Here is a power bank I was given to review by AverTek, a Singapore distributor of computer products like ASUS, AverMedia, Silverstone. PQI, short for Power Quotient International, is a Taiwan company established in 1997 with decades of R&D expertise in the info-communication and technology (ICT) industry. They are one of the top 10 largest brands in memory module and flash memory.
The PQI i-Power 9000QC is not their first product in the portable power segment. The build is similar to Xiaomi, with the Apple MacBook-like aluminium curved exterior and white glossy plastic capping the top and bottom. A transparent acrylic strip runs the length of the powerbank, with a small capacitive gold button that activates the powerbank. 4 blue LED indicates the remaining battery level.
Is there anything unique with this powerbank, other than being just another portable USB charger? Here is what I like about this charger:
Quick Charge 2.0
The PQI Power 9000QC supports QC2.0, which means it can charge your device a lot faster. I can charge the LG G5 from 19 to 90 in 60 minutes. On the ASUS Zenfone Zoom, it charges from 15 to 100 in about 90 minutes. The latest Samsung Galaxy S7 and Note7 also charge at QC2.0 speed.
The powerBank can charge 2 devices at the same time. The second USB port charges at 1.5A. The portable battery can charge about 2 Android devices and a little more.
QC2.0 Indicator
The orange QC2.0 Indicator next to the battery light is really useful. It lights up when it is charging at QC2.0 speed, so you know whether the device is charging at the speed you expect. More importantly, you know the powerbank is not a dud.
Recharge at QC2.0
Besides charging devices at QC2.0, the PQI iPower 9000QC powerbank gets charged also at QC2.0, which means I am able to recharge at a much faster speed – 4 hours to be exact. If the QC2.0 LED lights up, then it is being recharged at QC2.0.
Technology and Assurance
The PQI QuickCharge powerbank comes with several charging technology that aims to improve charging efficiency, prevent charge malfunction and protect your devices. In this age of exploding smartphones, there is a greater awareness of the potential risks of lithium ion batteries, so it pays to get a reliable product. PQI insured a US$10 million product liability insurance to ensure responsibility of any potential problems encountered by consumers.
Retailing at S$89 at selected retail outlets in Singapore, the PQI Power 9000QC power bank appears to work reliably and consistently. The QC2.0 LED offers me the assurance that it is indeed charging at a higher speed when plugging into compatible devices.
Official product page: http://www.pqigroup.com/prod_in.aspx?mnuid=1286&modid=138&prodid=1264




