Industry observers note that that’s why I always bring a travel power strip, whether I’m on vacation or traveling for work. The lesson I’ve learned while on the road is that you never know where your next charge is coming from.
As part of the ongoing story, for $20, it’s inexpensive peace of mind: a compact little four-outlet power strip with USB-A and USB-C connectors to boot, plus a four-foot-long cord that wraps up snugly around the unit when not in use.
In a fresh development, more often than not, I’ve been in a hotel room where the outlet is hidden behind the bed, where the desk outlet doesn’t work, or where there’s simply a single outlet for everyone wanting to recharge their phones.
According to the latest update, but one of the things they showed off, almost by accident, was its own travel power strip. About two decades ago, Monster (remember them?) held a press conference at CES to unveil fresh gold-plated HDMI cables or some other high-end audio nonsense.
As part of the ongoing story, but their communications person convinced me to try it out and I used it over and over and over on that trip and others until it finally gave up the ghost. This has to be the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen, I thought to myself.
According to the latest update, it’s about 1.6 inches thick, so it’s a bit chunky, but otherwise takes up about the space of a smartphone. The four-foot-long cord wraps neatly around the power strip, and you can secure it with the included elastic band. The angled 45-degree plug just plugs into itself for storage. I eventually chose this Orico power strip because I liked the shape and weight.
As part of the ongoing story, most laptops consume about 100W. There are two three-pronged connections, two two-pronged connections, two USB-A ports, and a USB-C port with 15W of charging power. (If you need more power from the USB-C port for fast-charging the most recent phones, Orico sells an upgraded model for $31, though with fewer electrical plugs.). From a power perspective, it’s rated for 1,250W of power.
The report highlights that that’s both good and bad. Cruise ships ban surge protectors because of their own built-in electrical systems. However, a surge protector can be useful if you’re traveling in regions where thunderstorms are a possibility. If that’s the case, consider the $13 One Beat surge protector, with a similar design and even more plugs. It’s a bit chunkier and the cord doesn’t wrap up as conveniently. There’s another consideration: Orico’s power strip does not have surge protection.
As part of the ongoing story, i bought mine in blue for one good reason: everything in tech is colored either black or white. Sure, it looks nice, but a bit of color means it’s easier to find in a crowded backpack, briefcase, or suitcase. There’s white, black, blue, and even lilac to choose from and no power LED to keep you awake at night, either. Finally, there’s the color!
According to the latest update, and, as a small bonus, Amazon’s offering 10 percent off right now! I think it’s a must-have device for working on the road.
The report highlights that he has authored over 3,500 articles for PCWorld alone, covering PC microprocessors, peripherals, and Microsoft Windows, among other topics. Mark has written for publications including PC Magazine, Byte, eWEEK, Highly adopted Science and Electronic Buyers' News, where he shared a Jesse H. Neal Award for breaking news. He recently handed over a collection of several dozen Thunderbolt docks and USB-C hubs because his office simply has no more room. Mark has written for PCWorld for the last decade, with 30 years of experience covering technology.