As we see more and more USB charging hubs released on the market, Satechi looks to stand out by offering a product that kills two birds with one stone. The Satechi Aluminum Power Strip features four standard AC outlets and four USB ports, to tackle all your charging needs.
Design
Satechi clearly put time and effort into the design of this power strip. As the name suggests, it is crafted from aluminum and just looks and feels premium. The four additional USB ports are set on the end of the power strip, which is a nice change from other such products that lead to USB cords sticking straight up when plugged into the face of the strip.
The simple design aesthetic is maintained throughout the power strip, as the light gray aluminum stops only to make way for the plastic faceplate that houses the four AC outlets. A standard on/off switch can be found at the end of the power strip, next to the main power cable. Around the back of the power strip are two mounting holes, just in case you feel like mounting it onto a wall.
Overall, I was very impressed with Satechi’s design choices here. Given that this particular product serves only to charge devices and power whatever is plugged into it, I was glad to see that the team at Satechi kept the design minimal. In some cases, too many bells and whistles can be overwhelming, and Satechi definitely took that to heart with this power strip.
Usage & Performance
Using the aluminum power strip is inherently easy, as is expected. The four AC outlets work as well as you could imagine, powering whatever standard device you feel like plugging into them. I found myself using only two of the outlets, one for a lamp and the other for a laptop charger. Of course, the AC outlets are surge protected, so all your electronics will be safe.
The four USB ports along the side are where it gets interesting. Satechi’s branding and product page suggest that the ports are pf the “smart super charger” variety, although in my testing I found that the ports charge at a standard rate. While there is no mention of Qualcomm Quick Charging, it’s interesting that the “super charger” ports don’t seem to provide any more power than a standard charger.
Satechi did build in smart IC technology, so the power strip allocates power as needed, giving each device just the right amount of charge and maximizing charging speeds. The strip provides up to 6A of power to the USB ports, which is just enough to properly charge four devices overnight.
Summary
Satechi did a great job with this power strip. It is designed very well, and it quite simply does what it was made to do. For $27.99 on Amazon, it may be a little pricey for a power strip, but I would say the convenience makes up for the price tag. It eliminates the need for an extra USB hub, and it provides four extra AC ports for non-USB devices as well.
