Microsoft Portable Dual Chargers offer extended battery life for smartphones

By John Callaham
published

Microsoft is extending its hardware family to smartphone battery packs for the first time. The company has announced it will begin selling three versions of its new Portable Dual Chargers sometime in the next few weeks.

The 5200mAh version of the charger will be priced at $35, while the 9000mAh model will cost $45. For those who want even more extra power, the 12000mAh version will have a price of $55. All three models will have two USB ports for charging two smartphones or tablets at the same time. Microsoft says:

"When it comes to charging and holding their power, the Microsoft Portable Dual chargers can hold their charge for months at a time and still have up to 80% capacity after several months. They also charge your USB charging smartphone or tablet as fast as our AC-60 wall charger. Checking the power levels on each pack is easy, thanks to the handy LED indicator."

While all three models are designed to be portable, the 5200mAh version is small enough to fit into a pocket, and the 9000mAh and 12000mAh chargers are designed more fit into a bag or glovebox.

Source: Microsoft{.nofollow}

John Callaham
John Callaham
78 Comments
  • Costly
  • At least it's not as costly as those Nokia's power banks!
  • They're actually reasonably priced given the amount of amps you get, dual device charing and the build quality.
  • It's very cheap, just find another job man
  • Kitavi Ken....i know your rich....no need to show off
  • Kitavi is not rich he is wise
  • Indeed, I just bought a 22,000 power bank for £25 in the UK, that's what, $40. It has three usb ports, does ipads, and has a torch. Shop elsewhere.
  • I'd say that's the deal of the century because the cheapest I could find something like that on eBay for was 10 quid more, with fewer features and it looked quite dodgy compared to these.
  • This is a really good price. Look at the Mophie offerings and back at these again.
  • If it supports qc2.0 then it'll be worth it
  • May pick one up. Be more expensive than others but should charge quicker.
  • I ll always prefer branded portable charger, specifically the brand which phone I have as I don't want to harm my battery. I am currently using Nokia's
  • except in the rarest of cases is literally makes no difference.  your house electricity isn't branded Nokia and it charges your phone just fine.....
  • But the ac dc inverter plugged into the wall is... Just like what he said he wanted in a charger. The name brand. Though, both are made in the same Chinese factory one with the stolen plans of the other.
  • Plans aside, the cheaper one generally has larger tolerance for failure. Generally that's truly the difference in price. It may have a larger range of over/under voltage, or something else that can damage the phone. That being said. I've never had an issue with cheap chargers. Apple on the other hand, I've never seen one last a reasonable amount of time.
  • Lol ive been using my dads note 4 charger at random times.it supports qc2.0 to bad by the time vzw released denim the moto turbo charger(only one with support for max. Qc2.0 spec.) seems to have been discontinued
  • Eh, I'm kind of indifferent to who makes it, as long as its reliable. Tbh, my biggest thing is matching my phone color to the battery lol. I bought a 12000 mAh battery from Jackery for $35 and its great. It includes a flashlight and everything.
  • Does it have a compass?
  • Nokia used to make battery chargers as well, these products are probably just derivatives of that product line. So in essence you'd still be buying a Nokia battery charger. Although it shouldn't really matter. There used to be problems with older phones if you didn't use a correct charger, but this is not the case any more. Especially if these new products support smart charging.
  • Well, my lumia charger is broken (wrong contact inside? Who knows...), I used my father older charger from his E55. It works OK. So I bought the same charger as a new and still brand. Well, construction was a little different and it didnť work with my Lumia...only with motorola atrix and samsung phones. Funny, isn't it? Well, I have samsung 2A charger and it works like a charm. I wanted bt handsfree. I wanted bh-221...what I saw in many(!) reviews, display has gone in one month and it wasnt perfect stable with latest lumias...
    Do you really believe in Nokia brand? :) I would buy xiaomi 10400 mAh (originail, not copy) - its cheap, fast and parts inside are quite good. I have adata pv110 and no problem. I wonť damage your battery....
  • I've been looking for a portable charger since months...and looks like ive got one finally...will be buying 5200mAh for my L730
    Was thinking about Sony or Samsung but the bad reviews held me back...blindly gonna buy MS's
  • Same...just getting it for my L735 :P 
  • The 5200mAh for my Lumia 640 should do the trick.
  • Me too!!! :)
  • What'a the phone pictured? I like its prominent bulge, errr... the camera
  • Looks like 640 or 640XL
  • Lumis 640 (or XL, idk)
  • Not the 640, the flash is not above it on the 640 but to the left of it... Idk about the XL....
  • It's the Lumia 640 xl (1320 replacement)
  • It's attractive. if it were $100 less, I'd buy it as I await the 940XL (I lost my 1520 in an atlantic city taxi cab #sigh )
  • I bought 640, really wanted xl but just couldn't have that thing in my pocket.... Just too big! Great handset though, with good specs..
  • $100 less seriously?! Its already of super low cost of around $260 off contract ( worth every single dollar) and you want it for $150?!?!
  • Not saying its not worth the original price. Just saying I don't want to pay it. I can't justify spending that much on a phone now when I'm going to be spending the same if not more in 4 months when the 940xl comes out
  • Ohh cool
  • These seem a bit thick for the capacity.  Otherwise I like them, but you can get thinner ones in the same capacities for nearly the same price.
  • What about quality?
  • Anker-Amazing support and return policy.
  • Those are not expensive! Wow. At how many amps do they charge? Is fast charging built in? I currently own a third party portable battery pack 10,000 MaH with built in wireless charging. I can not live without it. It's much more convenient on the road/being mobile than using a cable. If the 12,000 MaH battery had wireless charging I would be tempted to buy. A pity because nokia did have a wirless charging one. I am saddened that microsoft did not learn from that.
  • No mention of Surface charging off this. Feels like a missed opportunity.
  • Yes you can charge the Surface 3 with the usb port.  Older Surface 1, 2, and the Surface Pro line, no.
  • Seems expensive.
  • They're actually reasonably priced given the amount of amps you get, dual device charing and the build quality.
  • You can get a xiaomi 5200 battery pack for less than $10 - I have been using one for the past year with my Lumia and it works great. What's the point of pricing one for 3x the cost?
  • yes the Xiaomi mi power banks are both cheap and good...I have 2 10400mah banks bought each at ~$25...recently ordered a 16000mah for $30 with two 3.6A ports
  • Which version is the one in the picture?
  • Good information to include here would be charging rate.   Does it max out at 1A, 2A, 2.4A?  Any Quickcharge support?
  • The pricing of many of these is absurd. The 6600 mAh battery I got from Best Buy was $22, and even that was exorbitant, given many on Amazon/Newegg can run 10000+ mAh for under $40.
  • So many of these cheap drugstore/ebay charging banks have terrible build quality.  They last for a few weeks and die/break. I for one will be happy to spend a few extra dollars and get one that will last.
  • Microhardsoft
  • LOL
  • I'd love one, hope they release one with a USB c port and a regular USB port.
  • Or you could just get a Moonstone charge for cheaper with the same features and bigger battery size. They also look much better
  • I bought 10KmAH from Xiami worth 30$$ but stops working after a month. It charges itself but wont charge the phone or tablet anymore. Too bad, I bought it in the Philippines and I am here in the UAE now so I can't return it back. Now, I am willing to pay a little more as long as it lasts.
  • I hope we can just go to 10AH soon. 10KmAH has some redundant characters in it.
  • I mean 10,000mAH capacity. @Prorgammerman
  • Its counterfeit most probably
  • Its Xiaomi's low product quality i supposed. I dont think someone will counterfeit Xiaomi.
  • I want a portable charger that has a fold in plugs so that it can be used as your standard wall charger most of the time, and for when travelling, but then folds the plugs in for when you need it to be used out of the office/home/hotel
  • I think I'll have the biggest one
  • Will it be enough to charge my Hololens on the go?!
  • Shut up and take my money
  • If it supports qc2.0 id buy it if not will wait for incipio offgrid qc2.0 edition
  • Easier just to have a spare battery on your person tbh
  • Assuming your phone has a removable cell... Many, including current WP flagships like the Nokia Lumia 930 and the HTC One for Windows, don't.
  • I have the dc-18,19&21. I don't need anymore battery packs
  • I need this
  • Tongue twister product name.,haha! Why not just call it Microsoft Powerbank? :)
  • Those prices are right in line with all the cheap, shitty brand units that you always see on Amazon, from a company that can make seriously amazing hardware. The 12,000mAh one will be coming home with me soon...
  • Can this charge any Lumia phone?
  • of course
  • The article mentioned charging tablets, but all of my tablets (Surface Pro & Surface Pro 3) require a wall outlet. I have never seen a tablet that is charged using USB.
  • Surface 3 iPad Androids
  • Admire Microsoft's effort. I have an Anker 20.000mah battery with 3 smart USB ports. Don't need anything else when it comes to external batteries now.
  • Why don't you provide more photos?
    In the Lumia Conversations forum they have more than one poor photo which you did
    We want to see the product, if we like it we'll buy it
    And hay writer: Your articles are very poor, just like your mind
  • Why not 20000mah
  • when in india :P
  • Unless they're offering Quick Charge, Microsoft is way overpriced for the MAH offered.
  • When are these being made available and what model numbers are they?