2016 is shaping up to be the year where I constantly go back and forth between iOS and Android. As much as I love my chargers with built-in Lightning cables, they get left at home more often than not because I’m carrying an Android device. It’s better to have options, and that’s where the myCharge HubUltra comes in.
Not only does the myCharge HubUltra pack a 12,000mAh wallop (mine arrived fully pre-charged), it also has an integrated Apple Lightning connector and a microUSB cable.
Included in the package are the extended battery, a wall charger, and a microUSB cable for charging when a USB port is more convenient.
The myCharge HubUltra has:
Smart-sense: which ensures complete device compatibility
Hyper-charge: which allows ultra-fast charging of your devices; up to 65% faster than competitors
Power-stay: which maintains battery power for up to 1 year
Max-power: which provides maximum power transfer from powerbank to device
High-density battery: it is the smallest and lightest power bank of this mAh with integrated cables
Safe-cell: which provides the highest level of battery safety
Rapid-recharge: The myCharge HubUltra recharges up to 50% faster than competitors
Pass Through Charging: You can charge the HubUltra and connected devices simultaneously
Measuring 6.5″ long by 3″ wide x 1.2″ thick and weighing 10.88 ounces, the HubUltra is a metal-clad little block that is a bit thicker than I’m used to carrying, but I’ve found it to be well worth it.
The only caveat I’ve found is that the metal can pick up scratches if it comes into contact with anything rough; oh well.
There’s no need to carry extra cables with me — the two I use most frequently are built right in. You can see them nesting here at the top of the battery, along with a button that shows power reserve in quarters. This battery pack does require you to push the button for charging to commence, but since the cables are so short and there is no extra built-in USB port for longer cables, this isn’t a pack that I would leave in my bag with a cable dangling out. In other words, It’s going to be out of my bag when I use it anyway, so pressing the button isn’t a huge deal.
On the bottom, there is a microUSB power-in port (for when you can’t use the charging cradle), and there are three round holes for the pins in the charging cradle.
Here’s the total package of the myCharge HubUltra in its cradle.
There is a USB port built into the HubUltra charging dock, so that when it is plugged into a wall outlet it can also charge a third device. “With a 4.0A input the charging dock recharges HubUltra extremely fast.” Let me tell you — when they say extremely fast, it’s no exaggeration. I have placed the HubUltra in the charger when it had just one LED glowing (roughly 25% or less power left), walked away, come back in less than 45 minutes later and found the HubUltra once again fully charged. It’s that fast, which is really convenient when you are traveling.
The cables built into the myCharge are each a little shorter than 6″ long, which is perfect for wrapping the charger onto the back of a device so it can charge as I’m using it. I have noticed that the HubUltra can put off a bit of heat when it’s recharging my devices, but it’s nothing too extreme.
Whether it’s my iPad, my iPhone, or my Huawei Mate 8, I can count on the myCharge HubUltra to quickly recharge my device and still have enough left to top off another that needs it. The HubUltra is small and light enough that it doesn’t take up much room in my bag, and for the power that it packs with the convenience of the two built-in charging cables, it’s pretty much perfect. I used this extended battery in Barcelona for Mobile World Congress, and I used it more recently in San Diego for the 2017 Kia Sportage drive.
The myCharge HubUltra looks good, recharges fast on its wall charger, and it charges my devices — both iOS and Android and other items such as my DxO One or Everest Elite 700 headphones — very quickly with plenty power to spare. If you have two iOS or microUSB devices that need charging, you’ll have to take turns with them, but the HubUltra charges quickly so the wait isn’t too long.
A photo posted by Judie Stanford (@geardiary) on
The myCharge HubUltra 12,000mAh Portable Charger sells for $149.99, and it is available directly from the manufacturer and from other retailers including Amazon [affiliate link], where it is $120.46.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: Compact powerhouse that recharges very quickly with its included wall charger (but can also be recharged (albeit less quickly) via microUSB; Built-in Lightning and microUSB chargers; 12,000mAh is enough to charge most devices (including the iPad Pro) fully with battery to spare; Charges devices attached to it quickly; Includes a wall charger that has a spare USB charging port
What Needs Improvement: Heats up when charging mobile devices; metal-clad body is prone to scratching
