy to read display and voice notifications. One other handy bonus is that theDFR9’s cigarette charger has a mute key that allows you to mute the detector without having to reach as far to mute the detector. Click here for our more in-depth Uniden DFR9 review.
Pros
- Competitively priced for the range it provides
- 360 degree monitoring
- OLED display that is easy to read in bright sunlight
- Built-in GPS features to help eliminate false alerting
- Red light and speed camera alerting
Cons
- Mounting bracket not the greatest
- Overly sensitive for in town driving
- GPS function responds to manually locked out locations
Uniden R3
The Uniden R3 is one of the most advanced detectors on the market and it has an amazing detection range, reported to detect radar at a range 12 times greater than a police radar gun. Also, the R3 can be dashboard mounted.
The other great feature of the R3 is its invisibility to Spectre Elite detector detectors. It can’t be “seen” by VG2, Spectre I, IV, or IV+. One more benefit is the addition of a USB port on the power cable. You no longer have to sacrifice using your radar detector to charge your cell phone. More detailed review of this radar detector can be found here
Pros
- 360-degree monitoring
- Adjustable brightness OLED display
- GPS features
- Red light and speed camera alerting
- Invisible to Spectre Elite detectors
- Extra USB connection on the cigarette lighter adapter
Cons
- Some blind spot monitoring on new cars leaks through
- Audio component and power cord reliability issues
And The Winner Is…
The DFR9 and the R3 are both above-average choices in radar detectors. Their displays are easy to read, even in bright sunlight. The DFR9 has an auto dim feature that the R3 doesn’t, but you can still hand-adjust the R3. Both do a good job of utilizing GPS technology.
The Uniden R3 is the overall winner because of its ability to “hide” from radar detector detectors and its ability to detect radar at longer ranges (>>> Check current price on Amazon). Greater detection distance gives you more time to react. It cost a little more that the DFR9, but that gap is decreasing.
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