Power banks have been in demand for quite some time but it’s safe to say the market got a boost from Xiaomi’s entry with Mi power banks. Soon after, many handset manufacturers started offering own branded power banks and the latest to join in is Asus. Dubbed the ZenPower, we took Asus’ little battery pack for a ride to see if it really stands out from the competition.
Today, we’re reviewing the silver version of the ZenPower and given the design, it’s pretty evident which power bank Asus took design cues from. The ZenPower looks very similar to Xiaomi’s Mi power bank with its brushed metal finish and similar placement of power button, LED indicator and USB ports. However, one original thing that we can credit Asus of is its size. Although we won’t call the ZenPower to be sized as small as a credit card (it’s a tad bigger!), the device is really compact and packs in a good 10050mAh battery, making it the smallest power bank with a such a large capacity.
Asus also tries to spruce up on the design front with a silicon ZenPower bumper. The bumper protects the ZenPower’s brushed metal finish and gives a good grip, which is otherwise slippery due to the smooth exterior. The sleeve, just like the ZenPower comes in a variety of colour options.
There’s little to complain when it comes to ZenPower’s performance. It works as intended. Plug in the included USB cable and the mobile device to automatically start charging the device and plug it out to automatically turn the ZenPower off. The four LED indicators show the remaining battery in the ZenPower.
The ZenPower has an output of up to 2.4A and charges most smartphones quickly. We tried the ZenPower and Samsung’s Galaxy S4, Gionee Elife S7 and Xiaomi’s Mi 4i that gave us two recharges with some battery power left for a third recharge. However, one limitation we felt was the ability to charge only one device at a time.
As far as charging the ZenPower is concerned, it goes from 0 to 100 in about 6 hours.
Very few companies assures the quality and safety of the batteries used inside a power bank and Asus claims the ZenPower is equipped with 11 different safety features, including Short circuit, Reset, Output over Voltage and even JEITA protection that adjusts the voltage and current according to the surrounding temperature.
To cut the long story short, Asus has done some improvements when it comes to battery pack’s technology but the company that has brought us good looking Zenfones could have worked more on the design to distinguish itself from Xiaomi’s offering. Also, the Rs. 1,499 price tag (black one is more expensive) is few hundred rupees expensive than Mi, which makes it harder to sell.
The ZenPower is available through Asus exclusive stores and Flipkart.com.
Pros: Compact design, Lightweight
Cons: Single USB port
Asus zenpower is selling like hot cakes now on flipkart….that too without discounts…amazing product by asus.