General Information
AYANEO Retro Power Bank contents and specs
AYANEO's products usually tend to be on the pricier end of the spectrum. The Retro Power Bank is no different but it is much more affordably priced than the company's other tech devices. In fact, it might be their most affordable standalone tech product to date. The Retro Power Bank is currently listed at an Early Bird Price of $39.99 (instead of a regular $59.99) and comes with the following items:
Specs of the AYANEO Retro Power Bank are as follows:
A power bank with a retro appeal
This power bank is among AYANEO's REMAKE line of products, which are geared towards the retro appeal. It goes without saying that the AYANEO Retro Power Bank's design is inspired by the SNES. The company has nailed that look, with matching color schemes and I/O adapted for charging purposes.
On the top of the accessory are two buttons and a small, monochrome OLED screen. The rightmost button switches the display on and to confirm selections, while the leftmost one allows you to toggle between menus. The USB-C ports are located at the position of the controller ports on the original console.
As for the hardware, it is of a sturdy build as is expected of AYANEO's products. The grooved underside also adds some grips, although rubberized feet would be welcome. Another welcome addition would be a protective pouch as the power bank can potentially get scratched if you are throwing it in your bag during your daily commute.
Overall, the design of the Retro Power Bank is thoughtful and will definitely appeal to fans of retro gaming hardware. Its compact, palm-sized form factor makes it an easy companion for your daily tech needs.
AYANEO Retro Power Bank: all-day power in a nostalgic look
Within this pocket, SNES-shaped power bank is a 12000mAh Lithium ion battery. Such capacity is sufficient to at least double your play time on retro handhelds or even a handheld gaming PC (depending on the model). With up to 45W fast charging support, it is a great companion for your gaming and daily tech needs. Such output makes it particularly apt for charging demanding devices such as handheld gaming PCs or laptops.
I have myself adopted it to charge my smartphone and my AYANEO Pocket S. The power bank easily provides all-day power for these devices and provides some peace of mind if you are out travelling and don't have access to chargers.
Thanks to the built-in display, you can further monitor stats of the power bank. It allows you to monitor aspects such as the battery level, temperature and charging protocol in real-time. It's more of a nice-to-have than a game changer.
Moreover, the Retro Power Bank can charge two devices simultaneously as it sports two USB-C ports. However, if you do charge two devices at once, the output wattage drops to 15W per port. This is a downer as some devices, such as handheld gaming PCs, won't be able to charge while another device is also plugged in.
Such a compromise might be due to the architecture of the accessory to keep it relatively small and light. Other compromises are the two charging ports and these being only USB-C type. Having at least another port, especially a USB 3.0 one, would make the power bank more versatile.
As it stands, the AYANEO Retro Power Bank is a welcome addition to AYANEO's catalogue. You can surely find competing products at more affordable costs and with more charging ports, but this one stands out with its cute SNES looks. If you fancy its looks, the early bird price will be a better option to justify the purchase and it will provide enough juice for your handhelds for all-day use. It's a decent outing for the company's first power bank and I hope that they come up with more attractive models in the future.
