Whistler 5050EX Review
The Whistler 5050EX is one of those high-performance model detectors that we don’t often see on the market. How often do you see a detector that’s inexpensive and provides a lot of alerts like some of the more expensive models out there, like the Pro 3750 for example?
However, how many of those alerts are genuine and can you trust this model? We’ve never had any kind of issues with Whistler radar detectors before so can we add this one to our list or are there too many downsides to count? Hopefully, we’ll get to the bottom of this and more.
Design
The overall design of this model looks a bit large. We’re not particularly a fan of how bulky this model is or how wide it is either. Sure, the buttons on the top are easy to reach but it’s not something that we would consider ideal, especially if it’s on a windshield because the buttons are close together. Also, the display of the model looks like an old alarm clock and while it’s easy to read and the information is easy to read, we think they could’ve done a bit of a better job with this one. See a nicer design in our review of the CR75 radar detector, another model from Whistler.
Table of Contents
Features
High Performance
The 5050EX has a lot of nifty features that give this model a huge performance boost over some of the other models out there, including the field sensor which helps not only eliminate false positives but helps bring in the accurate results promptly as well.
The traffic signal noise that this model emits is high which is a great thing for you and a bad thing for the people who want to catch you and give you tickets.
Programmable
This thing is 100% customizable and programmable so no matter what you’re looking to achieve or how you’d like to set this detector up, you can easily do so via the helpful hand guide which should easily guide you on how to set this up without any kind of struggle.
Whether you’re looking to only detect certain things or whether you’re only looking to display certain things, it’s super easy to set this detector up to the way you need it.
Modes
Three different modes come with this detector. You can set this into city mode, you can set it into highway mode or you can easily set it into filter mode which easily allows you to adjust your driving and optimize this detector for the area you’re driving in.
Highway mode is pretty obvious what it’s used for as is city mode. However, filter mode can be a bit tricky and something you have to get used to after a while.
Great Detection
Something we were thoroughly impressed with is how great this detector is at detecting different signals based on the price it’s sold at. You’d usually have to pay several hundred dollars to get this kind of detection and you don’t have to do that with this model. Only a small fraction of the price instead.
- The field disturbance sensor is one of a kind and greatly helps reduce the number of false alerts that you’ll get from this model as it actively scans for things that trip up the detector
- You can easily program Whistler 5050EX to do whatever it is that you want and you can make it say what ever you want it as well depending on what you’re looking for, so it’s easily programmable and even for the novice user, the guide is immensely helpful
- You’ll get a lot of gaps in between alerts depending on where you’re driving and when you’re driving because some speed traps are further apart than others and this gives you a huge benefit to help you avoid those traps
- Gives you alerts from over half a mile away and this will, in turn, give you a lot of time to react to those alerts, hopefully avoiding a ticket or the traps altogether
- Rather inexpensive and while it’s not the cheapest solution out there, it’s one of the most inexpensive detectors you can find at the moment
- The city mode of this detector does leave a little bit to be desired and isn’t exactly one of the best features on this model
FAQ
Q: How many false alerts does this give?
A: Honestly, not many. We haven’t seen many people complain about getting false alerts at all actually and trust us, we’ve been looking for those reports. This is a high-quality detector that doesn’t honestly falter and it performs great like Whistler CR93 and far better than some of the other models out there we’ve seen that cost several hundred dollars. I mean, we’re thoroughly impressed with it so we hope that you will be too. At least, at the very least, you could give it a shot and let us know how it works for you.
Q: Why are there three different modes?
A: This is easily explained depending on where you live and where you’re driving. If you live in a popular urban area, you want to turn on the urban driving mode. If you drive on the highway a lot, you want to turn on highway mode which will give this thing a great range and frontal cone vision. However, there’s also a pop mode to catch those laser signals that can catch you in an instant and you won’t know what hit you. It depends on the area you live in and the technology present. You’ll get used to it overtime.
Whistler 5050EX Review Conclusion
The Whistler 5050EX is one of those high-performance radar detectors that we feel is a bit undervalued and one of those detectors that we could feel could also use a little bit of work. With that being said, it’s inexpensive and if you’re looking for something that’s effective and something that won’t let you down, we can say that you should look no further than this detector.
William Johnson is the owner and founder of RatedRadarDetector.org. He writes about car accessories, with his passion stemming from a deep enthusiasm for all things automotive. His website, RRD, focuses on in-depth reviews of car accessories to help people find the best and latest products in the market.
