So you’ve upgraded your smartphone and you have to switch out all of your old micro USB cables to the new USB-C standard. It’s an annoying change, mainly because you’ve probably got dozens of micro USB cables lying around. The change to USB-C is a good one though. You no longer need to align the charging cable to the proper orientation to plug-in and recharge your smartphone. If you’ve got the latest Samsung Galaxy S8, S8+ or Note 8, you know those devices have great battery life. Although, battery life isn’t so great when you’re playing games, emailing, Snapping, Instagramming, and watching videos with your unlimited data plans. The Infinity Displays on the latest Galaxy devices are gorgeous and chances are you’re putting them to good use. If that’s you, then you need a portable battery to keep you powered all weekend long. Tronsmart is a brand I trust – all of its cables, chargers and power banks are Qualcomm certified. I have been using the Tronsmart Presto 10,400mAh portable power bank with my Galaxy devices in 2017 and think it’s worthy of its $26.99 price tag on Amazon.com.
Tronsmart Presto design and specs
The Tronsmart Presto power bank is designed in the long candy bar style. It measures 6.2 x 2.1 x 0.7 inches and weighs just 8.5 ounces. The Presto manages to keep its weight down by using plastic instead of aluminum or other alloy. While metals typically look and feel nice, they add unnecessary bulk to an otherwise heavy accessory. With a 10,400mAh capacity, it can charge most smartphones three full times. The Galaxy S8+ has an internal battery of 3,500mAh, and if you were to do the math you should get roughly three charges out of the Presto. That’s certainly enough to get through an entire weekend without needing to find a wall or car charger. However, when batteries, any batteries for that matter, transfer energy, some is lost. So expect two full charges for your Galaxy S8+ with a bit to spare with the Presto.
The Presto comes with the latest reversible USB-C charging standard. Not only is the plug reversible, but it is used to recharge the power bank while also serving as an output if you have a USB-C to USB-C cable. Android manufacturers have an uncanny ability to confuse consumers with charging standards these days. Fast Charge, Quick Charge and Dash Charge are some of the standards used by manufacturers. All you really need to know is that they’re quite similar and they will make your devices charge faster than devices from several years ago.
The Presto, while Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 certified, will charge the latest Galaxy devices which use Fast Charge at maximum speeds. It’s really annoying that Android manufacturers confuse their consumers with charging standards like this, because all anyone really cares about is if their devices will charge quickly.
It also makes it harder for third-party accessory makers like Tronsmart to certify their accessories across multiple standards. Nonetheless, you can see in the image above that the Presto can and does charge Galaxy devices at full speed. It takes just under two hours to go from 0-100% using this battery bank.
The Presto isn’t limited to these devices though. It has a full USB A output port for connecting any standard USB plug. You can take your iOS device’s Lightning cable and plug it into the Presto to recharge your iPhone or iPad. It has technology, called VoltIQ, which automatically determines the input power of your device and charges it as fast as it will accept. It’s good for accessories too: wireless speakers and headphones, Go Pro action cameras and anything else with a USB input.
Real world usage
I’ve actually used the Presto for almost a year and use it as my primary power bank when I want a quick charge on my smartphones. It’s really quite small for such a large capacity and that is another reason it makes its way into my backpack on trips where I need more power. I’ve probably put over 50 charge cycles into this battery and have seen no issues of it losing power over time. Another nice feature is the Presto discharges really slowly when it isn’t connected to a charger. I’ve left it unused for up to a month and the four light LED indicator still showed full power. Without charging it, I easily got two full charges on my S8+ with about 25% remaining in the Presto.
Conclusion
The Presto is easily one of my favorite accessories when I need portable power. It’s a very reliable power bank that is well-built, and quite affordable at $26.99 at Amazon. It’s packaged with a spare USB-A to USB-C cable for use with any compatible device. These cables typically sell for $5-10, which adds more value to this purchase.
Tronsmart is a brand you can trust when it comes to cables, chargers and power banks. I highly recommend the Presto which can be purchased by following this link.
Tronsmart Presto 10,400 Power Bank review
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