After coming virtually to a standstill in the past few years, charging technology is rapidly developing to catch up with the requirements of modern devices. New cables, connectors and standards make it possible to charge your phone quicker than ever before, intelligently optimising charging speed to match each individual device.
Choetech has a range of new products that make use of these next-generation charging technologies. It sent a selection of its recharging gear, covering USB charging stations supporting the USB-C connector and Qualcomm Quick Charge fast-charging, a Quick Charge-compatible portable power bank and a USB-C outlet for your car.
TC42C 55W USB-C/Q3-4U2Q 50W QC3.0 Desktop USB Chargers
People charge their devices in different ways. The most common approach is to plug your device directly into the wall, reaching for a power adapter and plug each time you need to recharge. Though if you want to power up multiple devices at once, you could run out of sockets, leaving you looking for something more convenient with extra flexibility.
Choetech TC42C charging station
Choetech
Desktop charging stations help to circumvent this issue, providing you with several USB ports that you can leave on your desk and quickly connect devices to. Choetech’s Q3-RU2Q and TC42C are both six-port options that allow you to charge multiple devices at once with just a USB cable.
The two devices have an identical design but slightly different features. They’re both compact devices, measuring up at 88.4 x 28.0 x 71.5 mm (3.4 x 1.0 x 2.8 inches) with a mass of 158g. They’re built solidly and finished in an unobtrusive soft black material that blends well into a desktop environment.
Choetech TC42C charging station
Choetech
The front of each charging station contains the six output ports for connecting devices to. The options on offer differ by model. The TC42C has four standard USB ports and two more modern USB-C ones. The Q3-4U2Q eschews the USB-C ports of the TC42C for two Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0-compatible standard USB ones.
Which is best for you will depend on the devices you currently own and those you’ll buy in the near future. USB-C is the future of connectivity and the TC42C will have you well covered for the next few years. However, there are currently only a handful of devices that actually use the new standard. If you’re going to be sticking with the devices you already own, you’re more likely to benefit from the Quick Charge ports on the Q3-4U2Q.
These ports are able to charge phones, tablets and laptops at rates up to 85% faster than standard USB ports. In some situations, you’ll be able to reach as much as 80 percent charge in just 30 minutes. Finding your phone’s flat as you leave the house can become a thing of the past as just a few minutes of charging restores significant amounts of power.
Choetech Q3-4U2Q desktop USB charger
Choetech
On both hubs, the four standard USB ports are also optimised by Choetech to maximise charging speed. They feature Smart Identification Technology that automatically detects the power requirements of each connected device and provides the fastest possible safe charging speed. They intelligently deliver the optimum amount of current for each device you connect, allowing phones that aren’t Qualcomm Quick Charge-compatible to top up more quickly than normal.
Ports aside, these two USB charging stations are almost identical. The Q3-4U2Q outputs a total of 50W at any time while the TC42C offers up to 55W. Choetech claims to hold the record for the world’s most powerful simultaneous 6-port desktop charger. Alternatives like the Tronsmart Titan do have higher outputs though, at the expense of extra ports. It’s worth noting that the TC42C’s 55W total spread across six ports is half the Titan’s 90W spread across five, giving Tronsmart a clear lead on output per port.
On the Q3-4U2Q, the standard USB ports output a 2.4A current at 5V and the Quick Charge 3.0 ports provide up to 2.4A and up to 12.0V, depending on device. The TC42C’s USB-C ports can provide up to 3A of current at 5V for super-fast charging of compatible devices.
Choetech Q3-4U2Q desktop USB charger
Choetech
Both the TC42C and Q3-RU2Q are well-designed charging stations. Compact, smart and sturdy in construction, they are a simple but useful addition to your desk. Choetech supplies a stand with each one that lets you mount the hubs vertically. It supports the station well, sticking to the desk with a rubber pad so it doesn’t move when you plug in a device.
With up to 55W available depending on the model and your choice of USB-C or QC3.0 ports, these desktop chargers are a good way to recharge multiple devices at once. The Q3-RU2Q retails at $80 while the USB-C TC42C will set you back $70. Both are available from Amazon in regions worldwide and are currently on 50 percent off promotions.
B617Q Portable Power Bank
Desktop charging stations may be convenient when at home or at the office but they don’t help you to top-up when you’re away from your desk. In this situation, portable power banks such as Choetech’s B617Q allow you to recharge your phone while on the go, giving you the flexibility to embark on longer journeys without your devices running out of power.
Choetech B617Q portable power bank
Choetech
The compact power bank houses a 10,400mAh battery within its metal casing. For redundancy, it is comprised of four individual 2,600mAh batteries that combine together for the total capacity of 10,400mAh, enough for almost four full recharges of most modern smartphones.
As portable charger designs go, the B617Q feels very well built. Its metal design gives it a robust construction that feels well protected against the scrapes, bangs and knocks it could receive while travelling. At 236g, it has a noticeable weight but not enough to become a burden. It’s easy to hold in the hand, thanks to curved edges, and small enough to slip into a bag with ease. It measures up at 10 x 7.4 x 2.0 cm (3.9 x 2.9 x 0.8 inches).
Choetech B617Q portable power bank
Choetech
The B617Q allows you to charge up to two devices at one time. Its primary output is a Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0-compatible USB port, providing up to 3A of current at 5V, 2A at 9V or 1.5A at 12V. This allows supporting devices to charge at super-fast Quick Charge 3.0 speeds, giving you up to 80 percent capacity in around 30 minutes. The secondary output, a “Highly Efficient Port,” optimises longevity above charging speed, providing just 1A of current at 5V. This will trickle charge your devices, leaving you with significantly lower charging speed but more efficient delivery.
Alongside the output ports, two different input ports are provided for you to recharge the power bank. There’s a standard micro USB connector that supports Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 and a Lightning jack to use Apple’s proprietary charging accessories. Choetech recommends you use a QC2.0-compatible wall charger to top up the B617Q. You should remember that its battery is four times the size of an average smartphone, so a charge to capacity will take several hours to complete.
Choetech B617Q portable power bank
Choetech
A set of four LEDs on the front of the power bank let you monitor the power level and charging status. Each LED represents 25% of the 10,400mAh capacity. A blue LED indicates that measure is completely full while flashing LEDs indicate the capacity is within the measure’s range. When the QC3.0 output is used, the first LED will be lit solid green if the connected device is fast charging. The status LEDs are bright and provide a simple way to monitor the power bank’s remaining charge capacity and usage.
At $60 at full retail price, Choetech’s B617Q is a relatively pricey power bank. It does have a strong set of features but alternatives with a similar capacity are available for considerably less. A promotion live at the time of writing cuts the price in half to $30 in the U.S. You can purchase it from Amazon in the U.S., U.K. and select other markets worldwide.
TC0002 33W USB-C Car Charger
The final product Choetech sent along allows you to keep your devices topped up even while you’re driving, covering all your bases to leave you with only yourself to blame when your phone’s charge slips into the red. The TC0002 is a small but well-specced car charger that allows you to power up to two USB devices from your vehicle’s battery.
Choetech TC0002 car charger
Choetech
It connects to any standard car power output and offers up to 33W of power for your phone, tablet or laptop. Two outputs are available, a single USB-C port that provides a 3A current at 5V and a Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0-compatible standard USB port. This delivers up to 2.4A of current to provide compatible devices with QC3.0 charging speeds.
A small LED indicator on the top of the charger indicates when the device is active and when QC3.0 is being used. If the connected device does not support Qualcomm’s quick charging, the TC0002 will use Choetech’s Auto Detect technology to provide the optimum current as required, tuning the power output to maximise charging speed.
Choetech TC0002 car charger
Choetech
The TC0002 retails for $40 (currently reduced to $17.99) and is sold by Choetech on Amazon in select regions worldwide. With support for USB-C and Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0, it has you well covered for the cutting-edge in current and next-generation charging technologies while you’re on the move. At $40 at list price, it’s not a cheap charger. It could be a practical buy if you find yourself running of battery while on the way home, or just want to quickly top up your phone’s power while on the move.
USB-C and QC3.0: Innovation in charging is here
Qualcomm’s Quick Charge has successfully demonstrated that charging technology doesn’t have to be dull. With QC3.0, compatible handsets are able to recharge in times that would have been viewed as impossible just a few years ago.
However, the best is still to come. The development and standardisation of the USB-C port, the next-generation connector for everything from USB sticks to VR headsets, brings its own advances when charging your phone, delivering up to 3A of current from a reversible connector that is small enough to fit into almost anything.
Choetech TC0002 car charger
Choetech
With its desktop chargers, power banks and car charger, Choetech has developed a range of products that take advantage of these cutting-edge technologies without making your current devices obsolete overnight. You can use the standard USB ports today without worrying about USB-C and QC3.0. When the time comes to upgrade, you’ll already be covered, giving you the freedom to choose between connectors and standards new and old.
Together, these products could allow you to keep your mobile devices topped up wherever you are. Well-built with functional designs, the range offers a complete solution to a predicament that still surrounds modern smartphones and tablets: thinner designs don’t allow for bigger batteries. The emphasis today is on charging the battery you do have as quickly as possible, an approach that goes someway to mitigating the more major underlying issue, without directly addressing it.
Verdict
Choetech’s TC42C and Q3-4U2Q desktop chargers, B617Q portable power bank and TC0002 car charger are well-designed and functional charging accessories that allow you to keep your devices topped up wherever you are. Rivals may offer more ports and larger capacities but Choetech’s inclusion of QC3.0 and its own Auto Detect technology are likely to appeal to people who frequently add charge to their phone at short notice or in very limited time. Base pricing feels a little high compared to rivals, although frequent generous promotions make these products considerably more acceptable.
