In today’s information age, it seems like we’re almost always plugged in. Smart phones or tablets are carried with us wherever we go. They keep us connected to the news, a variety of our personal accounts, and the people around us. So when battery levels start to fall and the power goes out, it can feel as if we’ve lost a crucial sense to the world. Unfortunately, it’s not always practical to carry around and use charging cables. MyCharge offers a more portable solution with their range of chargers, and the HubMax is the well-earned king of their lineup.
The MyCharge HubMax comes with three connectivity options and packs a large 10,050 mAh Lithium ion battery. And it’s surprisingly small. It measures 4.6” x 2.8” by 0.9”, which is less than the size of my hand, and weighs only 1.19 pounds. It’s not the lightest portable charger, but a single pound isn’t particularly heavy, either. The design is mostly covered in a matte, silver aluminum shell with rounded corners, which not only looks sleek but can take a beating, too. I’ve left it banging around in my bag and it’s never been worse for wear.
There are several ways to charge devices with the HubMax. One side of the charger stores integrated Apple Lightning and micro-USB male cables. Both are about 3.5” in length and are neatly tucked away or pulled out when necessary. That’s convenient for charging my iPhone, but my Nintendo Switch and other devices aren’t left in the cold. The bottom of the HubMax houses a traditional USB port for everything else.
The HubMax usually detects when something is plugged into it and begins charging automatically. In the cases that it doesn’t, there’s a small power button above the two male cables. Four small, round LEDs light to indicate charging status and simultaneously how much power is left in the HubMax. When it needs its own juicing, two power outlet prongs can fold down from the back. MyCharge claims the powerbank recharges up to 50% faster than its competitors, and it didn’t take a particularly long time before it was ready to go again. What’s really nice is that the powerbank and any connected device can be recharged at the same time, a feature not every portable charger has.
The big question, of course, is how well does it actually perform? To test its capabilities, I drained my iPhone 6S more than a few times. Times varied depending on whether I received alerts, though it generally took between 100 to 120 minutes to fill the phone’s tank to full. The HubMax’s own battery indicator remained at four pips after the first test. It handled about five recharges of my phone before I needed to plug it into the wall.
Another cool feature is the ability to charge multiple devices at the same time. During conferences or multiplayer sessions, I’ll often have a tablet next to me and a wireless headset atop my dome. If I’m using Skype or Discord, it’s not long before said table needs attention and headsets seem to scream at me for power at the most inopportune times. The HubMax kept both running for a significant amount of additional time.
I love MyCharge’s HubMax for its versatility and robustness. It’s kept my devices going well their standard operating times without me needing to rush for a wall outlet. My phone never leaves my side, and the HubMax has earned itself a frequent if not permanent home in my bag, as well. I never want to keep it far from me.
