Disclosure
This product was kindly sent to me by ALLPOWERS in order to review and share my experience and thoughts while using it. The company does not claim to review this article prior its’ release, everything that follows is a totally honest review. So let’s get into it.
Unboxing & first thoughts
The package was delivered in perfect shape. It was quite large, but the S300 itself is significantly smaller. In fact, it is so small it is hard process it at first. Along with the power station, there is a user manual and a 60W (20V/3A) power supply for charging the unit from a power outlet. A full charge from 0-100% will take about 5 ½ hours. The most impressive characteristic, is in fact the size of the power station. The practical carrying handle makes it very easy to carry around and its locking feature is great when used stationary or transported in a vehicle. There are 2 LED spotlights on the front of the unit, which is a nice on board lighting solution and an integrated screen which provides a lot of information.
Features and specs
The power station has a 288Wh power output (78.000mAh/3.7V) and a 300W (500W peak) pure sine wave inverter, with two AC output sockets. Alongside the two 220V AC outputs, it has a wireless charging base on top (5V/1A), 3*USB (5V/3A) outputs, a USB-C (5-20V) input/output, 2*DC outputs (12V/5A) and a car cigarette lighter output (12V/5A). The unit can be charged by using the included power supply, an external solar panel, via a car cigarette socket or via the USB-C in/out. The USB-C can deliver 5-20V DC output, at a maximum wattage of 100W and can also accept a max 60W input for charging the power station. When charging the unit via a solar panel, the integrated 100W MPPT solar charger, manages the charge. Also there are 2 input options for solar panels, one being the barrel style connector (5.5×2.1 mm), which is also the input for the included power supply and the other being the Anderson connector. Also the power station can provide power, while being charged.
The on board screen shows the percentage of power left, the power input, power output and time left with the current power consumption. It also has dedicated icons that light up, when certain functions are engaged, like AC output, DC output, when bluetooth pairing is engaged or when the inverter fan kicks in. The fact that there is a bluetooth function and a free app from AllPowers, is a very interesting feature, that I am looking forward to using. When it comes to size and weight, the unit as I already mentioned (multiple times…) is very small, with its dimensions being 20.6*16.5*11cm and its weight being only 3.9 kg.
In use
First of all I was interested in evaluating the S300 from an landscape photographers perspective. There are some distinct use case scenarios I used it in, that will be described next. So lets have a look at them.
While driving around and camping with by car or van, I found myself using the power station while on a break. But it can be recharged when you have stopped, but also while driving. A moving vehicle can provide power from the alternator, so the S300 can be recharged via the vehicles’ cigarette lighter output. This way of charging would save time, as you won’t be limited to recharge it when on a break, which would be the time you would also consume power. When on a break though, under full sun, the SP020 provided constantly 55+ watts of power. That was almost like being charged via the included 60W power supply. Even when multiple devices were being charged, the power station was actually replenishing rather than depleting.
I also used the S300 in two different ways for hiking. I carried it in hand, thanks to the integrated carrying handle, but also in my backpack. If you plan to carry it for about an hour or so, it will become noticeable, but switching hands every few minutes will do the trick. Longer than that, it will become too much of a burden and you will probably wish you had left it at home. In that case I did not carry the SP020 solar panel with me, I just carried the S300 precharged. This is something to be done for convenience reasons mostly, in case you want to support a larger group of people, and not only yourself. For myself alone, I could easily get by, with a small USB powerbank, but if you want to spent a day in the beach or in the woods, the S300 will fit the purpose excellent. So, rather than being a necessity, it is more of a luxury item to have with you, if you want to recharge vaping equipment, bluetooth speakers and a bunch of smartphones.
When I carried it in my backpack, it was for an overnight camping into the woods. It added a significant amount of weight, but it was not even close to the inconvenience of hand carrying it. The correct placement of the backpack contents, will make a huge difference, so that is some to be taken into consideration. This time I did carry the SP020 solar panel, and as its weight is small, it didn’t become a burden. I would bet though, that I would never start a hike with both the S300 and the SP020 carried on hands. In this case I overdid it on purpose, using the onboard spotlights for several hours, recharged my smartphone and even recharged my laptop, I had brought with me, which was completely unnecessary.
I had the S300 charged at 100% and I started recharging it in the morning at 55%. The recharging process started slow at about 07:30 and even before 08:00, I was getting almost 40% of the panels’ power output already into the S300. Not bad at all! In less than an hour, the SP020 panel was producing 60% of its nominal output. This fact alone got me confident, than for one mans’ needs, this S300 and SP020 combo will be impossible to be dried out of power. Even for larger groups of people, working in the field, its capacity and recharging capabilities would provide sufficient power, without having to worry much. Needless to say that by noon, which was the time I broke up camp, the S300 was full again. The use I made once again laptop and other small devices charging and also playing around with the Allpowers app.
The app
The ability to control the device via the bluetooth app is a nice feature. Although you do not have any extra functionality or informations shown, it is a bonus to have. When you engage the bluetooth function from the unit, you just open the AllPowers app on your phone and connect via bluetooth. Then you select the AllPowers power station you want to connect with and that’s all. There is a single page, showing the percentage of battery left and time remaining, as well as buttons in order to activate or deactivate the lights, AC and DC output. Also you get information on the constant power input and output in watts. You have to know that whenever you activate the on board lights via the app, they are both either on or off. You cannot select one of them to light up individually.
The main advantage of the app, is the ability to remotely control the unit, in case the power station is not easily accesible. If you use the S300 as a backup power solution, that might be placed into a cabinet, under a bench or if it is neatly tacked away in a van, where the screen cannot be seen, the app will be a lifesaver. I would love if AllPowers released and update, which allowed the user to enable/disable the beeping sound and also allowed to engage each LED spotlight of the unit individually.
Who is this for
I would suggest the S300 to anyone that has a tendency to head outdoors with the need of recharging various devices. Either you need to provide power to your gear for work, or want to have a more convenient outdoor stay, the S300 will got you covered. It can obviously be used as a backup for charging or powering your devices, while on the grid, in case of an emergency. If you want a small power station, that won’t break the bank, the S300 is perfect for you.
Criticisms
I have only one minor complaint, so to speak, with the S300. I find the beeping sound, whenever I push a button to be unnecessary. Beeping when someone is using the unit and another one is sleeping in the middle of the night, could be a bit annoying too. Since every button is lit when pressed, you can easily verify the successful engagement of each function. I wish there was the option to deactivate it via the app, which is something we might see in the future. Other than that, I find everything else performs excellent.
Conclusion
The AllPowers S300 is one great power station for getting familiar with this product category, as well as covering the moderate recharging needs most of us have. You could find yourself buying the S300, out of necessity or just treating yourself with a portable energy solution. The extremely small size and weight, makes it very convenient for vehicular camping and if you find yourself able to handle the burden, you could even carry it on foot. When used for car camping or vanlife purposes, a relatively large solar panel, will make you self sufficient, as you will be able to recharge both your devices and the power station itself. Its’ large battery capacity and dual AC output makes it more versatile than smaller powerbanks, since you can use it for a wider range of applications. The bluetooth connectivity makes it even more versatile, as you can remotely control the unit and check its status also. Lastly, let’s not forget that it can also be used in a power outage scenario, when critical equipment has to continue running, like a CPAP machine. In any case you will be so happy with its use and versatility, that you will most likely end up spoil yourself and start the search for your next larger capacity AllPowers power station.
AllPowers kindly provided a promo code for anyone who is interested in buying the S300 powerbank, by using the code 9ZJ9BAZ5AEP9, you will get 15% off. You could also purchase this or any other product from the EU AllPowers website, through the affiliate link, which provides a small comission for me, without no extra charge for the buyer.
AllPowers website
https://iallpowers.eu/?ref=dimoudimitris.com
S200 powerbank
SP020 Solar panel