Hey gang, Valkor here. I’ve been waiting for the chance to have PNY stop into the Val-Cave; ever since we started covering tech full-force, I’ve had them and their products in my sights. And while I have done well with their competitors, PNY has always been out of reach. That is until CE Week 2014 came along where I had the chance to meet with PNY, who also dropped this small nugget from their repetoire into my hands. Portable battery packs are everywhere and have become essential in our daily lives – if you don’t own one, then now is the time to invest. And PNY might have the solution to solve your short term needs with the PowerPack T2200.
The T2200, on the outset, is similar in length when compared to the Ploom PAX and the ModelTwo, but differ in the thickness. At the head of the device you’ll find two ports – one microUSB and a USB. And you’ll alternate between the two with the included cable depending on the need. The microUSB is for charging the battery pack and switching to the USB is when you’ll want to charge your device. And while the powerpack I was given came with a microUSB cable, you could also use it with an apple smartphone as well. But if you wanna be specific, there is a white version for iOS devices also. Finally, along the base you have your indicator lights and power on/off button. The T2200 comes packed with… well a 2200 mAh battery that’s good for one charge. And you can recharge the powerpack by plugging it into any desktop or laptop, or with a USB adapter (not included).
PNY’s T2200, given its size and usage, is but a blip in the ever growing market of portable battery packs. But with such a strong name behind it, can it stand out above the rest of the pack?
The Bang:
I’d say that’s a resounding yes. The T2200 isn’t simply a slim battery pack wrapped around some plastic. It’s actually quite durable, withstanding a few drops from a sustainable height. Added to that the slimness of the pack, which easily makes it portable fitting inside your pocket, small pouch, or inside any bag and you have something that’s truly travelworthy. What about that one charge though? Most folks, and I include myself in the mix, don’t always need 100% to get by, but just enough to get from one place to the next. With that said the T2200 makes for the perfect travel companion when you’re running low and you need that extra boost to keep on going or to complete a task. By the end of a work day, I’m usually down to 50% battery, which is enough to get me home to an outlet. But if I’m doing anything intense, I drop to about 20%. Given that amount, a fully charged T2200 brought my Note 3 back to 50%, which again gets me where I need to so I can top up. Score one for the guys at PNY; the T2200 is the perfect travel accessory for your quick recharging needs.
The Slack:
There’s still that one charge deal, but I already stated above why that works out. But my main concern with the T2200 is when I’ve plugged into a device and suddenly the lock screen would flash on, fade out and flash on again. It first happened with the Note 3 and was repeated again with the HTC One M8. It doesn't happen alot, but it has happened more than once.
PNY’s first venture into the Val-Cave with the T2200 PowerPack has shown positive results; great for traveling and perfect when your device needs a quick pick me up. Interested? You can click that logo to the right to find out more. But as it stands, out of TOV 5 stars, the T2200 gets a 4. And it’s been Valkor tested, TOV Approved!