MobileTechTalk Power banks are everywhere and there’s good reason for that. In an effort to make smart devices as thin as possible, manufacturers have to cut their cloth accordingly regarding battery size. Whilst battery technology and processor efficiency have both improved, so have the demands on battery power from more accurate, larger, and sometimes multiple screens. That’s where a portable charger like the iWalk comes in. Let’s take a look.
- Large capacity for footprint
- Pass Through charging is nice
- A lot of weight on the Lightning connector
Disclaimer
Quick Links…
- Jump to… Overview & Unboxing
- Jump to… Spec Sheet
- Jump to… Performance & Use
- Jump to… Final Thoughts
Overview
iWalk were a new name to me. Checking out their site is like walking into one of those small phone outlets you find in shopping centres or Train stations here in the UK. It’s wall-to-wall portable chargers. If you’re looking for chargers for tablets, laptops, and smartphones, iWalk has it all. The iWalk LinkPod 5000 Pro is a particularly diminutive charger for iPhones with Lightning charging ports.
There’s little to the device itself. The charger is coated with matte brushed plastic, and has a small LED display on the front detailing the charge left in the 4800mAh battery. On the left-hand side sits the USB Type-C charging port, whilst across to the right is a single button which triggers the LED display.
On the top edge is the Lightning charger with an LED ring around it that illuminates when charging.
The charger is available in Black, White, Pink, Blue and Purple colour options.
Specifications
- Model – LinkPod 5000 Pro
- Model No – DBL5000PL
- Capacity – 4800mAh
- Charging
- Output – 2.4A max
- 18W fast re-charging
- Pass-Through charging
- Dimensions – 78.6 x 51.5 x 25.8mm x 99g
In The Box
- iWalk Charger
- User Guide
- USB Type-C to Type-C cable
- USB Type-C to USB Type-A adapter
Performance & Use
At its core, the iWalk LinkPod 5000 Pro (we’ll call it the iWalk) is a portable charger. There’s nothing incredibly exciting about it other than its sheer pocketability. This particular device is engineered to be used with iPhones as you can tell from the Lightning connector protruding from the top edge.
On a device such as this, whilst 4800mAh is the quoted battery capacity, that is assuming peak efficiency. There is always some inefficiency due to the battery technology in use, and you can expect to drop about 7-10% in real-world use. That still isn’t bad though and should still charge up an iPhone 14 Pro Max from dead to max.
When it is time to recharge the iWalk, the 18W charging via Type-C cable will fill it back up ready for use in under 2 hours. There’s also pass-through charging which allows your device, if connected to the iWalk, to be charged as well as the iWalk when connected to the Type-C cable.
Portable Perfection?
Whilst a small footprint device, I do believe some improvements could have been made to the overall design. The Lightning connector has never been one of the strongest port standards, and it being the single point of focus between a 250g phone and a 99g battery in the iWalk does have me worried, albeit in my tests it’s been surprisingly robust.
Equally, whilst there is a nice little port cover to cover the Lightning connector when not in use, it can get in the way when connected. I understand why they made it captive, however, a completely removable lid would have been welcome in this instance.
Finally, the brushed plastic finish will encourage fingerprints and oil deposits – just clean it often!
Final Thoughts
It just works. The iWalk LinkPod 5000 Pro can fit in a pocket, a bag, or a purse and be carried around with ease and pulled out when that burst of charge is required. It’s quick to recharge, and it holds a significant capacity too. For £25 it would make a nice little gift for somebody as it is available in multiple colours.
