Mophie Powerstation USB-C 3XL Portable Battery REVIEW My go to battery

A stunning power brick you will enjoy keeping with you

When you travel, you just want things to work. You are away from your standard day-to-day activities and any number of things could go poorly. So, when it comes to charging devices, you want something simple, but powerful. This is why I typically turn to brands, like Mophie, for portable charging devices. I don’t want to end up in an emergency situation needing power and not being able to get it properly. That’s why Mophie’s Powerstation USB-C 3XL Portable Battery is now one of my favorite charging options when I’m on the go.

DETAILS

The Powerstation USB-C 3XL Portable Battery is made specifically for use with Apple MacBook, iPad, iPhone and other USB-C or USB-A driven devices. It features a 26,500 mAh capacity and only weighs about 18 ounces. Mophie provides a 2-year warranty with the device and includes a quick start guide along with connection cables in the box with the battery.

The Powerstation is designed with PD technology and can deliver up to 45W of power for your devices. With this technology included, the battery can charge the iPhone up to 2.5 times faster than a standard Lightning connection can provide. It features priority charging that will send power to a connected device first and then recharge the Powerstation. The battery is finished with a durable fabric wrap that protects the case when you travel. The Powerstation has a four-light LED power indicator that displays the charging status and current battery life of the power bank and its being offered exclusively through the Apple Store and mophie.com.

USER EXPERIENCE

The Powerstation USB-C 3XL Portable Battery experience does not disappoint. Mophie’s retail packaging is quite eye-pleasing and lots of details are included for the user’s reference. I was very happy to find that Mophie decided to include not one, but two USB-C cables (one is USB-C to USB-C and one is USB-C to USB-A). I enjoy using cables that came with the product whenever possible. Using the battery is as easy as one might expect. You simply plug the cable into the device and then into the battery. Charging will start automatically. If you press the button to the side of the LEDs, the lights will illuminate to show how much power is left on the power bank.

When testing out the efficiency of the battery, I used three different devices — a MacBook Pro, an iPhone XS, and an iPad Pro (2018). The first test subject was a 2018 (Late) 15-inch MacBook Pro. This laptop actually requires 87W from a power source to charge, but I’ve had luck with batteries rated at 45W providing a charge so I thought I would test the Powerstation’s limits. I plugged it in using the USB-C cable and while the laptop recognized it as a power source, the Powerstation did not charge the laptop. This doesn’t mean it won’t work with laptops that require a lesser wattage. It just means it doesn’t work for the MacBook Pro.

The second test subject was a 2018 11-inch iPad Pro. This product has a reported 10-hour long battery (or 9 hours for the cellular version) — enough to get you through an entire day. When I decided to charge the iPad, it had a 0% charge. I plugged it in and it immediately started to charge. The Powerstation was still showing a full charge (via the LEDs) and after 95 minutes, the iPad had gained 27% on its battery. This means the Powerstation provided 0.28% per minute as a charging rate.

Finally, I plugged in an iPhone XS. This phone has a reported battery capacity of 2658 mAh, which means that you could logically get 10 full charges out of a fully charged Powerstation for the iPhone XS. The iPhone was sitting at 23% when I plugged it in. Again, the device started charging right away. After 83 minutes, the phone had gained 63%. This translates to a charging rate of approximately 0.76% per minute.

CONCLUSION

The Mophie Powerstation USB-C 3XL is now my go-to battery and I have made a permanent home for it in my camera/laptop bag. I try to travel as light as I can while still managing to overpack but with the Powerstation, I find myself being able to pack just a bit lighter because I know it’s going to do the work of three batteries. I had some really good success testing it out and never once experienced any overheating issues or power problems. Despite the initial investment expense ($200), I believe it’s 100% worth adding to your on-the-go kit.

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