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[Mega Review] Anker PowerCore External Battery Charger 10400, 15600, 20100 (Pics!)

Hi all,
I have a lot of external battery packs. If you're familiar with Anker or even follow them on social media, you'll know they recently had a sale on their new chargers. I was able to get the 15600 and 20100 units for half price. They previously offered Power Users the 10400 unit for $9.99 which I gladly accepted. This review is in no way an obligation to these deals, but I wanted to share my impressions of these. Mostly, this will serve to compare to some of their other (older) products.
My favorite external battery charger to date is the Anker 2nd Gen Astro E5 16000. It's long and slim and fits in my front pants pocket really nicely. It's got a fabulous piano black plastic chassis, and blue indicator LEDs.
The PowerCore chargers all have a soft matte finish that slightly more of a charcoal black. The matte finish is advertised to not leave fingerprints or smudges, but I can assure you, it does pick up the oils off of your fingers. It does have a better grip than the glossy finished units.
A look at the specifications states that the new units have 4.8A output current, which is up from the 3A max that the Astro was capable of. This is awesome if you need to charge two devices simultaneously. I have a Legion USB Multimeter that I can verify that with but haven't done so yet. These chargers also boast PowerIQ tech, which is supposed to deliver the best charge type for your device. There's also protection and VoltageBoost features.
I've always admired Anker's relatively simplistic packaging and graphics design. They certainly do a nice job making you feel comfortable with your purchase decision, with reassurance that if you're not happy, they will make things right. I haven't had a negative experience yet.
Each unit includes a mesh carry bag and a USB cable (3' I think). The 10400's carry bag is a nice fit, but I think the bag included with the 15600 and 20100 is a bit too large for the size of the charger. I imagine this bag was sized to one of the larger chargers and they haven't updated the bags for the new product. I LOVE how perfect the bag fit is for the Astro 16000.
The USB cables are a great inclusion, although I wish they would include their heavier duty 28 / 21 AWG cables that you can purchase separately. I've noticed HUGE charging speed improvements using those heavier cables, especially with the longer lengths. Another point would be that if you're using these chargers with Apple devices (or anything other than Micro USB), you're going to have to source your own cable.
Charging the batteries is a matter of reversing a USB and plugging it into a charger just as you would your phone. LEDs light up with one LED flashing to indicate charge level.
Now, one difference I should point out compared to the Astro is that when these finish charging, ALL LEDs turn off. On the Astro, all LEDs stay on when the unit is fully charged. I prefer the Astro's behavior so you can see it is done charging at quick glance.
Since I've had the PowerCore 10400 longer, I've actually been using it since I got it. It performs just as you'd expect. That said, I find the wider design harder to keep in my pocket. I like the longer narrow build better.
And on size, the PowerCore 15600 and 20100 units appear to be exactly the same. The specifications say that the 15600 should weigh 341g, but according to my non-scientific OXO scale, both weigh 356g, which is what the specs say for the 20100. And the two being exactly the same size, I can't really tell them apart from each other without reading the very fine print labeling. This could be a problem of sorts should I keep them both around... I could easily grab the wrong one. Now, I'm only trading off maybe 2 charges for my Galaxy S6, but I do like to know what I am carrying. Also for reference, that Astro weighs in at 308g, so it is lighter, smaller, and has more capacity than the PowerCore 15600. I'll certainly use these newer units, but that Astro might remain my favorite.
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Thanka for the review.
I would like to know howmuch mah does they really have?
For example xiaomi 16000 mah powerbank has 10000 mah (the rest get lost at the conversion.
Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

[Review] Kmashi Body Shaped 5200mAh Battery Pack

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Overview
There are many battery packs out there, which look like slabs and do the job as good as it can get. Then there are products, the bend the rules of design, look interesting and still manage to perform as good as their boring counter parts. In some cases, you might have to pay little extra for the amazing design. This is where I would put the Kmashi Body Shaped 5200 mAh Battery Pack. It is a $13 device with 5200 mAh battery, but it is not priced to compete with other 5000mAh battery packs. It is meant for those who are going to buy it for its design or it's uniqueness rather than the basic functionality of a battery pack.
Design
Evidently, the battery pack is shaped like a female human body. The design is very detailed for this scale and the build quality is top notch. The glossy white plastic is high quality, which does not creek or bend. Despite what it may seem, the battery pack fits in the hand like it was designed to. There are two red LEDs on the nipple, which do not serve any purpose. There are 4 blue LEDs at the bottom, which indicate the amount of juice left in the battery. These 4 LEDs are also accompanied by a full sized USB port and a micro USB port.
Specifications
Input: 5V-1.5A
Output: 5V-2A(MAX)
Capacity: 5200mAh
Size: 120x63x50mm
Net weight: 155g
Charging Time Needed: about 3 hours
Static Power Consumption: less than 50uA
Experience
During my personal experience with this product, I have not been able to carry it with me. The main reason for that is the fact it is not pocket friendly. This battery pack supports an output of up to 2amps, but there is no Quickcharge 2.0 support. Despite that, my devices(OnePlus One and Galaxy S6) charged really fast. The battery capacity at 5200mAh is not huge. When most devices today have batteries of 3000+mAh capacity, this battery pack is good for only one full charge on most devices. But if you are buying this product, you probably don't need just a battery pack. If you don't want this for its unique design, there are better products out there. The most striking part of this product has to be the 2 red LEDs for nipples. While using this battery pack in the dark, you will notice the red light leaks from other body parts. I don't know if that adds to the design or makes it more awkward. I guess I will leave that decision on you. At the bottom of this device, there are four LEDs which are used to indicate the amount of juice left in the product. The charging time is said to be around 5 hours on Amazon, whereas I could charge it from 0 to a 100 percent in about 3 hours. To sum it up, it is a great desk gadget. If you are an artist or a fashion designer, we'll this falls right in your alley. It would be perfect to be a show piece on your office desk.
Pros
Attractive Design
Seamless Build
Fast Charging Rate
Ergonomic design
Cons
Bright Red LEDs
No quick charge 2.0 support
Only one color available, white (racist? )

Dodocool 10000mAh 12W Solar Charger - Unboxing & Review

Dodocool 10000mAh 12W Solar Charger
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Unboxing
The Solar Charger comes with an eco-friendly packaging and basic accessories: 1x Micro-USB Cable, 1x User Manual, and the Solar Charger (of course).
Everything is fit into a synthetic material, just like the one used for bags or similar, and seems to be pretty hard to be scratched and it can be also cleaned easily. On the back there is a foldable stand that can be used to charge the device, useful especially when you can place it in a flat surface, otherwise you can just place it on the grass so that it gets maximum power from the sun.
Inside the back pouch its where all the magic happens. The solar panels and the Li-Ion battery are connected to this little hardware where the power is trasformed from 5.5V (solar charger input) to 4.2v/4.3v (depending on the battery core) in order to recharge the built-in battery, and in the same time the built-in power is then transformed to 5v for the USB Output. A little box for such complex work, and it works pretty well. Check efficiency test, written in the next paragraph.
There are 2x USB ports available, with maximum 2.4A output (i don't know if it is maximum combined output or not, but my tests seems to confirm the first option).
It is possible to charge the built-in battery together while charging your devices though the USB ports, but there is no Micro-USB port to recharge it if no sunlight is available. That's the only minor thing that disappointed me a bit.
While charging, with sunlight power, a LED placed between the USB ports turns red, it can be more bright or not depending on the sunlight power, and the battery level LEDs start to blink.
This Solar Charger is pretty compact, smaller than an A4 paper, and doesn't weights a lot too. It can be easily transported in your backpack without having to increase its weight too much. Do not forget that there are two big solar panels here, so can't expect something super lightweight.
I am not a Solar Panels expert, but the ones used in this charger seems to be good-quality ones. Check this photo, they really seem well made.
Efficiency
All tests have been done using my own Micro-USB cables, because i don't trust the provided one so much. It feels a bit cheapy, but i could be wrong.
On Idle the output voltage stays on 5.08v, matching USB specifications. Even while charging it, the voltage doesn't change at all so, as i said before, the first chipset that works on the USB Output is firstly connected to the Li-Ion Battery Controller, then to the Solar Panels.
I have tested the USB Ports using my USB Capacitor (1A/2A), and the voltage seems to get a bit low on extreme-load. With 2A load, it manages to stay stable still meeting the USB specs.
With extreme-load, more than 2A, the voltage drops to 4.65v. Well this is an extreme test, but i would certify this charger for maximum 2.2A load in order to get stable voltage. Anyway, it is still matching USB specs, even if to the minimum limit.
While charging, it doesn't get hot, but if you charge it with direct sunlight and in the same time you charge your device, then everything gets hot, but hey this is the power of the sun, no one can cool down this haha.
Conclusions
Being my first time to review a solar charger, i may not express an useful opinion, but i will try to do my best. Even if not perfect, this charger may be a life-saver for those who like to stay outdoors frequently. It is solid, provides 2x USB Ports that can be always useful even if there is no Quick Charge available, and most of all, the built-in battery pack allows you to charge your devices even if the weather is not so helpful for a nice outdoor day.
So...do I recommend it? If you match the user i have just talked about, then yes this is definitely for you. Its price may not look so affordable, but solar panels are not that cheap yet (still not expensive as many years ago though), so this is a nice choice.
Pros:
- 2x USB Ports
- Can charge its built-in battery while charging other devices
- Portable
Cons:
- No Flashlight
- No Quick Charge
- No Micro-USB port to charge its built-in battery
Rating: 8.1
Packaging and Accessories: 8
Design and Materials: 9
Performance and Efficiency: 8.5
Price: 7 (based on Amazon price)
Official Product page: http://www.dodocool.com/power-bank-1928/p-da69.html
You can find full-res images (I know, Quality isn't excellent) here: http://imgur.com/a/BYDnK​

Tronsmart Edge 20000mAh Quick Charge 3.0 Power Bank - Unboxing & Review

Tronsmart Edge 20000mAh Quick Charge 3.0 Power Bank
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Unboxing
The Power Bank comes in a rather premium packaging (not eco-friendly unfortunately) with a basic set of accessories: 1x Micro-USB Cable, 1x Manual plus two other cards, 1x Pouch (with a pretty strong paint/plastic smell, a bit disappointing) and the Power Bank (of course).
It's a pity that there is no Type-C cable included in the box, but the Pouch Quality is what worries me most. Can't recommend to use it (the pouch) unfortunately, even though it is quite well-made.
As regards the power bank materials instead, its chassis is made of Plastic, probably to keep its weight low considering the big capacity, with a nice rubberized surface. Usually, i don't like this kind of surface, but here it is quite pleasant to the touch, feels high quality, and also protects the plastic from drops slightly better. Just be careful to not scratch it.
On the front, there are 4x White LEDs to show the charge level and the Tronsmart logo. Pretty minimalistic.
The Power/Status Button is located on one of the sides.
Unlike the Presto Series from Tronsmart, this Edge uses a Micro-USB Port for quick charging, while the Type-C port, that also works as an output port, is capped to 5V/3A. This is how it should have been in order to be compliant with the USB standards, but it is still a, sort of, downgrade.
There are 2 USB-A ports available, one of which is Quick Charge 3 compatible (up to 12V/1.5V), while the other supports up to 5V/2.4A with the Tronsmart's VoltIQ technology that provides the correct charging protocol based on the connected device and regulate the voltage based on that.
Considering the 20000mAh battery capacity, it is as bulky and big as you would expect, with a size of 15.13x7.92x2.54mm, and a weight of 386g. Its design slightly impacts the dimensions, but the weight is just fine.
Efficiency
All tests have been done using my semi-professional USB Tester for maximum accuracy and hardware stress. Picture of it below.
Starting from the standard 5V/2.4A USB port, the voltage is quite accurate even at 2.4A load. It rare to get such a stable voltage from a power bank. Only at 3A load, over its declared specs, it goes just slightly under 5V. Excellent result.
As regards the Quick Charge 3 USB port, it goes up to 5V/3A with a voltage of ~5.03V, while in Quick Charge mode it gets up to 12V properly with no issues. Unfortunately i cannot test the Huawei FCP compatibility since i do not own any device featuring this charging technology.
Nothing to complain about the battery capacity, it isn't 100% accurate but i accept it for power banks with such high capacity since it isn't easy to charge each cell with the same amount of power. 20000mAh (declared) vs ~19100mAh (measured).
Conclusions
Tronsmart is quite a solid company when it comes to accessories, and this one is no exception. I am aware that this is not a perfect product, since one of the drawbacks is the lack of a real Type-C Quick Charge port, but in the same time it is well-made and features an excellent power output.
For those Huawei/Honor users that are in search for a quick charge capable power bank, i can recommend it. Other users might have a wider range of available products so the choice of this particular model is highly dependent on the price, since nowadays the market is full of similar products.
Pros:
- Power Output
- Huawei FCP compatibility
- Build Quality
Cons:
- No USB-PD support
- No Quick Charge via Type-C (but necessary to comply with USB standards)
- Suspicious included pouch quality
Rating: 8.8
Packaging and Accessories: 7.5
Design and Materials: 9
Performance and Efficiency: 10
Price: 8.5 (based on Amazon price)
Official Product page: http://www.tronsmart.com/products/tronsmart-edge-20000mah-quick-charge-3-0-power-bank
You can find full-res images (I know, Quality isn't excellent) here: https://imgur.com/a/HR2Ld​

Ugreen 10W Wireless Charging Pad Review

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Disclaimer: I was sent this as a review unit.
Purchase Link (not affiliated): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01GFL6MZE
TL DR:
Samsung Users: This is a great option for wireless charging but if you want the fastest possible charge, use the cable and power brick that came with your phone. No wireless charger will beat a cable for Samsungs right now.
iPhone Users: This is also a great option for wireless charging for you as well and it is faster than the standard power brick and lightning cable. You will need to buy the right power brick for this wireless charger. However it isn't the fastest way to charge your phone. That is achieved by buying a power brick plus the correct USB C cable with a lightning port adapter. That can get expensive versus just buying this.
Pros:
-Inexpensive
-Good build quality
-Fast Charge with compatible phones
-Works with thin cases
Cons:
-No power adapter
-Prone to smudges
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I have a plethora of fast charging wireless pads and I have to admit that the UGreen Fast Charge Wireless Pad is a great, low cost wireless charging pad for compatible phones. It's small, well built, and thin compared to the Samsung Convertible Fast Charge Wireless Pad/Stand. The biggest issue I have is that it doesn't come with a compatible power brick. Considering that can drastically change how wireless charging performs, I am surprised it doesn't come with one. Luckily my Samsung power brick was the right output.
Performance:
The charge times are on par with the more expensive options for both fast charging and non-fast charging on Samsung devices. It is slower than the stock wired chargers for Samsung. I tested this with a Samsung Note 8 and a S7 Edge.
The iPhone 8 and X charged faster on this (see note below) than the stock lightning cable and power brick.
iPhone User Note: I had to use Samsung's adapter which supports the output needed for this wireless charger. Using the one that came with the iPhone X or the iPhone 8 is not sufficient. See pictures for required output on the power brick. You can use any brand as long as the output is correct.
I have tested this with many cases as well. It works well with thin cases but like with all wireless chargers, you will need to align it properly. If you have a thick rugged case, it may be a hit or miss for you. If you have a plate for magnetic docks or mounts, that will interfere with all wireless chargers. Make sure you don't have one on the phone or in the case.
Design and Build:
This thing is thin. About the width of a standard ball-point pen and the circumference of a coaster. The bottom has 4 rubber/silicone pads to prevent it from slipping and a MicroUSB port on the back. A light on the front to show that a device is charging and for Android users, it will tell you once the device is fully charged as well. One issue I have with the design is that the top is made out of glass and is very prone to fingerprints and smudges. Also being glass, I can't recommend this for travel as I'm not sure how strong this would be under a load. I wouldn't want shards of glass in my checked luggage. Because it is glass, it is also pretty slippery when placing some devices or cases on it. Keep that in mind.
If I had to buy one right now for work or home, the UGreen Fast Charge Wireless Pad would be a solid pick.