This is a review of Anker Astro2 (2nd generation) 9000 mAh external battery: http://www.ianker.com/product/79AN7903-BA
Just a short while ago Anker introduced their next gen Astro3 battery. Following it's footsteps now comes next gen of Astro2 with all new design details introduced in Astro3 but in scaled down version of it. Some might argue it has a reduced capacity and one less charging usb port in comparison to Astro3, while the price difference is not that significant. So why would someone choose one over the other? Let's find out.
First of all, I'm glad to see how Anker switched to all new packaging across all of their latest products, using environmentally safe recycled material and minimum amount of plastic. The battery itself uses a nice soft touch rubbery material that will not leave any fingerprints and gives you non-slippery grip. The shape of the battery has rounded off edges and is very comfortable to hold. With my measured dimensions of 105mm x 60mm x 23mm and reduced weight down to 7.7 oz (218 g) - this battery is relatively light and very pocket friendly. It comes with micro-usb input capable of 1.2A charging rate for a faster charging of the battery itself, and 2 full size usb charging ports one labeled as Smart Output with 2.4A max charging speed and another one labeled as Universal Output able to support up to 3A of charging current. Per confirmation from Astro3 which also has Smart Output with 2.4A - that port will charge your latest iPad at max speed! Universal Output will be able to support any latest smart phone with a full 2A charging speed. Both ports can be used simultaneously for a combined charge output of 3A. I have verified charging my Note 2 at 2A and Nexus 7 at approximately 1A charging speed simultaneously. In addition you also get micro-usb cable, 30-pin apple adapter, and a very nice mesh storage bag.
Just like with Astro3, this new Astro2 uses a 10-segment led indicator which breaks down charging capacity in increments of 10% instead of typical 4-led batteries with 25% increments. The led lights are not visible until you shake the battery to reveal remaining segments. While you charging battery itself, those will stay up indicating charging progress. What sets this 2nd gen battery apart from so many other external batteries available today is the efficiency. As I mention in all of my ext battery reviews, the labeled capacity is not the actual capacity because you loose energy during conversion through usb output port. Typical ext battery looses on average 30-35% thus you are getting only 2/3 of the actual capacity. The new 2nd gen of Astro3 and Astro2 have 80% efficiency, thus you are loosing only 20%. I was able to confirm that with multiple charges an average of 78% which is close to advertised 80%. It means that you should have no problem getting 7000 mAh from this battery.
Overall, in my conclusion I want to make a point about Astro2 vs Astro3. Both are fantastic batteries with innovative design and very impressive efficiency. One has higher capacity and additional usb charging port while the pricing is very close in comparison, especially with the latest Back-to-School sale on Astro3. So why would you choose Astro2 over Astro3? The deciding factors are the size/weight/portability. If you need to carry your ext battery in a pocket or a smaller purse - Astro2 will be the way to go. Just look at side-by-side pictures. That's what it really comes down to.
Here are the pictures.
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Related
This is a review of NewTrent NT70T EasyPack 7000 mAh external battery charger: http://www.newtrent.com/store/andro...nt70t-external-battery-ipad-battery-pack.html
Here is another great product I discovered that will definitely benefit Note 2 users who are sticking with a regular size battery and their favorite case and need backup power on the go. This particular unit has a very portable footprint and it's relative slim with dimension of 119mm x 74mm x 18mm (4.7" x 2.9" x 0.7"). It's also pretty lightweight for 7000 mAh capacity, at 6.8 oz (193 g). It's definitely very comfortable and pocket/purse friendly. As a matter of fact, this unit is actually intended to be used on the go where you don't even have to worry about power cables since it has built in full usb cable for Input charging (a fast 5V, 1A port) and also micro-usb cable for one of the Output charging ports (5V, 1A). In addition to 1A output port with micro-usb cable, it also provides 2 additional usb ports with 2.1A and 1A outputs. These got you covered for any smart phone or tablet, and can also charge two devices at the same time.
For convenience if input charging cable is not long enough for you, New Trent also included USB extension chord which I found to be a great bonus. No other chords or adapters were included with this product. The device itself is very slick with a footprint reminding me a small external hard drive. The bottom of this power bank is finished matte while the top has a shiny piano finish. On the top you also have a discretely placed power button and 4 led power meter indicators with cool green lights. Those 4 lights partition power reading into 25% increments.
Beside its portability and convenience of built in cables, the main attraction of this device is a whooping 7000 mAh capacity. This is some serious number!!! And NT70T has this 7000 mAh speced at 3.7V - the voltage of the actual lithium battery. To be honest, I was a little skeptical at first because external battery market is flooded with a lot of high capacity external batteries that have exaggerated labels. So right away I put this battery to the test. I had my Note 2 discharged down to 25% while NT70T was charged all the way to full (4 leds lit up). I used 2.1A output port for a faster charging and used my own usb-to-micro-usb cable. My Note 2 battery got charged up to 100% in under 3 hours. That was very impressive. After charging it up, I checked with NT70T and it still had 3 leds on!!!! Of course, 3 leds doesn't mean it's at full 75% charge, but rather between 50% and 75% charge. But still, very impressive considering we are talking about our GN2 with 3100 mAh stock battery. As a bonus, you can actually charge your phone while charging NT70T, pretty cool although not recommended by manufacturer since it can accelerate aging of the battery.
In my opinion this is one of the top small footprint portable external battery chargers that offers simultaneous charging of two devices at the same time with one port being 2.1A and others at 1A, and having a whooping true 7000 mAh capacity!!! A must have if you need a portable backup battery and don't wont to part with your current Note 2 case (to accommodate bulky extended battery). I definitely recommend NT70T EasyPack!
Now, here are some pictures for your enjoyment:
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Missing letter?
vectron said:
This is a review of NewTrent NT70T EasyPack 7000 mAh external battery charger]
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Thanks for the excellent pics, did anyone else notice the "n" missing from the word "external" in the shots of the back of the unit? Curious.
firstbrick said:
Thanks for the excellent pics, did anyone else notice the "n" missing from the word "external" in the shots of the back of the unit? Curious.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good one!!!! I gotta tell these guys to fix this typo
Btw, I have their new NT120C (http://www.newtrent.com/carbonpak.html) coming my way for review - looks cool! That one is a step up with a higher capacity at 12000 mAh, although no built-in cables to give you more flexibility. Should have it sometime next week, will post a review then.
Thats a really stylish looking external battery charger.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 4 Beta
This is a review of NewTrent NT120C CarbonPak 12000 mAh external battery: http://www.newtrent.com/carbonpak.html
High capacity external batteries are becoming very common these days, more affordable, and smaller in size thanks to evolution of battery cell technology. What is great, and speaking from a personal experience, they can be used as little power hot spots when you need to charge up your device on a go and nowhere near the power outlet. Or another use I found, whenever I'm using my android on-a-stick connected to tv - I no longer need to run power wire from outlet, just connect external battery and that's it. I decided to review the new NT120C model because it offers all these benefits at a very affordable price.
Measured at 258g (9.1oz) it's not the lightest, thus not exactly very pocket friendly. But it has small dimensions of about 110mm x 75mm x 20mm which is very impressive for 12000 mAh capacity external battery. The top and bottom finish of the battery is piano glossy, but don't count on it to stay that way for a long time since your fingerprints will be all over it On top you get a power and led indicator line. I guess something new and original from typical 4-5 leds, this one has a lightpipe partitioned in 4 segments corresponding to 25% battery increments. The battery itself is very straightforward. You get micro usb input which charges the battery at 1A and also will mean about 12hr of charging time. And you get 2 full usb outputs, one labeled as 2.1A and another one as 1A. The lines between Apple and Android are blurred in this one, and obviously our Note 2 will benefit from a faster 2.1A charging. You can charge two devices simultaneously, very common with such dual output external battery. The real capacity will be closer to 9000 mAh or slightly below because you will loose efficiency during 5V usb conversion, another common thing with all the batteries. One additional bonus feature of this battery is that it should continue charging your phone beyond hitting 100% mark. You know how you typically read about keeping phone on a charger for a little bit longer so you can get extra juice. Apparently this battery will allow the same functionality. (*** edit *** I confirmed our Note 2 stops the charging at 100%, and doesn't allow this external battery to overcharge it, so this feature doesn't work with Note 2. not a biggy anyway).
Overall a solid battery, and considering my previous experience with NewTrent products, I trust their quality. Not too many external batteries I trust or recommend (and always encourage to stay away from any ebay no-name part), but this one is definitely one of those that gets my recommendation.
Here are the pictures:
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Well, I have this powerbank that is one nifty little gadget. Now, being a guy I don't mind carrying a bigger powerbank in my bag for those critical must charge situations. Whenever I'm out in the city and one of my female friends are around they sometimes need a quick phone charge during lunch. So I pull me powerbank out, connect a cable and plug in their phone. They're impressed by it but always say, "That's so cool, but it's way to big for me to carry around."
So Ravpower created this little guy. The Lipstick tube style 3000 mah powerbank w/ built in 3 mode flashlight.
Comes in a simple box with manual. Powerbank and a white usb cable. No wall charger included.
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Item Weight 3 ounces
Product Dimensions 4.6 x 0.9 x 0.9 inches
Item model number RP-PB08
Size 3000mAh
Color Gold
Power Source AC & Battery
I offered it to a couple of my friends who are ladies to try it out and see how they liked it. It was an overwhelmingly useful gadget they insisted. Big enough to recharge their phones from Instagram,Facebook, Twitter, taking selfies or pics of their food but small enough to keep in their clutch or bag. Not only is it small but light in weight also.
Build Quality is excellent! Feels solid, nothing loose, no creaking or flex that I can tell.
If Gold isn't your style there are 4 colors to choose from:
Gold - 3000 mah
Silver - 3000 mah
Black - 2600 mah
Pink - 2600 mah
That being said, not all colors have the same battery capacity as the Black and Pink have small capacities of 2600 mah but the silver and gold has the bigger 3000 mah.
Pics:
The diameter is barely bigger than a nickel but smaller than a quarter.
Pic for size comparison:
Flashlight has 3 modes.
High
Low
Strobe
The flashlight is ridiculously bright and could be used to guide ships from sea if need be. A single button is used to cycle between the modes.
Press once: High beam
Press a second time: Low Beam
Press a 3rd time: Strobe
Press a 4th time: back to off.
Charging the Device is simple. All you need is a usb port or a standard wall charger with a usb port. The micro usb port is used to charge the powerbank itself. The full usb port is used to charge your device.
There is no battery indicator on how much charge is left.
When Charging a red light indicates that its not a full charge.
A blue light indicates its at full charge.
A few tests charging my nexus 5:
Starting @ 69%.
79% - 10 minutes
85% - 17 minutes
92% - 25 minutes
100% - 42 minutes
so in emergencies it does a good job for a quick mini charge till you get to a wall plug charger. It does get warm when charging your phone but it does NOT get hot.
It was able to charge:
Nexus 5
Nexus 7 2013
S3
Iphone 5
S2
Sansa Clip Zip mp3 player
So if you want a powerbank for quick emergency charges this is the Powerbank for you. It's small and lightweight. Don't expect to be able to charge your device multiple times before it runs out of juice itself.
This is a Review of UNU Ultrapack GO and TOUR external portable batteries with Ultra-X fast-charging technology. http://www.myunu.com/products/ultrapak-fast-charging-batteries.html
Some of you may noticed that I'm no longer reviewing as many different external batteries. Unfortunately, there has been very little innovation in this sector of smartphone accessories. One of the new trends I have seen so far is the increase in external battery capacity to keep up with new power hungry big screen phones and tablets. As you increase the capacity you also increase the charging time for the battery itself where in some cases even overnight charging is not enough to get to 100% ready. Realizing this shortfall, UNU engineers decided to come up with a new line of Ultra-X fast charging batteries which I got a chance to review. Here is what I found.
Since both of these batteries have a very similar design and functionality with the only difference of capacity and a number of charging ports, I decided to combine review of GO (3,000 mAh) and TOUR (10,000 mAh) Ultrapack batteries together. Both arrived in a very similar packages, only scaled in size, with a clear message of 8x Faster charging rate. The package also has a lot of useful info about the benefits of using this battery, in terms of additional hours in extended functionality, but it's all relative to your use and I typically recommend taking it with a grain of salt. The most important thing you have to realize is that once you are away from a power source and need to recharge your phone battery - you now have a portable source on the go. Also, a total advertised capacity of the external battery is not what you are actually going to see because it's based on their internal 3.7V-3.8V voltage which needs to be converted through 5V usb interface where you will loose some of this capacity due to a typical 85%-90% conversion efficiency. Therefore, you need to choose the capacity of your external backup battery based on how long you are going to be away from the power source and how many times you will need to recharge your phone or tablet battery.
With this explanation out of the way, let's take a closer look at the design and special features of UNU Ultrapack batteries. The design of GO and TOUR is almost identical with a piano finish top/bottom surface and softer material sides for a better grip. Both of the batteries have a power button which turns on a hidden LCD screen with a charging capacity info and also turns on a built-in led flashlight (convenient when you are in the dark, like during a power outage). GO features a single USB charging port rated up to 2.1A and TOUR feature a double USB port rated at 1A and 2.1A for a combined output of 3.1A. Another port they share in common is DC input charging port. Unlike most of the other external batteries with micro-usb charging port and a typical 5V/1A charging speed, here you have 12V/2.5A charging port which enables a much faster charging speed of the battery. Just keep in mind, we are not talking about faster charging speed of your phone/tablet battery, but the actual external battery itself.
Faster charging speed, up to 8x faster, means you don't have to wait hours to charge up this battery before you can start using it. As a matter of fact, it has a rapid charging mode where in 15min you get 2,000 mAh of capacity from empty. This means if you are in the rush you can still get a charging capacity boost for this backup battery in only 15min. The only catch is that you have to use a bulky wall AC adapter. It's the only drawback which is a price to pay for a fast re-charging. Another fantastic feature is the built-in LCD screen which tells you exactly in % how much battery left and also tells you how long before battery is full when you charging it up. When not turned on, the display is fully hidden under the top surface. Also, charging mechanism has it's own current regulator to optimize charging speed of your smartphone/tablet. With a smaller capacity GO, I was only able to charge my Note 2 at 1.2A speed. With dual output TOUR, Note 2 was charging at a maximum speed while S5 connected to another port only had 1.3A of charging current not to exceed a combined 3.1A output. It didn't even matter which port I had my phones connected to, either 2.1A or 1A ports were able to charge at max speed individually and current draw was regulated when two phones were connected simultaneously.
Overall, I was very impressed with performance of both batteries and all the additional bonus features they had to offer. Fast charging speed and a detailed LCD screen functionality was a very useful new feature if you are willing to pay premium price for these batteries. I know there are a lot cheaper alternatives with a similar or higher capacity, but you really have to factor in all the additional design features Ultrapack brings to the table in order to have a true comparison. And even so I typically don't review smaller capacity batteries, if you want this Ultra-X fast charging technology and LCD info screen but don't want to drag around a large and heavier TOUR, GO is a perfect solution for that.
Here are the pictures.
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Overview
I recently got a Kmashi 15000mAh battery pack and I have been loving it. 15 Ah is a lot of juice for all devices I have, and I can always count on this to have some juice left. It is not just the numbers that amazed me, but I have used it for days without my charger with me. I can charge my OnePlus one and Galaxy Note 8 twice, and still have juice left to charge my iPhone and S6. This is an amazing product for people who travel a lot.
Specifications
Capacity - 15000mAh or 55.5Wh
Input - 5V/2A
Output 1 - 1amp 5V
Output 2 - 2amp 5V
Size - 81*156*21mm
Weight - ~450g
Real world performance
I have used this battery pack with two phones. I took screenshots of the battery input received from this battery pack. The first image is for OnePlus One and the other is for Galaxy S6. The battery pack doesn't support quick charge 2.0 and the maximum output is not as high as I expected it to be. The input rate measured was lower than the listed output on the battery specs section, but it definitely charged the devices pretty quickly; so, I am not complaining.
Experience
I have always wanted a battery pack that wouldn't die on me when I need it the most. I have had a 5000mAh and even a 10000mAh battery packs before this and they would die on me after two devices max. If I have to remember to charge my battery packs too, then I know for sure it is not working for me. I got this 15000 mAh battery pack from Kmashi in hopes of getting a battery pack that I can throw in my bag and forget about it. The battery in this is huge, and there is minimal loss of battery when the battery is not being used; therefore, this battery pack will keep on going with you. I have travelled with this device and my OnePlus One without my charger for 3 days, and I never missed my charger.
For all the travel lovers, keep in mind it is not a small or thin device. It is almost 3 times thicker than an iPhone 6. It is a heavy product, which you might not wanna carry in your pocket. It has 2 USB ports, but that has a catch. When you use both the USB ports together, the battery outputs a total of 2 amps, which means 1amp from each port.
In order to charge this battery pack, I used a 2.1 amp USB wall adaptor (not included in the box). The battery pack takes almost one night to charge from zero to full. It is not easy to sleep with this charging beside your bed, as it's blinking LEDs are very bright. They can brighten up a room more than any night lights you have seen. Putting an electric black tape on them while the device is being charged is a good solution.
Pros
Large capacity battery
Feel and finish is all plastic but doesn't creek
2 USB Port to charge
Cons
LEDs are very very bright
Scratches easily
Long charging time
No Quickcharge 2.0 support