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Power
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Portability
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Features
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Value
Summary
The Anker Astro E1 5200mAh Portable charger is a quality device with incredible value that provides you with an extra charge-and-a-half on the go. It has a great retention rate, is compact and loaded with safety functions. At the time of writing this, it's the best selling power bank on Amazon, and deservedly so.
- Great size to power ratio and easily fits in your pocket
- Loaded with safety protection features for your device
- Very quick charging times
- Incredible value
- Incompatible with a few older devices (see full list in Features section)
We’ve been very pleased by Anker’s products in the past and the Anker Powercore 10000 and 20100 were two of the best power banks we’ve ever reviewed. The Anker Astro E1 Power Bank is – at the time of writing – the best selling portable charger on Amazon. Let’s take a look at it in this review.
Design and Portability
Unlike other Anker Powerbanks we’ve reviewed, the Anker Astro E1 is encased in a glossy black case instead of matte black. It looks very stylish and even though it’s made of plastic, it feels quite strong and sturdy. The only downside to a gloss case is that it’s a magnet for fingerprints, and it also scratches a bit easier. Nonetheless the Anker Astro E1 is very well made and it definitely feels built to last. Also, it comes with a nice carry pouch which keeps the device nicely protected from scratching when carrying it around.
The Anker Astro E1 is about as compact as is gets at this powerlevel. We’ve seen smaller chargers but those also had less battery capacity. The Astro E1 measures a mere 3.8 x 1.7 x 0.9 inches and is the size of a moderately sized candy bar, and it weighs 4.2oz which is about as light as a baseball. It’s extremely portable and fits in your pocket easily. Whether it’s in your jean or jacket pocket, the Astro E1 is so small you’ll barely notice you’re carrying it with you.
Features
The Anker Astro E1 has one charging port which you can use to charge just about any micro USB device. A great feature we always see in Anker power banks is the PowerIQ feature. PowerIQ makes the port identify the connected device to provide a safe, high-speed charge tailored specifically for your device. This function is extremely convenient and not only makes for quick charging times, but also prevents your battery from deteriorating in the long run.
The device is also fitted with multiple safety features ranging from short circuit protection, output current stabilizer and output voltage surge protection, to power overload recovery, auto shut-off sleep mode and low voltage protection.The power button on the side is used to start charging or to show how much charge is still left in the tank. Which it shows through four stylish blue LED indicators.
One thing that should be mentioned is that the Anker Astro E1 isn’t compatible with a few devices:
- iPod nano
- iPod Classic
- HP Touchpad
- Dell Venue 11 Pro
- Asus tablets
- Some GPS and bluetooth devices
These devices aren’t compatible and can’t be charged with the Anker Astro E1. However, most of these devices are discontinued anyway so it’s not that big a deal. If you do own one of these devices and want to be able to charge them, the Jackery Bar is another great quality product which’ll do the job just fine.
Surprisingly, the Anker Astro E1 is not equipped with a flashlight. Not that it matters that much, but we’re very used to seeing the flashlight function on powerbanks of this size. The above mentioned Jackery Bar does have a flashlight if you’d prefer one on a power bank.
Power
The power to size ratio on this unit is quite awesome. Most powerbanks I’ve seen at this size top out at 4400mAh, but this device has a battery capacity of 5200mAh. This is enough to charge most smartphones at least one and a half times. It gives one full charge and then some to an iPhone 7 Plus or Samsung Galaxy S7. Or almost two charges to an iPhone 7 or 6S. It even manages to charge an iPhone 5 fully twice. It’s also incredibly fast thanks to the PowerIQ function. It manages to charge up an iPhone 5 in roughly an hour and a half. It might not be the best powerbank for tablets, but it can easily charge half your tablet if you need it to thanks to the 2A output.
The input of the device is 1A, so it doesn’t recharge itself as quick as it charges others. However, it’s not that bad and the powerbank recharges in about 5 hours when it’s empty.
Conclusion
Anker hasn’t really surprised me. The Anker Astro E1 is the best selling power bank on Amazon, so I knew beforehand this had to be a top notch product, and it certainly is. The Astro E1 has basically everything you need if you’re looking for a single charge power bank for your smartphone. It’s as portable as it gets at this level, has great power efficiency, charges quickly, is strong, inexpensive. What more do you need?
Check the Anker Astro E1 5200mAh Portable Charger on AmazonMeasurements: | 3.8 x 1.7 x 0.9 inches |
Weight: | 119g (4.2oz) |
Charging ports: | 1 (2A) |
Smartport: | Yes |
Compatible with: | Smartphone, tablet, digital camera etc. (most micro USB devices) |
Pass through charging: | No |
Qualcomm Quick Charge: | No |
Battery indication: | 4 LED lights |
Flashlight: | No |
Power capacity: | 5200 mAh |
Total max output: | 2A |
Time to charge itself: | 5 hours |
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