The Innergie mCube Mini is billed as "World’s smallest auto/air adapter" for notebook, netbook and portable devices. When the review unit came in, it certainly is the smallest charger this reviewer has seen. I can’t categorically agree with Innergie’s claim but I dare say they are pretty close to the mark!
First Impression
The mCube Mini is certainly tiny. The adapter part is about the length of a cheap plastic cigarette lighter and about 50% thicker. That is mind bogglingly small considering most manufacturers seem to be in competition as to who can lump the user with the biggest power pack. The unit comes in a glossy white finish similar to a white iPhone with grey leads protuding from either end. It is very smart looking!
On one end it provides a metre of wire to your notebook or lapbook, on the other it has about 30 centimeters to go into either a car 12V socket or an Air Plug. The mCube Mini comes with 10 connector tips to suit a number of notebook manufacturers listed later in the review. All the connector tips are clearly labelled with a letter from A to J, the manual has a table which translate the label to manufacturer.
In Action
For something like this, it is important to read the manual first. Normally I would just start using a gadget but when it comes to potentially blowing up my notebook I take a little more care. The mCube Mini supports voltage output ranging from 15 – 21 volts, it is important to note that the adapter may damage equipment outside of this supported range. The manual specifically states this, and that the mCube Mini does not support notebooks requiring 12 or 24 volts.
More importantly, there is a switch on the side of the mCube Mini which switches the output from 15-17 volts or 18-21 volts. The manual provides documentation on how to check for the necessary voltage for your own equipment. This switch must be set before using the mCube Mini, voltage cannot be changed on the fly for obvious reasons. There is a single LED indicator on the mCube Mini. When the power range is in the 15-17 volts range the LED is green, in the 18-21 volts range it is blue.
Other Features
There is not much more to be said about the mCube Mini. On the 12V adapter side, the unit features an USB port in addition to the lead in jack for the charge circuitry itself. Makes for a very handy feature to charge both an USB device and a notebook at the same time when you are on the road.
The mCube Mini comes with a small black carry pouch to carry all your tips in, and a large pouch to carry everything together. I leave just the tip I need on the adapter and carry just what I need in the travel pouch.
In the Box
* 1 x mCube Mini
* 1 x Air Plug
* 1 x Car Charger
* 10 x Tips (Acer, Asus, Dell, Fujitsu Siemens, Gateway, HP/Compaq, IBM Lenovo, LG, MSI, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba)
* 1 x Manual
* 1 x Safety and Warranty Card
* 1 x Travel Pouch
Conclusions
There’s no gripes section in this review. What’s there to complain about? The mCube Mini is designed to be one thing – to be the smallest auto/air adapter in the world and it certainly is tiny and it looks good doing its job. It is available here for USD$69.99. Many thanks to Innergie for providing the review unit, brilliant stuff!
