Today we will play with a new product from Sandberg, a company who likes to invest into research and explore new ideas. Since almost all smartphone manufacturers currently sell only sealed mobile devices aka no more removable batteries, a power user today has to have a back up. No more extra batteries to carry around to reload, now we have to rely on powerbanks. But this new one from Sandberg has a neat cool trick up its sleeve.
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
£ 28.86 – via Amazon.co.uk
Presentation and Specifications
Courtesy of their website
* Sandberg Powerbank 6000 Wireless is a super clever powerbank with several charging functions. Qi-compatible smartphones can be charged completely wirelessly by placing the phone on the charging plate on top of the power bank. In addition, you will find both a USB-A port and a USB-C port for wired charging of your device if needed. The power bank is equipped with powerful suction cups, which hold on to your smartphone, so that the smartphone doesn’t fall off, for instance during wireless charging in your pocket.
* Charge without cables.
* Attaches your phone by suction cups.
That’s right. Suction cups. Trust me, they work.
As for the specification, we have:
* Capacity: 6000 mAh
* Battery type: Li-polymer
* Connectors: 1 x Micro USB female, 1 x USB-C female, 1 x USB A female
* Micro USB input: 5V / 2A
* USB-C Input / Output: 5V / 2.4A
* USB A Output 1: 5V / 2.1A
* Wireless output: 5V /1A / 5W
* Frequency: 100 Hz – 180 kHz
* Charging distance: ≤10 mm
* Charging efficiency: 72%
* Wireless standard: Qi
Love to see that it has virtually all options of charging available which will satisfy all the users with microUSB plugs and the new type-C plugs. Plus the highlight of the wireless charging, which even supports the Qi standard.
Packaging & Visual inspection
The powerbank comes in a small box with the usual primary dual tone colors employed by Sandberg with their packaging. On the front we have a visual depiction of the product itself and on the back just a multilingual description.
Inside, the power bank is nicely nested in a plastic tray.
You get a quick instruction manual and a microUSB cable to get you started.
Now onto the main item. This is the Sandberg Wireless powerbank, rated for 6000 mAh. In the middle where those white semi circles are, we have the wireless charging module.
Its unique selling point is the presence of 12 mini suction cups divided in two main areas, 3 per row. The idea is these will grab your device and prevent it from moving. This should help even if you want to hold it in your hands and use your phone while it is charging.
The whole powerbank is covered in rubber-like material which gives it a grippier surface preventing any accidental slips or drops when in the hand.
Zooming in, on this end we have the battery status via 4 rows of white LEDs, each group representing a 25% increment. To check the charging state, just press the power button once. This one has approximately 50% charge.
This is the ports area. From left to right we have:
1x microUSB port
1x Type-C USB port
1x standard USB port
1x Power on buton
Notice the chrome effect plastic which surrounds the middle section of the powerbank. Overall the build quality is very good and the design cues are very similar to Samsung’s philosophy (S8 in the picture), thus Sandberg achieved a good looking device as well.
Right then. Let’s see how it performs.
Testing, impressions and feedback
OK. First thing is to fully charge the power bank. You can charge it by either microUSB or the type C ports. At 2A input from 0 to full it should take you under 3 hours to fully charge the power bank. Via 1A it will be around 6 hours and via any laptop/pc USB 0.5A port, will be close to half of a day.
I used the Type-C port and charged it via my computer, since I was in no rush.
The LEDs will flash until fully charged.
Then just slap your phone, in my case a Samsung S9+, press the ON button on the power bank and voila. After 1 second we have the magic of wireless charging. It will charge at 5V/1.0A which for wireless charging is really good.
I noticed after 30 minutes or so the powerbank will start to feel warm, which is normal. The phone didn’t seem to overheat or do anything out of the ordinary which is what you want. But both will get really rather warm if you insist on using the phone while its charging.
The suction cups are so strong that even if you wiggle the phone it will not drop, and Samsung S9+ is not a light device ! So a clear win in this department. (If you do intend to try this yourself, a soft surface underneath is advised!)
Here is a quick video with the wireless charging in action and a demonstration of how strong the suction cups are.
Furthermore you can charge up to two devices via the cables, or if you really want to be a hero among your mates, you can use all 3 charging options, at a cost of slow charging rates, but, yes it will work. So common sense will dictate if you want the fastest charging solution, use a cable or If you want the luxury and commodity of wireless charging, it will do the job. Thus this is one hell of of a versatile power bank.
Conclusion
As mentioned in the intro of this review, Sandberg is really keen on creating products with unique selling points. Not only that, they actually even make them work flawlessly which hard in today’s unforgiving market place and fast consumerism doctrine. Speaking of fast, this wireless power bank delivers what it promises, epic versatility and commodity in a sleek and cool package. With 6000 mAh under the hood, this is enough juice to fully charge up to two times any smartphone which has the regular battery size. For the money, this is a hard product to miss out on!
The Good:
+ Very good wireless charging capability
+ Innovative and unique phone holding solution via suction cups
+ Sleek and cool design
+ Maximum versatility of charging options
+ 5 years warranty
+ Great value for money
The Bad:
– The outer plastic chrome shell is prone to chipping and scratching and thus will taint the overall look
– The rubber suction cups attract a lot of dust and dust particles
Glob3trotters “Unique & Versatile” Award 4.5 out of 5
A lot of thanks to Sandberg for supplying us with this sample !
