Powerful accessory with the ability to reduce cable clutter.
Even though I typically like to hide all my cables, it’s sometimes necessary to have a power strip available on your desktop for product testing. When that is the case, I like to invite items to my workspace that are unique and can serve many purposes. Anker has some very special products that fit that description to a tee. One such product is the PowerExtend USB-C 3 Capsule.
DETAILS
The PowerExtend USB-C 3 Capsule is a power strip/surge protector that is designed for home or office use. The power strip includes three AC outlets and three USB outlets (2-USB Type A, 1-USB Type C) for charging/powering devices. The USB-C port acts as a power delivery port and can provide up to 45W of power. The power strip features a space-saving design including a flat plug. The design of the power strip is geared toward being clutter-free with the idea that the power cord would be hidden behind a desk while the USB ports are facing the user for uninhibited use. The PowerExtend capsule features superior safety and is equipped with surge protection, overload protection, and a fire-resistant casing. The power strip has a 5-foot long power cable and comes with a worry-free 18-month warranty and a lifetime $50,000 connected equipment warranty. The charger is equipped with Anker’s PowerIQ which is Anker’s fast-charging technology that intelligently identifies devices to deliver the fastest possible charge.
USER EXPERIENCE
The power strip comes in a blue and white box with Anker’s branding stamped on it. There is very little on the package that identifies the contents other than a small sticker on one of the ends. The box is strong and the item inside is well-protected, but I think Anker should consider adding the name of the product to the front of the box so that customers can easily identify the box. The product is just a simple power strip with some remarkable technology built into it. So, there is no assembly required and no software required to use it. You just take it out of the box and plug it into the wall. Then, you start charging your devices.
The physical design of this power strip is fascinating to me. It’s nothing like I’ve seen before and because of that, it really stands out to me. The strip has a flat bottom so that it’s easy to use on a desktop. As I stated above, Anker created this with the intent of having the devices that plugin via AC plug hang off the back of a desk while the USB ports would be open to using from the front. The only issue I have with this is that I like to have access to both ports equally when I’m using a power strip on my desktop. This may not be the case for everyone, but that is my preference. I do like that there is ample space between the outlet plugs on the power strip because that ensures that your devices won’t run into each other when they are plugged in.
To test the charger, I plugged in two devices – an iPad Pro (11-inch, 2018) and an iPhone 12 Pro. The iPad I plugged in using the USB-C port and the iPhone I plugged in using one of the USB-A ports. I let both devices charged for 30 minutes. The iPad gained 26% battery power during that time. In the last four minutes of the test, the iPad was over 80% battery which means it was trickle charging. So, I judged its charging rate based on the first 26 minutes of its charging test. With that in mind, the iPad had a charging rate of 0.92% per minute, which is exceptionally fast. The iPhone gained 24% battery life during its 30-minute charging session for a charging rate of 0.8% per minute. That is also a very fast charging rate for an iPhone 12 Pro.
CONCLUSION
The PowerExtend USB-C 3 Capsule seems to be a very efficient charger. I love that it provides a unique design and can be used for many different devices at one time. This is a great option for power no matter where you are working.
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