Is Innergie’s DC/DC travel charger for laptops worth your money?
Product on Review: Innergie mCube Mini Auto/Air Power Adapter
Manufacturer and Sponsor: Innergie
MSRP (excl. VAT): € 69,99 / US$ 69.99
Innergie is a company that specialises in consumer power products. Innergie claims that their mCube Mini is the world’s smallest auto and travel plane power adapter. In addition to its small size, this DC/DC power adapter is able to charge laptops requiring up to 65W at 15-21V. As such, it should be able to power most consumer-grade laptops, with the exception of certain gaming laptops that might require more than 95W of power. Not only is the mCube Mini small, it has a sleek white design and it comes bundled with a dozen notebook tips to support almost all laptops.
Read on as we explore whether or not the mCube Mini is worth your consideration.
Innergie mCube Mini
Innergie: Link
The world we live in is an ever-changing environment. We understand that you will always need to be powered and connected.
Discover your true power with Innergie.
Explore our innovative solutions to achieve more in your digital life. Stay connected with our stylish, reliable, and energy efficient products.
No matter where you are, or where you are going – Innergie will be there to power up your life.
Discover your true power with Innergie.
Explore our innovative solutions to achieve more in your digital life. Stay connected with our stylish, reliable, and energy efficient products.
No matter where you are, or where you are going – Innergie will be there to power up your life.
Features and Specifications
The Innergie mCube Mini, at its base, is a power adapter for laptops. It is a DC/DC power adapter, and as such it cannot be plugged into an AC wall outlet. It was designed, however, to be plugged to either the 12V automobile cigarette lighter socket or the 15V airplane power socket. Those that travel frequently will find the Innergie mCube Mini perfect for their needs.
The mCube Mini has an adjustable output voltage in order to support a large range of notebooks. It can charge laptops requiring up to 65W. The mCube Mini also has a USB port on its car charger and this allows charging of USB-powered devices, such as smartphones, MP3 players and others.
Asides from all of the previously mentioned features, the biggest selling point of the mCube Mini is perhaps its small size. Measuring only 60x26x18 (mm) (LxWxH), the mCube Mini is barely bigger than two AA batteries. This makes the power adapter an ideal travel companion.
Although this information is not easily found on Innergie’s website, the mCube Mini comes with a 2 year warranty. Innergie will extend the warranty to 3 years if the product is registered on their website.
Features: Link
World’s Smallest
The most powerful revolutionary charging solution in the smallest profile possible.
Auto/Air Power Adapter
Charge your laptop on the move in cars and airplanes.
Adjustable Output Voltage
Supporting range of 15-21 volts, the mCube Mini is able to support a wider range of laptops.
Fast USB Charging
With special design USB power port, it gives you the capability of charging all your standard USB devices.
Energy Saving
With extremely high power efficiency, you can reduce your energy costs and reduce your CO2 emission.
Multi Built-in Protections
Never worry about unstable voltage anymore, the built-in protections ensure Innergie products are safer than ever.
Travel Safe
Credited by the RTCA aviation certification, safe usage within airplanes is guaranteed. UL2089 secures usage in cars.
Great Compatibility
Charge most popular brands of notebooks between 15-21 volts, up to 17″ in LCD size, and 65 watts consumption. Including Acer, Asus, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba, and more. Free tip support to ensure Innergie offers the widest laptop compatibility coverage.
The most powerful revolutionary charging solution in the smallest profile possible.
Auto/Air Power Adapter
Charge your laptop on the move in cars and airplanes.
Adjustable Output Voltage
Supporting range of 15-21 volts, the mCube Mini is able to support a wider range of laptops.
Fast USB Charging
With special design USB power port, it gives you the capability of charging all your standard USB devices.
Energy Saving
With extremely high power efficiency, you can reduce your energy costs and reduce your CO2 emission.
Multi Built-in Protections
Never worry about unstable voltage anymore, the built-in protections ensure Innergie products are safer than ever.
Travel Safe
Credited by the RTCA aviation certification, safe usage within airplanes is guaranteed. UL2089 secures usage in cars.
Great Compatibility
Charge most popular brands of notebooks between 15-21 volts, up to 17″ in LCD size, and 65 watts consumption. Including Acer, Asus, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba, and more. Free tip support to ensure Innergie offers the widest laptop compatibility coverage.
Specifications: Link
DC Input: 12-15V/8A
DC Output: 19.5 V DC/3.3A and 16V DC/4.05A
USB Output: 5V DC / 1A
Output Power (Continuous/Peak) : 65W/75W
Dimension (LxWxH) (mm) : 60 x 26 x 18
Weight (exclude cables) : 67.5g
Built-in Protections: OCP, OVP, OTP, OPP, SCP
DC Output: 19.5 V DC/3.3A and 16V DC/4.05A
USB Output: 5V DC / 1A
Output Power (Continuous/Peak) : 65W/75W
Dimension (LxWxH) (mm) : 60 x 26 x 18
Weight (exclude cables) : 67.5g
Built-in Protections: OCP, OVP, OTP, OPP, SCP
Packaging and Overall Look
Innergie has decided to package the mCube Mini with a large plastic window. This allows a very good view of what the product is and how it works. The back of the package provides an ample amount of information, including product features as well as how to set up the product. It also says what devices are supported by this small product.
The front and back of the packaging
The packaging is made up of two parts: an outer plastic box and an inside cardboard container. Although the packaging makes the product look neat and easy to be viewed from the outside, taking the product out from the cardboard container is quite difficult. Indeed, it was a tedious endeavour, especially if you do not want to damage the cardboard container.
The box itself proved to be a challenge to open
Innergie has provided an many accessories with their product. The package contents are the following:
+ Power unit of the mCube Mini
+ Car power adapter
+ Airplane power adapter
+ 10 notebook power tips
+ 2 travel pouches
+ Manual and Safety & Warranty Card
The Innergie mCube Mini and the package contents
Although Innergie has supplied many notebook power tips, the one that supports your notebook might not be included. Thankfully, Innergie will provide the right notebook tip for you under their “Free Tip program”. The company will offer the power tip free-of-charge, but the customer will have to pay for the shipping charge.
Closer Look (Part 1)
The power unit of the mCube Mini measures 60x26x18 (mm). This makes it only slightly bigger than two AA batteries. Its small size can be explained by the fact that the mCube Mini is a DC/DC power adapter, and not an AC/DC power adapter.
Given its size, the mCube Mini makes for a great travel companion. The product also has a sleek white glossy finish with grey cables. Its colour scheme is quite misleading however, because although it is reminiscent of Apple products, the mCube Mini does not support Apple notebooks.
The company’s logo is embossed on the top of the power unit. There is a small black window for the power indicator that shows which voltage range the mCube Mini is outputting at.
The Innergie mCube Mini
At the bottom of power unit, there is information regarding its power characteristics. The mCube Mini can charge laptops requiring up to 65W at 15-21V. The mCube Mini can be powered from a 12-15V power source.
The bottom of the Innergie mCube Mini
On one of the sides of the mCube Mini, there is voltage range switch. The switch can be moved to either 15-17V or 18-21V, and this should be set accordingly to the power needs of your notebook. The notebook voltage can be verified by examining the AC/DC power adapter of the notebook or the bottom of the notebook itself. Depending on which voltage range is chosen, the LED indicator will glow green (15-17V) or blue (18-21V). It would have been more convenient if the mCube Mini was capable of switching the voltage range on its own.
The voltage range switch: 15-17V for 16V and 18-21V for 19V
There are two grey cables that come out of the power unit. The first one is a short 24cm cable that is plugged into either the car or airplane power adapter. The second one is a long 82cm cable that is plugged into a notebook tip. This cable also has a Velcro strap to reduce cable clutter.
The mCube Mini has two grey cables
Closer Look (Continued)
The mCube Mini comes with 10 different power tips. It supports a wide range of notebooks including those by Acer, Asus, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Sony, Toshiba, etc. Notice that Apple notebooks are not supported.
In the event that you cannot find a power tip for your notebook, you can contact Innergie to receive the correct tip under their “Free Tip Program”. The notebook tip will be provided free-of-charge, but the customer will have to pay for the shipping charges. In order to know which notebook tip is right for your notebook, you can either read through the product manual or you may visit Innergie’s website for a compatibility check:
Innergie CheckTip: Link
The 10 different notebook power tips. More can be acquired through Innergie’s “Free Tip Program”
The Innergie mCube Mini comes with two different power adapters: one for the 12V automobile cigarette lighter socket and another one for the 15V airplane power socket. The car adapter has a sleek white glossy finish. It also has a black line and a black area near the power sockets. Unlike the airplane adapter, the car adapter also has a single USB port to charge USB-powered devices. It should be noted that the mCube Mini is capable of charging both a USB device and a notebook simultaneously.
The car adapter of the mCube Mini
The airplane power adapter has a similar design as the car adapter. Nevertheless, it does not have a USB port and it is much smaller.
The airplane adapter of the mCube Mini
The last accessories that come with the Innergie mCube Mini are two travel pouches. Both of these are black velvet drawstring pouches. The smaller one is capable of holding all of the notebook power tips whereas the larger one can hold everything that came in the package contents.
The two black velvet drawstring pouches
Setup
Setting up the mCube Mini is very easy and the process can be summarized into a few steps:
1. Plug the power unit to either the car or airplane adapter
2. Pick the correct notebook power tip and plug it into the power unit
3. Select the proper voltage range with the voltage switch
4. Plug the power unit to the chosen power source
5. Plug the power unit to the laptop
The correct tip for your notebook can be found by either reading through the product manual or by visiting Innergie’s website:
Innergie CheckTip: Link
Again, the Innergie mCube Mini does not support Apple notebooks. Innergie explains why in their FAQ:
Innergie FAQ: Question 8
8. Do Innergie adapters support Apple laptops?
As the apple laptops utilize a proprietary MagSafe connector that is not currently licensed to any third party, the Innergie adapters do not support the Apple laptops. The iPod and iPhones, however, can be charged through the USB power ports on the Innergie adapters through original charging cables.
As the apple laptops utilize a proprietary MagSafe connector that is not currently licensed to any third party, the Innergie adapters do not support the Apple laptops. The iPod and iPhones, however, can be charged through the USB power ports on the Innergie adapters through original charging cables.
The correct voltage range can be determined by reading the power characteristics of the AC/DC power adapter of the notebook or the bottom of the notebook itself. It would have been more convenient if the mCube Mini could automatically select the proper voltage range. Depending on which voltage range is chosen, the LED indicator will glow green (15-17V) or blue (18-21V).
Once everything is plugged in, the connections are very strong.
The Innergie mCube Mini plugged in and ready for action
It is said that many third-party universal power adapters have overall poor build quality. This is not the case of the Innergie mCube Mini. The sturdiness of the cables and the notebook tips are top notch. Also, seeing as the power cable is flexible and the notebook tips have a right angle, damaging the power socket of the notebook or the Innergie mCube Mini is difficult.
The Innergie mCube Mini plugged to a Dell Inspiron 1525
Test System and Testing Methodology
Testing Methodology
The Innergie mCube Mini will be tested with the Dell Inspiron 1525. The USB port of the car charger will be tested with the Samsung YP-K3 2GB Black. Unfortunately, the air plug will not be tested because no airplane travel was planned on my side.
Test Setup: Laptop 1
– Dell Inspiron 1525
Test Results
Car Charger
The Innergie mCube Mini was used with a Toyota Camry 2005. The mCube Mini was powered fine and it was capable of charging both the Dell Inspiron 1525 and the Samsung YP-K3 simultaneously. The battery of the Dell laptop was removed, and IntelBurnTest 2.5 was run for an hour. No instability that might have come from insufficient power was noted.
The Innergie mCube Mini: small and sleek
Although the Innergie mCube Mini is small with fairly short cables, it might be encumbering depending on which vehicle you own. In the Toyota Camry 2005, there is a small drawer near the cigarette lighter socket where the mCube Mini was placed so that it would not get in the way of the gear shift. In smaller vehicles, however, it might be a problem.
USB Charger
Although the mCube Mini comes with two different power adapters for either the car or the airplane, only the car adapter comes with a USB port. The USB port powered the Samsung YP-K3 fine. The TomTom XL340S was also easily powered by the mCube Mini.
Air Charger
Unfortunately, the airplane adapter could not be tested.
General Thoughts
As noted previously, the Innergie mCube Mini supports a wide range of devices and it charges them effortlessly. The included traveling pouches are highly welcomed because the different parts to the device and become difficult to manage, especially the 10 different notebook power tips.
The overall build quality of the mCube Mini is very good. The right angle notebook tips and the flexible cables allow moving the laptop around without accidentally unplugging or damaging the Innergie mCube Mini.
For added convenience, Innergie should have made the voltage switching automatic. It can be tedious if you are not the only one using the Innergie mCube Mini or if you are planning on using different notebooks. Furthermore, the voltage switch itself is recessed and difficult to access without a pen.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Innergie mCube Mini is exactly what the company says it is. Indeed, the mCube Mini is a small and sleek DC/DC travel power adapter that can be used in either a car or an airplane. It is capable of effortlessly charging notebooks requiring up to 65W at 15-21V. It supports a wide range of notebooks and Innergie’s “Free Tip Program” ensures that your notebook is not left in the dark.
The car adapter has a handy USB port for powering USB devices. Also, the two travel pouches make carrying the mCube Mini around much easier.
The product has a few minor inconveniences, however. The voltage output of the mCube Mini is not handled automatically and the voltage switch is recessed and difficult to access without a pen. Also, the mCube Mini is a DC/DC power adapter, and as such it does not replace the AC/DC power adapter that came with the notebook.
The Innergie mCube Mini with its accesories
The price of the mCube Mini is worth considering as well. The MSRP of the product is € 69,99 / US$ 69.99. This puts the mCube Mini at slightly more expensive than other universal car/air DC/DC power adapters. Nevertheless, the mCube Mini’s small size, excellent accessories (notebook tips and travel pouches), 2 year warranty and overall excellent build quality make up for the extra cost.
At the end of the day, the mCube Mini is good compared to its competitors, but does it fit your needs? Do you need a DC/DC auto/air power adapter and does it have to be compact? The cheaper but bulkier alternative would be to buy a car/air power inverter. If you are already planning on carrying the AC/DC notebook power adapter with you, however, then you will probably not mind the added bulk, but you will enjoy the savings.
With all of this in mind, the Innergie mCube Mini is a great product that delivers what it promises. It is awarded the Vortez Silver Award.
Pros
+ 2 travel pouches
+ 3 year warranty after online registration
+ 10 different notebook power tips
+ Excellent power performance and product compatibility
+ Free Tip Program
+ Overall strong build quality
+ Sleek and small design
+ USB port on the car adapter
Cons
– Difficult to access voltage switch
– High price-tag
– Misleading white finish that might indicate Apple product support, but does not (patent issues)
– Non-automatic voltage range switch
+ 2 travel pouches
+ 3 year warranty after online registration
+ 10 different notebook power tips
+ Excellent power performance and product compatibility
+ Free Tip Program
+ Overall strong build quality
+ Sleek and small design
+ USB port on the car adapter
Cons
– Difficult to access voltage switch
– High price-tag
– Misleading white finish that might indicate Apple product support, but does not (patent issues)
– Non-automatic voltage range switch
