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Power
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Portability
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Features
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Value
Summary
Eternal charge times and mediocre output power make the Dizaul 5000 mAh a decent at best solar charger. It's a great way to be eco-friendly, but the charging slowness makes you prefer the use of a wall charger to charge the powerbank, which kind of defeats the purpose of having a solar charger in the first place.
- Sturdy dustproof, shockproof and waterproof construction
- Comes with a carabiner and handy reading lamp
- Cheap for a solar charger
- Sun charging takes impractically long, up to 30 hours
- Low output power (1A)
Solar power banks have been in existence for quite a few years, but we’ve never actually reviewed one on Portablewise.com. The reason being that most solar power banks are simply inferior to regular power banks, especially when it comes to charging speed and efficiency. Since the Dizaul Solar Charger has become increasingly popular and we’ve received many requests for a hands-on, we decided to bite the bullet and see how the Dizaul 5000mAh Portable Solar Power Bank holds up in this review.
Design & Portability
Design-wise, the Dizaul solar charger shares a resemblance to a large smartphone, wrapped in a thick and grippy case. This casing is made of silicone rubber and ABS plastic, resulting in a very sturdy construction. The power bank is shock-proof, dust proof, and has rubber caps over the output and input ports which even make it waterproof as well. It can weather through rain and drops on very hard surfaces which make it perfect for hikers and outdoor adventurers. The overall feel is very good, and the rippled texture of the case make it nearly impossible to slip out your hands.
The power bank is surprisingly light for its size. With just over 5oz, it weighs less than the significantly smaller Anker PowerCore 10000 and is about the same weight as an EasyAcc 6000mAh ultraslim.
Features
With two USB ports the power bank is able to charge two devices simultaneously. It also comes with a flexible USB LED light which can be inserted into any of the two USB ports to be used as a handy reading lamp. The power bank itself also has an in-built flashlight which can prove useful in dark places, especially when outdoor. Furthermore, the carabiner hook that’s included with the power bank can be convenient for outdoor lovers. You can simply hang the power bank onto your backpack, belt loop, or tent. All of these small extras make it a very convenient tool for outdoor activities, even when not used for charging.
The most interesting selling point of the Dizaul Solar Charger is of course, its ability to charge via sunlight. What this means is you should be able to leave the power bank in direct sunlight—and instead of using electricity—let nature do the work for you. It sounds great in theory, but the Dizaul Power Bank takes exceptionally long to charge via sunlight. There’s four battery indicators on the power bank that show how much battery is left to fill. In a test leaving it in the sun for 10 hours, the power bank was barely charged for a quarter. Keep in mind that this was in constant direct sunlight. So say you were camping outside in the woods, the occasional tree branch or leaves may block the sunlight for a few seconds, which means the time to charge would be even longer. The power bank also has a regular input for charging with a wall adapter. So with slow charging times as these, you’ll probably find yourself charging the power bank more through a wall outlet than the sun, simply because it charges it faster that way.
Power
A battery capacity of 5000 mAh at this price range is very decent. It allows you to charge an average phone just about 1.5 times. Your mileage may vary of course, as some smartphones require more power than others to charge fully. An iPhone 5 will be charged give or take two times, and a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 can be charge right about once.
Charging speeds of the Dizaul Solar Charger are not that great. As the output ports only provide a max output of 1A, it takes more than 3 hours to fully charge a Samsung Galaxy 7, which is twice as long as other power banks in this price range. For example, the Anker Powercore 10000 takes 1 hour and 35 minutes to charge the Galaxy 7, and the Aukey 10040 even does it in under an hour. Of course, we gotta take into consideration that the Dizaul is a solar charger, but seeing as the solar charging capabilities are as mediocre as can be, it definitely loses some points in this regard as well.
Conclusion
As a stand alone power bank the Dizaul pales in comparison to other power banks in the same price range. And even as a solar charger, it’s decent at best. Its robust waterproof construction and built-in flashlight make it a nice companion for adventurers, but its charging capabilities are simply too mediocre to be practical. It takes days to fully charge in direct sunlight, it has a max output of 1A which means slow charging times for your device, and it’s just not that great overall. It is very cheap for a solar charger, we’ll give it that. But for just a little more money you’re better off picking up a solar charger like the Anker 21W Solar Charger.
View the Dizaul Portable Solar Charger on Amazon.comTechnical specifications
Measurements: | 5.59 x 2.76 x 0.55 inches |
Weight: | 146g (5.15oz) |
Charging ports: | 2 (1A max per port) |
Compatible with: | iPhone, Android, tablet (most USB devices) |
Flashlight: | Yes |
Smart charging ports: | No |
Qualcomm Quick Charge: | No |
Battery indication: | 4 green LED’s |
Power capacity: | 5000 mAh |
Total max output: | 2A (2x1A) |
Total max input: | 1A |
Time to recharge itself: | 30 hours in direct sunlight (±6-7 hours with a wall adapter) |