Testing
Ahead of actually using the PowerPack 2, you must first charge it, and this is where I encountered a slight annoyance with this product. While Crave does include a Type-C to Type-C charging cable, it is only 12″ in length from tip to tip. This pretty much means that if you are using the charger while it is plugged into the wall, the battery has to sit on the ground while charging. Providing a cable of at least three feet in length would have been a much better option in my opinion, and would provide a much more convenient user experience. One feature I wish the PowerPack 2 had is a better form of telling exactly what the battery status of the device is. Some units from other manufacturers have small LCD screens that provide information on battery charge, charge time, wattage, voltage, and amperage details, etc. As someone that loves data, this extra information can help me decide which device to charge first, or for how long, etc.
The PowerPack 2 has come in handy during my test period, as I have brought it along with me to my day job and put it to good use when away from my desk. With the included, albeit very short, USB Type-C to Type-C cable I was able to fully charge my 2022 Dell Precision 3560 laptop at a very reasonable rate thanks to both devices supporting the PD standard. With an additional USB cable, I was also able to top off my OnePlus 10 Pro 5G at the same time. While using both of the Type-C ports at the same time drops them down in wattage, (Port 1 maxes out at 40W and Port 2 at 65W while both are in use), the ability to fully charge two devices from empty, and still have reserves in the PowerPack 2 is a great feeling. If I wanted to get really adventurous, the PowerPack 2 can utilize all four ports and provide up to 120W of output total across all of the ports.
To give you a bit of an idea of the PowerPack 2’s capacity, I charged the pack to 100%, as indicated by the four status LEDs. Again, I wish there were a way to get more detailed charge information, but the lights will have to do. With a full charge, I brought my Dell Precision 3560 from 20% to 100% battery, and topped off my phone from around 80% to full. This left me with an estimated 75% of the PowerPack 2’s capacity, according to the indicator lights. Following that, a few days later I brought my phone (the OnePlus 10 Pro 5G) from 20% to full in just over one hour and five minutes via the 100W PD port on the PowerPack 2. It took 22 minutes to go from 20% to 50%, and then another 43 minutes to go from 50% to 100%. Even after that, the indicator lights on the battery pack still showed 75%. In all reality however, it could be anywhere from 51% to 75%, which is just too much range for my liking.
Taking the PowerPack along with you is somewhat convenient thanks to the included drawstring bag that can fit the battery, charger, and cable, but I do wish the bag would stay closed. The drawstring simply doesn’t keep itself closed at all, and there is no cord lock to keep it closed either. I think a zippered pouch would have been a better solution, as it would add some protection, and could be configured to make sure the charger and cable weren’t scratching up against the battery body as well.
