[REVIEW] Versatile Portable Power for your laptop (and more!) - Overclock.net

hackm0d · 08-12-09

This is a review of the PowerTraveller PowerGorilla.
I just ordered one, and immediately had praise for their honest and efficient support team and delivery service. Their website is tip-top, too.

Of course, only the Brits could come up with such a thing.

So, here we go.

I start by having a quick look at the packaging.

It has a magnetised hinge that can only be opened by the side. The finish is great, everything is labeled and packed away nicely, and the manual is great and informative.

I wrote this three days after I opened the package so it might look abit messy, but believe me, their presentation was very well done.

There are US/UK/EU/AU plugs for the included 16V AC adapter, as well as a helluva lot of laptop tips (called GorillaNuts) and mobile device tips (called MonkeyNuts). There's also a 12V DC Cigarette-Lighter adapter

.

They also have a snazzy neoprene travelling case packed in, which I found kept the Gorilla secure along with the tips you might need.

I immediately found the tips for my four laptops and PDA, along with the mobile phone.
I did have problems with the AC charger, as it didn't charge the Gorilla and just showed a blinking battery symbol when I tried.
I emailed support, and just as I recieved the reply to replace the AC adapter free of charge, the adapter kicked in and the Gorilla started charging.

The Gorilla supplies (variable by a single button) 8.4v (max 3A) /9.5v (max 3A) /12v (max 3A) /16v (max 2.5A) /19v (max 2.5A) /24v (max 1.5A). It automatically locks the voltage once it senses consumption, which is great. It can charge USB devices simultaneously at 5v (max 1A). The maximum wattage draw is 65w, after which it shuts itself off.

Now for the tests. They say it delivers 2-5 hours depending on your laptop's specification. Here's a video.

YouTube - PowerGorilla Portable Backup Power - Brief Review

As you can see it can power a laptop on it's own. This particular laptop is an IBM Thinkpad with a flaming hot PIII. It ran for 1hr30min while watching a movie off an external HDD on SLAX.
Just to see what it can do, I set it to 19v and hooked it up to a Philips Brilliance 15" LCD Monitor. It ran for 4hr17min while playing Crysis, an incredible performance for a slick and slim lithium battery.

I tried it out with lots of stuff, it charged an iPhone, a Nokia 6100, a Sony Ericsson P800, an electric lantern, an external JVC CU-DV20 DVD Burner and an HP iPAQ h4150.
The performance was great. The lantern was able to charge fully from the Gorilla 29 times, the iPhone 38 times, the Nokia 52 times, the P800 30 times, the DVD burner ran for the whole length of Mr. Bean's Holiday and Ghajini combined, with 3/6 bars of battery still remaining.
About the laptop, you might think that the performance was uninspiring, but it did charge an LG R200 [C2D 2.4GHz, ATI HD2400] seven times from dead before it itself needed charge, and powered it for 2hr8min before needing a refuel.
I find this an incredible, versatile, well-built product, and for anyone who's a frequent traveller, a must.
Peace.

The PowerGorilla is available direct from PowerTraveller and Firebox for approx. £147/$242, as well as any additional tips you might need.

Asus Mobile · 08-12-09

Did I miss or did you not include watts and voltage and mah? Would be more helpful than the descriptive charged this device and that device this many times.

But I like the idea my notebook gets under 2 hrs. What was the cost?

hackm0d · 08-12-09

I mentioned the cost at the end.

Also, the wattage is a maximum of 65w.
EDIT: Added more details, current, voltages and power draw.

hackm0d · 08-22-09

*bump*
want people to know more about this

DevilGear44 · 08-22-09

Meh it's just too expensive to warrant a purchase from me. If it was $100 cheaper, I'd be all over it.

hackm0d · 08-22-09

Quote:

Originally Posted by DevilGear44

Meh it's just too expensive to warrant a purchase from me. If it was $100 cheaper, I'd be all over it.

Yeah, but it's so costly because is just a big HDLP battery with transformers and safety gubbins on it.
I think that + the aluminium body would be abit expensive, but hey, worth every penny.
There is the less expensive minigorilla which charges netbooks and such that require 19v DC or less. It's also quite abit smaller than teh flagship PowerGorilla. Costs $164, so you might be interested.

hackm0d · 08-29-09

Bumppitty bump.

hackm0d · 09-01-09

More bump.

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[REVIEW] Versatile Portable Power for your laptop (and more!)

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