Over the last couple of years, power banks have risen in prominence among gadget users. With smartphones and tablets becoming more affordable and access to Internet now knitted to one’s routine, everyone just can’t get enough of power.
In a country where power outage is not out of the extraordinary, it has been quite a life saver of some sorts to some. I, for one, personally own four as of this writing.
Power banks, once considered somewhat of a luxury rather than necessity, has also seen its prices drop and their capacity gone up. It’s quite confusing which one to go for with so many already out in the market.
Schneider Electric, a France-based global brand, recently unveiled their newest line of power banks. This review focuses on the APC Portable Power Pack M10BK with 10,000 mAh capacity (there’s also a 5,000 mAh MB5K variant).
Build
At first glance, the APC Portable Power Pack looks like an external HDD. Upon closer inspection, you’ll see the Schneider brand as well as a battery-like logo at the top which actually serves as a charge indicator.
Pressing the physical button located at the right side of the device will light up to four white LED lights which tell how much charge the power bank has in it.
It’s quite compact compared to most power banks with the same capacity. It’s roughly the same size as a 5-inch phablet, and only a couple of millimeters thicker. You could easily slip this into a back pocket.
The power bank’s exterior shell is made up of high quality plastic. Both the top and bottom parts have a glossy finish to it. The device’s build is solid and when pressed, it won’t produce creaky sounds usually associated with poorly constructed devices.
Two devices can simultaneously be charged, thanks to the dual USB output rated at 2.4A and 1A respectively. This is actually my first time to see an output higher than 2A on a power bank. This means it can charge your device way faster compared to some power banks.
Also, the powerbank has some heft to it at 243 grams. The APC Power Pack M10BK also comes in white variant.
Performance
The device only comes with a USB cable with some leaflets and manuals in its package. My suggestion is for you to invest in a high quality USB wall charger with at least 1.5A output.
I charge this with my 2A USB charger and it takes around 6 hours for it to be fully charged. On my tests, I was able to charge one iPad Mini (4400 mAh) and one Galaxy Note (2500mAh), both on airplane mode, and it still has some power left in it.
As is the standard to power banks these days, once the devices are fully charged, the power bank turns itself off to avoid overcharging. It also features a safety On/Off function, meaning it will automatically shut off after 5 seconds if it doesn’t detect any connected devices, saving you from those accidental presses.
Conclusion
This holiday season, if you?re in the market for a capable power bank either for yourself or someone else, I highly recommend the APC Portable Power Pack. It not only looks great but also performs very well.
Update:
The prices of the unit, which are available at authorized major computer retailers nationwide, are:
- APC M5BK is available for P1,500 (for black and white models)
- APC M10BK is available at P2,400 (for black and white models)
