REVIEW – Ever since Smart devices became as ubiquitous as shoes, so has the market for chargers grown to keep up with making sure those devises remain charged. Sure, we have cables and charger plugs at our bedside, in the kitchen, in the car—anywhere we spend a lot of time and can set the phone down. But what about when we are out of our element? Traveling, camping or just visiting someone away from home can leave us with a battery approaching 0% charge. It can sneak up on you! That’s where portable chargers can be a life-saver. The good news is that these chargers can charge a device much faster than a wall plug. The really good news is that these chargers are smaller, lighter and much more affordable than they have ever been! Case in point: The Otterbox Fast Charger.
What is it?
The Otterbox Fast Charger is a simple, dark gray slab trimmed in black that charges any smart device via its USB-A or USB-C ports. Each port can charge a device simultaneously.
The surface is a tough plastic partly covered in a faux suede-like coating with thin gold trim. It’s the complete opposite of the whacky designed chargers from Shargeek, such as the Shargeek Storm 2 charger. Its conservative styling is all business that won’t look out of place on a conference table in any office.
The Fast Charger is offered in three power (and price) options: 10,000 mAh at $35, 15,000 mAh at $45, and 20,000 mAh (the size reviewed) at $55 (mAh is milliampere/hour, which measures the energy capacity of a battery).
Along with single USB-A and USB-C ports are a single ON button and small LED lights that indicate battery life. That’s it. There is not even an OFF button. The charger shuts itself down a few seconds after being disconnected.
Specs
- Dimensions: 6.26 in x 3.08 in x .92 in
- Weight: 0.99 lbs
- Output: USB-C: 18W (5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A); USB-A: 18W (5V/2.4A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A)
- Input: USB-C: 18W (5V/3A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A)
- Storage Temperature: 14 to 140°F
Design and features
The Otterbox Fast Charger’s size is about the same as an iPhone Pro Max, but at double the thickness. It’s also about twice as heavy. While its size and weight make is perfect for a backpack, travel bag, or coat pocket, you probably wouldn’t want to carry it in a pants pocket unless you had to.
The Fast Charger can be held comfortably and securely due to its non-slip suede-like finish. It’s not slippery at all, unlike some all metal chargers sold.
Even though the Fast charger can get splashed on, I don’t recommend hanging out by the pool with it. It’s not waterproof.
Even though the Fast Charger has an ON switch, it will automatically turn on as soon as a USB connection is made.
Four LED lights indicate remaining battery life. Each of the four lights represents 25%. These lights also tell how charging is progressing. When the Fast Charger is re-charging, the lights blink. Once charging is complete, they remain solidly lit.
The Fast Charger does charge noticeably faster than standard charging plug. Otterbox claims 3.6 times faster. I believe it. My iPhone 12 Pro Max recharges in less than an hour from 0-100%. As with most newer chargers, you can get an emergency 15-20% battery charge in just a few minutes.
Even though the Fast Charger is appropriately named—it does charge fast—it is much slower when re-charging. Because it’s slow at charging itself, I try to keep it at 100% charge all the time. Both the USB-C and USB-A ports are rated at 18W.
The Fast Charger is perfectly sized for travel. It’s airline safe, so there shouldn’t be any issues with TSA. It can really come in handy on flights lasting over a few hours—the 20K mAh version can charge a typical smartphone four times over.
What I like
- Powerful
- Inexpensive
- Fast charging
- USB-A and USB-C ports
- Simple to use
What I’d change
- Slow to re-charge
Final Thoughts
Granted, the Otterbox Fast Charger doesn’t convey nearly the info that the 20K mAh Shargeek Storm 2 charger does. Then again, you can buy three Fast Chargers for the price of one Storm 2—with money left over! The Otterbox Fast Charger is a bargain at $55 for the largest available size. I highly recommend the 20K mAh version since it’s only $20 more than the 10K mAh entry version. As they say, you can never be too rich or have too much power. Okay, they don’t say that, but the power part is true.
Price: 10,000 mAh – $35; 15,000 mAh – $45; 20,000 mAh – $55
Where to buy: Otterbox and Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Otterbox.
Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
To Bad It’s Not Solar Charging.
I Would Have Bought It.
Sorry
There is a large variation in the quality of the actual cells used in battery packs, which strongly affects the product lifetime in terms of charge cycles.
It would be useful to know whether the cells are from Samsung, Panasonic, etc., Or a random Noname manufacturer.
If they aren’t bragging about the cells used, they are probably poor quality ones, though.