Choosing the right power bank involves careful consideration of charging speed, battery capacity, number and type of USB ports, and weight. However, we normally don’t consider the fun factor. This is where Ayaneo’s innovatively named Retro Power Bank comes in, combining a tasteful retro design with an affordable 12,000mAh power bank that can extend the time of your retro gaming on one of the best Android emulators. However, it’s not all fun and games, as the Retro Power Bank compromises on a couple of crucial areas that may be a deal-breaker for some.
Ayaneo Retro Power Bank
Ayaneo’s Retro Power Bank is fun, effective, and powerful enough to charge your phones and gaming consoles on the go. Its retro design looks fantastic, and the screen and buttons add to the fun without detracting from the power bank’s main purpose.
- Eye-catching design
- 45W charging speed
- Screen for checking charge levels and speed
- No USB-A ports
- Slow multi-charge speed
- Difficult to clean
Price, availability, and specs
Ayaneo’s 45W Retro Power Bank is available from Ayaneo’s online store at an early bird price of $40. It’s only available in one color (gray) and one capacity size (20,000mAh).
What’s good about the Ayaneo Retro Power Bank?
Great build quality and useful features
Upon removing the Retro Power Bank from the box, the similarities between it and Nintendo’s Super NES become clear. It’s a weighty hunk of gray plastic with design elements lifted straight from Nintendo’s classic console. But while it has a satisfying heft, it won’t weigh you down and, thanks to its small profile, you can carry it around in your pocket without a problem. It’s a great look that fans of those classic Nintendo consoles will love and a manageable size that will fit inside most bags and backpacks.
A pair of buttons and a tiny 0.91-inch monochromatic display are on the front of the power bank. The buttons control this display, which shows the battery level, charging speed (both in and out), temperature, and more, all in real-time. It’s an incredibly useful feature, although I question the need for some of the information; who needs to know the charging protocol they’re using at all times?
Speaking of charging, the Ayaneo Retro Power Bank can charge one device (like the Ayaneo Pocket Air) at a time at a maximum of 45W. It could fully recharge my Pixel 9 twice, which is fantastic considering I can fit both it and the phone into my pocket. It supports the following charging standards: QC 2.0, QC 3.0, PD 3.0, AFC, FCP, and SCP.
Ayaneo knocked it out of the park when designing a power bank that looks like a classic console, but to do this it compromised on some key features.
What’s bad about the Ayaneo Retro Power Bank?
Limited ports and poor multi-charging speed
The Ayaneo Retro Power Bank has two USB-C ports, one of which can be used to charge the power bank as well as output power. However, there’s no USB-A port. While this isn’t necessary in 2024 when most new devices use USB-C, USB-A to USB-C cables are still common. This is where Ayaneo’s attempt to emulate the SNES falls short, as a USB-A port could easily fit alongside the two existing ports had the company not tried to copy the controller inputs of the retro console.
If you do want to charge multiple devices at once, you will find that the Retro Power Bank’s multi-charge speed is unusually slow. Rather than 45W split across two ports, the Retro Power Bank can only charge two devices simultaneously at 15W each. Charge devices solo, as this will take less time than two simultaneously.
This would have been the end of my problems with the Retro Power Bank, but one issue cropped up when I went to write this review. Dirt, smudges, dust, and stains seemed to adhere more to the Retro Power Bank’s case than any other device I have reviewed. It’s a shame, as a device like this is designed to be seen, and constantly having to vigorously wipe away dirt is frustrating. It’s a small issue, but one that diminishes the power bank’s excellent aesthetic appeal.
Should you buy it?
Yes, if you don’t use power banks that often
If you regularly travel with multiple devices like a laptop, tablet, phone, headphones, and gaming console, you’re best off looking elsewhere. The Ayaneo Retro Power Bank is best used as an accessory to one or two small devices. Any more than that, and you’ll find yourself struggling with low charging speeds and a constantly empty battery.
I found that the 20,000mAh cell and 45W charging speeds were more than enough for my Pixel 8 and Pixel Buds Pro over two days of use, but I found myself resorting to never charging my devices simultaneously as the multi-charge speed was too low to be useful on the go.
Ayaneo Retro Power Bank
Ayaneo’s Retro Power Bank is a 20,000mAh power bank with a fantastic retro design and a useful display. However, its lackluster multi-charge speed and limited ports mean its usefulness is limited.
Source link
