- Apple CarPlay Compatible
Easily view your route and all alerts on your Apple CarPlay compatible vehicle display. - Advanced detection with AutoLearn intelligence
The Cobra RAD 700i makes your driver smarter and safer with a connected radar detector providing premium detection range and advanced false alert filtering for a quieter ride. - Premium detection range
Get radar alerts earlier and faster with an all-new antenna platform and Digital Signal Processing (DSP). - Quieter ride
Advanced filtering software knows what’s a valid signal and what’s not so you only get the right alerts at the right time. - Shared radar and laser alerts
With the Drive Smarter app, you can share and receive radar and laser alerts from other connected detectors. - 5-color OLED display
A crystal-clear OLED display let’s you customize the RAD 700i display colors to match your vehicle’s interior lighting. - Radar detectors are not available for purchase in Washington D.C. or Virginia.
-36%
Cobra – RAD 700i Radar Detector – Black
$120.00 Save:$67.00(36%)
Available in stock
Description
Additional information
| Weight | 0.4 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 5.13 × 3.13 × 1.25 in |
| Mounting Style | Windshield |
| Ka Photo Radar | Yes |
| Product Width | 3.13 inches |
| Ku-Band Radar | No |
| Voice Alerts | Yes |
| Internal Memory | Yes |
| Product Depth | 5.13 inches |
| Product Height | 1.25 inches |
| App Compatible | Yes |
| Manufacturer's Warranty - Parts | 1 year |
| Electronic Compass | Yes |
| Mute Function | Yes |
| Laser | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | No |
| GPS Enabled | Yes |
| Pulse Warning | Yes |
| Selectable Display Colors | Yes |
| Product Weight | 0.4 pounds |
| Touch Screen | No |
| Model Number | 0180012-1 |
| Color Category | Black |
| Rechargeable Battery | No |
| X-Band Radar | Yes |
| Color | Black |
| Product Name | RAD 700i Radar Detector |
| Mobile Operating System Compatibility | Android |
| K-Band Radar | Yes |
| Manufacturer's Warranty - Labor | 1 year |
| Brand | Cobra |
| City/Highway Modes | Yes |
| Ka Wideband Radar | Yes |
| UPC | 028377108198 |
Reviews (43)
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Pablo –
Excellent detector. Cobra really hit the mark with this one. Great lines and stylish.
vollmer2010 –
This accessory makes life so much easier when traveling. I find I have a smoother ride with less anxiety and worry, even on those pesky 10 hour road trips back to my hometown. The display is clean and clear with no question what I am looking at, making life easier when I only have a split second to take my eyes from the road. Bluetooth capability creates seamless connectivity to the app, making things easily hands free. Anything that needs to be done by hand while driving can be done with the simple push of a button without taking eyes from the road. This model also has a magnetic mount so the accessory can be removed to prevent theft.
My favorite feature is the Autolearn Intelligence. It helps block false alarm alerts (which happen more often than you might think) with a built-in GPS and software that learns over time. The app that goes along with this accessory has SO many cool features, including a constantly updated database with new red light cameras/speed traps, help from others who also use the app for detection, and much more.
Brett –
Cobra has been making electronics that focus on drivers and their cars for a number of years now – and there’s a reason that they’ve survived and thrived for that period. They deliver on devices that give you just what you need and nothing that you don’t. This RAD 700i detector is another great example of that.
The detector itself is fairly simple with a simple screen that shows you what is detected and how much (when it’s not detecting something, the screen can be in a screen saver or show you your GPS tracked speed. I like that you can (in the app) change the color of the screen between a few different options – I like the blue as it matches the other displays in my car. The mount is secure and easy to use and the cord is long enough to reach your DC plug (the cigarette adapter) likely wherever that may be. It does seem to alert when it should..and not when it shouldn’t. It also has GPS-based learning so it can learn where there’s a stationary radar that’s a false alarm and stop alerting there.
When you add the APP though (Drive Smarter) and pair your detector with your phone, then you get even more. You can get alerts when you’re coming up on places where others have reported things that the detector ought to alert you to which extends your own range and gives you even better advanced warnings. It also will pick up the speed limits for the road you’re on and can display that so you know how fast you should be going (it can also alert when you go over the speed limit or a different speed you might set).
So if you like to be extra aware of what’s around you while you’re driving, this is a great detector to drive with. Give it a try today!
Jeff –
For starters this is not a cobra radar detector of old that goes off after the cop is handing you your ticket for speeding. This my friends is a Cobra RAD 700i and it is actually very very good. It has some features i have not seen on most cobra radar detectors like the lock out for instance. So what that is in a nutshell is you drive by the same store or speed radar sign letting you know how fast you are going every day and every day your radar detector goes off every day like clockwork you know as you get by the store or radar sign it is going to sound. But now you can click lock out so your radar detector will not go off warning you that there is a store nearby. So now when you are driving by the store or radar sign and it goes off it’s actually a valid signal you are being clocked. You can also set it up via bluetooth with your phone to play with the settings and use the included driving software to chart a drive and as you drive you can click a button on your phone letting other users of the software know there is a actual cop or a false hit in a certain area. So you plan your route and if other users have reported police in that area you will know before you even take off to watch your speed. A couple other very nice features are it shows you what the speed is and if you go ever that speed the over speed alarm will sound letting you know hay it 25 mph and your doing 50 slow down. I am very impressed with its ability to learn where areas have false hits and mute it so it does not sound. Also i have noticed in areas were i would get false hits all the time this radar detector knows it’s not really a real laser or radar signal and will not even go off to false hits. You can also in the settings turn off certain bands if you know the police do not use that band in your area so it won’t hit like your being gunned for the local store’s door opening. To be honest if i could give this radar detector 10 starts i would. For the money you are finally getting a radar detector you can trust.
Dontech –
The Cobra RAD 700i radar detector is not just a detector but much more. (Mississippi and Virginia are now the only 2 states that band radar detectors)
The box the device comes in is very small BUT well packaged. You get a charge 12v cigarette style power cord, I really wish this was USB C ( their is a usb on the detector BUT you can not power the device with it). You get a very small instruction manual, that gets to the main points only.
Download the Drive Smarter app, pair the detector with the phone and app and off you go.
You can adjust all settings in the app and most on the device if you choose. The great feature of the detector is the ability to show you traffic light cameras, and that alone is a great feature, as sometimes you are just not fully aware of traffic light cameras and this will save you the devices price in a short time. The app has its version of maps in it BUT I tried to use it for directions and a normal 50 minute trip was 1.5 hours with its directions (confused???) not good in my experience.
The only other annoying factor is Apple car play cancels the detector to function properly (traffic light camera location), not the device fault but IOStrying to keep you safer and mainly IOS from getting sued. So I have to not use car play when I need traffic light camera locations.
The detector radar detected a hidden police vehicle with plenty of time for you to adjust speed if needed.
I would recommend the product as long as you understand IOS faults (if used with and IOS device, have not tested with android as I don’t have one)
beefrob –
When I received the Cobra RAD 700i it was for a second vehicle that I use for work. I already had an Escort 360 Mk 2 that I have been very pleased with in my primary truck. The good thing about already having a top end radar detector was that I could compare them side by side. First of all, the Cobra RAD 700i is a mid priced radar detector made by the same parent company as the Escort. The Cobra is a simple to use, almost plug and play, radar detector that allows you enough adjustability to tailor it to your liking, but not enough to get lost in all the settings. You can turn on and off a screen saver and battery saver, change screen colors, turn on and off the different bands such as X,K and KA as well as some specialty K band frequencies. The detector tuns on with a rotary wheel on the side, which also adjusts volume. This unit comes with autolearn so frequent false alarms will be automatically added for a quieter ride. It also contains a defender database that has preprogrammed stoplight cameras and other speed trap type areas. This unit also connects to the same drive smarter app that Escort uses which allow you to change settings on the radar detector from your phone if you choose. Since I have been using the Cobra, I have had very few false alarms. The filtering capability of this unit is outstanding, especially for one in this price range. The other amazing discovery is how sensitive this detector is. When placed side by side, there was very little difference in the reaction time between this detector and the Escort costing twice as much. In fact, I still have trouble believing how close they are on both K band and KA band radars. If you are in the market for a good radar detector and can’t make yourself shell out the bucks for the top tier radar detectors, you might want to give the Cobra 700i a good look. If it has the features you are looking for, it certainly, at least in my case, has the range you need in everyday driving situations.
MadSquabbles –
The RAD 700i is a decent detector, but it’s hard to say how effective it is. It’s not a fault of the detector more than it is the area that I commute. I mostly take backroads and a large stretch of highway that’s still under construction. After 5 years of construction (with another 5 planned) cops rarely pull anyone over on that 25mi stretch because they have nowhere to pull them over. So I have no input on highway performance yet.
The back roads I took, my other detector picked up a KA band that must have been on one of the side roads. I never saw the cop and the signal would increase as I came to the intersection and drop as I passed. The RAD 700i never picked either signal. I set the sensitivity to max instead of auto so I could pick up everything.
Some of the X bands that my other detector would pick up (but I have locked out – it still displays, just doesn’t chirp) also weren’t picked up by RAD 700i.
Luck of the draw had it that I didn’t have to deal with any cops along the highway so I can’t say with certainty whether the detector would have spotted them or not.
One thing that puzzled me was what was the need for a barrel connector when it already has a microusb port that has enough draw to power the device. It’s only used for updating, nothing else. The included adapter hogs your lighter port all by itself. So if you have multiple devices, like I do, Cobra doesn’t think they’re important enough to consider. I ended up buying a universal USB cable with barrel connectors. It works fine with my 4 port charger.
Now for the app – GARBAGE. All I needed was a no nonsense app that allow for adjusting settings and downloading firmware. You have to open an account, allow crazy amounts of permission, and allow for tracking ALL THE TIME. After setting up the device it was immediately deleted.
I don’t speed much, so here’s to hoping the detector alerts me in time to check myself when I’m feeling feisty.
Fordman9870 –
The Cobra Rad 700i will save your bacon!!
I have a high end model that we use in my wife’s SUV which is our primary driver. I wanted an economical unit that was good for my truck. I don’t have a heavy foot or condone speeding but my issue is with absent mindedness (my wife thinks this is constant) when driving.
I will get to driving or talking and not even think about speed and by the time I see the police, it’s too late my heart jumps a beat or two and wonder if he was working or on break and looking at his phone. More times than not he was working and my wallet got thinner.
With the Cobra as my helper I am more at ease when driving, my heart still jumps I see a hidden LEO but the Quiet Detector confirms that he wasn’t looking for speeders.
Compared to the top end. This unit surprised me. Every time my other unit alerted, this one was within a second to do the same for X, K, KA and Laser. The fact that it uses Drive smarter app is great. My detector paired in seconds and was able to tweak all the settings to my liking, even the color (5 different ones). It was nice to see that I could mute X as this one is really no longer used and will go off a lot in town as automatic doors use X. The app also keeps you updated should any traps be set via the app which is updated from other detectors that are connected.
The voice alerts are clear and concise. All alerts can be muted with a push of a button if there is a constant alarm from an officer close by.
The Rad 700i is perfect for me and I would recommend to family and friends.
The mount is perfect and can be used over and over. I have the same mount in our other car and we have used it in multiple cars for 2 years without issue.
uicc676 –
Installation and use of this radar detector is very simple and straightforward. The windshield mount is a suction cup which installs easily and stays in place but is also easily removed if needed. The radar detector attaches to the mount with a hook and magnet which holds it securely in place. The power cord plugs into your car’s 12V outlet. Unlike other power cords I’ve used, unfortunately the power cord plug that comes with this radar detector does not have a USB port built into it.
This radar detector can be used stand alone or in conjunction with Cobra’s Drive Smarter app, which will provide additional functionality including Red Light Camera alerts, and an Over Speed Limit warning that can be set from off to up to 25 MPH over the speed limit. Without the Drive Smarter app you only get the radar and laser alerts.
This radar detector works very well, it has good range and sensitivity. I used it side by side with a highly rated radar detector from a different manufacturer for comparison purposes and they were identical in identifying and giving alerts to radar and red-light cameras, giving me confidence that this Cobra was picking up every signal it should. This detector also auto learns false alerts in commercial settings. When the same stationary signal is detected in the same location on three different occasions the system will lock out those alerts. That seems to work very well as I noticed fewer alerts in those settings after driving the same routes for a week.
Radar, redlight, and other alerts are given by audio tones and visual display on the radar screen, which can be set to any one of several color choices. The one negative I found with this radar detector is that the display, which is adjustable for brightness, is too dim during bright sunny days on its brightest setting. You can’t see very well what it’s displaying. I tried all the colors, none was any more visible than the others.
A lot of radar signals are just noise from commercial areas, and without going into a lot of technical details there are specific bands that can be turned off or on through the menu to filter out the noise. Usually what you want to be alerted to is Ka band radar which is what most police use. When you get a Ka band alert that’s definitely police radar. In the city, turn off the others, in rural areas you may want to have all bands turned on.
This radar detector has some additional features including setting Detail amount for radar signals, Mute, Quiet Drive that turns off audio alerts, Voice on/off, Screen Saver, Language- English/Spanish, Smart Power auto turn off after 15 minutes, and car voltage display.
I like this radar detector, but I’m frustrated by not being able to very easily see what was on the display during bright sunny days due to it being too dim. Therefore, I cannot recommend it.
Patrick –
I was really taken aback by how easy and simple the Cobra RAD 700i Radar Detector was to setup and begin using. It is truly 100% plug-in and begin using. Because I own an Escort radar detector, even the app was already pre-installed on my phone. A couple of clicks and it was paired and ready. The most difficult part of the entire setup experience was trying to figure out exactly where I wanted to mount it on the windshield.
The RAD 700i detects Laser, X-Band, K-Band, Ka Photo, and Ka Wideband Radar. As well, it has both City and Highway modes. Because most of my driving is on the highway, I leave it on highway mode. The difference between the two is the city mode greatly reduces the range of detection as it filters out almost all of the garbage signals from garage door openers, automatic door openers, and all the other sources that utilize radar to operate. Highway mode picks up every little signal pretty much, but when traveling at much higher speeds on the highway, it is best to be safe, not sorry.
Since I have been using the RAD 700i, I have been majorly impressed with how much chatter is eliminated, which makes for a quieter ride. I like having the ability to manually filter hits that I know are not police radar, and not having to deal with them when I pass through again.
But the real test of a radar detector isn’t in filtering out errant signals, but whether it picks up legitimate signals. I live in a rural setting, and driving to work entails driving through a couple of small towns, notorious for stopping speeders. So far the 700i has hit on every speed trap, way in advance. I appreciate this a lot because the speed traps are not an every day occurrence, so its nice to know if they are active or not.
So, as far as detecting radar and laser, the RAD 700i seems to be at the top of its game. Call me a minimalist, but in the end the only thing I really care about is if it will keep me from getting a speeding ticket. Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate the ability to be part of a community awareness group to help others know what is going on via the app. Knowing what might be ahead, and also being able to let others know what to expect is fantastic. But trying to use an app while driving creates a whole list of issues.
The one and only thing I do not like about the 700i is that the display brightness is abysmal. I have the display brightness turned up all the way, and I cannot see it if the sun is out. I don’t know if this is an issue with only my unit, but if not, I think Cobra should revisit this issue.
All in all, I really like the Cobra RAD 700i Radar Detector. It does its job, and it does it well. If you are looking for a great radar detector that will keep you safe in most situations, this is the one to get. It’s priced great, has all the functions you need!
IndyTechGuy –
For those that always ask, there is an accompanying app named Drive Smarter for this unit, but it’s not required for use. The app gives you access to receive and share alerts with other connected units. Unlike other detectors I’ve owned, this unit has built in GPS. With that as you silence false alerts it will note the location and not alert you in the future. I also noted a big difference in signal filtering that has resulted in fewer false alerts. The antenna to detect laser speed detection from the front or the rear. There are 3 sensitivity modes for signal detection, and an auto function that works when connected to the Drive Smarter app that will adjust the setting based on your speed.
The unit had a rotary on/off/volume control, as well as buttons to mark false alerts, adjust the display brightness, access the device menu, change the sensitivity and to mute the sound manually or automatically. When the mute is set to auto, you hear about 4 seconds of the alert and then it reduces the volume if there is a signal. The display will show the radar band, signal strength (how close the source of the alert is) and frequency. When connected to your phone it can also display your speed, and you can set over speed alerts. The unit has the choice of English or Spanish language. There’s also an option to show less detail on the screen which will result in the signal strength being shown as Low/Med/High. Additionally, you can turn on/off any of the band detections as well as a low voltage alert.
When connect to the Drive Smarter app, the unit will alert you to the proximity of Red-Light Camera’s, Speed Traps, Photo Enforcement Zones, Speed Cameras, and Caution areas by itself or in tandem with radar alerts.
There’s also a smart power mode that will put the unit in standby for 15 minutes if the car is turned off for short stops, which will avoid any delays going through a fresh power on cycle.
The unit has a built-in speed camera and red-light camera database that can be updated via a computer app along with any firmware updates.
KenE –
I have to say that I’m generally impressed with the Cobra RAD 700i. Its sleek and discreet design caught my eye right out of the box, and it seamlessly blends into my car’s interior. Setting it up was a breeze, and I appreciate that it didn’t require any complex installation procedures. Just plug it in, mount it, and you’re good to go.
One of the standout features of this radar detector is the companion app. I found the app to be user-friendly and packed with some great features. It allowed me to customize settings, receive real-time alerts, and even share alerts with other Cobra users in the area. Plus, the ability to access a community of fellow drivers sharing updates on speed traps and traffic enforcement areas is awesome.
However, when it comes to radar detectors, I’m a bit of a “plug and play” enthusiast. While I appreciate the app’s functionality, I do sometimes find myself wishing for a more straightforward, standalone experience. There are moments when I just want to focus on the road without fiddling with my phone, and that’s where the Cobra RAD 700i falls slightly short for me. Please, don’t use your phone and drive.
Performance-wise, the Cobra RAD 700i generally excels in detecting radar and laser signals. It has saved me from a few speed traps, which is precisely what you want from a radar detector. However, there have been a few instances where it seemed to under-detect certain signals. While it’s not a frequent occurrence, it’s something to keep in mind if you rely heavily on a radar detector for your daily driving. You can modify the sensitivity and I found that keeping it on “Auto” yielded the best results.
Despite these minor drawbacks, I’ve come to appreciate the Cobra RAD 700i for what it is – a capable and feature-rich radar detector at a great price point. Its sleek design, easy setup, and the convenience of the app make it a solid choice for anyone looking to stay ahead of speed traps.
While it may have a few hiccups in terms of signal detection, its overall performance and user-friendly app more than make up for it. If you’re willing to embrace the app-centric experience, this radar detector could be a great companion for your travels. Drive safely out there!
TheStigenator –
I am not new to radar detectors. I use them regularly, especially on long drives where I am more likely to speed and likely to get pulled over. In all my years of driving, I have only had two speeding tickets, and both of those times, I was NOT using a radar detector. A radar detector is not end all, but if you drive smart, then it is that extra protection from the fuzz when you are least expecting it.
What makes me a qualified radar detector person is that I have used them for over 20+ years, and in that time, the technology has improved significantly. Newer models are quieter, and more discrete in detecting spurious radio frequency emissions, with greater range and great comfort features. These days the technology is improving fast enough that you should get a newer radar detector every 3-5 years.
It’s been about 3 years since my last radar detector, the Cobra Road Scout, which I use regularly in one of my cars. Looking for a new mid-range radar detector with GPS, a companion app, good radar detection range, and features, I landed my eyes squarely on the new Cobra 700i. The Cobra 700i meets my requirements and honestly is a very good entry-level radar detector. Sure, some features are missing, but all the significant bits are there.
I did about 450 miles over the last few days, deliberately taking a long way home just to chance upon a roving CHP officer lurking in the shadows waiting to catch a passing speeder. Alas, I didnt find any, so I went hunting for the next best thing – speed counters. Around here, there is more likely to be popped by a waiting local city motorcycle officer on the streets with a laser gun than a CHP officer on the highway running radar. Laser detection is acceptable, but laser is also challenging to avoid, as generally, officers will be pointing their laser at you directly, likely at your front license plate or the area between the headlights, and the chance of having scatter back from the previous car in front of you is low, and thus makes detection difficult. By the time the laser hits you, you are pretty much done for. Laser is not the easiest to avoid, but since officers want to keep a ¼-½ mile effective distance, you can technically slow down in time. Again your mileage may vary.
Radar is a lot easier to avoid. On most highways and in most states, you likely encounter an officer driving around with their radar on. The detector in these modern radar detectors will give you anywhere between 10-25 seconds of a warning that should not be disregarded when triggered. If road conditions are optimal, you could have one give you a detection for miles. In most states, the “Ka” band signifies law enforcement, but in some states, “K” is still used at various levels of law enforcement. As such, a notification of either band should perk your caution to slow down.
So should you buy the Cobra 700i. I would say yes. While I did not find a police car running active radar, I did get scanned plenty of times by local motorcycle cops hiding between cars. The range is more than acceptable for a entry-level, mid-range detector. I got anywhere between 10-25 second heads at 45 mph when approaching a speed counter that is radar-based. The notifications for speed cameras, red light cameras, and other caution is useful. I did find it a few times not detect a speed counter when it clearly was indicating my speed, so its not perfect. The connected app does help identify upcoming speed traps and supposedly updates in real-time. I drove past an ‘identified’ speed trap only to find the officer not present, so perhaps the real-time updates aren’t descriptive of present conditions. The advantage of a radar detector over ‘crowd’ sourced notifications on your mapping application is that not everything is logged by the users driving. Crowdsource maps do identify areas and could supplement a radar. In the end, you need an application that does both. The “Drive Smarter” app for Cobra is decent; it ties in nicely with your navigation needs while giving you real-time updates. The app, which also allows the configuration of the radar detector, is very easy to use and pairs quickly over bluetooth. The app isn’t necessary to run at all times, and the stand-alone radar detector is enough.
Now that you are convinced of buying one, I would caveat, and I would discourage you from using one of these devices, If you live in a state that has banned radar detectors or you are traveling to one. I am looking at you, Mississippi, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Do note that all commercial vehicles are not allowed to have radar detectors; and all vehicles are over 18000 pounds or heavier. Now that you understand the limitation and you meet the requirements for ownership. You may buy one.
Lastly, if you are in the market for one, this is a good entry-level detector. There are a few gotcha’s that I found that are listed in my pros and cons. The biggest is the lack of a “smart cord” that escort detectors use. For my car, the placement of the detector makes hitting the mute button extremely hard.
Pros:
* Decent radar and laser detection range, suitable for a first-time user, will pay for itself.
* Bluetooth-paired app that updates real-time scanner information and directions
* Audio prompts of bands detected and the caution alerts.
Cons:
* It uses the older style barrel plug for power, not the smart-cord that Escort’s and some Cobra detectors use.
* The screen is hard to read – while it has 5 colors, it’s incredibly difficult to read, and in bright modes, is a tad washed out. It is better dimmed but still hard to read.
* On-screen alerts are hard to read when it detects a signal – as its inverted graphics.
MoniMouse –
This Cobra RAD 700i Radar Detector is much more than the average radar detector. This device does so much more. The application, Drive Smarter, helps you to do just that, drive smarter, with this radar detector. It monitors and scans for so many things. The things it scans for are red light cameras, radar, police on the lookout, wrecks, road hazards, construction or road work, and if gives you turn by turn directions with gps. It also has a feature that allows you to report these things in the application so that you can help other drivers. It has a learning ability so that it can become familiar with the places you drive and remember false alerts. The display is customizable, as you can choose the color out of the choices 5 available: red, green, yellow, white, blue. The mount is so easy to install. The detector slips easily into place and is magnetic. The detector has a quiet feature so you don’t have to listen to alerts or anything if you choose not to do so. The application lets you share data with others using the app. It’s a great device that I really like using.
K0S0H –
Installation is very easy when setting this up. You get the single cup magnetic mount, which, surprisingly, holds the detector up very well. It also allows you to remove the detector on the fly to make changes to your settings. This is a breeze to set up, btw. Now, instructions in the packaging is severely lacking. I am not a fan of having to go online to read how to set up your equipment. I feel that there should be at lease a small quick start guide with descriptions of the settings. However, playing around I was able to get it done in a few minutes. Now, the recommendations are to turn off X band and low K band (Europe) but I left everything on to test sensitivity and falsing. I was surprised to find that, in the first few days, I was hardly getting any alerts at all. In fact, I would drive by the neighborhood speed signs and even one stationary police speed sign, no alerts at all. After a week, I am starting to see some X band and some K band alerts from BSM on hondas. But, still nothing from the stationary speed signs mentioned before. I have had 2 or 3 Ka alerts that ending up being true police radars and I will say for a budget detector, it gave me plenty of time to slow down and be compliant with the limit. I use the white OLED setting and I have had no trouble seeing the display. I have turned off the speed alert as I found this kinda annoying and not useful. The app, so far, hasn’t really done anything for me. No issues using it or for it to connect to the detector. I do miss the arrows for direction which leads me to this detector does NOT have a rear antennae. This only will detect radar in front of you. With all that being said, I am comfortable using it and would trust it out on the road. If you are on a budget, it is worth looking at.
JayDubsFL –
My past few radar detectors were from other companies as my history with Cobra wasn’t the best, but I can tell you right out of the gates, this model has got my opinion swayed back into the right direction.
This model has the Escort-style magnet hookup to attach to the large suction cup on the windshield which I opted to use a mirror-mount that I had from when I used the Escort – a perfect fit!
The 12v cigarette lighter power is the standard barrel style that Cobra has used for a long while now, and the cord is extremely long. I opted to go with a 3ft USB-C to barrel plug instead so I didn’t have so much extra cord.
I hooked up this detector along with a Radenso and Escort model for comparison. The Cobra had a range almost as long as the Radenso, and just a hair longer than the Escort. All three had comparable false alert rejection, which is fantastic because there’s nothing worse than a radar detector that keeps throwing false alarms, which you end up turning off because you’re annoyed. I’ve seen no false detections from any of these.
The display on the Cobra is a little… “washed out”… but completely readable. The colors just arent very vibrant. The sounds are definitely loud enough but not irritating to hear. To be completely honest I was able to (and still am using it) exactly how it was out of the box, with the exception of having flipped through the display colors. No other settings were changed, and I ended up on the red display as it was out of the box.
Definitely a good detector, and a great addition to my vehicle. I’ll be using this one as my daily driver!
BHTurnow –
The Cobra RAD 700i is an excellent overall unit for any vehicle. I owned many Cobra products over the last 30 years and they have always provided excellent service and help up well. So far, this unit holds up to all the other Cobra products I have used. The build quality for this unit is excellent. It is well designed and durable. The screen is easy to read and the volume control is very useful. It gets plenty loud enough if you need. I LOVE the magnetic mount. What a great feature. So easy to put up and take down. You can leave the mount up permanently and stick this on it in a matter of seconds. The mute button and other buttons are easy to access and respond immediately. The companion App is very handy. It is useful for road trips and can help you keep safe and ticket free. I know that no device is 100% effective in detecting radar, but this is as close as you can get. Very responsive and detects radar effectively. It has detected everything it should have to this point and no false alarms. I look forward to using this unit more, especially on long road trips. Cobra hit another home run with this unit. Highly recommended.
jkj1 –
I’m familiar with Cobra radar detectors because my husband has a Cobra Road Scout in his truck. The Road Scout model has a camera and an SD card for recording and is much more robust than the Rad 700i model. The Cobra Rad 700i does not have a camera or SD card and is strictly a radar/laser detector. It does have a USB cable included to download updates.
The difference between the Rad 700i detector and other radar detectors and dash cameras I’ve looked at is that it attaches to the windshield mount magnetically. That makes it easy to remove it for the update downloads. There were no suggestions in the Quick Start Guide or on the website about what to do with the cord that goes from the detector to the 12V outlet. Similar products are designed to tuck the cord along the headliner and down the side of the windshield, but the Cobra’s 6 foot cord is too short to do that. The only option I could see is to let it hang down the windshield in the field of view. It’s irrelevant for me because I’m not going to mount it on the windshield. Having something on the windshield potentially obstructing my view or distracting me seems dangerous. Instead, I’m designing a box so it can sit on the dash.
The initial setup requires downloading the app and plugging the detector into the car’s 12V battery source. The instructions say to “power on” the detector to connect to the app, but there is no power button. “Power on” means to turn the volume control from off to on. Initially the app tried to connect to the Road Scout instead but after several tries it connected to the right device.
The Quick Start Guide has the basic start up and install instructions. Instructions on how to customize the settings are found on the Cobra website. Customization requires that the device be powered up in the car and I needed the instructions with me to do that. But the website manual is not in a printable format and I couldn’t access it on my phone. I had to copy and paste each page of the manual into a document so I could print it and take it to the car to customize the settings. The way the customizations and settings are organized is not intuitive and I needed the instructions in front of me to know which combination of buttons to push.
The mute button will show vehicle battery voltage. I didn’t initially understand the need for that feature, but now I do. Less than 5 minutes after I plugged the Rad 700i into my car in accessory mode to do the customizations, I got an alert that my car battery was going into battery saver mode. The next morning my car battery was dead. It seems like the battery voltage read out is there because the device is a drain on the battery. The instructions do advise turning the wheel to the off position or unplugging the Rad 700i when not in use.
The detector will display both the posted speed limit and the vehicle speed. The app has a GPS screen where you can search for a location and get directions. It could be useful for someone who doesn’t have another GPS app on their phone. But it did seem to drain my phone battery. When using the Cobra GPS I went from a 98% to a 90% phone charge in 2 minutes.
The Rad 700i is all plastic and not very high end looking. But the magnetic attachment is a nice feature. There is no camera, but we have one in the vehicle that is driven the most. I just wanted a basic radar detector for myself for those times I go faster than I know I should! It should work OK for that.
RAK9008 –
I am coming from a Cobra Road Scout, which is another solid detector with additional features that the 700i doesn’t have, but was finding that it was too big on my mirror mount and actually obstructing my view, so when the 700i came out with the EZ mag-mount, decided to get this for it’s smaller form.
Set up was easy, but was slightly disappointed that it used a different power cord set up, the wiretap I have in my Jeep is for the smart cord plug and this uses a standard 12 v plug. A minor downside, but not like I can’t swap out the wire tap for it.
Both units have an app they can connect to but apps are not one of Cobra’s strong suits. So I haven’t used the app with this, as I use it as a stand-alone radar detector (Based off my experience with the Road Scout’s apps, that require two separate apps. . . that wasn’t fun at all). I’ll give this a try at a later time but it’s not necessary to use and works just fine.
After setting up, I went for a drive to give it a test. What is nice is you can set your alert ranges – in this instance, it won’t go off while I’m under a preset speed, which is nice because security systems from businesses and other interference is still a thing. But over time the false alerts become less as Cobra’s Autolearn Intelligence system learns based off GPS.
Overall, this is a great – and smaller – unit. And I definitely plan to stick with with it. So if you want a solid detector but don’t need all the bells and whistles – the 700i is a solid pick.
MeDavid16 –
I wanted something simple, easy to use, that I can pretty much plug and play for radar detection. This little guy was amazing and more!
I am in no way a speed racer, or a radar expert in any way, but having a radar just gives me a piece of mind. I have a child with autism at home, and last time I was pulled over for a seat belt, my child went nuts. The siren, bright lights, scaring my child, she ended up with a whip lash, bruising on his arm from hitting the car seat, and emotional trauma; she now freaks out when she hears a siren.
I’m in no way using this as means to thwart a speeding ticket, but just ensuring proper speed, seat belt, etc everything is in check so that she doesn’t have to go through that again is worth it.
Setting this guy up was easy, just followed the app instructions, self detected the radar, boom, done, easy. Just have to make sure your car has an open lighter socket for the power.
Onceit connected to my app, viola, it was already working, no further tuning was needed. However, I did check out some of the options and had to google what K Low Band was. After learning what it was, I realized you had to enable this feature MANUALLY. So remember to go and enable this once you are up and running.
Good thing I did, as you can see on posted picture, I had several radar detected, including tthe K Low band. I would say we were traveling on average 65-70mph, and we were well ahead notified before actually being in the area. I would say roughly 7-10 seconds notified ahead of time. Which is very nice.
The device also beeps if you go over the speed limit, you can turn it off but it’s nice to have it on so you’re notified you are over the limit.
The screen is clear, although due to the refresh rate, I wasn’t able to get a clear photo. But in real life it’s very clear. Also you can have the phone app notify you as well, which is also nice.
Overall, from my old radar in 2005, this is clearly a big upgrade.
Beradon –
I’ve been in the market to upgrade my radar detector for a while, just looking for that right device to make the move. I have to say I’ve found and settled on the right device. There’s a lot of devices in this market and they run the gambit between cheap and extremely expensive, with varying levels of sensitivity and features to come along with it. The Cobra RAD 700i really bridges that gap, offering some of the more expensive features and excellent range without compromising accuracy or quality.
To start, it’s packaged well, about as you’d expect, nestled in a cardboard box covered with a thinner printed jacket. It comes with everything you need to get rolling, the 12v car adapter, a magnetic suction cup mount, the radar detector and some literature. The one thing I would recommend doing is getting a magnetic mirror mount, whether or not you have a car that is capable of powering a radar detector from the mirror, I’ve found that it reduces the vibration in the radar detector significantly to go with a mirror mount, and it get’s it up and out of the way of your line of sight.
Setup is easy, the app is downloadable from the apple and google play stores, set up your account and you’re off. The newest version of the app is a dramatic improvement over previous versions that I’ve dealt with, so be sure you update. It keeps track of speed traps, red light cameras and more. Connection is more stable and all around it does a good job.
The radar detector itself is very straight forward, set the mode and you’re good to go. The backlit display is easy to read in any light and the reduction in false positives over my previous detector is a major improvement. As I mentioned it comes with a suction cup magnetic mount, which is an improvement over previous generations with the clip mount, however I’d still recommend a rearview mount and if your mirror supports it, the pigtail to power it from the mirror.
In testing, it appears to catch radar at an excellent distance, I haven’t yet had it pick up laser, but I imagine it’ll function as previous models have, since the eye needs to be hit to pick up the laser. It will be interesting to see if certain types of brake lights set it off as well, although they have not yet.
The long and short of it is this. If you’re in the market for a radar detector and don’t need the specific features of some of the ultra-high end and very expensive ones, this is an excellent option, providing great range, app connectivity and reduced false positives without breaking the bank.
ILikeVideoGames –
The real job of a radar detector is to alert when it needs to and stay silent when it doesn’t. This does its best to do that through various features such as connecting to your phone, remembering repeated alerts in the same location, and automatically adjusting sensitivity based on your speed. How much all this helps is hard to determine, and presumably only gets better with time as it learns the false positives.
Out of the box defaults seem to work pretty well. I do encourage you to download the Drive Smarter app which helps the detector learn locations and also pull in data from other users for things like speed traps.
During my course of using this, most of the alerts I got were none I really needed to worry about (e.g. police cars parked at the coffee shop or working an accident scene). But sometimes it also didn’t alert when passing other cop cars (presumably didn’t have their radar guns active). I also tried testing this by going by some permanently installed “your speed is” signs, as well as temporary ones. It only alerted to the temporary ones once, not sure why.
And that gets to crux of this, and why I gave it 4 stars. I think it works well. But, ultimately, it’s hard to know when it’s silencing false positives, and when it’s simply missing some radars. And, a bit tied into that, this has a lot of functions and features, so downloading the full manual is almost required to get the most out of this, but I found while driving, and the thing is giving me alarms, I don’t remember what I should press to do something about it (aside from muting it, or obviously slowing down). So, might take a few more reads of the instruction manual to learn all the functions.
Bubbles –
Accurate and on target with picking up and warning in advance. If in a city area, you’ll find the radar detector will alert you very often as it’s very sensitive and can pick up signals even when not installed on the windshield, even from the back seat. It’s long range will alert you on a timely basis, although you may start to react sooner until you get accustomed to the alerts coming in.
A turn dial volume button is conveniently located on the side of the detector. You may want to adjust for volume if you have sleeping children in the car, or anyone who is sensitive to sudden startling sounds. At first you’ll find yourself looking around trying to locate cameras, and police, as the voice prompts alert you to various laser/radar detection, while also informing you of red light and speed cameras.
After using Cobra consistently, you’ll basically start to drive and just allow cobra to handle the job and guide you to slow down and pay more attention to areas on the road that may trigger a ticket. Like anything else, it takes getting used to having a device on the windshield while driving.
You should mount on the lower part of your windshield so it doesn’t obstruct your view while driving. The mount has a sticky part that goes on the windshield and clips to tighten onto the windshield. The radar then has a magnetic part that attaches strongly to the mount on the windshield, so removal of the radar is quick and easy.
I would recommend Cobra. It’s a very useful device.
Drew B –
The Cobra RAD 700i has been a solid addition to my driving toolkit. Living in a rural area, I don’t encounter heavy traffic often, but with several highways nearby, including NJ RT 80 known for its speed traps, having a reliable radar detector has become essential.
Setting it up in my car was straightforward and didn’t clash with the interior – a big plus. It’s discreet yet functional. The performance is impressive, especially the 360-degree detection range. It keeps me informed about what’s around, which is important on these open roads.
What sets the RAD 700i apart for me is its false alert filtering. It smartly differentiates between actual threats and random signals, so I’m not constantly distracted by false alarms. This feature is particularly useful given the sporadic nature of police presence in my area.
The integrated GPS is a great feature, and the pre-loaded camera locations are a helpful addition for navigating speed traps. While apps like Google Maps and Waze offer police activity alerts, the hands-free, real-time nature of the RAD 700i gives me an extra layer of awareness without needing to constantly check my phone.
All in all, the RAD 700i has been a reliable companion on the road. It’s a practical choice for anyone who drives frequently through areas with varying levels of police activity and values staying informed and safe on the road.
NotBobMontgomery –
Starting at the beginning, installing the Cobra RAD 700i detector is simple. The suction cup sticks confidently to the windshield, and a magnetic mount holds the detector firmly in place. Connect power to the unit, and you’re ready to go.
The Cobra comes with a choice of five colors for the display, making it simple to match your interior lighting. When you leave the vehicle, the magnetic mount allows you to easily remove the detector, and its small size and low weight means it will slip into a pocket or bag. If, like me, you live in one of the two states that prohibits windshield mounts, then an anti-slip dash mat will also work.
While you can use it straight out of the box like this, before hitting the road you’ll also want to update to the latest software and install the Drive Smarter app from Cobra. The ability to install software updates means you can take advantage of improved features without replacing your unit, a very useful feature. Using Bluetooth connectivity to the RAD 700i, Drive Smarter allows you to control all of your settings on the unit and share information about speed cameras, red-light cameras, and other speed traps with other Drive Smarter users. It also allows you to share alerts with other drivers, giving you the potential for much greater range.
On the road, the RAD 700i does a great job of alerting to radar and laser. Driving across four states, I had a single false positive, and the range that it alerted me to radar/laser/cameras allowed more than enough time for me to respond. With its speed-based alert system, the RAD 700i determines how sensitive it needs to be to signals based on the time you’ll need to react.
It’s been a long time since I’ve used a radar/laser detector. The RAD 700i was a revelation to me about how much the technology has improved. I travel a lot, and the Cobra is now an essential part of my travel kit. I highly recommend this unit.
nickcal –
I work from home and therefore I don’t have a daily commute. I do, however, take road trips, and having a radar detector on those trips makes traveling much more efficient. I’ve used Cobra radar detectors in the past so I was excited to use this updated model. It was an easy setup in my car. The only issue I had was determining the best placement for it on my windshield since I also have a dashcam setup in the same location. The mounting equipment for the detector seems sturdy and the suction cup hasn’t peeled itself away from the windshield yet.
When it comes to operation, there aren’t any complicated settings to set, you simply let the radar detector do its work. You drive, it detects. The Drive Smarter app is a great companion piece as it helps keep the detector updated and it ties in with the navigation feature of the device. The nice thing is that the detector can run without the app just fine. I found that the GPS was decent and it gave me speed alerts when I was over the speed limit. The built-in GPS did work with my car’s CarPlay interface, which was a nice bonus.
As far as accuracy goes, I found the 700i to be on par. There is a little town between my home and where my dogs’ vet is. It is notorious for being a speed trap. In the span of about 2 miles, the speed limit goes from 55 to 45 to 35 back up to 55. It’s a tricky area and there are always police officers sitting in that area to catch offenders. I had to make this drive a few times since getting the 700i and it’s been accurate about detecting the cops sitting in that area.
One of the things that I was really impressed with was the fact that the detector did not pick up things that were not radars. I’ve had older detectors do that in the past and was really happy to not have the 700i throwing false positives every half a mile. The display is also easy to read. I captured an image of the display while my car was parked in my driveway as I thought that would be the safest option.
Overall, I’ve been very happy with this radar detector and think others looking for an easy-to-use device will be happy with it too.
Cipher469 –
It’s been a while since I used a radar detector. For highway driving, I use my GPS’s MPH function to monitor my speed. That permitted me to drive in a usually “safe zone” of 2 or 3 miles over the limit. Before GPS was readily available, I mostly used Cobra detectors. Their alarm tones saved me on several occasions when I had slipped into a danger zone. This new 700i offers so much more functionality, including GPS, than I have experienced before.
Removing the 700i from its box, I was pleasantly surprised to see a space age sleek looking device. It has so many more features that it takes some time to get familiar with them. These include:
*Extended detection range provides an earlier opportunity to slow down. Detection includes Laser, X-Band, K-Band, Ka Radar, Ka Photo, and Ka Wideband, and Red-light. City/Highway modes are included.
*Autolearn Intelligence uses GPS to remember location of false alert locations.
*5-color OLED display shows alert types and other data as needed. The screen is small, of course, but the display is sharp enough to assist in proper viewing. Further assistance is provided by voice alerts, so you don’t necessarily have to take your eyes off the road.
*The detector connects magnetically to its windshield mount, permitting easy attachment/detachment. This is quite handy.
*The 700i can be utilized as it comes out of the box; however, if you download the Drive Smarter app from Google Play or Apple Store, you can open additional features. These assist with better control of operational features, alerts, etc.
The only issue I have with the device is the plug fits so tightly in the outlet, it takes a hard pull to get it out and feels as if it wants to take the outlet out with it. That aside, the RAD 700i provides lots of bangs for the bucks. It is an excellent example of Cobra’s continuing production of first-class products.
KB4MTO –
First impression:
My first impression of the Cobra RAD-700i is that it is a very well-made radar detector. It feels like a very solid radar detector. The plastic is solid with no flexing or giving at all. The buttons are solid that requires an intended push to activate. That prevents accidently changing something from buttons that can be pushed easily.
Cobra Radar Detectors are part of the Escort Radar Detectors, some of the best radar detectors ever made. While the 700i is not an Escort radar detector, it gets some of it’s features from Escort, such as amazing Digital Signal Processing (DSP) which helps eliminate false signals and helps the auto learn feature.
This radar detector uses a small coax 2.5mm power plug rather than a USB. A know a lot of people don’t care for this. Personally, I prefer these type of power plugs. They tend to stay in easier than USB and tend to last a lot longer. As a amateur Radio Operator, I have quite a few things in my truck using these power plugs, and I’m happy with that.
Setup:
You can plug in the radar detector right out of the box and start using it right away. The default settings will work for most people. To configure it to your liking, there are 2 ways to configure it; manually on the radar detector or using the Drive Smarter app, available through the Apple Store or Google Play.
Configuring the radar detector manually allows you to set things like radar sensitivity, Feature on/off, display color, display brightness, etc. It’s not too difficult, but it did take me a few minutes to figure it out.
Configuring with the Drive Smarter app does all of that plus more. It allows you to see the gallery of recordings and play them back. It configures services like the Mayday Alerts and advanced safety features, provides community driven alerts, police alerts, and voice control.
Using the app requires Bluetooth connection. To pair the detector to the app:
1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone.
2. Install and configure the Drive Smarter app.
3. Turn on the Cobra RAD 700i.
4. On the app, press Account > Add Devices.
5. Then follow the directions on the app. My detector installed quickly and easily.
Performance:
I have used radar detectors since they first came out. My 1st radar detector was the original Fuzzbuster. It was super simple but worked great. Since then, I have kept up with them and almost always had one with me. All my radar detectors have struggled with false alerts. My current radar detector is a recent one, and it is better than the previous ones with false alerts, but I still get them.
My 1st day out with the Cobra RAD 700i was going to start very quickly. Right down the road is a Walgreens that sets off every radar detector I have owned since that store went up. As I approached the store, it set of the Cobra. I was really hoping it wouldn’t go off, but it did. On the plus side, the Winn Dixie across the street did not set it off, and that was unusual. During the entire tests, I kept the radar detector in Auto, rather than switch from local and highway.
That 1st day was much quieter than any previous day with any radar detector, and this made me very happy. About half of the known false alert areas, such as stores, banks, etc., did not set off the radar detector. On the way home, the Walgreens set it off again.
The second day I had to travel on the highway. As I left home, I approached the stop light where the Walgreens was, and it did not set off my detector. I wondered if the AutoLearn feature had already worked. It seems like it had. The 700i provided a much nicer ride than with previous detectors. I got far fewer false alerts, and the 700i didn’t seem affected by the rear-view mirror detection systems. Also, in the middle of the tourist area (Walt Disney World, Universal Studios), the detector was relatively quiet. On 3 occasions, the detector went off and did so in a way that I knew it wasn’t a false alert. On one, it was an automatic speed detection sign on the side of the highway. The second fired off at a max level. It stayed on for about a mile and eventually I saw a highway patrol coming up behind me. Once he passed me, the alarm went off. The 3rd time was a speed trap, and if I had been speeding, it gave me enough time to slow down as I had people in front of me.
The rest of the week was about the same. Most alerts were for red light cameras, and I had a few false alerts, but very few. One of them wasn’t learning, so I marked it as a false alert by pressing mute 3 times as the alarm was going off. Also, on one of the roads I take, they have a speed detection sign by a school. My other detectors never detected it. The Cobra 700i does.
Throughout the week, I focused on the features. Most of them are standard features found on other detectors. But there are two features that I really liked. First, If I want to be alerted once, and not constantly reminded, I press the Alert button once. It mutes the constant alarm but will alert you once for every new alarm. Then it does silent while continuing to alert you via the front display. The second feature I love is the AutoLearn feature. Using DSP technology from the Escort series, it does an amazing job at filtering out false alerts. However, the fact that it can automatically learn that certain alerts are false alerts, and then filters them out is a breath of fresh air. I now have a radar detector that will protect me from police radar and red-light cameras, and not drive my wife and other passengers completely crazy.
One last thing I wanted to comment on is the EZ Magnetic Mount. This is an excellent mount. It’s not new, and I have used them before this one, but none of them worked as well as this one. The others I used were good for a few days, and then when I got in the truck in the morning, the radar detector and mount were in the floorboard. I applied this one when I originally put it in the truck a week ago, and it is still on the windshield with no sign of letting go. Cobra did an amazing job making a good mount better.
Conclusion:
Radar detectors have made great progress with filtering and configurability, but the 700i is far above and beyond any other radar detector I have used within its price point. The DSP filtering is amazing, the AutoLearn is a blessing, and the feature set is very strong, especially when using it in tandem with the Drive Smarter app. Because of the advanced filtering and AutoLearn feature, it has put my current radar detector in the pasture. I have ordered a permanent mirror mount and harness from BlendMount, and I am permanently mounting this radar detector in my truck. I will most likely get one for my wife’s car also, because she likes this radar detector because of the lack of false alerts.
If you want or need a radar detector, I highly recommend the Cobra RAD 700i. It does its job beautifully without driving you crazy.
phoenixfta –
It’s been at least 20 years since I used a radar detector. A combination of improved awareness, and sophisticated, but easy to use apps has changed the experience for enthusiastic drivers. Add to my personal experience, I live in an urban area that has very few locations law enforcement can hide- though they do exist… you just know where they are likely to be.
That all said, why not have an additional tool to protect against costly tickets?
The Cobra RAD700i is not your dad’s radar detector. It’s chock full of features, many customizable.
Starting with the EZ Mag Mount windshield mount. No adhesive used, some kind of super sticky material combined with a mechanical suction feature to hold securely. The detector itself then is easily attached and removed with a magnets and a smart passive physical shape to remain secure over bumps. I don’t love the straight cord, wish it had some coil feature.
Digital technology is where the Cobra can shine.
The firmware is updateable AND there’s the Drive Smarter app that is both big data and socially sourced. I found that the big data was great and the social lacking in my area. The problem with social data is that you have to have a lot of contributors for the data to be relevant. Would be great it they could team up with a more mainstream app to source data. That said, “your results may vary. ”
What does work? GPS awareness for what they call Autolearn Intelligence. Once you’ve recognized familiar false, or negligible (say a radar-activated speed warning sign that’s never enforced) you can silence the alert and it will be remembered. The Cobra detects several types of radar including redlight and speed cameras (database sourced as well), MRCD/MCRT and laser (front AND rear sourced!).
Customizable features include 5 different display colors, screen intensity, sound level, and how and when you’re alerted, sensitivity, language (English/Spanish), units (miles vs KM), auto shut-off duration, and display features.
My experience? Not too many false alerts. Zero actual detections. The latter NOT the fault of the Cobra. There just was never an event while I tested (yay!, but boo for the review) . I did appreciate learning where Red Light Cameras were well ahead of time. I didn’t appreciate the app couldn’t discern when I was on the freeway and not surface streets. I also found the need to open the app and tweak it every time inconvenient. One more nice thing- it does integrate with CarPlay and Android.
I WILL keep using this because I do go to unfamiliar areas and one save is well worth the money and some inconvenience.
AlexV –
Good price is excellent no more problems I’m very happy
DavidL –
i like it is good for the price i was even thinking on getting a second one for my other car
MoGJ –
The Cobra RAD 700i radar has the capability to read different radar signals to accurately detect radars.
As someone who hasn’t used a radar detector for several years, it is nice to see how easy they are to use although there is a small learning curve (more on that below). Cobra added some nice features that are very useful when using the detector. From being able to change the color of the screen to using a system that can be updated by other detectors and remove false alerts via GPS, Cobra has added tools to enhance the accuracy of the detector. The 700i is able to detect X, K, and Ka band radar signals as well as lidar (laser) signals.
The setup was easy, it is simply mounting it in your vehicle and powering it on. I will also add that the placement of it in your vehicle is important! The 700i is able to detect signals from the front and rear of the vehicle but to obtain those signals it is important to place the detector correctly to best read them.
After using it for several weeks, I am a little disappointed with how some radars were not picked up. There have been some instances where I was near a radar and after passing it up, it was finally picked up. I changed the placement of the detector in my vehicle and it helped a little but not by much. I do recommend using Cobra’s Drive Smarter app as it helps show more detailed messages (lets you know about red light cameras, whether alerts are from cameras or speed traps). The detector has worked for me in several instances although I was expecting a little more out of it, per say. There were also times where it detected a signal and accurately showed the signal being close by.
I think the biggest thing about using the radar detector is the learning curve of using it. With there being a learning curve, I do recommend reading the manual to familiarize yourself with how the radar detector works and the different notifications it gives. After taking some time to read about it (it took me about 30 minutes), it becomes easier to understand.
Overall, my experience with the RAD 700i has been mixed. Living in a large metro area, I do see how it helps when driving and is nice to have. I do recommend it for those looking into radar detectors as it has features that put it above competitors and incorporates the use of an app for more detailed information.
Leonardo –
Best thing i bought already got me out some speed tickets
RJones –
The radar seems to work okay. The mapping app/ software is horrible. It needs to be integrated with Google maps!!!
Nobody will use the radar interface with mapping because it can’t find the best route.
Arnoldmm62 –
I bought this for my wife and the radenso DS1. No comparison. This unit has been problematic from the start (very finicky with the 12 V min voltage). Not the easiest to adjust settings. buy the radesnso ds1. Brought to Ecuador didn’t detect the most basic. Returning.
Mary –
This radar is a great step up above the 480i it has better filtering and better detection for moving cops and stationary cops the only con is the price and that it is a little bigger than the other cobras out there but overall a great detector 
Wendal Weets –
As an older dad, I don’t really speed (much) anymore and haven’t in the past decade. So imagine my surprise when I was pulled over for speeding 59mph in a 5hp zone. And a ticket for obstructed view thanks to my air freshener. On a whim, I decided to get a radar detector to at least warn me when some rookie is trying to meet a quota or impress his boss.
Back in the 90’s, a radar detector seemed to be standard issue for most edgy teenage drivers. I remember my cheap detector lighting up from the door sensors at gas stations and in front of mall entrances.
I guess the technology has gotten better, because this Cobra doesn’t go nuts near doors. It comes with a straight cable, which is really long. I was able to route it carefully to not be in the way. Much nicer than the coiled cable my old one (from the late 90’s) came with. It mounts to the windshield with a suction cup and it never came off despite lots of sun late this summer and now freezing temps.
It seems to find police every time it chirps. I have gotten some notifications where I didn’t end up seeing any cop car, but I assumed that they must have been well hidden or pulled away by the time I got to the spot. I have no idea if it’s going to save me but like insurance and vitamins, it makes me feel better. So I’m sticking with it.
Bryan –
Love how it works. I love cobra products, I been using cobra for 2 years now.
ChrisK –
It has been awhile since I have owned a radar detector, this one has impressed me. False alerts have been reduced, most of the time when it alerts I can spot the cause and it gives plenty of forewarning. I found a review online comparing this one to a higher priced one and the reviewer (who is not a Cobra fan) was really impressed by this one.
Mike –
So far, so good. It lets me know where red light and speed cameras are. It tells me roughly how close I am to them. It hasn’t really exposed any hidden cops yet. I may have to comment again, hence the 4 stars.
David –
Really good product. Highly recommend for new drivers.
Koolie83 –
This radar picks up everything. It tracks your speed as well and lets you know immediately if its detected anything. Even alerts you to multiple radars.
user298096 –
the false alert system works great display is bright enough very satisfied