Review: ElevationLab's 'BatteryPro' iPhone and Apple Watch Charger is Expensive, but Offers Useful Features

[MacRumors]

ElevationLab's latest product is the BatteryPro, an Apple Watch and iPhone charger that's got some clever design elements and a built-in Apple Watch charging puck for convenience. Priced at $99, the BatteryPro isn't cheap, but if you value ease of use over cost, it's worth checking out.

At first glance, the BatteryPro doesn't look like much. It's similar in design to many external battery packs, constructed from plain but durable black plastic and designed with a rectangular shape that matches up well with the iPhone. It's meant to fit in a back pocket while charging the iPhone, and it does. Walking around with the BatteryPro in a back pocket isn't exactly comfortable because it's almost an inch thick and weighty, but it's functional in a pinch.

Though it uses a simple design, the BatteryPro features a built-in Apple Watch charging puck and a unique elastic "StowStrap" that's designed to hold the Apple Watch in place while it's charging, so you can toss it in a backpack while on the go. When not in use, the strap sits flush in a groove that's been added to the Battery Pro, but when you need to charge, you unhook it from the back, place the Apple Watch on the charger, wrap the strap over it, and secure it in a second slot on the back of the device.


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Article Link: Review: ElevationLab's 'BatteryPro' iPhone and Apple Watch Charger is Expensive, but Offers Useful Features

 

[sven3]

I love mine.

 

[foobarbaz]

This is nice, especially since you can leave your main watch charger plugged in next to the bed.
Considering a second watch charger alone costs 30 bucks, the price isn't that bad.

However, at this point I'm plain uncomfortable buying something with USB-A only. And micro-USB is annoying, too, because that's another kind of cable to bring.

 

[Rychiar]

chargers without built in lightning cable are lame

 

[Kajje]

This with built-in lightning connector to charge the pack, and a headphone connector and I'm in.

 

[mwolenski]

I think it would make more sense to wrap you watch band around the battery pack when charging rather than needing an additional strap.

 

[OldSchoolMacGuy]

This with built-in lightning connector to charge the pack, and a headphone connector and I'm in.

Why in the world does a battery pack need a headphone connector?

 

[Doodah7]

UGreen version for about half the price is just as good as this. Always found Elevation Labs stuff to be overpriced.

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Magne...ie=UTF8&qid=1499369899&sr=8-7&keywords=Ugreen

 

[TheIntruder]

UGreen version for about half the price is just as good as this. Always found Elevation Labs stuff to be overpriced.

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Magne...ie=UTF8&qid=1499369899&sr=8-7&keywords=Ugreen

The pricing on all the chargers with a built-in puck leaves something to be desired. Apple seems content to allow the 3rd band market to flourish, but they want their pound of flesh when it comes to allowing 3rd parties to build products with the puck.

However, the battery capacity of the EL is 3.5x as large, so it can serve as a phone charger as well.

The Belkin charger can be had for about the same price as the UGreen, but it seems to have some QC issues according to the reviews on Belkin's own site.

The Gigaflash also has a nice balance, but it stopped being available a while ago.

 

[whyamihere]

Love my similar Belkin Valet Charger Power Pack. I think it looks better and is more svelte (but also less capacity) than this ElevationLab. The built-in strap is a great idea though.

 

[Kajje]

Why in the world does a battery pack need a headphone connector?

At first hand, I admit, it looks strange.
But during long distance travel with the iPhone 7, it's either juice up with the power bank, or listen to music. I'd love to do both.

 

[Websnapx2]

Why in the world does a battery pack need a headphone connector?

If you have an iPhone 7 and no Headphone port you may want to listen to your iPhone while it's charging.

 

[TFloyd]

UGreen version for about half the price is just as good as this. Always found Elevation Labs stuff to be overpriced.

https://www.amazon.com/UGREEN-Magne...ie=UTF8&qid=1499369899&sr=8-7&keywords=Ugreen

Except the UGreen product is only 2200 mAh
[doublepost=1499446013][/doublepost]

I think it would make more sense to wrap you watch band around the battery pack when charging rather than needing an additional strap.

That's the point of the strap. The magnetic connection between the watch and the puck isn't strong enough to keep the watch connected unless you just leave it static sitting on a table. With all the different watch bands out there, the StowStrap keeps the watch connected and its face protected when you are on the go!