Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
Notably the R8 also beat out the R7 on 33.8, 34.7, 35.5, and K band. Given that the R7 is already a top notch detector, it looks like the R8 does indeed offer even longer range as advertised. The Uniden R8 is Uniden’s current top-performing windshield mount radar detector and is currently the best performing detector on the market, bar none. Note: I’ve tested two R8’s, both provided by Uniden. One has pre-production hardware, the other production. Both are running beta firmware. I’ve been mostly driving with the production R8. It has firmware 1.22 which is very close to the production firmware 1.23 that will be shipped on retail R8’s and should offer the same performance and overall experience as what we’ve been testing, according to what I’ve been told. Also, as always, this is not a paid or sponsored review. Design A long range, highly customizable, high-performing radar detector with great false alert filtering and a fast response time I generally select the speed and compass display mode. When driving in Canada (where posted speeds and distances are in the metric system) I select KM/H over MPH speed display. Audio Behavior Alert Tones
Like the Uniden R7, the R8 has the same large and wonderfully bright and readable multi-color OLED display and an auto-dimming feature based upon actual ambient light which allows for more discreet driving in the evening. User Marks (also called “location marking” in radar detector lingo) work similarly, but you will use them for areas with a known, recurring radar source. When passing by this area, press the Mark button to save that location. The R8 will issue a voice prompt the next time you are near that saved location. One thing to note: you cannot save a new location if there is a previous User Mak within a 1,600 ft radius (I have never run into an issue with this). Memory Quota At distances of about 500 feet the Uniden R8 was able to alert so long as the license plate area was targeted, but did not alert when either headlight was targeted. Detection improved farther away and by 900 feet and beyond the R8 was able to consistently alert to laser regardless of the targeting points. Like its predecessor, the V1 Gen2’s laser detection ability remains unmatched and this capability should never be discounted as I have personally benefited from advanced detection warnings of laser when another vehicle ahead of me was being targeted. Multi-color OLED display can be hard to read at times in bright sunlight (but increases longevity of the display)The devices we tested range from not-too-pricey to serious investment status, so finding the perfect combination of price and performance can be challenging. Comparing our scores to the price is a great place to start. This ups their sensitivities by 3dB which equates to a potential of about 40% in increased detection range over the outgoing Max 360c. Laser tends to get easier to detect when one drives with lighter colored vehicles having sloped hoods because of reflections from the hood tend to be more easily “seen” by the laser sensor so those results are subjected to improving further. Overall we were pleased with the R8’s laser detection, although we always would like more.
The R8’s OLED display is similar to the R7 and will show the frequency when a particular radar band is detected. The corresponding signal strength indicator moves from green to yellow and then to orange and red, depending on how close you are to the threat. Audible alerts are issued simultaneously, with the tones becoming more rapid the closer you are to the radar source. Similar to the R7, the Uniden R8 shows which direction the threat is coming from via a solid red arrow. With the R8 on K band, I wanted to see how its new Auto Mode affects performance, and if TSF impacts performance. Even so, it provided good detection performance and was very cool looking, but it simply wasn’t up to the performance of Escort radar detectors. It didn’t take long for the answers to come and I was very pleasantly surprised to have a pre-release Uniden R8 in my hands in early November. Uniden honored us by allowing us to have to have the first look at their soon to be released Uniden R8 when they got their first small batch of pre-production units and I have been driving with it extensively since that time.In my opinion, though, having SPECTRE immunity, while nice, is not foolproof and I have an article that I will be publishing soon explaining why. Display When overtaking in the same direction of travel, we would occasionally get alerted just as we were beginning to pass the vehicle with the R8, again on either side of the vehicle. Both Mk IIs get an updated M13 platform, the same that can be found in their MAXcam 360c dashcam integrated radar detector. Like Escort’s other GPS radar detectors, the Redline 360c alerts very well to redlight and speed camera locations. Like the R7, the Uniden R8 has a City and Highway mode. In City mode, X and K band sensitivity is reduced to prevent false alerts, while Ka bands stay at full sensitivity. In Highway mode, all bands go to full sensitivity to give you the most reaction time on the open road. You can further optimize the R8’s sensitivity levels through the Advanced mode. Similar to the R7, you can adjust the Rear Balance of the R8 in the settings menu. OLED Display & All Threat
We also simulated a situation where the patrol car was sitting in the median perpendicular to the road. In this setup. the SPECTRE was unable to alert to the presence of the R8 in any circumstance as the vehicle passed by. An expensive, albeit feature-rich, radar detector that comes complete with live information from a community of like-minded drivers Amazing! Uniden not only raised and set the bar for radar detector range... They have now shattered it! Destroying any and all competition. On the positive side, the Redline 360c can now reliably detect FMCW photo radar sources such as MRCD and MestaFusion. If you don’t mind spending the money, the R8 will give you the most situational awareness with the least amount of effort. This is what I appreciate most about the R8. With the directional alert arrows, voice notifications, Gatso detection, and All Threat feature, I have a good idea of what’s happening around me. Then, with the R8’s new Auto Sensitivity mode, I don’t have to worry about messing around with anything while I drive.
The end result is, that after many years, Whistler finally has a radar detector that can consistently compete with the best radar detectors available today. Unlike police radar which can be detected by many entry level radar detectors, lasers use LiDAR technology to point to a certain vehicle and know its speed. This is also more accurate than the conventional methods and works by determining speed based on the returned reflection pulses off cars. Some commonly used police lasers include LTI Truspeed SXB, Stalker RLR, DragonEye Compact, etc. In any event, the Uniden R8 builds upon the already extreme performance of the Uniden R7 and provides its driver with as much sensitivity one could ever desire.
Most people don’t need stealth capabilities, myself included, but if this capability is of critical importance to you, you may want to consider choosing another detector. Bluetooth When it comes to filters, both Uniden R7 and Uniden R8 have the same features. However, there are significant differences in the way they function. This is a valid question, considering the Uniden R8 is one of the more expensive radar detectors on the market. Ultimately it comes down to what you will realistically need and use on your daily drive. Slow responding radar detectors may appear to do well with “filtering” or false alerting resistance, but can come with a steep price in making you more prone to missing an advanced alert from a vehicle ahead of you that is being targeted.Are you trying to decide between Uniden R7 and R8? Detection range is an important factor for any radar detector. So, it’s good to know which of these two models provides the best detection. This top-of-the-line, feature-rich radar detector comes complete with auto-learning for both the tech-heads and the technologically challenged
Great Deal 
New Comment