Review – MicroPack MWC-236 Q3 Charging Adapter
4 min read
MicroPack MWC-236 Q3
RM 139.90
Pros
- Good build quality
- Genius multi-socket design
- Dual USB port
- Qualcomm Quick Charge
Cons
- Slight drop in charging efficiency when charging 2 devices
As the battery that comes with our electronic devices grows in capacity, the time required to charge them up has become longer than ever. Multiple companies then started to introduce different types of fast charging technology where the charger and the device work together to regulate the charging process.
The end result? Faster charging speed without generating too much heat that reduces the battery lifespan. Today what we have in our labs is the MicroPack MWC-236 Q3 Quick Charge charging adapter. It employs the industry standard Qualcomm’s Quick Charge technology instead of the proprietary ones. Let us have a look at what it has to offer at the price of RM 139.90.
MicroPack?
First thing first, what kind of brand is MicroPack anyway? Turns out the company is based in Hong Kong and the brand itself is very well regarded. Their chargers are even being sold over at Indonesia’s Apple authorised third party retailers. The brand has just recently reached Malaysian shore so there is no surprise when no one heard of it.
MicroPack MWC-236 Q3 Specifications
- Input: AC 110-240V 50/60Hz
- QC3.0 Output: 3.6-6.5V/3A, 6.5-9V/2A, 9-12V/1.5A (18W)
- QC2.0 Output: 5V/2A, 9V/2A, 12V/1.5A (18W)
- Total Output: 36W
What’s in the box:
- MicroPack MWC-236 Q3 charging adapter
- EU, AUS & UK plug adapter
- User manual
Genius Design
The charger by default comes with a 2-pin connector that can be folded for easy storage and travelling.
It is easily adapted to worldwide plugs that with the charger. While I’m not really a big fan of the extra parts that I might forget where I keep them, at least the modular design keeps the charger from being oversized.
Quick Charge 3.0 & 2.0
Let’s address the elephant in the room, why QC 3.0 and 2.0 instead of QC 4? For obvious reasons, it is to keep the cost of manufacturing down while offering the most out of it. So at least consumers get 2 USB outputs with the combination of QC 3.0 and 2.0. Apart from that, QC 4 devices are extremely limited even as of early 2018. Not even Qualcomm’s website is properly documenting the list of devices that support QC 4.
Charging Speed
We tested the MicroPack MWC-236 Q3 with BlackBerry KEYONE (3505 mAh) that happened to support both QC 3.0 and QC 2.0.
Quick Charge 3.0 – 75 minutes for 10% to 90% [3505 mAh]
Quick Charge 2.0 – 90 minutes for 10% to 90% [3505 mAh]
I’m glad to report that the adapter is performing as how Qualcomm had promised. However, we do notice the adapter is charging slightly slower if you charge 2 devices at the same time, somewhere around 10% slower.
Final Words
Qualcomm Quick Charge is a huge thing when Qualcomm announced it a few years back. We thought Quick Charge is finally making its way to all range of consumer devices since Qualcomm chips are found on most devices. Too bad phone manufacturers want to have a slice of the “I have better solution” cake and went introducing their own proprietary quick charge technology. Worst of all, the technology is usually limited to flagship models.
Even if your device does not support Qualcomm Quick Charge, you still can charge your regular device with it. Just that you might no be enjoying the added benefit of adaptive power levels. Still, you get dual USB ports as well as the multi-socket adapter features. If you travel a lot, the MicroPack MWC-236 Q3 retails at RM 139.90 is perfect for charging your devices without having to bring multiple charging adapters.
