Review: Xtorm XB3 power banks with USB-C- in this short review you can read what our experiences are with these power banks, with which you can also charge a MacBook. You will receive the necessary cables as standard.
Xtorm XB3 Series power bank review
A power bank for your iPhone is not that special anymore. Now if you’re looking for a power bank, you’ll want something with more capacity and more features. The Xtorm XB3 Series has enough to offer on that point: we always take a power bank of this brand with us during our city trips, because we can quickly charge all our devices with it. You can even charge your MacBook with the heavier models . We have been able to test XB3 Series for a few weeks and tell you all about it in this review. It is interesting to know that you can choose from four variants, depending on your needs. We have tested the Rover and Voyager.
Xtorm XB3 Series power bank Features
These are the main features of the Xtorm XB3 Series power banks:
- Available in gray / white
- Solid build quality
- Available in 4 variants with different capacities
- USB-C cable (s) included
- Optionally also available with USB-C and Lightning
- Charging via USB-C and USB-A
There are 4 variants of this power bank:
- XB300 Hubble: 15 Watt, 6000 mAh
- XB301 Apollo: 18 Watt, 15,000 mAh
- XB302 Rover: 45 Watt, 19,500 mAh
- XB303 Voyager: 60 Watt, 26,000 mAh
Included cables
A handy feature of these power banks is that you get cables included. They are very short, but that also means that you can easily tuck them away in a slot on the side. Until now we have always used the Discover, an older variant. It has the same design, but comes with a Lightning cable that is magnetically attached in a pocket on the side. This is very useful for iPhone users. Usually you have a Lightning cable in your bag, but if you can’t find it that quickly, you can always rely on the short cable supplied.
The newer models we are testing here (XB300 to XB303) come with one or two USB-C-to-USB-C cables. Also handy, because this type of cable is not very common and because of the purchase price you probably won’t have a tangle of USB-C cables in your bag. You can use them to connect a MacBook Air , iPad Pro , Chromebook or Android device.
With the Hubble and Apollo you get one cable, with the Rover you get two on the side and with the Voyager you even get three, all with USB-C connection. There is also a Lightning version, where you get a combination of 1x USB-C and 1x Lightning, but it was not yet available at the time of testing. This variant is also more difficult to obtain, because most stores currently sell the USB-C-only version. So make sure you have the right variant. Those with Lightning connection have a longer delivery time and are 15 euros more expensive than the standard model.
The cables are about 10 cm long and are in a slot on the side. If you have nails you can easily pop them out, otherwise it will be a bit trickier. We have tested an earlier version of these power banks where it was quite difficult to remove them. That has been improved in the final production model. You also don’t want them to be too loose, because then you will lose them. Magnets ensure that the cables stay in place and do not just fall out.
Lots of variation in connections
What makes these power banks interesting are the various ports with different output. The Rover has the following to offer:
- 1x USB-C Power Delivery 45 Watt
- 1x USB-C 15 Watt (5 Volt / 3 Ampere)
- 1x USB Quick Charge 3.0 18 Watt
- 1x USB 12 Watt (5 Volt, 2.4 Ampere)
So you have all kinds of options for connecting devices. The 45 Watt Power Delivery connection is suitable for connecting most MacBook models. A heavier MacBook Pro is also possible, but it will take a while before your battery is recharged. However, it can be a godsend if your battery is almost empty and you still have to finish an important document.
The Hubble (12W) and Apollo (18W) are of course less suitable for keeping your MacBook charged, but they are also a lot cheaper.
Fast charging
What makes these power banks interesting is that you can charge your smartphone 70% faster via USB-C Power Delivery and QuickCharge 3.0. For example, if you have an iPhone XS, you can charge your device from 0% to 50% in 30 minutes. With normal charging you are then only at 19%, the manufacturer claims. Moreover, you can also charge the power bank itself much faster, thanks to the use of high power USB-C PD output. The 60W Voyager can be fully charged in 3.5 hours. This is in line with our experiences, although you must of course have a suitable charger for this. If you take the 18 Watt adapter of the iPad Pro 2018, it will of course take longer. It is best to use a somewhat heavier MacBook adapter.
Speaking of heavy: with such a power bank you can go out carefree on the weekend. You can charge your iPhone several times with it and you can be sure that you will not be without power and that you do not have to look for a socket in cafes. But that much capacity means that the two largest power banks are quite heavy: about 400 grams. You’re in the right place as far as the finish is concerned. The gray-white color combination is immediately recognizable as an Xtorm product and is neutral enough that no one will be disturbed by it.
BENEFITS+
- Good build quality
- Choice of 4 variants
- Neutral yet recognizable design in gray and white
- Cables always at hand
- Fast charging, also for the battery itself
CONS-
- Lightning version is 15 euros more expensive
- Detaching cables can be difficult for people without nails
Conclusion
The power banks from Xtorm are always of excellent quality and that is also the case with this XB3 series. Conveniently, you have multiple ways to charge, via the different ports, each of which has different specifications. Also handy is that you already get the cables included, if it is a pity that you have to pay 15 euros extra for the Lightning version. Pulling out the cables has improved a lot since the first version, but can be difficult for people without nails.
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