If you haven’t heard the news this week – Energizer has unveiled a bloody mammoth of a phone at MWC.
Now I’ve made as many ‘thicc’ jokes as the next tech journo about this big boi. In a world where smart phones are becoming increasingly more powerful within as slim a package as possible, this thing seems ludicrous.
But here’s the thing. I genuinely want one.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/02/energizer-unveils-5g-foldable-phone-with-enormous-battery/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/energizer-3.jpg” title=”Energizer Unveils 5G Foldable Phone With ENORMOUS Battery” excerpt=”If you’re forever running out of smartphone juice and you don’t care if your handset is the size of a brick, Energizer’s new phone might be the one for you.”]
I’m a hiker and this year I’m beginning the foray into overnights with the view to do Tasmania’s Overland track at some point.
I also enjoy hiking alone on occasion, which gives my parents no end of grief.
Even on day hikes I tend to take two fully charged phones, as well as a battery pack just in case.
So when I look at the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop I see more than just a dumb name… I see potential.
This unit has an enormous 18,000mAh battery. That’s around 6 times larger than a lot of modern flagships.
The company states that on standby it can last up to 50 days. That is something I can get behind.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/02/energizers-extra-juicy-phone-is-dumb-thick/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/t_ku-large/aduebn0a9r54cwyagzte.jpg” title=”Energizer’s Extra Juicy Phone Is Dumb Thick” excerpt=”Every year, the battery life of phones gets just a little bit longer, but somehow there’s always a handful of people who still want more. So as is if to end battery life anxiety once and for all, this simply massive Energizer phone popped up at MWC to really prove that a phone really can have too much juice.”]
I hike to get away from the modern world, and while I have been known to keep my phone on hand for pics (and subsequent drops), I feel like the Power Max would force me out of this habit due to sheer size.
And sure, actually using it will reduce the battery time, but its still going to pull its weight (literally) a hell of a lot more than a regular handset.
Especially because it has reverse wireless charging – which could be really useful for charging other phones and devices on the go.
To be fair, I have been quite vocal about my skepticism around this tech.
I wasn’t impressed with it in the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and the press materials around the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S10 suggests that it still isn’t at point where it will be practical without being plugged in.
However, combining this feature with an 18,000mAh battery may just turn be around on the subject.
I’ll need to test it myself before drawing any conclusions, but my hope is that it can charge other stuff without significantly draining the battery.
Of course, the trade off for this massive battery here is the size of the phone itself.
It’s 28mm thick and has a weight so hefty that an official number hasn’t even been released yet. We’ve heard that you can definitely feel the strain after holding it for awhile, though.
But this knowledge this hasn’t deterred me. All of my hiking and camping equipment has been carefully chosen to minimise weight – from the tent to the cookware. I even have collapsible silicon kettle.
So there’s definitely some extra room in my 75L pack for this juiced up heffer.
Sure, it’s probably not ideal as an everyday phone. As my fiancee said, “I can see you lying in bed reading on it, dropping it and knocking yourself out.”
Accurate.
But I think it could find a home out on the trail in case of emergencies – if you can get a signal, of course.
Andfor non-nature lovers, it also has potential for festivals, work trips and conventions.
Plus, the other specs aren’t bad, either.
The Power Max has 6GB RM, 128GB storage and a Mediatek MT P70 CPU. It runs on Android Pie and has dual 12MP/5MP rear cameras and a pop-up front-facing 16MP camera.
Sadly, it seems unlikely that the Power Max will hit Australian shores. So I’ll probably never get to feel its weight and power in my mortal hands.
If you really want one – you’ll have to ship one in.
It will be out in Europe later this year and have an RRP of €599, which is about $950.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2019/02/the-google-pixel-3-xl-is-rugged-af/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/google-pixel-3-xl-stream-1-410×231.jpg” title=”The Google Pixel 3 Is Rugged AF” excerpt=”When it comes to handsets I’m a walking stress test – a fact that was reinforced when I recently took a Google Pixel 3 XL on an 18km hike in the Blue Mountains.”]