Who likes to travel? But also likes to have gadgets with them? But wants some back up juice? You, you and… me. Done.
Ok, this should be something to look out for, because it’s an all rounder as we will soon discover.
First about Sandberg:
Sandberg states that their brand stands for quality and user-friendliness.
Their ideology “IT is for everybody” is part of everything we do. A Danish firm that since its inception in 1985, private consumers, institutions and companies have benefited from this simple philosophy. Distributors and dealers appreciate the availability, range, simple procedures and the exceptionally low failure rate. Every year over half a million Sandberg products find their way to users in more than 65 countries.
Choosing Sandberg means choosing a safe and conscientious product that meets all applicable regulatory requirements. A product manufactured by subcontractors who are committed to following Sandberg’s Code of Conduct to ensure decent working conditions and reduce the environmental impact of the production and waste disposal.
Price when reviewed
Suggested retail price of: $ 81.99
http://www.sandberg.it/en-us/product/Outdoor-Powerbank-10400-mAh
Sandberg Outdoor Power Bank 10400 mAh : £ 27.17 – Via Amazon.co.uk
Sandberg 10400 mAh Outdoor PowerBank
Presentation and Specifications
This external battery pack stands out because of it’s jungle camo paint but also its functionality.
We have dual charging ports, a handy LED flashlight, power status indicator and to top that with a IP54 certification that means rain and dust proof.
In a surprisingly light overall package of hard plastic and rubber to offer the rugged edge.
Add 5 years of warranty and we start to like it even more.
The official specs are the following:
Visual inspection
May we use a fitting environment to present it.
Comes in a simple transparent hard plastic case.
On the back we have a multi language presentation with the basic information and specifications.
Inside we have the following:
1x Micro USB cable
1x User Guide
On the front of the product we have the power button, the brand logo and the 4x lights of 25 % increments that show the battery charge status.
It measures 123mm in length, 76mm in width and 25.3mm in height while it weighs 275g.
Flip it and we see the IP certification that tackles dust and a certain level of water protection.
They do note that you shouldn’t immerse the battery in water.
Next we have the imprints of the two USB outputs of different voltages, of 1.0 A and 2.10 A respectively.
Very nice, that means it can also handle high end smartphones and tablets, who require higher outputs to charge correctly.
And now to the main side where the connectors are, which are very well protected; high quality rubberized covers are used.
A bit hard to remove at first but necessary that they don’t open by themselves or at some small impact.
Opened them and we can see how well it insulates the USB plug.
The middle one is the charging port via any microusb plug; and the LED flashlight.
The last USB plug, the same as the first but different voltage.
We also like the USB build quality. Very firm fit, no play whatsoever.
The included cable short is but gets the job done.
How we tested
Out of the box it rated 75 %.
We put it to charge slowly via our computer. (When charging it flashes at the current percentage)
Our test subjects:
– Samsung Galaxy S4 – with 2600 mAh battery.
– Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – with 3220 mAh.
– Sony DSC WX50 Digital Camera – with 1300 mAh.
We travel a lot and it was a perfect real word testing scenario for the Sandberg Power Bank, besides the rigorous in-house testing.
Took our test subjects and discharged them until 5 % and then we let them plugged in until the Android said to disconnect.
And for the camera, discharged it until the camera closed automatically when you try to take a picture.
Used both 1A and 2.1A ports and another very practical feature we discovered is that you can simultaneously charge your devices and charge the external battery itself, as seen below.
All you have to do is press the main button button once that also shows the charge status and then they will go out after a few seconds and then only the On/Off will stay on as long as it charges.
It will shut down automatically after completion or removable of devices.
And that it’s working and charging.
Let’s not forget about the LED flashlight that never knows when you will need it.
Just press the On/Off button for ~ 2 seconds. The same to close it.
We don’t have any endurance rating for this but in theory you should have days worth of light.
Right.
Let’s see how it handles the charging.
Results
– To fully charge the Sandberg Outdoor Powerbank – via AC @ 1.5A – takes ~ 8.5 hours
– To fully charge the Sandberg Outdoor Powerbank – via USB port from a laptop/PC @ 0.5 A – may take ~ 24 hours – so it will be a while.
– Samsung Note 4 – 3220 mAh – charged it from 5 % – took ~ 2.5 Hours @ 2.10 A – if you only charge this one, we managed 3 full charges.
– Samsung S4 – 2600 mAh – charged it from 5 % – took ~ a little under 2 Hours @ 2.10 A – if you only charge this one, the Powerbank will last you 3.5 charges.
– Sony DSC-WX50 – 1300 mAh – charged it from completely empty – took ~ 1.5 Hours @ 1 A – if you only charge this one, it should do more than 7 full cycles !
And here’s a better view:
And in our trip we managed to charged our camera like 3 times, the Samsung S4 for 2 times and the Note 4 one full cycle.
Very good so we can confirm a power loss of 10 % so which is the standard norm nowadays.
Conclusions
It’s an all-rounder that will get you through when you need it.
The Good:
+ High quality build
+ IP54 certification
+ High capacity reserve 10400 mAh
+ Handy built in LED flashlight
+ Dual 1.0 & 2.10 A USB output ports that charge simultaneously
+ Attractive price especially when on offer
+ Not that heavy considering its purpose
+ 4x displays of the battery’s charge
The bad:
– Mainly aesthetically but that is a subjective matter for some
– Would have been interesting to have the included USB cable also in camo paint but that’s just being picky
– Maybe they can offer even more power so it can fully accomplish its role of a more dependable source
Very good product, so nothing else left to do than:
Glob3trotters “Excellent” Award – 4.5 out of 5
Many thanks to Sandberg for supplying us with this sample !
