The Scosche PowerUp 32k gives you 32,000 mAh of portable power to charge up your devices on the go. This all-in-one backup battery gives you a variety of ports including an AC outlet for functionality. Lets take a closer look.
The Scosche PowerUp PBPi-SP 32,000 mAh/116.8Wh Lithium-Ion battery features a built in 110 AC 100W inverter outlet with it’s own power button and internal fan. A 2nd power button lets you control the USB ports / DC switches. An easy to read LCD screen displays the remaining percentage of power.
USB & PD Ports – Input Output
The PBPi-SP is designed with 3x USB ports for fast and convenient charging:
- USB-C 20W Output
- USB-C 30W Input/Output
- USB-A 12W 5V 2.4A
The built-in AC output 110V 100W grounded inverter has an internal fan that you can hear spin up when you turn on the AC side. The PowerUp 32k comes with a 20W PD wall plug, 2ft USB-C to USB-C cable in a nice zippered ballistic nylon protective case.
Scosche has provided us with the Scosche PowerUp 32K PBPi-SP so that we could provide hands on review coverage of the Portable Power Station and our experience with the unit to our readers.
Looking for a USB-C wall plug?
Check out our review of the Scosche PowerVolt PD35 Dual Port USB-C Wall Plug.
Pros
The PowerUp 32k is a slick looking battery pack with a variety of ports for both newer USB-C connections as well as the other USB-A. Additionally you get an AC Outlet that lets you plug in virtually anything for versatility. 32,000 mAh of power gives you a nice power bank to tote with you when you are traveling. Easy to toss in your backpack or luggage. Although you probably aren’t buying this for the flashlight, it is convenient to have for camping trips or maybe you want to use this as an emergency power pack.
Cons
While the PowerUp 32k is easy enough to toss into your backpack, it’s too big to carry on your person or in your purse or fanny pack etc. The exterior look and feel is great initially but this, like so many other products uses a vulcanized rubber coating which typically breaks down over just a few short years. Charge up can take a few hours to fill up that 32,000.
The first unit we received was DOA but Scosche sent us out another unit pretty quickly. In our second unit, the PowerUp 32k’s AC outlet can be slightly unreliable. In our testing the AC side often automatically shut off. Sometimes after a couple minutes, sometimes after 10-15 min. This may be due to some overzealous safety circuitry but it happens quite often.
We are plugging in a 96W charging brick for an Apple Macbook Pro but this will also happen with a 20W Samsung USB-C Fast Charger. It can happen with 1 device charging or multiple devices charging. This automatic shut off will also happen on the DC side of things (USB-A & USB-C ports) but is more reliable. This doesn’t appear to be due to overheating, the unit is not hot to the touch and the fan seems to engage and run consistently.
Recharge Times
The 32k PowerUp seems to die at about 24% according to LCD. In our experience the initial charge from dead has taken 1hr 35m to reach 26% but has also taken as little as 17m to reach 26% on different occasions depending how depleted your battery is. A full charge is approx 8hrs, but has taken close to 8.5hrs to top off to 100%
Approximate recharge times for the Scosche PBPi-SP as follows (your mileage may vary):
| Time to Reach | Charge Percentage |
|---|---|
| 1hr 35m | 26% |
| 3hrs 26m | 40% |
| 3hrs 45m | 43% |
| 4hrs 00m | 50% |
| 4hrs 39m | 52% |
| 5hrs 16m | 59% |
| 5hrs 40m | 64% |
| 6hrs 8m | 69% |
| 8hrs | 100% |
Conclusion
The Scosche PowerUp PBPi-SP comes with a nice bank of 32K of portable power with 3x USB ports. A built-in fan cooled 110V 100W grounded inverter to plug your AC plug for compatibility for any device. An easy to read LCD screen keeps you up to speed about your remaining power, while a 3 watt LED flashlight comes as an added bonus for convenience when you need it.
Scosche PowerUp 32K Portable Power Station: PBPi-SP $129.99 $249.99
www.scosche.com
