The Monster PowerCard Turbo - Great for holiday travel
With all the traveling many of us do over the holidays, we're often in search of power for our iDevices. Monster has come up with a really high quality external battery to keep your iPhone running when you are away from an AC outlet.
The PowerCard Turbo (US$49.99) is a very small and thin charger that is easy to travel with or put in a pocket or purse.
Specifications
Battery Capacity: 3,350 mAh
Charge Port: 1 x 1.5 Amp
Size: 4.4 x 7.9 x 1.2 inches (similar to a stack of business cards)
Features: LED charge status indicator
Design
This is one good-looking charger. Available in 3 colors (gold, silver and black), It has attractive blue LEDs to tell you it's charging or, when it is away from power, how long the battery will last. There is a standard USB port, and it comes with a cable with USB on one end and a mini-USB on the other. Apple users will have to use their own Lightning or 30-pin Dock connector cable.
Functionality
The PowerCard Turbo couldn't be easier to use. Plug in your device and it will quickly charge. The 1.5 amp output should be about 50% faster than most chargers. There is one button on the charger, and that's to check the remaining power.
Conclusion
I used the charger a few times just before Xmas and found it a fast charge for my iPhone 6. The device itself took about two hours to charge from a powered USB hub. Charging from a desktop or laptop USB outlet will take longer, maybe 3 to 3.5 hours.
The only negative is the printed instructions are really, really small. My eyesight is pretty good, but I needed an illuminated magnifier to read them. On the other hand, the way the charger works is pretty self-evident. Monster needs a monster font.
The Monster PowerCard Turbo is a well-built power solution at a reasonable price with solid performance. It's too late to put it on your gift list, but grab one for yourself.
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