[Nexus 6P Accessories] Pilz:
Disclaimer: I was given a discount on this item in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Choetech 10400mah Type-C/QC 2.0 Power Bank

Choetech 10400mah Type-C Power Bank

Overview:

There seems be a lot of confusion surround the USB Type-C standard and Qualcomm’s proprietary Quick Charger 2.0/3.0 lately. This battery pack offers both standards, but it only offers Type-C fast charging when you’re supplying power to the battery itself not your phone. The battery has 4 ports, a small footprint, and an overall nice look to it which will be discussed further below.

Packaging:

The Choetech battery comes in a brown branded box covered in a white sleeve showing the appropriate product information. Inside you will find the power bank, some instructions and a USB Type-A to MicroUSB cable. (the provided cable can charge either the power bank or your MicroUSB device)

Box:

Inside:

Charging:

When it comes to charging there are many ‘standards’ out there currently, but only one is correct when it comes to a USB Type-C port. The USB Type-C port on the power bank should only charge at the listed 5V/3A as listed; however, I found that it will use Quick Charge 2.0 over a A-C cable to charge the battery pack which is technically incorrect as noted in the USB standard section 4.8.2 which as summarized by Benson Leung:

The power bank doesn’t state that it uses QC 2.0/3.0 over the Type-C port, but rather over the MicroUSB port which is interesting. I tested the power bank using a Power Partners 30W QC 2.0 charger, and a Tronsmart Dual Port 36W QC 2.0 charger; both produced the same result over a Choetech Type A-C cable. The power bank would draw 9V from the charger at 0.6A (the battery pack was showing 4 dots i.e. ~100%, but it still pulled more power from the charge implying that it wasn’t completely charged). I don’t know if this was an intentional move or not because the charging information on the battery pack doesn’t accurately reflect what it’s really doing.

Now, back to the other ports offered on the power bank. Each USB Type-A port outputs a different rate; one port is a QC 2.0 port while the other charges at 5V/1A. I tested both ports with A-C and A-MicroUSB cables to verify the output via a USB multi-meter. All 3 of the other ports (1 input, 2 output) deliver what’s listed which is good. I am disappointed to see a USB Type-C port only as an input port rather than an input/output which is essential if you want to rapid charge a phone such as the Nexus 6P/5X. The Type-A port will only provide 1.5A maximum for a A-C cable as it should by the USB standard. I tested this using a Choetech A-C cable, and the stock Google A-C cable that came with my Nexus 6P.

USB Port 1 A-C Output:

USB Port 2 A-C Output:

Charging via MicroUSB with the Tronsmart 36W charger:

Charging via Choetech A-C cable with the Tronsmart 36W charger:

Build & Design:

The overall design of the battery is nice, and features an anodized black aluminum shell with chamfered edges. There are 4 indicator lights that tell you the approximate % left in the battery pack next to the power button on one side. All 4 of the ports are located at one end for convenience which is very standard. This battery pack has identical dimensions to my silver Aukey power bank which isn’t a bad thing. The size is small enough to carry around in a bag without taking up a vast amount of space.

Top:

Bottom:

Front:

Back:

From left to right: Aukey 12000mah, Choetech 10400mah, Aukey 10000mah

From top to bottom: Aukey 10000mah, Choetech 10400mah, Aukey 12000mah

Summary:

There are a few discrepancies with this particular battery pack including the lack of a Type-C output, and QC 2.0 over a Type A-C cable. Other than those two issues the battery pack is great, and will work just fine for anyone looking for a small powerful power bank. I hope Choetech explains why the battery is using QC 2.0 over the Type C port, and potentially decides to make a unit with a Type-C output as well.