Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus review: Everything you need and more
If you have more than a few gadgets, and you do—let’s be honest, you’re going to want a portable battery. It isn’t the sexiest tech purchase you make, but it’s nice to know that you’ll be all set if you need to charge your phone, tablet, or watch on the go. Of course, buying a portable battery can be a bit overwhelming. There are seemingly endless options, at a variety of sizes and price points. If you’re in the camp that needs an incredibly large cell with fast-charge capability, the Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus might be for you. But at $300, you have to really need all that power.
Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus
The Flash Pro Plus has a ton of power, but it doesn’t come cheap.
Design, hardware, what’s in the box
The Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus is an absolute beast, as far as portable chargers go. Inside the box you get a nice carrying case, the charger itself, unfortunately no cables are included. It features a 25000mAh capacity, 4 total USB ports, and a nifty display to monitor your charging speeds and remaining capacity. Not only can you charge up to 4 devices with USB-C/USB-A, but it’s possible to also wirelessly charge a phone and smartwatch on top of the charger. That means you can charge six devices simultaneously with this thing, not bad if you’re a tech aficionado on the go. The model I received for review is somewhat targeted at Apple users, with Magsafe charging and a special spot for the Apple Watch. Unfortunately, that same charging pad cannot charge your Samsung Galaxy Watch, as Samsung uses a different charging coil than Apple. The “Android” version of the battery lacks the Apple Watch charger and costs $20 less. It’s nice that you have the option.
The first of three USB-C ports supports 100W USB-C Power Delivery 3.0, the second USB-C supports 60W Power Delivery, and the third one supports 20W Power Delivery. In addition, you also get a 50W USB-A port that’s been specially designed for 50W charging with Oppo, OnePlus, and Vivo devices. It also supports Huawei’s 22.5W proprietary fast charging and Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0.
Flash Pro Plus utilizes Panasonic’s graphene composite batteries that take only one hour and ten minutes for a full charge of 25000 mAh. Recharging the device from dead to 80% takes about 45 minutes when used with a 100W USB-C charger. Thankfully, graphene batteries never go above 60°C (140°F) and you won’t notice any swelling over time.
Testing and daily carry
One of the most impressive aspects of this charger is the solid build quality. The all-metal design fits perfectly with the design language of premium flagship smartphones in 2022. Of course, it’s also quite heavy and a bit bulky. Given the impressive capacity of this battery, you would probably expect a decent amount of heft. I didn’t find it too cumbersome to tote around in my daily backpack at work or on the go, but it’s not slim. This isn’t the portable battery to bring if you’re going on a short day trip, unless you have five or six devices to top up on the regular.
In my testing, the Flash Pro Plus lived up to its advertised output for all the wired ports. In terms of phones, I tested the battery with my Pixel 6 Pro, Galaxy Z Fold 3, OnePlus 9 Pro, Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra, and iPhone 13 Pro Max. While the Flash Pro Plus does work as advertised, there are still several proprietary charging conventions that prevent you from seeing the maximum output on all devices. For instance, the OnePlus 9 Pro will only charge at its maximum rated speed when connected to one of the OnePlus’ official Dash chargers. While this is a bummer, it’s not an issue specific to the Flash Pro Plus and not something I hold against this device.
Temperatures remained low on the Flash Pro Plus while charging up my phones, even when charging two or three at once. I decided to also test the battery by charging my 16” Macbook Pro M1 Max, which is a much different animal than a smartphone. The Flash Pro Plus was able to charge the laptop from 0 to 70% in about 30 minutes with a peak wattage at the advertised 100W, but the capacity is not enough to fully top up such a large Macbook Pro. Also, the temperature got noticeably higher when charging this laptop. The temps were never over a safe level, but I could feel the device get quite a bit warmer to the touch. you’re able to easily monitor the temperature from the 1.3” OLED display around front, which certainly helps ease such concerns.
Should you buy it?
The fast recharge capability, versatility of ports, and wireless charging make this my favorite portable battery to date, but it also has a few compromises. It’s slightly more expensive than the equally impressiveZendure SuperTank Proand you can’t use the Apple Watch pad to charge up an Android watch like my Samsung Galaxy Watch 4. You might as well save $20 and get the Android version.
If you have a ton of gadgets and don’t want to be tied to a wall outlet, it’s one of the best portable batteries on the market. On the other hand, it is incredibly expensive ($299-319 MSRP) and will add a substantial amount of bulk and weight to your daily carry. If you can see past these few minor issues and the hefty price tag, the Flash Pro Plus is a great option for power users on the go.
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
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