A power bank for Apple MacBook... is that even possible? Well, now it is!
Up until now, consumers didn’t really have a clear idea of what the USB Type-C port really brings to the table, and for a good reason: too much information. There have been tech articles, after tech articles, each one more detailed and... well... more boring than the next, attempting to explain how powerful and versatile the USB Type-C standard is. Still that’s almost too much to take in all at once, in a world in which consumers are used to single-use devices, and specs that rarely veer off from what’s considered the industry’s standard.
One company is looking to disrupt what consumers know about USB Type-C, and portable power banks, with a device that doubles as a both a power bank and a USB 3.0 hub. If we were going by what’s available on the market today, this entire paragraph alone would be a snooze-fest, but this is no ordinary power bank.
Mobile accessories manufacturer MOS is reportedly working on such product, named MOS Reach Go, which is expected to be one of the first USB Type-C power banks capable of charging a laptop equipped with the new port, such as the 12 inch MacBook Retina, at full speed, up to three times.
How is that even possible?
According to what we know, mobile power banks are best for smaller devices, like smartphones and tablets. Some power banks equipped to power devices via USB, can connect and provide power to some smaller laptops, like some of the least powerful Chromebooks and other netbooks with low power requirements, with the additional caveat that most of these devices do not have a USB Type-C connector.
From what we have gathered from the product’s press kit, this upcoming new power bank packs a 15,000mAh battery, coupled with a USB Type-C connector, whose standard is designed to facilitate delivery up to 100W, at full speed. This means that owners of laptops with a USB Type-C connector will be able to power their MacBooks and similar laptops supporting the new connector, faster, and multiple times.
The common problem associated with slow charging, is that a device as big as a laptop cannot be used while hooked up to a power bank, as it would drain more power than the power bank is able to deliver, which doesn’t help if the laptop’s battery is nearly depleted.
As mentioned previously, MOS Reach Go’s USB Type-C connector allows to charge a laptop’s battery at full speed, which, at least on paper, means the ability to charge, and use a laptop at the same time.
It’s not clear yet when this product will be available, but the specs are already out, featuring a slim form factor 19mm thick, and two USB 3.0 ports, which makes it a perfect companion for the new MacBook, as it expands connectivity to more devices, while powering the laptop at the same time.