iOttie USB-C RapidVolt Power Adapter 2022 REVIEW

Compact, Lightweight, Portal USB-C 20W Power Adapter.

The iOttie RapidVolt Power Adapter arrived in a 3 1/8 inches wide by 3 15/16 inches tall by 1 1/4 inches thick hanging-style retail package.  The company and product names were listed at the top left of the cover panel, just above details about the 20W nature of the USB-C adapter.  The lower-left corner displayed an adaptive charging icon, while the lower right corner had a “Up to 4X faster” icon. 

The main feature of the cover was a large slightly raised, glossy image of the RapidVolt adapter.  The black-on-white color pattern combined nicely with the gold accent rim of the USB-C port to create a pleasing visual experience.  The clean white background served as a perfect backdrop for the black font and the lime green accent within the company name.  

The right side panel provided three icons that detailed the protection against overvoltage, overcurrent, and high temperatures.  The left side panel provided an oblique image of the adapter and a bilingual description of the automatic detection/optimal charge feature.  The rear panel displayed an image of a side-by-side outlet in process of adapter placement at the top of the panel. 

The mid section provided two paragraphs, one in English and one in French, that detailed many of the features mentioned above.  The lower section provided a list of product highlights (20W power delivery, 4x faster-charging speeds, smart device detection, adaptive charging, advanced safety features, compact design, no included charging cable, and the 2-year limited warranty).  Lastly, the lower panel provided legal copyright/trademark information, product manufacturing labels, and an SKU barcode. 

DEVICE

To access the RapidVolt power adapter, I lifted the top flap, slid the inner tray out from the packaging, and removed the 1.5-ounce device. The matte-midnight-blue shell of the RapidVolt charger measured 1 11/16 inches long by 1 5/8 inches wide by 1 3/16 inches thick, while the dual type A wall prongs added an additional 5/8 inches to the overall length. I loved the sleek rounded edges, the anti-fingerprint surface material, and the placement of the product manufacturing labels, company name, and product specifications upon the back surface. 

The front panel had a single off-center, gold-rimmed USB-C port located at one of the edges.  Since the type A wall outlets lacked directionality, they were essentially designed as a dummy-proof feature that eliminated a correct/only-way installation process. This feature allowed the USB-C cable to divert around bulkier wall outlet plugs centered over the electrical plug.  Even though I appreciated the feature, there should have been a second port on the opposite edge.

TESTING

To test the power output, I plugged a Klein Tools Multimeter into the USB-C port and then a USB-C to lightning cable between my multimeter and iPhone 13 Pro Max.  The multimeter remained blank until the iPhone was plugged into the cable, but illuminated and displayed 9.05V/2.16A once the lightning cable plugged into the iPhone.  Starting at 8:52 am at 25% power, the phone increased to 47% by 9:07, 85% by 9:45, and 93% by 10:06 am. 

When the phone was charged to approximately 90% power, the multimeter displayed 5.07V/1.49A, and the phone continued to charge to full over the next 15 minutes.  For a second test, I plugged a USB-C to USB-C cable between the multimeter and into my iPad Pro 12.9”.  The multimeter displayed 12.01V/1.58A, while my iPad Pro was at 1% power at 6:19 PM. 

By 7:13 PM the iPad Pro raised to 32%, by 7:36 PM, 46%, by 7:52 PM, 55%, and by 8:33 PM, 79%. At 8:52 PM, the iPad Pro was at 90% and the multimeter showed 12.03V/1.21A.  By 9:00 PM  the multimeter displayed 12.02V/0.89A and the iPad showed 93% power.  By 9:23 PM, the iPad Pro was at 97%, and it was fully charged by 9:42 PM.  

For the third test, I plugged the USB-C cable into my Nintendo Switch and found the multimeter displayed 12.01V/1.13A, while the switch was at 78%at 11:09 PM. The Switch increased to 80% by 11:13 PM, 85% by 11:23 PM, 88% by 11:28 PM, 92% by 11:38 PM, and was fully charged by 12:00 AM.

For the final test, I plugged the USB-C cable into my MacBook Pro 15″ and the multimeter displayed 12.01V/1.56A. At 12:01 AM the MacBook Pro was at 35% power and it increased to 36% by 12:07 AM. This was far too slow for any reasonable utility. If using the Macbook while charging, the battery was able to maintain, but barely increased 1% every 5 minutes.

Summary

I appreciated the rigidity of the type A prongs and the secure connection between the prongs and outlet.  Additionally, the body of the 20W RAPIDVOLT WALL charger was oriented with the type A wall outlet prongs, which allowed the adapter to occupy only a small amount of outlet real estate.  Alas, I was a bit disappointed with the limited 20W output and with the single USB-C port. 

Since so many devices now rely on USB output, I prefer adapters with at least 2 charging ports.  Even as we move to a USB-C standard, thanks EU for stepping up with the mandate, many people still require USB-A ports for older tech. The RapidVolt device will provide reasonable power to most tablets/iPads, phones, and smart devices but will not provide reasonable power to modern USB-C laptops or Macbooks.

Even though the device fulfilled all of the promised features, I was concerned that it was a bit antiquated after reviewing several modern GaN PD adapters. However, the sub $18 pricetag placed the device into a similar position as similar devices from Apple and Anker.

If you are looking for a portable charger for your iPhone, I would consider grabbing a USB-C to lightning cable and an iottie RapidVolt charger.

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