Charging multiple devices has to be one of the biggest hassles that the tech era has brought with it. Follow it up with the search for good charging replacements and on the road charging solutions and you just keep getting sucked by all these power struggles.
In our continued search for the perfect charging solutions, we tried three different products from Tronsmart, a Chinese company that is trying to bring quality charging solutions regardless of what we usually associate with China. In today’s post, we will focus on a portable power bank, a two-port wall charger and a multi-port charging station. Along with these three primary products, I also got to use a super long MFi Certified Lightning Cable that I never thought I needed so much in my life! While I enjoyed testing all these products, there are of course some favorites and some meh-okay-sure ones. So, let's get down to business.
Tronsmart Presto Portable Power Bank
Let's start with a product that I almost love – the "Tronsmart 10400mAh External Battery with Quick Charge 3.0 Technology." This device is a lifesaver! While Tronsmart mainly markets it as an Android-friendly power bank, I extensively used it with my iPhone 6s (yes, I'm still on a 2015 phone) especially during my travels and absolutely loved getting quick charge capabilities on the go. This power bank – unlike several other options – comes with a useful velvety cover that makes it easier to carry around. As small as the size of a hand, the device is lightweight and comes with a simple and intuitive design.
On one side, you will find a quick charge port along with a USB-C port for charging the product itself. The device also comes with two cables, one USB C to USB C and a USB C to USB A - probably the reason they are being advertised as Android gadgets. For iPhone you will have to use your own cable or get one from Tronsmart.
Yep, the company also makes some gorgeous and extremely strong cables for iPhones. The length of the Tronsmart Lightning cable for iPhone is way longer than what you get from Apple (6 freaking ft!). Since it’s built from nylon, you can forget about the wear issues that we usually face with Apple-built cables. While I have always been cautious about using non-Apple products with my iPhones, I have completely replaced the Apple cable with Tronsmart's since April this year. I have done this not only because it’s easier to spot among all the black and white cables, but is extremely long, which might seem like yet another ostentatious addition from a Chinese company but is a MASSIVE help, relieving you from sitting close to the plugs while your device charges. Saying that I absolutely love it would be an understatement.
What I liked about Presto
- Charging speed! This is like the goal for Tronsmart. The Presto juices up your devices in no time. Literal life saver especially during travelling!
- Compact, aesthetically designed product; also loved their thoughtful, velvety carrying case.
- The input can act as a second output if you have a USB-C phone.
What I didn’t like
- LED, battery-level reading can be misleading for the last two lights.
- Size: while it’s smaller to be carried in a purse, it doesn’t fit inside your pocket mainly thanks to its awkward thickness. Those of you who like carrying smaller power banks, this might not be the right product for you. Do note, however, that Tronsmart now offers a newer, slimmer version of this product too.
- One port - seriously?
- No passthrough charging: doesn’t allow you to charge devices while it’s refilling itself.
Tronsmart Multi-Port Charging Hub
Now that you have your charging-on-the-go and charging-while-sitting-and-sleeping-comfortably worries sorted, let’s talk about the living room power chaos.
The company offers a charging dock that comes with not one, not two but FIVE quick-charging ports. We tested this dock with a Samsung Galaxy S7, a Galaxy S6 edge and an iPhone 6s and all of them got a full charge in less than a couple of hours. I enjoyed this product particularly because it helps you declutter your living room since you no longer have cables or chargers hanging from every outlet. Just plug the dock in and charge all of your mobile devices through the Tronsmart charging dock.
What I like or don’t
I won’t be writing a list of cons or pros for this product because it does exactly what it says on the cover – fast charge multiple devices at the same time. No pretentious features, no drawbacks in my over 8-month long usage. [For more details, check out this earlier review]
Tronsmart Quick Charge 3.0 Dual USB Wall Charger
If you don’t use 5 devices or don’t want to place a dock permanently on your desk, you can also go for the Tronsmart wall charger that offers charging powers for two devices only.
Personally, this was my least favorite of all mainly because I didn’t have a use for it. This plug as the name suggests will go directly into the wall power outlet from where you can connect two devices (both iPhone and Android work perfectly) to fuel them up. But I never need to charge just two devices. It’s either all of them (hello dock!) or just my phone. Additionally, it was bulkier in size when compared to both my iPhone 6s and Galaxy S8+ chargers, giving me no reason at all to give it a longer trial than was needed for testing. (Update: biting the bullet, I now have to use two phones and this has sadly turned into a lifesaver)
This will probably fit the bill for those who carry two devices as daily drivers and need them both to be charged simultaneously. In my testing, the charging station gave me the best results in terms of charging speed. As for the iPhone cable, it didn’t give me any different results when compared to the original Apple product – the primary reason why I have stuck with it.
While everyone has their favorites when it comes to charging solutions, these Tronsmart products do make your charging life quick and somewhat mess-free. And even though we have come to associate China with cheap products, my extensive daily use of some of these products for as long as over 8 months proved that a good, reliable product can come from anywhere.
