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I love discovering new tech brands, and there are so many to choose from these days that it’s not always easy to know which new products are worth buying and which ones to avoid. That’s why I’m here, and it’s one of the reasons I love doing reviews of products from unknown brands. Today I am reviewing a product from Sharge. This is the first time I’ve come across the name, but I thought I’d look it up to see what their products are.

The Shargeek 170 Power Bank is a beautifully designed device that has an impressive triangular prism shape that is roughly the same size as an extra chunky Toblerone chocolate bar. The case is made of a hard and transparent polycarbonate material that shows the insides of the power bank, with all the circuits and components clear to see.

Embedded in the center of the PCB is a rectangular IPS display, providing a bright and colorful readout of the power bank’s status. The screen shows the percentage of battery charge remaining, as well as the activity of the output and input ports in watts. The display also shows how long it will take the power bank to fully charge and the display is remarkably accurate and so easy to see.

To get juice into the Shargeek 170, you’ll need to use a powerful mains charger or two less powerful chargers. To fully charge the Shargeek 170, I used an Anker GaNPrime 100W travel charger, which has plenty of muscle. Once the power bank is fully charged, it is ready to be placed in a laptop bag for use as a backup power source for a laptop or any other gadgets, such as a smartphone, tablet or headphones.

On the left edge of the prismatic Shargeek 170 is a power button and two PD 3.1 USB-C input and output ports. There is also one USB-A port for charging older or smaller devices with up to 10W. The two USB-C ports can be used simultaneously to charge the Shargeek 170 or can be used as dual power outlets for charging on several phones or two laptops.

With a maximum power of 170W, the Sharge 170 has enough weight to power a laptop, tablet and smartphone simultaneously. It has enough power to run several MacBook Pro laptops, which is handy. The battery is rated at 86.4 Wh/24,000 mAh, while the power bank’s rated capacity – the actual figure, not the theoretical battery capacity – is a useful 13,200 mAh.

An unexpected aspect of the Shargeek 170 is that it has an IP66 waterproof and dustproof rating. Designed for challenging weather or hostile environments, the Sharge 170 would be perfect for camping and hiking. The only thing you can’t do with it is take it underwater.

As for what you can expect from a fully charged Shargeek 170, the manufacturer says it can fully charge an iPhone 14 Pro six times or a MacBook Pro 16 once. With 140W fast charging, MacBook Pro can be charged to 55% capacity in just 40 minutes. Alternatively, the Surface Laptop Go 3 can be recharged up to 70% in just 40 minutes.

Verdict: The Shargeek 170 Power Bank is a very convenient and powerful device that can be a lifesaver if you are working somewhere without an electrical outlet. The bright LCD display is really useful and worth having. Weighing in at 678g, the Shargeek 170 isn’t light to carry, but that’s the nature of rechargeable batteries. The device is also certified as safe for airplanes, so you should be able to take it on board to power your laptop and other technology during a flight.

Prices and Availability: The Shargeek 170 Power Bank is available now and costs $149 / £117.29.

More info: charge.com

Technical specifications:

• Outputs: 2 x USB-C PD3.1 and 1 x USB-A.
• Maximum power: 170W.
• Output voltage range: 5 – 28V.
• 140 W maximum power.
• Recharge time to 50% / 20 minutes.
• Battery capacity: 24,000 mAh.
• Nominal capacity: 13,200mAh / 5V/3A.
• Display: Color IPS LCD.
• Environmental rating: IP66 waterproof and dustproof.
• Weight: 680g.
• Dimensions: 164.9 x 62.8 x 59.6 mm.
• Accessories: charging cable and soft carrying case.