RAVPower RP-PB14 Xtreme 23000mAh Portable Battery Charger Review
Did you know that the RAV in RAVPower stands for Reliable, Affordable, Value? Neither did I. Well, the company sent me its impressive RP-PB14 Xtreme 23,000mAh Portable External Battery Charger. I didn’t think much of it, until I took it out of the box. Below is an unboxing #throughglass.
So, instead of walking you through what we have in the box, there’s a video you can watch through my perspective wearing Google Glass. Going into the future, I’ll be doing this with all of my products as it’s a great way of doing an unboxing versus a few pictures.
Now to a take a look around the RAVPower RP-PB14 Xtreme 23,000mAh Portable External Battery Charger, which we’ll call RP-PB14 from now on for the sake of this review not going on to 10 pages just to write the correct product name every time.
The RAVPower RP-PB14 has a 23,000mAh battery inside, which is enough to charge the average smartphone from 0% to 100% around 10 times over. On the connection side of things, we have from left to right: DC input, USB port, USB port, and DC output. The DC output can handle 9V, 12V, 16V, 19V, and 20V.
The DC input is for charging the RAVPower RP-PB14, while the USB 1 port is capable of 5V/1A output, and the USB 2 is capable of 5V/2.5A for faster-charging smartphones and tablets.
On the top of the RAVPower RP-PB14, we have an LCD screen that displays the power level, charging status, and voltage selection. There’s also a power button that turns the device on and lets you switch between voltages for when you’re charging your notebook or Ultrabook through it.
There are 10 notebook connectors, with the models displayed above compatible with the RAVPower RP-PB14. I used a Lenovo Yoga 2 Pro Ultrabook without a problem, which is a huge positive for me, as that is my Ultrabook of choice.
When it comes to dimensions, the RAVPower RP-PB14 is on the light and thin side of things, especially considering what it is capable of. We have it at 4.88 x 7.28 x 0.75 inches, or 124 x 185 x 19mm. This all comes in at 1.3lbs, or 0.5 kg, light enough to throw in the backpack and never have to worry about running out of charge for a few days, that’s for sure.
Charging up the RAVPower RP-PB14 was about the only thing I didn’t like, as it wouldn’t initialize by itself sometimes. I would be charging my smartphone and tablet from it for a couple of hours and see the RAVPower RP-PB14 sitting at 85%. I would have to pull the DC plug from the RAVPower RP-PB14 and plug it back in for the RAVPower RP-PB14 to continue charging itself up.
The RAVPower RP-PB14 can be found on Amazon for 99.99, which is currently down from its list price of 169.99, representing a savings of 70 (at the time of writing).
Using the RAVPower RP-PB14
I wanted to use the RAVPower RP-PB14 in two different ways, sucking the juice out of it with just mobile devices like my smartphone and tablet, and then again mixing it up by charging my Yoga 2 Pro out of it. First, I charged my smartphone off of it for over a week.
Right now, my daily driver is the Sony Xperia Z2 smartphonewhich is a beautiful, beautiful handset, by the wayfor 7 days straight. I had the Z2 down to around 10-15% every night, throwing it on charge and letting it get to 100%. I would take it off charge and repeat this every night for a week. The RAVPower RP-PB14 was pushed down to 0% after day six. Keep in mind, the Xperia Z2 has a 3,200mAh battery.
When it came to charging my Z2 and my Yoga 2 Pro, I was intrigued as to just how much charge I would be able to get out of the RAVPower RP-PB14 for my Yoga 2 Pro Ultrabook. With my Y2P sitting at 30%, I plugged it into the RAVPower RP-PB14, which was at 100%.
I continued using my Y2P writing news for the site, listening to tunes through Spotify at around 50% sound level, and my screen (3200×1800) at maximum brightness. The Y2P charged up to 100%, while the RAVPower RP-PB14 was drained to 0%. This took around 2 hours to fully discharge, but your results may vary.
The ability to charge my Ultrabook with a mobile battery is something that really adds serious points to the product. The RAVPower RP-PB14 has become my new default charger because of this, and it will be treasured when I go away for work, as I can have an emergency battery sitting in my backpack. I won’t need to tote around my laptop charger cable during the day anymore as I will get around 1.5 hours or so out of the RAVPower RP-PB14 for my Y2P.
What’s Hot
23,000mAh of Portable Charging: 23,000mAh of portable battery is enough for most people; it will top up your smartphone and tablet for a few days without breaking a sweat. The best bit is that there are two USB ports and DC output for charging your notebook or Ultrabook.
DC OutputCharge Your Notebook or Ultrabook: Being able to charge my Ultrabook from the RAVPower RP-PB14 is a total winner for me. You’ll have to check if your notebook or Ultrabook is compatible, but if it is, the RAVPower RP-PB14 could be the portable battery for you.
LCD Screen: The LCD screen is a big win for RAVPower in my eyes, as it differentiates them from the rest of the portable battery manufacturers. I can quickly glance over at the RAVPower RP-PB14 and know exactly how much charge it has. LED lights are great and all, but they do not show the exact amount of charge like the RAVPower RP-PB14.
What’s Not
No Retractable/Built-in Cables: A single retractable built-in USB cable would’ve been nice, but I have to be honest, I’m nitpicking here. The RAVPower RP-PB14 is close to perfect in my eyes.
At 99.99 (at the time of writing), the RAVPower RP-PB14 is a work of arttwo USB ports, DC output, and an LCD screen; there’s not much more you can ask for. I’d love to see a future model with 30,000mAh of charge, but 23,000mAh is a nice alternative thanks to weight and size.
There are a lot of restrictions going higher, with regulatory bodies not wanting you to tote around 40,000mAh on a plane, for example.
If you’re after a portable charger for your smartphone and tablet but have a compatible Ultrabook or notebook that you’d also like to charge, there’s nothing better than the RAVPower RP-PB14 right now.
PRICING: You can find the RAVPower RP-PB14 for sale below. The listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
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Anthony joined the TweakTown team in 2010 and has since reviewed 100s of graphics cards. Anthony is a long time PC enthusiast with a passion of hate for games built around consoles. FPS gaming since the pre-Quake days, where you were insulted if you used a mouse to aim, he has been addicted to gaming and hardware ever since. Working in IT retail for 10 years gave him great experience with custom-built PCs. His addiction to GPU tech is unwavering.
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iWALK Extreme Trio 10,000 manual
Do not insert any metallic object into the Extreme Trio 10,000. This may cause the unit to short out.
Please use the Extreme Trio 10,000 within the following temperature ranges:.10 – 40 ℃ (14 – 104°F)
Do not place product near fire or high-temperature environments, to avoid risk of fire or explosions.
Product will charge more quickly with a 2.1A AC charger. It will take a longer to charge the product
In case of abnormalities during usage, stop using the product immediately and contact our service
※ Thank you for purchasing this iWALK product. In order for your product to operate properly, please read
H
While charging Trio and your device simultaneously, Trio will begin charging when your device is almost
fully charged. H will blink when Trio begins charging, and remain on LCD screen while Trio is charging.
View the manual for the iWALK Extreme Trio 10,000 here, for free. This manual comes under the category power banks and has been rated by 1 people with an average of a 6.8. This manual is available in the following languages: English. Do you have a question about the iWALK Extreme Trio 10,000 or do you need help? Ask your question here
SIZE POWER
This is not just about which one will fit in your or your purse. The size of the battery is about the power inside. Most batteries will feature a number on the front that tells you the number of mAh or “milliamp-hours.”
Common sizes range from 2000mAh up to 10,000 or even 12,000 mAh. Bigger numbers mean more power, which means more recharges for your smartphone, or charging for bigger devices that need more power, like a tablet.
Charges an iPhone 7 (running iOS 10) up to 1.5 times on a single charge in internal testing.
Charges an iPhone 7 (running iOS 10) up to 3 times on a single charge in internal testing.
Charges an iPhone 7 (running iOS 10) up to 5 times on a single charge in internal testing
We’ve used smartphones and tablets to compare battery sizes, but most battery packs will charge any device that charges via USB, such as a GoPro camera, Kindle reader or Bluetooth headset. Bigger devices that draw more power will need bigger batteries. more mAh. to charge them fully.
POWER OUTPUT
Technically the standard USB port on your battery pack (aka power bank) will fit any standard USB cable. However, the amount of power it can provide may vary.
= Minimal Speed
= Better Speed
= Fastest Speed
“Shared” is the combined power available on multi-port power banks, and is different from “total power”. Learn more
NUMBER OF USB PORTS
Bigger batteries (aka power banks) – with more mAh – sometimes have more than one USB port, because with all at that power inside, why not share it out?
This can be useful to charge two smartphones at the same time – maybe to give a battery boost to a friend.
Or you can charge your smartphone and your GoPro at the same time.
Or your smartphone and your Bluetooth headset.
Or even a smartphone and a tablet, if you choose a battery with enough mAh to provide all that power.
With multiple ports, simultaneous charging is super-easy.
Reboot the Power Bank
Another reason the power bank fails to charge could be due to the residual charge stored in the capacitors inside the power bank. In such cases, you can try force-rebooting your power bank.
The process of rebooting the power bank can be different. For some power banks, you need to hold the power button for a few seconds to reboot. However, the process can be a little trickier for others and some power banks may not provide a power button at all.
To make sure that you follow the right steps, you can refer to the power banks user manual to reboot. If the user manual does not have the steps to reboot the power bank, it may not support a reboot.
Use Wall Outlet to Charge
The power bank may not get the required amount of voltage when charging directly from a USB outlet. Although the power bank does not need much voltage to charge, a USB port may not supply a sufficient amount.
If that happens, the power bank may not charge due to the low voltage supply. In that case, charge the power bank using a power adapter directly connected to a wall outlet.
Depending on the power bank, it may use a micro USB, USB Type-A, or Type-C power port to charge. Besides this, the device also has a few USB ports to supply power to your mobile devices.
The power bank will not charge if you have plugged the power source into a USB-out port. To charge the battery in the power bank, you need to insert the power port into the USB-in port. The USB-in port is usually indicated with the word IN written beside it.
In some power banks, you may even notice a plug icon that indicates the charging plug.
Discharge Battery and Charge Again
Sometimes, the power bank will not indicate that it is charging unless you charge a device with it. This can happen when there is an interruption in the flow of charge. To fix this you need to temporarily discharge the charge on your power bank.
- Disconnect the power bank from a power source and charge any mobile device for a few minutes.
- Now, disconnect the mobile device from the power bank.
- Charge the power bank directly from a wall outlet and check if the charging LED blinks.
Also, you should not charge a device simultaneously when charging the power bank. When you are charging and discharging the power bank at the same time, it may seem like the power bank is not charging.
Repair/Replace Power Bank
If the warranty on the power bank is not void, you can get a replacement. In such a case, you need to contact the manufacturer. However, in case the power bank has physical damage on ports and cables, do not make attempt to fix it without expert supervision and directly take it to a local repair shop.
Deep Shrestha works as a computer hardware writer at TechNewsToday with several hardware and programming certifications. Although he has been writing technical content for more than a year, his interest in hardware components started at a very young age ever since he heard about PC building. Pursuing his passion, he has assembled several desktop computers. Besides building desktop PCs, Deep also has hands-on experience fixing software and hardware issues on laptops and desktop computers. Using all this knowledge and skills about computer hardware, he’s on a quest to make content that’s easy to read and understand for everyone. You can contact him at deep@technewstoday.com