Today we will be taking a look at a new version of the advanced power bank developed by Chargeasap called the Flash Pro. This unit brings a number of important improvements over the previous Flash 2.0 unit that we have tested here in late 2020.
Chargeasap Background
Chargeasap has been developing power banks, chargers, magnetic power and data cables, and other devices for a number of years now with several very successful crowdfunding campaigns.
Their most recent project involves two power banks – the Flash Pro which we shall be testing today, designed primarily for Android users, and the Flash Pro Plus designed with Apple users in mind although as we shall see there is no reason not to use any of these units with any type of device.
New advanced power bank – Chargeasap Flash Pro
Flash Pro / Flash Pro Plus improvements
Both the Flash Pro and Flash Pro Plus have a number of key improvements over the existing Flash 2.0 power bank. Maybe the most visible externally is the new larger screen and the different configuration of connectors on the top part of the unit.
The 1.3″ OLED screen is designed to give the user real-time information on battery percentage as well as individual power output for each port measured in both Watts and Amps as well as the running temperature.
The other external change has to do with the ports. As more and more USB-C type devices become available, having more USB-C ports makes sense and the new power banks have 3 of them instead of 2 sacrificing one of the previous USB-A ports in favor of an extra USB-C.
We now have a 100W PD in and out port (C1), 20W PD out, 60W PD out and finally an ultra-powerful USB-A that can push up to 50W for supported devices from OnePlus and OPPO (up from 22.5W on the previous power bank).
The Flash Pro USB ports
Internally the Flash Pro and Flash Pro Plus include a 25% increase in battery capacity – 25,000mAh (92.5Wh) compared to 20,000mAh of the previous version with only a 5% increase in size.
With the Flash Pro Plus, you also get two wireless chargers, a large magnetic one for your iPhone which can charge up to 15W (up from 10W), and a smaller one designed for the Apple Watch which can charge up to 5W (up from 2.5W on the previous version).
The official battery lifespan of the Panasonic Lithium Polymer Graphene Composite Battery Cells inside the Flash Pro and Flash Pro Plus units are rated at 2,000 cycles with an expected battery life of 5 years (of course we have no way of independently confirming this information so take it for what it is).
Using the Chargeasap Flash Pro and some tests
We have been testing the Flash Pro for our own unique uses in the studio for several weeks now and so far it performed without a flaw, just like the Flash 2.0 did before it.
One of the first things we tried was using our USB-C PD to Sony Z type dummy battery cable that we got from Zitay (see our review) and it worked well on our Sony A7R IV and our A1 cameras, something that other USB-C PD power banks that we tried could not do (the Flash 2.0 also worked well in this case).
We were able to charge and power all sorts of USB devices with this battery at the same time including LED lights, monitors, wireless transmitters, gimbals, and of course smartphones, tablets, and finally laptops.
Speaking of laptops, we were able to fully charge our new MacBook Air M1 in just over 2 hours (our non-PRO version of the power bank hand no problem with that), and using the Chargeasap Omega charger that we reviewed last year we were able to recharge the power bank in around an hour (with a different 65W charger it took about 85 min).
The new 1.3″ OLED display with port and charge info
Conclusion
The Flash Pro, just like the Flash 2.0 before it, is a fantastic high-end external power bank. Yes, you can find cheaper options on the market, but if you invest in the latest and greatest cameras, smartphones, laptops, and accessories having such a battery should help you feel just a little safer when you are charging on the go.
As for the improvements included in this new generation, the large screen is a joy to use with tons of geeky but useful info, the extra USB-C is nice future-proofing (although you can always use a USB-A to USB-C cable for most devices) and the extra capacity is of course always welcome.
Large screen with more capacity
Price
At the time of writing this review, there were two more days on the IndieGoGo campaign which has a delivery date in December 2021 and the price for the early bird units was set at just under $150.
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