INTRODUCTION
Whenever I’m out enjoying a cup of coffee and my smartphone runs out of juice i open my shoulder backpack to get whichever portable battery i happen to carry along with me since i never leave home without one. Now up till this day usually whenever i did that people stared at me like I was from mars or something similar but a week ago that changed since i wasn't the only one with a portable battery at that cafe (there were portable batteries on two tables near my own). I know that portable batteries are not something new and I’ve seen people use then abroad but where i live things are not as "advanced" when it comes to electronics so although many of my friends have such devices (i try to keep all of them up to date) this was the very first time I’ve seen people use them in public. The battery pack i was using back then was the latest PL3 10400mAh leather power bank by LUXA2 which is also what today's review is all about.
LUXA2- is a Taiwanese based designer and manufacturer of award winning portable accessories. Established in 2009, LUXA2 is committed to creating the best user-experience by consistently designing and innovating each and every product from concept to reality. LUXA2 believes that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication; and it is with this belief that our product designs are not only simplistic in nature but also incorporates functionality and premium aesthetic appeal at affordable prices. We promote not just products but total solutions. LUXA2s’ products are sold worldwide in major consumer and electronic retailers and online via www.luxa2.com and www.ttbuy.com.tw. Headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, the LUXA2 team possesses many talented specialists from all around the globe ranging from: sales mavericks, marketing aficionados, design wizards and R&D demons which are all lead by a top-gun management team. With offices in the USA, China, Australia and Germany, LUXA2’s presence on the global stage is ever-increasing to ultimately bring our mission of creating a simple, unique and luxury lifestyle to customers, and ultimately, a uniquely you.
A while back we had the PL2 leather power bank here with us again by LUXA2 which packs 6000mAh worth of battery capacity and aside its single 5V/2.1A USB charging port it also features a very useful LED flashlight. Of course although we did like the PL2 quite a bit back then we had a single objection, the lack of a second USB charging port which could be used to charge smaller devices like smartphones without hurting their batteries. Now i don't know if LUXA2 listened to us since the PL3 arrived a lot sooner than expected (it was probably in production by the time we reviewed the PL2) but this time over they've placed two 5V USB charging ports (1A/2.1A) with which you can charge virtually everything from smartphones, wireless headsets and mp3/mp4 players to tablets, cameras, gaming devices, camcorders and even portable wireless speakers. Of course to fully charge some tablets you need way more than the 6000mAh featured in the PL2 model so the PL3 offers a total of 10400mAh again by using high quality Samsung cells. So do all these mean that the PL3 is the perfect power bank?
SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES
PACKAGING AND CONTENTS
The PL3 arrived inside the same basically box as the PL2 so once again you can take a look at the product and its main features from the front.
All of the certification logos and information regarding the product are placed at the bottom of the box.
At the rear LUXA2 has placed the bundle contents, a table explaining the various charging levels and a product picture which is used to showcase all of its features.
The box contains the PL3 leather power bank, carrying pouch, USB to microUSB cable and a quick start guide.
THE PL3
Weighing just 246g the PL3 is also small and measures just 93mm in height, 42mm in width and 42mm in length. Just like with the PL2 model PL3 is dressed with PU (polyurethane) leather which usually means a mix of real leather pieces and polyurethane (although sometimes it's a mix of faux leather and polyurethane - which of the two is used here we don't really know).
Delivering almost twice the battery capacity of its little brother the PL3 should be almost twice as large but as you can see from the above pictures that's not really the case (although it is roughly 47% larger compared to the PL2).
At the front of the PL3 we find the microUSB charging port and 4 blue LEDs used to indicate the current battery charge.
Two 5V USB charging ports (1A/2.1A) are placed at the top of the device alongside the on/off power button.
The electrical specifications of the unit along with several certification logos and the serial number are placed at the rear.
CONCLUSION
Placing almost double the battery capacity of the PL2 into the PL3 and pairing it with two 5V USB charging ports (1/2.1A) was a great move by LUXA2 since now you can use it to recharge high-end tablets and in some cases even have battery power to spare for your smartphone. After using/testing the PL3 for 2 weeks we know that it has roughly 7000-7500mAh of usable battery capacity which is not bad at all considering that no power bank we've tested/used to date had the exact amount of battery capacity it was advertised for. The PU leather does a great job in helping the PL3 blend in "serious" clothes (and bags) and although it's not 100% real leather (regardless of the type) still it does look quite thick so i doubt you will have any issues with it (well perhaps in 5 or more years you may but we can't know for sure). My sole problem with the PL3 is the lack of a LED flashlight something which was implemented in the PL2 model. Sure this may not be very significant and a power bank is all about battery capacity but a LED flashlight can come in handy so i was just hoping LUXA2 would use one with the PL3 as well (and perhaps a more powerful model compared to that of the PL2).
If you happen to reside inside the USA you're very lucky since currently the PL3 10400mAh Leather Power Bank retails for just USD49.99 (Amazon.com) which is a mere 10 bucks more compared to the price of the PL2. Unfortunately things inside the EU are not as great since currently the PL3 retails for 84Euros (Amazon.de) a price tag which doesn't really add up not when it's over twice as much compared to the one in the USA (If LUXA2 can fix that then we can strongly recommend the PL3 for EU customers as well). Overall the PL3 10400mAh Leather Power Bank is a very attractive product with plenty of battery capacity and at a very attractive price tag (in the USA at the time of this review) and that's why it gets our Golden Award.
PROS
- Quality (Samsung Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Cells)
- Design/Appearance (PU Leather)
- Compact Size
- 5V 1A & 2.1A USB Charging Ports
- Price (USA)
CONS
- No LED Flashlight (Like The PL2)
- Current Price (EU)