The Whistler CR70 is a fairly basic dual-direction radar detector at an amazing price point. Whistler has been building radar detectors since the 1970s and is a trusted name in the industry. While this radar detector doesn’t have every imaginable feature and function, it does its basic job -detecting radar signals- remarkably well.
While we weren’t blown away by the performance of the Whistler CR70, we did find that it was effective at detecting radar signals quickly enough to provide a warning. Where we felt that it fell short was the false alert filtering. The Whistler CR70 seemed to pick up more false signals than some other models, even other designs from Whistler (>>> Check on Amazon).
Whistler CR70 Review of Main Specs:
 | |
|---|---|
| Whistler CR70 | |
| Range | Long Range |
| Built-in GPS | No |
| Display | Multi-color OLED |
| False Filter | X-band, K-band, Superwide Ka-band Filter |
| Red Light & Speed Camera Alerts | No |
| Speed-based Auto Mute | No |
| Bluetooth connectivity | No |
| Price | Find on Amazon |
Primary Features
The basics of the CR70 are pretty straight forward. The unit has an OLED display that provides the detected band of radar and a digital signal strength counter. The Whistler CR70 can detect X, K, and superwide Ka-band radar as well as laser. It will even let you know when law enforcement is using radar detector detection equipment in areas where the devices are illegal.
Laser detection can capture Laser Atlanta Stealth mode, Laser Ally, and LTI Truspeed S. These are the most-used bands currently in the United States. While the detector will let you know that you’ve just been hit with a laser, it does not have the ability to jam the laser signal, making the detection little more useful than a warning signal that you are going to get pulled over. While some higher-priced devices are introducing laser jammers, there is no such news from Whistler.
Pros
- The Whistler CR70 is one of the least expensive detectors around
- The simple and intuitive layout of functions makes it simple to start using right away
Cons
- False alert filtering isn’t robust enough
- The lack of GPS hinders the functionality of the detector
Functions
The Whistler CR70 is pretty basic and doesn’t have very many features. There are four buttons on the top of the CR70 that are for quiet mode, dark mode, city mode, and the menu. Volume selection is with a turning wheel on the side of the device.
City Mode
There are three different city mode settings. Each city mode silences the radar detector below a specified threshold to reduce the instance of false alerts when driving in parking lots and crowded areas with lots of different types of radar in use.
As there is no built-in GPS to provide the unit with speed monitoring, the functionality of the various city modes will depend on the areas you drive in. We’ve noticed that areas with a high density of in-use radar will always cause a false alert, while even some areas will alert when there is a low probability of a source. Click here for more options in a similar price range.
360-degree Protection
The dual-antenna design of the Whistler CR70 ensures that it will detect radar and laser signals from all sides of your vehicle while you are driving. All-around coverage is essential these days and the CR70 does a good job providing tech that is often only included in higher-price units.
The lack of directional arrows hinders the usefulness of location-based radar detection. Without some indication of where the radar is coming from, you may overreact when you don’t need to do so. Check the review of the newer radar detector from Whistler, the Titan.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for a bare-bones option that will give you a heads-up before getting your next ticket, the CR70 is a great choice (>>> Check the current price on Amazon). We think that most consumers will be happier spending just a little more and getting a detector that includes more robust false alert filtering and GPS with lockouts for common false alerts.
FAQs
Only if the cop is using radar or laser to check speeds. Radar isn’t always on, so the detector can’t tell you when you are approaching a cop car.
The detector is designed to capture any and all radar sources and has a basic filtering system that will prevent some alerts, but it will not filter most alerts originating from modern vehicles with driver safety features.
The Whistler CR70 is made in the USA from international components.