I can’t tell you the number of times I was depending on a flight to have power outlets, and the seat did not. Or the critical moments when I was planning to work from a café or hotel lobby, but could not find a seat with a nearby power outlet. Of course, those are the times when you need it the most. Now that there is a portable charger that can juice up my laptop, I am free from the shackles of sitting near an inconvenient wall outlet or noisy communal table in a hotel lobby. The Mobile Edge 27,000 mAh Core AC Power Charger solves all of that.
First impressions
When I opened it from the package, I was not expecting it to be lightweight or compact. Given its numerous USB and power ports, surely, it was packed with gadgetry that I will never understand. Yes, it does add extra weight to my laptop bag, but it also gives me added assurance for those dates when I know I will be away from a power outlets for longer periods of time.
What many people don’t realize is that most laptops require a significantly greater amount of power than smart phones or tablets. Portable chargers rarely have an AC outlet, which is what you need to power up a laptop. This device from Mobile Edge had me covered from the start thanks to its three-pronged AC outlet.
I really liked how it never caused an issue with TSA when traveling domestically although overseas, security agents often want to take an extra look at it. Lately, I have been separating it from my bag so they can scan it individually instead of rifling through all of my belongs with their dirty hands that have touched a million other bags and dirty clothes.
Putting it to use
When I first got it, I powered it up to the max, which was easy to monitor thanks to a convenient LED light located on the side of the device. It helped me get through a full second charge of my laptop, which was incredible. That means I can go an entire day without needing to charge my laptop to a wall outlet.
There are three USB ports so you can charge smart phones or tablets simultaneously. Once you pull this out in the office or an airport, you are sure to make fast friends with people around you. The bank has protections to keep your devices protected from any rogue power surges, too.
To recharge the power bank itself, it took just over three hours when it was almost drained of power. That means all you need to do is leave it charging overnight for another full day’s use. You can also charge other devices by having them plugged into the device via USB ports while you are charging the device itself, but this perk does not apply to the AC port. You can’t charge your laptop and the power bank at the same time.
While this does not really apply to me, some colleagues have told me a device like this cannot really power up laptops that require a lot of wattage (such as playing video games). Luckily, that is not the case for most business travelers looking for some borrowed time on their laptops, and the power pack is effective at charging a laptop while you work or listen to music.
It retails for about $200 online, but can often be found on sale via various websites. The Mobile Edge 27,000 mAh Core AC Power Charger is an absolute lifesaver for the frequent road warrior that needs to stay connected and productive even when the environment around them does not cooperate. This is the one accessory I have been missing in my travel lineup, and Mobile Edge has read my (and many other peoples’) mind.