In modern life it is becoming increasingly important to ensure that ones Smart Watch, Smart Phone, Bluetooth Headphones and the million and one other peripherals we carry are fully charged and can face the rigours of our usage. The iClever 6 Port USB Travel Wall Charger looks to be a mobile, pocket friendly power companion to help keep those devices juiced up. Let’s take a look at the full review.
iClever are a brand that you’ll no doubt know little about unless you happen to live on the West Coast of the USA. iClever parallels its product offerings with that of its route to market; simplicity is key. iClever sell all of their mobile device peripherals on regional Amazon sites, and have amassed an impressive review portfolio there. Their product offerings range from Bluetooth Headsets and speakers, to gaming mice and on to car docks. Today we’re looking at one of their power banks.
Unboxing & Overview
iClever deliver a simple and mostly recyclable package with just the 6 Port USB Charger, a power cable (1.5m), a quick start guide and some information on becoming a “Super User”of iClever products inside.
The device itself weighs in at just 180 grams and has relatively slight dimensions compared to other similar devices on the market with just 100mm x 69mm x 27mm dimensions. The device has a black unibody design and has a soft touch, velvet-esque feel to the plastic surround; a stark contrast to many similar devices utilising a glossy finish. This is a nice touch and alleviates fingerprints on the device if you feel particularly disadvantaged by such annoyances.
With a maximum device output of 50W/10A each of the 6 USB ports has a maximum capacity of 2.4A, meaning it will quite happily charge a couple of iPads, from the same device, with the same current as two separate iPad chargers would, whilst still enabling the simultaneous charging of other devices.
Performance & Value
With a USB Voltage/Amperage detector we noticed that a high end Android tablet easily drew 2-2.1A from this device whilst our Lynx Windows 8.1 Tablet and our Samsung Galaxy S6 were both happily charging at full speed also. The utilisation of iClever’s SmartID technology allows the device to identify the amperage required from the device connected to the USB port and apportion the current accordingly.
There is obviously a constraint. The maximum output of this device is 10A and as such, connecting 6 iPads (for example) would not result in all 6 charging at full speed through this device. However it would manage 3-4 just fine without any other devices connected and in our testing, it managed to charge an iPhone 4, a Samsung Galaxy S6, a Xiaomi MiPad Android Tablet, a set of Mpow Swift Bluetooth Headphones (review coming for these!), as well as a OnePlus One Android device all at full speed. In short, any combination of devices with a collective current below 10A will charge at full speed. This gives users a choice of how many of the 6 ports to use and should be more than enough for most consumers.
The device does not come with any bundled USB cables (although iClever do offer UISB to Lightning Cables in their store) meaning that users will have to supply their own. Not a hardship when most devices come with some form of charging device via USB, however it would have been good to have seen a catch-all USB adapter to get users started.
Furthermore we’d have liked a carry case or bag of sorts bundled to allow the mobile nature of the device to really strike home. The device is small enough to fit in a pocket, however there is nowhere to store the no doubt limitless number of cables users wanting to purchase one of these devices will carry. Perhaps a future iteration will see this inclusion at the same price point.
The price itself is competitive at £19.99. A quick Amazon search will show other devices with “similar” specifications for slightly cheaper, however a quick dig into the specifics of some of the competitors shows that whilst the overall Amperage might well be aligned to that of iClever’s offering, many similar devices offer specific ports for specific currents. iClever’s SmartID handles whatever charging requirement is asked of it, regardless of the USB port the device is plugged in to. That seems to be a feature that is lacking in some of its competitors.
Conclusion
With the device priced at just £19.99 and offering a smaller or similar footprint than many of its competitors with a nicer, matte finish, we think the iClever is a great option for those power hungry users who are often on the move and are looking to rely on a single device for all their power needs.
The iClever 6 Port USB Travel Wall Charger, whilst not sporting a name that rolls off the tongue, provides the performance expected of it, and at a footprint to be attractive enough in a crowded market segment to stand out. Those amongst us who regularly have multiple devices to charge will look to a device like this for assistance in keeping topped up. The iClever does a good job and is lightweight enough to be easily portable.
It’s easily argued that there are many, many devices on the market that can deliver the same overall amperage output, however there are only a handful of devices that deliver simultaneous speeds across ALL of the ports (device dependant). We’re glad to say the iClever proved successful in our tests to that affect.
Thanks to iClever for providing the sample device. The iClever 6 Port USB Travel Wall Charger can be purchased right now from Amazon.
Stay tuned for more iClever device reviews on the site and a GIVEAWAY coming shortly!
Links: iClever Website – iClever Twitter
iClever 6 Port USB Travel Wall Charger
Pros
- Footprint perfect for travel
- Price is competitive
- SmartID feature is handy
- Maximum power per port
Cons
- No bundled cables
- No carry case
Great article, this would be perfect for travelling too!