Tech Talk: tech gifts for students!

Like many students, I have a laptop that I bring with me to class. However, I have noticed some classrooms don’t have many outlets accessible for my power brick. This can sometimes result in students fighting for spots closest to the walls to have access to that sweet, sweet power. With the holidays around the corner, this could be inspiration for a great gift.

I won’t assume too much about your technology, dear reader, but most non-gaming laptops are using USB-C chargers. If this is the case, then rejoice! You are no longer tethered to the walls or the back of class in order to keep your laptop juiced up: you can ask Santa for a portable power pack. As I mentioned in our last issue, the amount of power your device needs will vary. For charging, a general rule of thumb is this: laptops (with USB-C power connections) are 65 watts (W), tablets are 20W, and phones are 10W. The good news is, you can definitely find battery packs that are able to charge a laptop and a phone simultaneously. But if you’re willing to spend a bit more, you can get a battery pack that will charge almost everything, including a standard AC outlet. However, I wouldn’t trust it entirely, as most devices using an AC outlet may require more power than the portable battery pack can provide.

I’d recommend power banks from Ugreen, Anker, and Sharge. I truly find them to be the highest quality for the price. Ugreen and Sharge both have offerings that can range from 65W of output with two or three ports to 140W. Anker has one that provides a whopping 200W —  more than enough to charge all your tech while you’re away from home. You will want to make sure you get a battery that has more than one port; each port usually has a limit to accommodate the device that’s plugged in. 

You also need to get a proper USB-C cable to charge your devices. Not every cable is rated for power delivery — USB 3 or USB 4 PD is what you want to look for if this is your goal. If your laptop is pulling 65W from the battery but the cable can only carry 20W, you’ll destroy the cable. Your best bet: get a new USB-C cable rated for 100+W of power delivery. These can be found on Amazon for pretty cheap, usually coming in packs of two to suit all your needs. 

Happy charging!

Sean Horn

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