Modern smartphones are technological marvels, everyday tools designed to help us keep in touch. Or search for cat photos on the Internet. Or troll on 4Chan. Some people render their $1,000 mobile devices as nothing more than a medium of accessing Facebook, which is sadder than sad. The saddest thing about smartphone ownership, however, is the battery life.
Chances are you know a powerbank user too, for these gadgets are lifesavers for people who can’t go through the day without plugging in. Most useful to those individuals who are hurrying about from here to there, a powerbank is the next best thing after the good ol’ power outlet.
Despite the fact the market is oversaturated with a varied selection of powerbank options, Tesla decided to join in on the action. Enter the Powerbank, which looks like the miniature version of the Tesla Supercharger monument at the Tesla Design Studio. At $45, however, the new Powerbank is somewhat expensive compared to competing products.
On the upside, this thing boasts the 18650 cell manufactured by Panasonic, which Tesla uses in the Model S since 2013. The bad news is, 3,350 mAh capacity is not enough to juice up the Samsung Galaxy S8+. Charging voltage and current is another letdown, with Tesla quoting a maximum output of 5V/1.5A. But then again, the Powerbank is compact (108x30.5x23.3 millimeters) and features an integrated Apple Lightning connector. A micro-USB connector is also present, and it’s detachable.
The bottom line is, $45 will get you a better, more performant alternative to the Powerbank portable charger. But then again, which one of those alternatives looks and feels like a Tesla product? The answer to that is none, and the Palo Alto-based company is capitalizing on this attribute.
As if the Powerbank wasn’t enough of a compromise, Tesla’s online shop also features something called Desktop Supercharger. As the name implies, it’s a phone charger that sits on your desk. And its most special particularity is that Tesla used 3D CAD data from the actual Supercharger to replicate every detail, curve, and surface found in the scale charger.
Despite the fact the market is oversaturated with a varied selection of powerbank options, Tesla decided to join in on the action. Enter the Powerbank, which looks like the miniature version of the Tesla Supercharger monument at the Tesla Design Studio. At $45, however, the new Powerbank is somewhat expensive compared to competing products.
On the upside, this thing boasts the 18650 cell manufactured by Panasonic, which Tesla uses in the Model S since 2013. The bad news is, 3,350 mAh capacity is not enough to juice up the Samsung Galaxy S8+. Charging voltage and current is another letdown, with Tesla quoting a maximum output of 5V/1.5A. But then again, the Powerbank is compact (108x30.5x23.3 millimeters) and features an integrated Apple Lightning connector. A micro-USB connector is also present, and it’s detachable.
The bottom line is, $45 will get you a better, more performant alternative to the Powerbank portable charger. But then again, which one of those alternatives looks and feels like a Tesla product? The answer to that is none, and the Palo Alto-based company is capitalizing on this attribute.
As if the Powerbank wasn’t enough of a compromise, Tesla’s online shop also features something called Desktop Supercharger. As the name implies, it’s a phone charger that sits on your desk. And its most special particularity is that Tesla used 3D CAD data from the actual Supercharger to replicate every detail, curve, and surface found in the scale charger.