I love ferreting out new tech brands and these days there are so many to choose from that it’s not always easy to know which new products are worth buying and which ones you should steer clear of. That’s why I am here and it’s one reason why I like reviewing products from unknown brands. Today I am reviewing a product from Sharge. This is the first time I’ve come across the name but I thought I’d look to see how their products measure up.
The Shargeek 170 Power Bank is a beautifully designed device that has a striking triangular prism shape that is about the same size as an extra-chunky bar of Toblerone chocolate. The case is made from a hard and transparent polycarbonate material that shows the innards of the power bank, with all the circuitry and components clear to see.
Embedded in the center of the circuit board is a rectangular IPS display providing a bright and colorful readout of the power bank’s status. The screen shows the remaining battery charge percentage, as well as the activity of the output and input ports in Watts. The display also shows how long it will take for the power bank to fully charge and the display is remarkably accurate and so easy to see.
To get juice into the Shargeek 170, you will need to use a powerful mains charger or two less-powerful chargers. To get the Shargeek 170 fully charged, I used an Anker GaNPrime 100W travel charger which has enough muscle. Once the power bank is fully charged, it’s ready to sling in a laptop bag for use as a backup power source for a laptop or any other gadgets, such as a smartphone, tablet or earbuds.
At the left end of the prism-shaped Shargeek 170 is a power button and two PD 3.1 USB-C input and output ports. There’s also a single USB-A port for charging up older or smaller devices with up to 10W. The two USB-C ports can be used simultaneously to charge the Shargeek 170 or they can be used as dual power outputs for charging a couple of phones or two laptops.
With a maximum output of 170W, the Sharge 170 has enough heft to power a laptop, tablet and smartphone at the same time. It has sufficient juice to drive a couple of MacBook Pro laptops, which is handy. The battery is rated at 86.4Wh/24,000mAh, while the rated capacity of the power bank—the real figure rather than the theoretical battery capacity—is a useful 13,200mAh.
An unexpected aspect of the Shargeek 170 is that it has an IP66 waterproof and dustproof rating. Designed for challenging weather or hostile environments, the Sharge 170 would be ideal for camping and hiking. About the only thing you can’t do with it is take it underwater.
In terms of what you can expect from a fully charged Shargeek 170, the manufacturer says it can completely charge an iPhone 14 Pro six times or a MacBook Pro 16 once. With 140W fast charging, a MacBook Pro can be charged to 55% capacity in just 40 minutes. Alternatively, a Surface Laptop Go 3 can be replenished to 70% in just 40 minutes.
Verdict: The Shargeek 170 Power Bank is a very handy and powerful device that could be a lifeline if you’re working somewhere without a power outlet. The bright LCD is genuinely useful and well worth having. Weighing in at 678g, the Shargeek 170 isn’t light to carry around but that’s the nature of rechargeable batteries. The device is also certified as aircraft safe so you should be able to take it onboard for powering your laptop and other inflight technology.
Pricing & Availability: The Shargeek 170 Power Bank is available now and costs $149 / £117.29.
More info: sharge.com
Tech Specs:
- Outputs: 2 x USB-C PD3.1 and 1 x USB-A.
- Max output: 170W.
- Output voltage range: 5 – 28V.
- 140W max input.
- Recharge time to 50% / 20mins.
- Battery rating: 24,000mAh.
- Rated capacity: 13,200mAh / 5V/3A.
- Display: Color IPS LCD.
- Environmental rating: IP66 water and dust resistant.
- Weight: 680g.
- Dimensions: 164.9 x 62.8 x 59.6mm.
- Accessories: Charging cable and soft carry bag.
