Anker 2nd Gen Astro3 12800mAh Battery review

Anker® 2nd Gen Astro3 12800mAh

[df-subtitle]Design[/df-subtitle]

The Astro3 does not stray from the traditional look of modern external batteries, as Anker decided to keep with the conventional square frame. Made from a matte black silicon material, the Astro3 feels great to the touch and is able to fit in discretely in any environment.

There are no physical buttons on the Astro3 as the external battery utilizes a motion sensor for most of its actions. On the right side, you do get a break from the seamless look of the Astro3, as that’s where the three external charging ports and the Astro3’s own charging port is located. Aside from that, there is nothing else that takes away from the Astro3’s seamless appearance.

[df-subtitle]Features[/df-subtitle]

Anker decided to do away with any physical buttons on the Astro3 and instead opted to use a built-in motion sensor to activate the device. This means that whenever you need to charge the devices hooked up to the Astro3, all you have to do is give the battery pack a small shake. This motion also activates the white LED indicator on the front that allows you to see how much charge is left on the device.

The Astro3 comes with Anker’s proprietary battery charging technology, dubbed Power IQ. Every device has a certain amp current limit that it can be charged at. Modern devices are smart enough that they will only get the necessary amount of current that they were built to receive. The issue though is that most charging methods, unless you are using the official charger that came with the device, are going to charge your device at a slower rate. This is especially true when you try to charge you device using your desktop or laptop charger. This is where Power IQ comes in, the Astro3 has the capability to charge your device with up to 4 amps, more than enough current for most portable devices. The Power IQ detects how much current it can send over to your device and will send over the maximum amount. This in turn makes ensures that your device will charge at the maximum rate, lowering your wait time.

[df-subtitle]Real World Testing[/df-subtitle]

I must say, I was thoroughly impressed with the results of the Astro3. Straight out of the box, I decided to see how it would fare, so I hooked up my HTC One M8 which I had forgotten to charge the night before. It did not take long for the Astro3 to have my M8 go from 15% to 100% with the Power IQ technology and ready for the day ahead. I was able to charge my M8 three more times before the Astro3 finally needed to be charged itself. That is really impressive by today’s standards and the Astro3 did a remarkable job putting other external batteries to shame.

Charging the Astro3 itself did take some time though, as is to be expected from such a big battery, so I left it charging overnight and was delighted to see it fully charged by morning come. I am sure I would have been able to squeeze another charge out of the Astro3 for my M8 had it been fully charged when it came out of the box, but three full charges is still no laughing matter. Especially for a device that is relatively inexpensive when you consider like products and what you are getting in return.

[df-subtitle]Final Thoughts[/df-subtitle]

The Astro3 is a fantastic external battery that makes a perfect gift for any tech fan. Being able to keep your devices charged at all times is a necessity in today’s busy world and the Astro3 is more than capable of assisting with that need. You can purchase an Astro3 and find more information regarding the device by heading over to Amazon using the links provided.

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