 "Stuffcool Mega 40 and Mega II Powerbanks, Portronics Bella 2 Wireless Charging Station Review")
There is a plethora of powerbank and wireless chargers in the market, but the products we have for review today are quite interesting. Powerbanks that were just meant to provide some extra battery backup on the go for products like smartphones, tablets and more not long ago are expected to do so at a much faster speed these days. Yes, we are talking about fast charging. But how about fast charging two devices simultaneously?
Similarly, how about charging three devices wirelessly at the same time? If these things sound interesting to you, keep reading as we have just the kind of products capable of doing that and more without breaking the bank. Time to meet the Stuffcool Mega 40 and Mega II powerbanks and Portronics Bella 2 wireless charging station.
Stuffcool Mega 40 Powerbank Review
Price: Rs 2,499
The Stuffcool Mega 40 is an elegant looking powerbank draped in shades of dark grey and black. I wouldn’t call it slim or ultra lightweight but it is fairly compact and not too heavy. It isn’t exactly pocketable but can be easily slipped in a bag without feeling the burden. One striking feature of this device is its LED display. It shows the charging status as well as the percentage of remaining charge; quite a handy feature to have that saves one from guesswork.
You get two USB-C ports, each capable of providing up to 20W USB-PD output (40W total, hence the 40 in the model name). However, there is no USB-A port on this device to plug most fitness watch charging cables that have the said port. Either of the USB-C ports can be used to charge this powerbank. It supports 18W fast charging and takes about 3 hours to charge its 10000 mAh battery fully. A small USB-C to USB-C cable is bundled in the package.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAs for its performance, it is right at par with any good 20W USB-PD charger. It managed to charge the Apple iPhone 14 Pro from 2 per cent to 54 per cent in 30 minutes which is comparable to the speed of a Stuffcool 20W USB-PD wall charger. Charging two devices simultaneously sees no perceptible drop in charging speeds, which is good. It gets a little warm but nothing alarming. However, just because the Stuffcool Mega 40 has a rated battery capacity of 10000 mAh, don’t expect it to charge a 5000 mAh battery fully twice.
It doesn’t work that way for any powerbank. A certain amount of charge is lost in conversion, and more so in fast charging that happens at higher voltage. Charging a Pixel 7 Pro with a 5000 mAh battery from 0 to full depleted the powerbank by 65 per cent, which is a little more than what we would have liked. Less than 60 per cent would have been ideal, making this powerbank more efficient. Having said that, this is a part of our testing process and not how a powerbank is meant to be used.
Many forget that a powerbank is a backup option and not the primary charger itself. Though it can charge and fast charge devices, it is only meant to be used if your device’s battery is running low and a power outlet is not immediately accessible. Even in such a case, don’t look to charge the phone to full capacity.
Just charge it enough so that it lasts till you have access to a charging point. Every powerbank battery, however good, has limited charging cycles, and its charge-holding capacity starts to deplete the more it is used. Hence, use it judiciously.
All said and done, the Stuffcool Mega 40 is a quality 10000 mAh powerbank that can fast charge two USB-PD compliant devices simultaneously. That’s like having two 20W fast chargers at your disposal. The digital display is more than handy and also makes this device look a lot cooler. It can be purchased for Rs 2,499 with a 6-months warranty, and that would be money well spent if you are looking for a powerbank with reasonable capacity that can juice up two devices at a go briskly.
Stuffcool Mega II Powerbank Review
Price: Rs 1,499
The Mega II is also a 10000 mAh powerbank, just less fancy and more compact and affordable; it looks equally cool though. It lacks two key features of the Mega 40 - dual USB-C charging and the digital display, but does provide something useful in exchange. The second USB-C port is substituted by a USB-A port to charge a wider array of devices, and the display is replaced by four tiny LED lights that give you an approximate idea of the battery reserves in 25 per cent tranches.
It may have just one USB-C port, but it supports 50 per cent faster charging speeds up to 30W over USB-PD/PPS. The USB-A port can deliver up to 22.5W output. However, you won’t get the said peak speeds if you look to charge two devices at a go; basically no simultaneous fast charging. Using just the USB-C port provides marginally better performance than the Mega 40 for devices that support faster than 20W fast charging. It managed to charge the Apple iPhone 14 Pro from 2 per cent to 56 per cent in 30 minutes. This powerbank did not heat up much either after an hour of use.
The USB-C port can also be used to charge this powerbank, and again, takes about 3 hours to go from empty to full. Its efficiency is quite similar to that of the Mega 40. The Stuffcool Mega II is currently priced at Rs 1,499 and you get six-month warranty on the product.
Given the Rs 1,000 price difference, it offers better value for money than the Mega 40 if dual USB-C fast charging is not a requirement. The USB-A port makes it compatible with more devices and its relatively lighter (under 200 grams) and more compact body are added bonuses.
Portronics Bella 2 Wireless Charging Station Review
Price: Rs 2,499
As you would have guessed from the name, the Portronics Bella 2 is a wireless charging station. But what’s cool about it is it lets you charge three devices wirelessly at a go. It is compatible with all Apple iPhones from 12 and later, other Apple products like the AirPods and Apple Watch as well as products from other brands that support Qi wireless charging. However, do not expect fast charging here. The Bella 2 can only go as high as 15W wirelessly.
While the utility value is quite high, Portronics could have done a little better with the build quality and finish. You can see from one of the images how the circular charging pad is slightly misaligned. Not that it affects the functioning or performance of the product, but it can be perceived as low quality. You get three charging pads of different shapes and sizes - circular for phones, squarish for earphones and elongated rectangular to hang watches. The last one is detachable and can be kept aside if you do not have a watch that supports wireless charging.
In addition, you also have a digital alarm clock and a USB-A port for wired charging. So technically, you can charge four devices simultaneously. But don’t get too excited, as the USB port can only output 5W of power, which is good enough to charge basic TWS earbuds or a wireless neckband; not too fast though. The Portronics Bella 2 needs to be powered by a USB-C charger, one with at least 15W power output; ideally opt for a 20W USB-PD charger, which we did too.
Like the products above, we tried charging an Apple iPhone 14 Pro, wirelessly this time, using this charging station, and it managed to charge about 32 per cent of it (2per cent to 34 per cent) in 30 minutes, which is not bad. But a full charge takes a lot longer than a wired 20W USB-PD charger; at least an hour more.
But a wireless charger is meant for safe and leisurely charging, and it does just that. We also tried charging a couple of TWS earbuds wirelessly using the Bella 2 and things worked as expected.
The Portronics Bella 2 wireless charging station is priced at Rs 2,499 with a one year warranty, and one can get it for a couple of hundreds lower in online sales. The price is quite reasonable for what it offers, and is a good option for those who have multiple devices in the house that support wireless charging and want to avoid the clutter of wires or multiple wireless chargers.
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