Energizer XPAL XP18000A Power Pack for laptops, smartphones and small devices

I finally got myself the Energizer XP18000A power brick! For the longest of time, I didn't see a need for such a device as the capacity, and size, is far too big to carry around on a daily basis. Moreover, laptops nowadays have batteries that last over 6 hours when running office productivity software or replying emails. Weighing slightly more than 500g, carrying the power brick to extend the life of a laptop didn't seem to make much sense in everyday context.

For me, the only thing that needs recharging on the go is my power hungry iphone. Every time I unplug the phone is like unplugging the life support off a patient. Just a few hours of heavy usage will drain its battery down to red. To deal with that, I have a small mobile charger that runs on 2x AA batteries that is able to extend its life long enough for comfortable usage until I find a power socket.

The reason why I bought such a big capacity power pack is because it was on promotion, at $170 instead of the usual $250+, and also because my mum's laptop AC adapter decided to quit and the original replacement charger costs $170. The energizer XP18000A was the obvious choice as it can double up as universal laptop charger as well as a external battery.

On first look, you may be worried if the power pack is compatible with your laptop in terms of the cable tip as well as voltage. With regards to the cable tip, it came with one that fits a Fujitsu as well as a Dell - these are the two laptop brands I use. What about the voltage? Most laptop takes 19V, which is exactly what one of the ports on the power pack supplies. So, no issues there.

 The Energizer XPAL juxtaposed with my Dell Vostro laptop. The XPAL is easy to carry around due to its slim and compact size.

One of the slight concern you may notice is the relatively low maximum rated output of the battery. At 66.5W, it is underpowered when paired with a full sized laptop. My Core i7 Dell laptop immediately detects and warn of the underpowered charger on start up. When I ran it solely on the power pack with my laptop battery removed, it ran at a painfully slow speed to make do with whatever power it receives. However, the moment I re-inserted my laptop battery, the usual performance returned. I thought that was rather smart as power from some other countries or off-grid power supplies may not be so powerful.

This is the warning pop up I get when I plug the XP18000A in. It is, in fact, a good thing that the battery stops charging by default so that you don't drain the power bank unnecessarily.

 

 The supplied AC adapter is an efficiency class V power supply, which is the best class possible. A 40w supply translate to an approximate 2 hour charging time for our 70Wh XP18000A battery.

Oh look, a simple charge indicator. You'll need to press this button to initiate charging a USB device.

There are 3 outputs: The one on the left is meant for small devices such as video cameras, wireless routers, the USB is capable of supplying up to 2.1 A which is suitable for tablets while the rightmost port is supposedly for small laptops as it is limited to 66W (a full fledged laptop takes in about 80-90W)

In order to optimize the use of the power pack, it is important to disable battery charging for the laptop so that no energy is wasted recharging another battery - there are inefficiencies involved and drains more power form the power pack.

The XP18000A is also able to charge my iphone and ipad normally, if you are wondering.

Upside:
The XP18000A is not only the biggest capacity battery pack from Energizer, but also the most versatile. You can power 3 items at once - 19V (laptop), 12V (small devices) and USB powered devices although it is not recommended as it will put more stain on the battery. But it is nice to know that you can if you need to do so.

The Lithium Polymer battery has one of the highest energy density is squarish in shape, allowing the entire power pack to be shaped in a compact and slim shape.

Downside:
My only grip is that the battery is encased within the plastic shell, which makes it impossible to replace on your own when it reaches the end of its service life. This meant that the circuitry, which is likely to last a long time, is wasted. I would prefer if they used 18650 batteries instead so you can easily replace them as higher capacity ones become commonplace.

It does not come with a car adapter, which does make it a little less versatile. It may not be so useful in Singapore because the battery will take a 2 hour drive to charge up while the typical car journeys here are less than 30min. However, if you are in a bigger country, a car adapter will be awesome if you live off your car. Nevertheless, do not leave it inside a car as high temperatures will reduce the battery's lifespan.

Who is this product for:
This is no doubt an expensive product. However, it makes sense to buy it to replace other malfunctioned parts such as a spoilt AC adapter or a dead laptop battery as these items, if bought from their original brand, will cost quite a lot too.

Due to its large battery capacity, it will be excellent for longer trips away from the electrical socket. Another lesser known property of Lithium based batteries is that is able to withstand low temperatures without losing too much performance compared to the ubiquitous alkaline or Nickel Metal Hydride.