New Shargeek power bank is beautiful and powerful

A heavy, black block with a few ports. This is what a power bank usually looks like. The battery is a purely functional item used to charge smartphones or laptops. But this isn’t the case with Sharge. Here, the battery becomes a design gadget.

In tests, the predecessor to the Shargeek 170 won people over – and is also very popular with the community. What does the similarly priced successor do better or differently?

By the way, in case you’re confused about the name – the company has since changed it. A year ago, the brand was still called Shargeek – like the products. The company is now called Sharge, the power banks are still called Shargeek. As a result, the full name of the model in my review is Sharge Shargeek 170.

What does the triangular casing do?

I’ve never seen a power bank in this shape before. The Shargeek 170 is a prism with three corners. I only know this from Bluetooth speakers. But did the manufacturer only choose this shape to visually stand out from the competition?

This really isn’t necessary, because with the screen and transparent casing, Sharge models are already eye-catching anyway. As with its predecessor, the Shargeek 100, the main circuit board and six round battery packs are clearly visible. It also has a large, bright and easy-to-read screen.

One tip I have for you: I flew several times with the predecessor and once with the new Shargeek 170. The officers at the security checkpoint almost always wanted to take a closer look at the power bank or asked what it was. It was never a problem – but you’ll stand out with a battery pack like this. The prism distinguishes the new model from the old one. This is also advantageous since I can position the power triangle so that I always see and read the screen clearly. At least when I’m sitting and not standing, that is.

However, the shape also has disadvantages because the new model is somewhat larger and bulkier than its predecessor (which is still available). And at 680 grammes, almost 100 grammes heavier than the Shargeek 100. This is surprising, since the new power bank has slightly less capacity than its predecessor.

Large screen and waterproof housing

I really like the design of the Shargeek 170. It looks a bit more modern and tidier than its predecessor. The screen is larger so it’s much easier to read. And the numbers are still visible even from very flat viewing angles thanks to IPS display technology. However, the casing is massive and overall heavy, and the manufacturer is obviously more interested in appearance than efficiency.

A plus point – the new model is dust and water resistant in accordance with the IP66 standard. Although the battery shouldn’t be under water for long periods, a rain shower or a spilled glass of water won’t harm it. If it falls into some water and you pull it out straight away, it’s possible it’ll survive.

But there’s a disadvantage to the transparent plastic casing that I need to point out to you. If you throw the power bank in your rucksack or bag like I do, scratches are inevitable. And you can see them pretty well. I’ve been using the previous model for around a year now, and it’s already showing signs of patina. I’m not bothered by this. I think it suits the character of the gadget. But not everyone shares the same opinion.

Less capacity – but more power

Shargeek installed eight Samsung 32E-18650 batteries in the predecessor; now there are six Lishen 21700LA batteries. In Europe, the switch from the Korean manufacturer, which is well known here, to the state-owned group in China won’t be met with enthusiasm. However, Lishen is one of the top 10 battery manufacturers in the world and should deliver good quality. It’s hard to tell after just a few weeks of usage.

The power bank has a capacity of 24,000 mAh or 86.4 Wh. This is below the limit of most airlines, so you can take the Shargeek 170 in your hand luggage when flying. The technical details are also printed large and clearly on the side with the addition «Airline safe».

The predecessor delivers 25,600mAh or 93.5Wh, i.e. slightly more. This doesn’t make a huge difference in everyday use, but it’s a little disappointing with a larger and heavier device.

Nevertheless, Sharge has made progress in much more important areas: the power has increased from a maximum of 100 watts to 170 watts. This is particularly helpful if you want to charge several devices at the same time.

The manufacturer has also standardised and improved the three ports. The two USB-C slots are now equivalent. Both specify a maximum of 140 watts, and you can also charge the power bank via both USB-C slots with a maximum of 140 watts. So I don’t have to worry about where I’m going to plug in. With the predecessor, only one USB-C port was really fast, and the power bank could only be charged via this port. However, unlike some of its competitors, the new model doesn’t allow the power bank to be charged via both ports simultaneously – I can’t use two slow USB-C chargers to charge faster together.

The USB-A port now manages a maximum of 30 watts instead of 18 watts, but you’ll have to do without the adjustable DC port. With the Shargeek 100, you can use direct current to charge and operate devices that don’t have a USB connection. I’m not lost without the DC port, but it’s certainly unique in the power bank sector.

Fast charging in all directions – great for everyday use

So I dare to put it to the acid test. Via USB-C, I connect two MacBook Pros to my Shargeek 170 and my Android phone via USB-A. This gives me a combined charging power of 120 to 130 watts. It’s cool how many gadgets can be charged quickly and easily at once.

I can see on the screen how long the charging process should take. However, this isn’t accurate because most gadgets actively control charging and slow it down significantly for the last 20 per cent or so.

On the contrary, the display works better: when I charge the power bank, it also shows how long it takes. I carried out a complete charging run with a 100-watt charger. According to Shargeek, it was supposed to take 58 minutes to get from 0 to 100 per cent, but it actually took just over 59 minutes.

I reached 90 to 95 watts in each case. Theoretically, up to 140 watts would be possible, but I don’t have such a powerful charger.

The Shargeek has a large price tag

The Sharge Shargeek 170 currently costs around 190 francs. It has to hold its own against internal competition from its predecessor, which is still available: the Shargeek 100. Formerly known as Shargeek Storm 2, the power bank is offered at similar prices, sometimes even 20 francs cheaper.

If design, display and speed are less important, then the competition is even tougher, as you can see when you do a big comparison of the most popular models. You can get power banks with the same capacity for as little as 80 to 100 francs, which also charge fairly quickly.