Whistler DE-1793 SE - The Bells & Whistles... Where's The Awesome Range?

The Whistler DE-1793 SE is the top-of-the-line radar detector offered by Whistler. It shares the same frame as the Whistler DE-1748/63/83 detectors. It's larger in size than the Whistler DE-1733/43/53 detectors. Well, with the increase in size, one can assume that there is a larger antenna allowing for extended range, and of course more features. Well, it was exciting to see how Whistler's top dog played out, so here's what I found.

-Price-
*The Whistler DE-1793 SE comes in at around $140-$150 from online retailers. What makes the Whistler DE-1793 SE so expensive is that it's based on the larger body of Whistler detectors, and also it sports all of the features that you can possibly imagine (Except GPS). When it's at this price range, it comes into contact with other competitive detectors such as the Bel Vector 940, Cobra XR-1050, and even the Bel Express 930. While the Whistler DE-1793 SE has more features than these models, it lacks more in range. The Whistler DE-1793 SE only differs from the other Whistler models using the same body by its features. It has a red text display, digital compass, records voice memos, and voice alerts. The memo is something you won't find on any other detectors on the market. But when you've got the cops in mind, you don't need all of these bell and whistles, you just want performance... So when it comes to sensitivity, the Whistler DE-1793 SE simply falls short of other models in the same price range. Therefore, the Whistler DE-1793 SE is less worthy of being purchased compared to other detectors.

-Performance-
*The Whistler DE-1793 SE performs just like the cheaper Whistler models based on the same frame. Their performance is satisfactory at the Magical $100 mark, but the Whistler DE-1793 SE has definitely crossed the line. So, onto performance... When it came to X-Band, the Whistler DE-1793 SE performed well. Since there are just about no X-Band cops in these parts of Illinois, I had to drive on a straight road coming up against an X-Band transponder that gives off a full strength signal. It provided excellent range, but just about any detector, cheap or expensive, can pick up X-Band. Since X-Band guns are almost obsolete, this is less useful. When it came to K-Band, the Whistler DE-1793 SE provided adequate warning time to slow down. Enough time to slow down if you're doing within 10-15mph above the speed limit. However, the Bel Vector 940 which is similarily priced can outperform it by providing a significantly longer warning time. When it came to Ka-Band, the Whistler DE-1793 SE once again provided only adequate performance. It's enough to just get by if you hit the brakes once you hear the alert. The Bel Vector 940 completely out-performs it. The Whistler DE-1793 SE might be loaded with features, but the performance isn't much compared to a similarily priced Bel Vector 940. A radar detector is meant to detect radar, and not have lots of pointless features. However, the performance is still ok, so if you absolutely need to have the features, you'd like this detector.

-Ease of Use & Features-
*The Whistler DE-1793 SE is the one of the most feature-rich radar detectors on the market. It has a digital compass for those who are very directionally challenged. It also allows you to record voice memos. I can't explain how pointless that feature is, but hey... Some people find it useful. It has an easy to read text display which will show you the band and also a clear representation of the signal strength with the strength-bar. The Whistler DE-1793 SE has voice alerts, which a lot of people find useful since it allows you to keep your eyes on the road, and it's also good if you don't enjoy memorizing the different tones or make visual identifications. It also picks up Safety Warning System (SWS) messages which can alert the driver of road hazards. The Whistler DE-1793 SE can take some time to get used to since it has all of those features, but you'd get the hang of it. Using it basically though is fairly simple, you can turn it on or off with the power button, you have the City/Highway mode button which allows you to make use of the different modes, you have the Quiet button which mutes the alerts. Also, you can use the auto-quiet feature which sounds the alert for a brief time, then sounds it at a very low volume. Then finally the volume can easily be adjusted by two separate buttons. Overall, it's easy to get the hang of it. As for basic functions, it's like any other radar detector.

-The Verdict-
*Even though the Whistler DE-1793 SE offers so many features, it still is a bit lacking on the range compared to other detectors in the Mid-$100 range, such as the Bel Vector 940. It does prove itself to be satisfactory at allowing an occassional speeder to slow down, but if you're lead footed, look elsewhere. But then again, if you absolutely need to have all the features that you can (And then again, can't) handle, then the Whistler DE-1793 SE is an acceptable choice. But at the price, you can get a much better performer.