Does anyone remember when a Nokia phone would go for like a week without needing a recharge? I am showing my age because that has not happened for at least a dozen years. Nowadays almost everyone would be carrying at least one portable battery, more if you are an AR game fan such as Pokemon Go or Harry Potters: Wizards United. Luckily Mophie always has our backs when it comes to keeping our gadgets juiced up on the go, this time we get to check out the Mophie Powerstation 10000 mAh.
First Impressions
Battery technology has not been making the kind of progress everything else seems to have. Despite this, portable chargers have gotten more compact over the past few years and Mophie does a great job at making it feel pretty svelte. The Powerstation fabric 10,000 mAh comes in at about three-quarters the length of a Pixel 4XL, and double the thickness. Not bad for something that can recharge a Pixel 4XL a little under 3 times.
The Mophie Powerstation line comes in a variety of options and sizes, the review unit is a 10,000 mAh (Fabric) in navy blue. The colour certainly makes it stand out from your run of the mill portable batteries.
The surface of Powerstation feels … different. You could feel the fabric weave, but it does not feel like cloth. A little bit of research tells me that the material is ultrasuede – a product designed to require minimal effort to keep its look and feel. It has been a pretty constant companion in my partner’s handbag for the past fortnight, and happily the Powerstation fabric seems to withstand the trauma without any blemishes.
In Use
A portable battery is a portable battery. You plug in the cable on either end and expect power to flow. The Mophie Powerstation will start to charge your device after the status indicator is pressed for 3 seconds. Speaking of which, there is a 4 LED indicator to show you just how much juice you have left in the tank.
It comes with a USB-A and a USB-C port, with the USB-C port doubling up as the input to charge the Powerstation. It is important to note that the USB-C port is NOT a USB-C PD (or USB-PD) port, it is rated at up to 3 Amps for fast charging. The device is capable of charging two devices concurrently. The Powerstation does not sing you a song or make your coffee, it just works.
Mophie’s advertising says it can provide an additional 36 hours for a smartphone, 13 hours for a small tablet and 8 hours for a large tablet. From my usage experience, I have been able to rely on it for the heaviest of usage days and still have juice left over.
Conclusions
A good, robust portable battery in a stylish outfit. The colourful ultrasuede options gives it a nice feel and a standout from the bland competition. The Mophie powerstation (fabric) 10,000 mAh comes in black, space grey, navy blue or rose gold. They are available here for RRP USD$49.95. Best of all, mophie provides a two year warranty on their units.
Specifications
Dimensions: 72 x 139 x 15.9mm (WxHxD), 2.83 x 5.47 x 0.63 inches
Weight: 216g, 0.47lb
Capacity: 10,000 mAh
Includes: USB-A to USB-C cable
