I am a photographer and content creator. Find myself in remote areas with low batteriesThere are no power outlets nearby to charge them. Therefore, I carry a portable power bank with me everywhere I go.
However, as useful as a power bank can be, there’s no denying that few electronics are as bland in terms of design and available features as those that deliver the sweet nectar of electricity to our various gizmos and gadgets. With battery banks like the Shargeek Storm 2, that could be changing.
Unique design
The average power bank is a boring black box with a few buttons and ports on one side. The Storm 2 Slim and the Storm 2 are examples of how much creativity can make a difference. The battery banks are inspired by the pocket calculators and third-party video games of 2000s. They display all electronic guts under a transparent plastic shell. That’s a look that could easily appear tacky if not well implemented, but thanks to a well-coordinated and polished cyberpunk design, the effect is quite appealing.
Another example of this is the Shargeek Retro 35W GaN Charger, which brings a unique and attractive design to a device that’s traditionally as bland as possible. While I’ve never counted, I must own over a hundred charging bricks by now, and between them all, there are probably only three or four noticeable differences in design. This makes it all too easy to grab the wrong one when you’re in a hurry, or when piled haphazardly in a bag, you may waste precious time identifying the charger you need as you encounter a needle-in-a-haystack-type situation.
Retro 35W looks like an old computer. It has a glowing screen that changes color depending on charging speed and power consumption. If you wish to replace the default smiley, the Retro 35W provides a template that can be used to create your own designs on clear sticker material.
The exterior shell of a battery, or charging brick, is essentially a piece made of plastic. Shargeek is taking the initiative to give life and style to a boring device that we all use every day.
More than beautiful looks
These batteries aren’t just pretty to look at, as they include a great deal more utility than many battery banks I’ve used. This is especially true for the Storm 2 full-sized, which has DC and USB C in/out as well as USB C 2.0 and USB A out. The Storm 2 Slim has fewer ports than the full-sized Storm 2, with only USB-C int/out, and USB-A out.
The LCD panel that is built into each battery really makes the difference. It maintains the cyberpunk aesthetic and provides important information that is not usually available from traditional battery banks. It displays live information about temperature, voltage, remaining battery time, and distribution. You can also adjust the output voltage for specific devices or charging scenarios.
This display functionality reminded me a bit of the iSDTSmart Battery Charger that I purchased to assist in my review. DJI O3 Air Unit. That device is much more advanced and designed for highly specialized hobbyist use, but I’m coming to realize that even a minor amount of onboard control in a battery bank or other charging device can be a desirable feature.
The Retro 35W, as mentioned above, combines style and substance with its glowing screen that displays charging status and speed using coded colors. It really doesn’t take more than a basic processing unit and some programmable lights or a tiny LCD display to elevate a boring tool into a smart sci-fi gadget.
Exciting design to combat e-waste
In an effort to reduce e-waste, manufacturers are removing chargers from their devices. Understandably, a lot of people aren’t happy about this, even though they probably already own a perfectly adequate charger. Many people want a new charger for their new devices. This is likely due to the fact that old chargers are easy to lose.
A charger such as the Shargeek Retro35W can help you avoid losing an important object. This is also true for my wireless charging station which is shaped as the Millennium Falcon. I’ve owned a few wireless charging stations over the years, but one’s missing, and the other is rarely used. I prefer to charge my phone on the Millennium Falcon because it’s cool, and the same now goes for the Retro 35W.
By injecting a little bit of fun into boring things, we care a little bit more about those things, and we don’t so easily lose things we care about. It’s easy to make boring objects enjoyable and help stop the flood of ewaste.
Yes, power banks can cool.
Each battery and every charging brick doesn’t have to be distinctive or flashy. For certain electronic devices, it is necessary to offer simple, unobtrusive products that are easy to use.
However, there’s no need for starched shirts to be the norm, which is what the Shargeek Storm 2 and Retro 35W prove. A small infusion of fun where one expects boredom is never a bad thing, and it might just make the world a better place — if only by the slimmest of margins.
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