INTRODUCTION

   According to several recent statistics both in the USA and EU there are currently over 7 mobile devices per household (sometimes up to 10) a number which doesn't seem unrealistic to me since each of us has at least 2-3 smartphones and 1-2 tablets (and that's not including our wireless headsets, speakers and other portable gadgets). Now i don't know about all of you but it seems that whenever i search for a wall charger i never seem to find it and ontop of that sometimes juice runs out on more than just one device at the same exact time so then i need two chargers plugged into two electrical sockets. Manufacturers are well aware of such things so many of them have released chargers with multiple USB ports for use in households and offices one which is the latest USB Master Charger Pro by Sandberg.

   Sandberg stands for quality and user-friendliness. If it is important for you that accessories are high quality and easy to figure out how to use, then choose Sandberg. Our ideology "IT is for everybody" is part of everything we do. Since its inception in 1985, private consumers, institutions and companies have benefited from this simple philosophy. Distributors and dealers appreciate the availability, range, simple procedures and the exceptionally low failure rate. Every year over half a million Sandberg products find their way to users in more than 30 countries. Choosing Sandberg means choosing a safe and conscientious product that meets all applicable regulatory requirements. A product manufactured by subcontractors who are committed to following Sandberg's Code of Conduct to ensure decent working conditions and reduce the environmental impact of the production and waste disposal.

   What makes the USB Master Charger Pro stand out from most multiple USB chargers today is not only it's rather compact size but also that it features a grand total of ten 5V 2.4A (2400mA each / 24000mA total) ports capable of delivering up to 120W simultaneously at the flip of a switch. Unfortunately as some of you may have guessed using 2.4A for all 10 USB ports might seem as a bit overkill (especially since in order to not reduce battery durability/life most wall chargers use 1.5A/1500mA) but that also means you will be able to charge a smartphone (or any portable device for that matter) in almost half the time you would by using its factory wall charger. However whether or not this charger should have a spot in your home or office remains to be seen.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Sandberg always uses clear plastic boxes to ship products so once again you can take a look at the device (and its features) from the front of the box.

At the rear of the box we see a few words about the product in 24 languages, 5 year warranty logo, the bundle contents and the product specifications.

Unfortunately the bundle just has the basics so aside the device itself you will also get two power cords (EU/UK).

THE USB MASTER CHARGER PRO

The enclosure of the USB Master Charger Pro is made out of hard plastic and is really not very large since it measures just 156mm in length, 109mm in width and 33mm in height.

It's actually not that much larger than my ZTE Blade S6 Plus as showcased from the above pictures.

Aside the 10 USB 2.4A charging ports the USB Master Charger Pro also has a green power on LED on the far left.

Moving on the right side we see the on/off power switch and the power port.

The product electrical specifications, company name and logo and several certification and warning logos are placed on a large sticker located at the base of the device.

CONCLUSION

   The USB Master Charger is a rather simple looking device but regardless when we started using it we couldn't help but to think that with a total of 10 USB charging ports this would be ideal for cafeterias, bars and other places where people go to hang out. Sure it may also be useful in an office with more than one person working there but for a household it just seems as somewhat overkill no matter how anyone sees it. Of course as time goes by the number of mobile devices per household will increase to a point when all of us may need such devices but at least for now 10 USB charging ports seem just a tad too many (still it doesn’t hurt to have more). Also giving the device 10 USB ports with 2.4A output is what i call a double edged sword since on one hand you can use it to quickly charge devices with low battery levels but on the other you simply can't use it on a daily basis since that would probably damage any battery used in a mobile/portable device in general (although currently battery packs have reduced that issue a lot compared to even just 5 years ago). Personally i think it would be much better had Sandberg placed 5-6 USB ports with 2.4A output and 4-5 USB ports with 1.5A output on the device but as usual we can’t have it all. It would also be nice to see covers for the USB ports since they face upwards and thus will gather dust a lot easier compared to similar devices with USB ports placed horizontally but honestly that’s just me being picky.

   Right now the Sandberg USB Master Charger Pro retails for USD141 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 91Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) so although to some people it may look as a bit expensive especially considering that you can find similar 5 port chargers for 1/4^th of the price. On the other hand after checking around it seems that most 6+ USB chargers by popular manufacturers cost roughly as much so things could be worse. In the end if you feel you could use a 10 port USB charger at home or work then the USB Master Charger Pro could be the right tool for the job and that’s why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality
- Size
- 10 USB Charging Ports (5V/2.4A)
- Massive Power Output (24000mA / 120W)
 

CONS

- 2.4A USB Charging Ports
- Price (For Some)