Energizer XP8000 Portable iPad Charger – Accessory Review
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If you happen to be a frequent traveler, making sure all your devices are fully charged before leaving is one of the chores you are likely used to dealing with. Additionally, making sure you have all your chargers and power cables with you is crucial, as rushing to the airport store to find a pricey spare charger is not exactly the best way to start your vacations or a business trip.
Energizer recently came up with a new portable charger that will help make all these issues passé. Called the Energi To Go XP8000, the charger is a 8,000mAh lithium polymer portable battery designed to charge devices while on the go. Once fully charged, the XP8000 will help you “resuscitate” and even fully charge your devices, without the need of a power socket.
The XP8000 is very simple to use, all you need to do is to fully charge it before leaving for your trip – note that depending on the amount of power remaining in the XP8000, charging up the device can take up to 4 hours. The charger features four light indicators designed to show you how much power is left in the XP8000. The charger provides one high power USB port, as well as two additional power sockets designed to accept various tips in order to recharge devices such as phones and laptops. Note that to make the XP8000 compatible with your iPad, you will need to purchase a special tip separately (model PC007).
To charge your iPad, simply plug the PC007 iPad USB adapter into the XP8000, then plug the USB cable supplied with your iPad to charge your tablet.
Since the iPad battery capacity is about 5,000 mAh, the XP8000’s battery capacity of 8,000 mAh is large enough to fully charge an iPad with a battery near 0%. Note that it will take several hours to fully charge an iPad with the XP8000, but nothing prevents you from using your iPad while it is being charged.
The XP8000 package contains:
- The main battery unit
- A power adapter
- Charging cables and charging tips
- A manual and a travel pouch
The XP8000 is quite a versatile device, as besides being able to charge iPads, it can also charge all other iOS-based devices, portable gaming systems, cameras, a large number of cellphones, and even laptops. A fully charged XP8000 can last for months without being recharged, so you won’t need to worry about the device not being able to hold its charge while on the go. The device also comes with a travel pouch to carry the main battery and its cables.
What we liked: The XP8000 does exactly what it says, it charges an iPad in a matter of hours. The XP8000 can also charge many other devices, and the presence of a charging USB port directly on the device makes it future-proof. The lights on the device make it very easy to check how much power is left inside the battery. The battery looks slick.
What we didn’t like: In order to charge your iPad, you will need to buy a separate charging tip.
To buy or not to buy: Overall, the XP8000 is one of the few mobile charger worth looking at, and should be the only charger you need while traveling. The device does not come cheap, but if you are always running out of juice, or if you happen to be stuck in places without power for hours, such as planes, the XP8000 will likely prove to be a lifesaver.
- Product Name: XP8000 charger + PC007 adapter
- Manufacturer: Energizer/Xpal
- MSRP: $99.99 for the XP8000, $19.95 for the PC007 (both can be found for a lot less online)
- Score:
