New Delhi: Despite a majority of smartphones coming with massive batteries nowadays, the utility of power banks has not diminished. They are a critical component for people on the move, professionals, and travelers. Modern-day power banks are no longer bulky and the best part about them in the last couple of years is that they now come with fast-charging support. Most power banks now come with 10-watt output, with a few touching 18 watts.


So, when I received EVM's EnBolt Power Bank which comes with 22.5-watt fast charging support, it got me hooked. The EVM brand is owned by Mumbai-based Hundia Info Solutions Pvt Ltd and the power bank, a "Make In India" product, comes with a two-year warranty. Read on to know if you should buy this power bank.


Design


The product I received for review is deep blue in colour. The curved design with a matte finish makes the power bank smooth to hold and the rugged texture gives it a solid grip and good in-hand feel. However, at 215 gms, the power bank is on the heavier side making it uncomfortable to carry around for a longer period of time; the weight management of the power bank could have been better. In comparison, Xiaomi's 10,000mAh power bank (22.5 W) weighs 198 grams. However, you get used to the weight with usage. 




 On the left-hand corner of the power bank, there is the EVM branding. Towards the top, there is a USB Type-A output port, a Type-C port and a micro USB port as well. The dual output ports allow you to charge two devices simultaneously. The top side of the power bank has four LED indicators and the right side houses a button.


Performance


The EnBolt Power Bank comes with a capacity of 10,000 mAh lithium-ion polymer battery. EVM claims the power bank comes with nine levels of circuit protection that safeguards devices from short circuits and overheating. The power bank also supports USB power delivery, which means it can charge laptops, and QC (Quick Charge). It can also charge TWS earphones, headphones and wearables such as smartwatches. In the box, a short Type-A to Type-C port cable is provided. The 22.5-watt power bank takes about three hours to charge from 0 to full, which is not great and could have been improved.



The power bank supports 22.5-watt fast charging on both the USB-A and Type-C output ports. I used the power bank for a week with multiple devices like the Poco X2 and Samsung M21. The Samsung M21, which packs in 6,000 mAh battery, went from 10 per cent to 100 per cent in 2 hours 17 minutes with the power bank. It was similar to the adapter's charging speed.


When the data and Wi-Fi connection were turned off, it charged the phone from 10-100 per cent in just two hours. I could charge the phone for the first time completely and for the second time, the power bank charged the phone from 10 per cent to 45 per cent and ran out of power. However, the Poco X2 with a 4,500 mAh battery took around two hours to reach 100 per cent from 2 per cent via the power bank. It should be mentioned here that Poco X2 supports 27-watt fast charging.


Verdict


At a price of Rs 2,399, EVM's EnBolt 22.5-watt power bank is on the expensive side for a power bank with 10,000 mAh capacity. There is no 20,000 mAh capacity variant. However, there aren't many alternatives that can match its charging speed of 22.5 watts. The power bank also comes with a two-year warranty, which is not provided by any manufacturer. Those who want to invest in a less expensive power bank can consider buying the Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3i which is available in 10,000mAh and 20,000mAh capacities for Rs 999 and Rs 1,699, respectively. Another alternative with a max output of 22.5-watt fast charging is Xiaomi Mi Pocket Power Bank Pro and it is available at a lower price of Rs 1,199. Ambrane's 27,000mAh power bank is another option that is available for Rs 1,799 and has a capacity of 18 watt.


 


An extra USB port would have been nice but there is not much to complain about the EnBolt power bank.


Overall, the power bank makes life easier for those on the go with two-way fast charging, Type-C port, and a wide range of compatible devices.


Specifications:


Capacity : 10000mAh 3.7V (37Wh)
Battery Type : Li-Polymer
Micro USB Input : DC 5V/3A
Type C Input : DC 5V/3A 9V/2A 12V/1.5A
USB Output : 5V/3A 9V/2A 9V/2.5A 12V/1.5A 22.5W (Max)
Type C Output : 5V/3A 9V/2A 9V/2.5A 12V/1.5A 22.5W (Max)


EVM EnSave Portable SSD


I also got to review the 128 GB variant of EVM's EnSave Portable SSD. The portable SSD comes in four storage variants -- 1 TB, 512 GB, 256 GB and 128 GB.


What struck me about the SSD is its light weight and size. The SSD weights just 60 gms and is smaller than a credit card. Besides a USB A to Type-C cable, a Type-C to Type-C cable was also included in the box, which is usually not provided by other manufacturers.


The EnSave SSD comes with USB 3.1 support and a Type-C port. The SSD drive performed at an average read speed of 550 MB/s and an average write speed of 500 MB/s. It comes in M.2 format (which refers to the drive's physical size).


In my testing, I found that transferring a 1 GB file from my Dell laptop to the EnSave SSD took an average of 18 seconds, which is acceptable.


It must be also be kept in mind that a faster external drive is not of much help if your computer or laptop doesn't have a fast enough internal drive to keep up with it.