OnePlus

Hands-on: OnePlus ‘Pouch’ battery & charger combo is clever, but one piece falls short

Ben Schoon | Jun 18 2024 - 5:30 am PT

Battery banks are everywhere, and there’s rarely much reason to spend a lot on them. But with the “Pouch,” OnePlus and Sharge have a pretty clever idea for a battery bank that’s actually worth considering.

The “Pouch” is co-designed by Sharge and OnePlus, which means the battery bank does more than most. It supports 40W USB-C charging for any USB-C PD device, more than enough for any smartphone, but steps up to 55W SuperVOOC when plugged into a OnePlus (or Oppo) smartphone. The battery capacity itself is 10,000 mAh.

What makes this stand out is its flexibility.

In its default state, there’s a single visible USB-C port on the side of the bank and a cable that attaches to the sides. That cable is presumably where the device gets its name, as the thick cable can be used to bring the battery bank around. I don’t think that earns the name “Pouch” given this thing has no way to store anything but battery capacity, but it’s just a name at the end of the day.

One third of the power bank separates from the rest, revealing a power outlet that can be popped out and used to charge the power bank or as a separate charger. This works really well, though the magnet that connects the two pieces isn’t as strong as I would have liked. Just a bit more strength would make everything feel more secure. But the body of the bank is designed well enough to where it’s impossible to misalign the two pieces.

The outlet portion also works as a travel adapter, with four adapters for common standards included in the box. These slot onto the folded-up US charging plug, which feels secure and works rather well.

The whole battery bank is a clever idea that’s been a wonderful addition to my bag, but I can say with confidence that one aspect of this won’t be sticking around for long.

The cable.

Despite the bright red cable being what gives the product its name, I just don’t like it. The attachment method requires you to press a too-firm button to remove the cable from the bank, and it’s not easy to slot into place either. And, when it is attached, there’s no firmness to the cable, so it just flops around from that single attachment point which, in my eyes, largely defeats the purpose.

The cable also feels a little weird to the touch, and the metal shielding that’s used to protect the USB-C plugs does more harm than good. It makes plugging in the cable incredibly clunky, and also prevents it from working with anything but the thinnest cases.

That piece aside, I really like the “Pouch” and, as mentioned, it’ll be sticking in my backpack going forward.

At its usual price of $99, though, it’s not a particularly easy sell unless you have a SuperVOOC device and, even then, it’s still pretty pricey. That said, this is a quality battery bank, and one that I don’t think you’ll be disappointed with.