4000mAh Dual USB-A Battery
As modern devices move into USB-C and Lightning only, USB-Micro has become less common. The idea of the 4000mAh battery as an emergency supply is sound and quite appreciated. It may even provide for older phones/devices. Unfortunately, several modern smartphone batteries exceed the capacity of the device. Power the device with the included short ~ 9 inches long micro-USB cable. Output power to your devices via dual USB-A output only. The price is a bit high considering there is no USB-C/PD, or wireless charging. Pros: Lightweight, portable, and easily pocketable. Cons: Lacks USB-C, USB-C PD, Wireless Charging and uses USB-Micro input.
- DESIGN
- EASE OF USE
- PRICE
- CHARGING RATE
- PORTS
KickPOWER battery tops off your USB-A tech with packable emergency power.
I am constantly on the lookout for the holy grail of portable batteries. I want a small device that will provide ~1-1.5x charges for my iPhone 13 Pro Max and a single charge for my Apple Watch gen six plus AirPods Pro Case (in a pinch).
When traveling for Cub Scout events, hiking/camping, or when camping with my family, I often rely on a single or perhaps two batteries for a weekend, and anywhere from two to three batteries for a week. If there is power available to recharge, I may only use a single battery. If no power is available, I often utilize a travel solar array that fits on the outside of my backpack. Of course, when toting the tech along, one must consider the battery weight to the total ~20% body weight gear recommendation.
The Kick Power Quick Charge Certified Dual Port 4000mAh battery arrived in a 2 3/4 inches wide by 6 inches tall by 1 3/16 inches thick hanging style package. Following the Kick Power design theme, the cover provided a white segment along the top right, a black element along the bottom left, and splashes of color.
The lime green accents were used for the KICK POWER name and border segments on the cover. I liked the obliquely angled image of the battery on the surface, the white font on the black background, and the flow of the colors onto the side and top panels. The right side panel provided the Kick Power name and web address upon the white and black backgrounds, respectively.
The black-colored left side panel provided a sizeable clear window with an attractive neon green border. The easy-view window extended to the back panel and added a 1 3/16 inches wide by 3/4 inches tall cutout to allow the user to “Feel Me.” The textured, black battery, with vibrant white KICK POWER name, was easily viewed through the plastic window.
The white-colored rear panel, plus the internal metallic mirror-like background, enhanced the presentation and served as a perfect background for the black battery and the neon accents. Below the window, you will find a light grey product specification segment bordered by the same neon green accent as above. The element detailed the 4000mAh battery capacity (14.5Wh), 5V/2.0A IQ output x 2, micro input 5V-2A). Lastly, you will find contact information, product manufacturing labels, and an SKU barcode.
I cut the tape along the top panel and slid the dual-chamber clear plastic tray out from within the packaging. The top chamber contained the 3.1 ounces, 2 1/2 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches tall by 1/2 inches thick battery, while the lower chamber provided a petite 8 15/16 inches long USB-A to USB-micro cable.
The top/bottom surfaces of the battery had an excellent textured feel, while the side/top/front panels were smooth and shiny. The left side panel had a small oval, slightly-raised power button. The front panel provided two USB-A output ports with a centrally positioned micro-USB input port. You will find two small cutouts placed along the right front corner, designed to accommodate a string loop.
Unfortunately, the cutouts were provided, but no wrist lanyard, carabiner, or other methods for hanging were provided. I liked that they included the feature but felt disappointed as if something was missing.
When I pressed the side power button, the front bank of four LED lights illuminated. I plugged a Klein Tools ET920 multimeter into the right USB-A port and then a USB-A to Lightning cable into my wife’s iPhone 12 Pro. After about ten seconds of waiting, I realized nothing had happened. I pressed the side button to activate the battery, and the multimeter/phone activated.
The multimeter displayed 4.92V/0.78A, while the lighting icon appeared on my phone. Starting at 10:12 am at 71% power, the iPhone 12 Pro increased to 84% by 10:43, 92% by 11 am, 95% by 11:11 am, 98% by 11:29 am, and 100% by 11:42 am. Once the phone was fully charged, the battery LED showed 3 lights remaining.
I then plugged the lightning cable into my iPhone 13 Pro Max. The multimeter displayed 4.92V/0.87A. Starting at 11:42 am at 83% power, my iPhone 13 Pro Max increased to 88% by 12:15, 90% by 12:24, 96% by 12:57, and 100% by 1:15. I plugged the setup into my AirPods Pro Case with a single light remaining. The multimeter displayed 4.97V/0.32A. I could charge the AirPods from about 75% to full power in about an hour.
Assuming the 2815mAh battery size of the iPhone 12 Pro, 4352 mAh battery size of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, and the 398 mAh AirPods Pro case, the battery provided ~816 mAh + ~740 mAh, + ~100mAh= ~1656 mAh. If I rounded to 2000mAh, the battery seemed to have roughly 50% efficiency, which appeared to be under the ~80% that I have found with most batteries.
I fully depleted the battery and then used the included USB-A to micro cable to charge the battery. The multimeter displayed 4.99V/1.82A. Starting at 5:45 PM, all four LEDs were full by 10:40 PM. The battery thus took ~1/5 of a day to charge and provided less than a full charge to my iPhone 13 Pro Max.
I wanted to love this battery and truly hate to leave negative reviews. However, despite the attractive color, the appealing palm-sized design, and the dual outputs, the battery did not live up to my expectations/needs. Most modern devices use either USB-C or Lightning charging. I suspect over the next few years, all devices will move to USB-C, especially as the European Union is attempting to eliminate E-waste.
The dual USB-A output combined with USB-micro input, and the far-too-short USB-micro cable technology are likely a bit outdated. Now that we are using QC technology, USB-C PD, etc., the battery simply does not live up to modern tech needs. There are still devices that utilize micro-USB, and I still carry a few USB-A to Micro cables in my tech travel bag. However, I do not see the need for a battery for yesterday’s tech.
In a pinch, the battery will provide an emergency power supply to your phone. However, the newest phones ship with USB-C to USB-C or USB-C to Lightning cables. This means that you will need to either buy a USB-A to USB-C cable/adapter or USB-A to Lightning Cable or use an old cable lying around.
The output was below optimal, the battery size was below optimal, and the efficiency appeared to be below optimal. I typically rely on 10,000 mAh batteries as the best mAh to weight ratio. There are many options available today that provide more opportunities for similar cost.
For example, the Momax Q. Power touch offered wireless charging, a 10,000 mAh battery, measured 0.6 inches thick at 8.1 ounces weight, USB-A output, lightning input, and USB-C output/input for $34.99. The extra ~$15 over the Kick Power battery significantly boosted overall use/need for only a marginal increase in weight.
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