iWALK USB-C Portable Charger – Review
By Alex Crabtree, September 2024
It’s a fact of modern life: our phones are as necessary as our wallets. With our increasing use and reliability on our devices these days, keeping the battery levels up is something that’s always on my mind. Checking socials is part and parcel of our day now, isn’t it?
And we’re forever seeking directions, listening to music, watching videos, and if we’re going to an event or concert, we either need access to our emails or a dedicated app for our tickets!
I’ve used many portable battery chargers in the past…the best ones being big and bulky and not really a ‘take anywhere’ product. The smaller ones giving you merely a ‘shot’ of power, when you just need a pint!
That’s why I was keen to try the iWALK USB-C Portable Charger, promising substantial power in a pocket-sized package.
What’s in the Box
- 1x iWALK USB-C Portable Charger
- 1x USB-C to USB-C cable
- 1x Instruction leaflet
First Impressions
Opening the box up, the iWALK charger is delightfully compact. It’s about the size of one and a half lipsticks, complete with soft, rounded edges. Opting for the pink version means it’s distinctively mine—no chance of the hubby borrowing this for a football outing.
It’s light yet feels solid enough to reassure that it’s built to last and fits effortlessly in a pocket, bag, or glove compartment.
Performance
Charging up the power bank itself is a breeze, reaching full charge in just under an hour. The digital display is a game-changer, showing exact power levels—far superior to the vague light systems other chargers use. This model has the connector built right in, so no more fumbling for cables. Just plug it directly into your phone, and carry on.
Despite its small size, it doesn’t just meld into your phone when in use—it enhances it, allowing for unencumbered use whether you’re making calls, navigating, or just chilling in a café. It’s efficient too, charging devices swiftly while still conserving enough energy for more than one full top-up.
In a quick test, my phone went from 28% to:
- 10 minutes – 36%
- 25 minutes – 55%
- 35 minutes – 67%
And we got to 100% within an hour and 13 minutes. Off the top of my head, these charge levels are on par with the charge rate of plugging my phone into a wall socket. iWalk say you can go from 0% to 50% in 30 minutes!
Remember, my phone was in use – so imagine where it’ll get to with the screen off and the phone put away in your pocket or bag.
What iWALK Say
“This lipstick-sized phone charger is the perfect travel companion. You can never have enough chargers for all those electrical gadgets! If you are looking for a battery top-up whilst out and about the iWALK LinkPod is the choice for you. Weighing just 90g and about the size of a lipstick, it will fit neatly into any bag and comes with a built-in connector so no wires needed. The LED display will show the remaining power and the 4800mAh capacity is enough to fully charge your phone once.”
The Verdict
As far as portable chargers go, the iWalk is the best genuinely portable power bank I’ve used. It’s go-anywhere size and the power it packs is the perfect combo.
I’ve nothing against the larger power banks that serve a purpose when you’re away, and need power for a few people – but what this does for such a small unit is great. If there was one improvement I would make, it’d be for a closer and tighter fit into the phone port. It isn’t bad, but there is a little wiggle room, meaning if you’re a bit reckless in what you’re up to that day, it might pop out.
But those worries about loss of power at vital times are redundant with the iWalk USB-C Portable charger. I know I can leave the house in the morning, find where I’m going in the day, pay using my phone in the afternoon, catch up on WhatsApp and Facebook throughout the day, and at night I can still get my tickets up on my device and get into the gig.
What a good piece of kit. And for the price – it’s a life investment.
The iWALK USB-C Portable Charger is available from amazon.co.uk. RRP £25.99
