Review: Mophie's USB-C Equipped 26,000mAh Powerstation 3XL Has Enough Juice to Charge Your MacBook or MacBook Air

[MacRumors]

Mophie recently announced the launch of its largest battery pack yet, the Powerstation 3XL, which is designed for charging Apple's line of MacBook and MacBook Air devices.

The Powerstation 3XL features a 26,000mAh capacity and 45 watts of power, making it ideal for charging devices that include the iPhone, iPad Pro, 12-inch MacBook, and new MacBook Air.

As you might expect with a 26,000mAh device, the Powerstation 3XL is not a small, pocket-sized charger. It's 6.6 inches long and 3.7 inches wide, plus nearly an inch thick.

You can fit this into a bag or backpack without much trouble, but it is bigger than even Apple's largest iPhone, the XS Max. The Powerstation 3XL weighs more than a pound (18 ounces), and it feels like a heavy, sturdy accessory.

The charger is made from a black plastic material that's covered in a soft, tweed material that makes it easy to grip and adds some flair. Design wise, this is a high-quality charger that looks like it's expensive, which it should, because Mophie is charging $200.

At the bottom of the Powerstation 3XL, there are two USB-C ports, one for plugging into USB-C accessories like the MacBook Air or MacBook, and one for charging the power bank with a USB-C cable. You can tell the two ports apart by a little line and a lightning bolt that indicates which side is used for which.

There's also a USB-A port next to the USB-C charging port so you can also charge USB-A accessories. In total, you can charge one device using the USB-C port and one device using the USB-A port at once, and if you plug in a USB-C cable and a power adapter, you can charge the Powerstation and your devices with passthrough charging.

Mophie says the Powerstation 3XL has a Priority+ charging feature that will provide power to your devices connected to it via USB-C or USB-A before charging the power bank itself, so if you leave the whole shebang plugged in, your devices will charge and then the Powerstation 3XL will charge. I tested this feature out and did indeed see the Powerstation providing power to my iPhone and iPad before charging itself.


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Article Link: Review: Mophie's USB-C Equipped 26,000mAh Powerstation 3XL Has Enough Juice to Charge Your MacBook or MacBook Air

 

[jmh600cbr]

Anything exist like this for MacBook Pro? Also not an absurd proce

 

[just.jon]

I know everyone’s use case is different, but I have to wonder how big of a market really exists for these.

I’ve always been excited to get larger mobile chargers as they become available, but in real world use, I’ve just found myself carrying around larger and heavier paperweights. The 20k mAh pack I have saved the day one time, otherwise it has just been something else to carry.

 

[wowotoe]

Anything exist like this for MacBook Pro? Also not an absurd proce

Get the Ravpower 26800 with Power Delivery. I just received mine over a week ago and love it! Very light weight comparing to other 20000+ mah batteries. Size is small too. No problem charging my MacBook Pro 2018 15in with Touch Bar while I'm coding in Visual Studio under VMWare. Only 30W on PD but that's the same for majority of batteries that support PD. Enough to charge my MPB for 1.4 times if you do the mah->Watt calculation. Best of all, only $40!! They have price deal fairly often on Amazon or their website.

 

[justperry]

Guess it's so thick because there are normal 18650 cells in it.
Yes expensive, an ebike battery is around 250 Watts, double price but 5 times the capacity.

 

[djbuddha]

I supported the Hyperjuice on Kickstarter. (They successfully funded a slick USB-C hub with 2 USB 3, SD/mini SD card slots/ HDMI, gigabit Ethernet & a Qi wireless charging mat that supports multi angles and doesn’t get hot with a pass through USB-C port for power- albeit 49W) successfully earlier this year that I use daily and love, so I trust them. Build quality is great on it too!

That thing has 100W PD and passthrough charging. Same 26,000 mAh rating... getting mine in December.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/hypershop/hyperjuice-worlds-most-powerful-usb-c-battery-pack

There is a video review from another competitor website I won’t mention here, uploaded on YouTube as well

 

[elhungarian]

Anything exist like this for MacBook Pro? Also not an absurd proce

I use this Anker one (mine didnt come with Wallcharger). Granted its 30W instead of Mophies 45 but it makes my 13" TB MBP's battery last longer. On a 14 hour flight i started with a fully charged MBP and Anker Powerbrick, and edited in Motion and FCPX till i got seriously bored . Pretty sweet setup. I kept the battery in a LiPo Safe Bag the whole time, not taking any chances. It got a bit warm but not bad. I would recommend anyone taking this thing charged anywhere to do the same.

 

[alphaod]

They're not the cheapest, but Mophie warranty is pretty solid. I had one claim recently for a malfunctioning integrated Lightning cable, very simple call with them and they send out a fresh battery and a label to return the defective one. No receipts, emailing pictures, etc.

 

[KPandian1]

Welcome to the world of smart charging devices.

The previous generation MacBook Pro 15" (2015 - MagSafe) had a 85W power block; the current one has a 87W USB-C Power Adapter, and the MBP13" has a 61W USB-C Power Adapter

With the MagSafe 85W, you can charge all Apple products existing then, but you can't (should not) charge vice versa.

My question - is it safe to charge a 61W or 87W device with a 45W or 30W PD battery-pack such as this Morphie or the Ravpower 26800?

 

[mbezzo]

If you're looking at this range of pricing for charging, please look at the OmniCharge USB-C. It's also 200 bucks, has a slightly smaller battery (21,000 vs 26,000) but it can output 60 watts from one USB-C port and 40 watts from it's second port simultaneously - and for the nerds in the room, has a cool OLED display giving you all kinds of stats on the batter.

https://www.omnicharge.co/products/omni-20-usb-c/

Welcome to the world of smart charging devices.

The previous generation MacBook Pro 15" (2015 - MagSafe) had a 85W power block; the current one has a 87W USB-C Power Adapter, and the MBP13" has a 61W USB-C Power Adapter

With the MagSafe 85W, you can charge all Apple products existing then, but you can't (should not) charge vice versa.

My question - is it safe to charge a 61W or 87W device with a 45W or 30W PD battery-pack such as this Morphie or the Ravpower 26800?

[doublepost=1542316063][/doublepost]

My question - is it safe to charge a 61W or 87W device with a 45W or 30W PD battery-pack such as this Morphie or the Ravpower 26800?

Absolutely.

 

[entropys]

I think you could have a couple of these in your carry on luggage? Anyone know for sure?

 

[agenda893]

I think you could have a couple of these in your carry on luggage? Anyone know for sure?

The FAA limits portable batteries on flights to 100Wh - at 26,000mAh this one just makes it:
(mAh)/1000 x (V) = (Wh)
26000/1000x3.7= 96.2Wh

 

[JosephAW]

It also can start your car as a side feature.

 

[djbuddha]

Welcome to the world of smart charging devices.

The previous generation MacBook Pro 15" (2015 - MagSafe) had a 85W power block; the current one has a 87W USB-C Power Adapter, and the MBP13" has a 61W USB-C Power Adapter

With the MagSafe 85W, you can charge all Apple products existing then, but you can't (should not) charge vice versa.

My question - is it safe to charge a 61W or 87W device with a 45W or 30W PD battery-pack such as this Morphie or the Ravpower 26800?

Of course, it just would charge slower or won’t charge at all when the machine is under a super heavy workload.
[doublepost=1542350037][/doublepost]

It also can start your car as a side feature.

I keep a 10,000 mAh Anker in the car fully charged with the battery cables. Has come in super handy at times!

 

[widget999]

Of course, it just would charge slower or won’t charge at all when the machine is under a super heavy workload.
[doublepost=1542350037][/doublepost]

I keep a 10,000 mAh Anker in the car fully charged with the battery cables. Has come in super handy at times!

A fully charged battery in a car that gets really hot inside when parked in the sun is not the best idea...

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

IMHO, the Omni is the better choice, mostly because it's a more professional device. The battery limiting functions serves as proof for that. A "stupid" USB-C PD powerbank isn't worth more than 130 bucks... that's already assuming it's using Panasonic cells (which are quite expensive) and not some cheap ones.

 

[laz232]

Guess it's so thick because there are normal 18650 cells in it.
Yes expensive, an ebike battery is around 250 Watts, double price but 5 times the capacity.

NB '250 Watts' is meaningless - it is not a measure of energy (capacity), but of power.
as a reference for everyone is this thread:
Power is measured in Watts (W), energy (capacity) in Joules (J) where a Joule is equal to a W.s (Watt times second). Eg if you deliver a watt for a second then that is 1 J.
A watt (power) is equal to Volts (V) times the current (ampere (A). thus a device that is driven at 3.6V and draws 3A is drawing 3.6V * 3A = 11.8W.

Therefore battery capacities in mAh (milli ampere * hour) are only comparable if they are at the same voltage! 3.6V * 26000mAh = 93.6 Wh, whereas for example a laptop battery might be 10.8V at 5500mAh = 59.4Wh

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

Therefore battery capacities in mAh (milli ampere * hour) are only comparable if they are at the same voltage! 3.6V * 26000mAh = 93.6 Wh, whereas for example a laptop battery might be 10.8V at 5500mAh = 59.4Wh

What makes even less sense than using mAh for an unknown voltage is using mAh for 5 digit numbers...
I hope using (m)Ah stops when (if) LiFePO4 (3,3V nominal voltage) becomes more common...

 

[dstud208]

The only problem I have with these special “mobile device juice packs” is that for a significantly cheaper price I can get something like the GOOLOO battery, that not only has a comparable amount of juice (mine is 15000mAh for $40) but it comes with a built in light and booster cables to jump your car with (lived in Canada much of my life, boosting is a real part of life there).

Sure the 26000 is impressive, but for $200 I could buy 75000 in the form of these GOOLOO’s and get bonus functionality too. I know GOOLOO is probably some poorly built knockoff, but it just feels like Mophie et al are ripping us/you off.

Edit: it also charges your phone(s) via two USB ports

 

[Arran]

I know everyone’s use case is different, but I have to wonder how big of a market really exists for these.

I’ve always been excited to get larger mobile chargers as they become available, but in real world use, I’ve just found myself carrying around larger and heavier paperweights. The 20k mAh pack I have saved the day one time, otherwise it has just been something else to carry.

Same here. The only time I regularly use a power bank is to charge my headphones. You don’t need much juice for that.

I settled on this. Light and small. Integrated cables. Flip-out wall charging prongs. Easy.

[doublepost=1542377429][/doublepost]

I think you could have a couple of these in your carry on luggage? Anyone know for sure?

Or you could buy the cheaper alternatives, save money and fly first class.

 

[justperry]

NB '250 Watts' is meaningless - it is not a measure of energy (capacity), but of power.
as a reference for everyone is this thread:
Power is measured in Watts (W), energy (capacity) in Joules (J) where a Joule is equal to a W.s (Watt times second). Eg if you deliver a watt for a second then that is 1 J.
A watt (power) is equal to Volts (V) times the current (ampere (A). thus a device that is driven at 3.6V and draws 3A is drawing 3.6V * 3A = 11.8W.

Therefore battery capacities in mAh (milli ampere * hour) are only comparable if they are at the same voltage! 3.6V * 26000mAh = 93.6 Wh, whereas for example a laptop battery might be 10.8V at 5500mAh = 59.4Wh

Yeah, I am aware of this, did electronics myself.

 

[pjny]

I second the RAVPower. I got it for almost 1/4 the price of this Mophie and it is the most important part of my bag
because I often have to sit in my car to edit photos, string video together, and transmit and the Ravpower allows me to keep my Macbook topped up for hours. I had the 26000 mah Anker(not usb-c) before and it did something to my battery where the service warning came up. I was scared the Rav would do that but I have had it for a while and it actually saves the battery over time as it keeps the recharge cycles down.

Heck, come to think of it, I might just order another RAVpower to have one fresh all the time in my car. I have sat for hours in the car and never killed the RAV but have forgotten it at home before.

 

[djbuddha]

A fully charged battery in a car that gets really hot inside when parked in the sun is not the best idea...

It’s mainly for winter use to be honest.

 

[laz232]

What makes even less sense than using mAh for an unknown voltage is using mAh for 5 digit numbers...
I hope using (m)Ah stops when (if) LiFePO4 (3,3V nominal voltage) becomes more common...

But bigger numbers are better, right ?

TBH, I'm sure there are a lot of people that don't use the metric (or SI) system that are not aware that m- prefix mean milli... - the only common measure of 'mils' for milli-inches is pretty obscure outside of precision mechanics and electronics

 

[jazz1]

Mophie recently announced the launch of its largest battery pack yet, the Powerstation 3XL, which is designed for charging Apple's line of MacBook and MacBook Air devices.

The Powerstation 3XL features a 26,000mAh capacity and 45 watts of power, making it ideal for charging devices that include the iPhone, iPad Pro, 12-inch MacBook, and new MacBook Air.

As you might expect with a 26,000mAh device, the Powerstation 3XL is not a small, pocket-sized charger. It's 6.6 inches long and 3.7 inches wide, plus nearly an inch thick.

You can fit this into a bag or backpack without much trouble, but it is bigger than even Apple's largest iPhone, the XS Max. The Powerstation 3XL weighs more than a pound (18 ounces), and it feels like a heavy, sturdy accessory.

The charger is made from a black plastic material that's covered in a soft, tweed material that makes it easy to grip and adds some flair. Design wise, this is a high-quality charger that looks like it's expensive, which it should, because Mophie is charging $200.

At the bottom of the Powerstation 3XL, there are two USB-C ports, one for plugging into USB-C accessories like the MacBook Air or MacBook, and one for charging the power bank with a USB-C cable. You can tell the two ports apart by a little line and a lightning bolt that indicates which side is used for which.

There's also a USB-A port next to the USB-C charging port so you can also charge USB-A accessories. In total, you can charge one device using the USB-C port and one device using the USB-A port at once, and if you plug in a USB-C cable and a power adapter, you can charge the Powerstation and your devices with passthrough charging.

Mophie says the Powerstation 3XL has a Priority+ charging feature that will provide power to your devices connected to it via USB-C or USB-A before charging the power bank itself, so if you leave the whole shebang plugged in, your devices will charge and then the Powerstation 3XL will charge. I tested this feature out and did indeed see the Powerstation providing power to my iPhone and iPad before charging itself.


Click here to read more...

Article Link: Review: Mophie's USB-C Equipped 26,000mAh Powerstation 3XL Has Enough Juice to Charge Your MacBook or MacBook Air

I’ve read the th

Mophie recently announced the launch of its largest battery pack yet, the Powerstation 3XL, which is designed for charging Apple's line of MacBook and MacBook Air devices.

The Powerstation 3XL features a 26,000mAh capacity and 45 watts of power, making it ideal for charging devices that include the iPhone, iPad Pro, 12-inch MacBook, and new MacBook Air.

As you might expect with a 26,000mAh device, the Powerstation 3XL is not a small, pocket-sized charger. It's 6.6 inches long and 3.7 inches wide, plus nearly an inch thick.

You can fit this into a bag or backpack without much trouble, but it is bigger than even Apple's largest iPhone, the XS Max. The Powerstation 3XL weighs more than a pound (18 ounces), and it feels like a heavy, sturdy accessory.

The charger is made from a black plastic material that's covered in a soft, tweed material that makes it easy to grip and adds some flair. Design wise, this is a high-quality charger that looks like it's expensive, which it should, because Mophie is charging $200.

At the bottom of the Powerstation 3XL, there are two USB-C ports, one for plugging into USB-C accessories like the MacBook Air or MacBook, and one for charging the power bank with a USB-C cable. You can tell the two ports apart by a little line and a lightning bolt that indicates which side is used for which.

There's also a USB-A port next to the USB-C charging port so you can also charge USB-A accessories. In total, you can charge one device using the USB-C port and one device using the USB-A port at once, and if you plug in a USB-C cable and a power adapter, you can charge the Powerstation and your devices with passthrough charging.

Mophie says the Powerstation 3XL has a Priority+ charging feature that will provide power to your devices connected to it via USB-C or USB-A before charging the power bank itself, so if you leave the whole shebang plugged in, your devices will charge and then the Powerstation 3XL will charge. I tested this feature out and did indeed see the Powerstation providing power to my iPhone and iPad before charging itself.


Click here to read more...

Article Link: Review: Mophie's USB-C Equipped 26,000mAh Powerstation 3XL Has Enough Juice to Charge Your MacBook or MacBook Air

I’ve read the thread. So is there a comparable other brand for this model. I’ve owned two Anker of lesser capacity. I don’t use them often and they went belly up in a year n