MyCharge makes batteries in all shapes and sizes. The company that started out as Powerbag now produces more traditional charging devices, up to 9000mAh in capacity. Its latest is an impressively small 6000mAh charger called AmpMax ($50). The high capacity cell is packed into a dense package, coated in a soft-touch finish. Thanks to its size, capacity, and charging output, it’s well-suited for juicing up an iPad on the go, although it’ll only offer about half of a recharge.
AmpMax exhibits some of MyCharge’s finest industrial design to date.
The aesthetics are both classy and classic. All the way around the 2.75” by 2.1” by 1” pack, which bulges slightly in the middle, is smooth material which feels nice to the touch. The end caps are slightly different: they’re lighter in color, with a dimpled surface. You’ll find the usual array of inputs and outputs, buttons and battery indicator lights, around the front and side edges. The USB port on this one is capable of putting out 2.4-Amps of power, enough to charge any of Apple’s portable devices at full speed. There’s also an LED flashlight, as is the trend these days.
We don’t see it as adding any real value, but then again, it doesn’t hurt anything to be there.
To test both the recharge capabilities and speed, AmpMax was connected to a fully depleted iPad Air using a Lightning cable we had to provide. In just over an hour and a half, it delivered a 46 percent charge before being depleted. This is a few percentage points shy of the 49.5 percent average based on our past tests, but the number is close enough to be acceptable. It’s worth noting that even after the battery stopped charging the iPad, there was still enough juice left to power the flashlight.
With average performance and above average looks, AmpMax earns our strong general recommendation.
