If you want to know precisely how fast your power supply charges your devices, Plugable has a new product just for you. Released today, the USB-C Power Meter Tester (USBC-VAMETER3) connects to any device via USB-C and monitors the flow of electricity, showing you amperage, voltage, and wattage on an easy-to-read display.
The meter is about the size of a thumb drive, rugged, and won’t interfere with data flow on a connected device. Plus, it’s bi-directional, so you can plug it into your laptop to check the performance of your power supply going in, then connect your smartphone to see how fast power flows out. It also works great to see how much power accessories like external hard drives and webcams draw from your computer.
A year ago, the USB Implementers Forum certified USB-C Type-C 2.1, allowing chargers up to 240 watts, a staggering increase over the previous 100-watt standard. And while no current chargers take advantage of that massive power flow, Plugable’s new power meter will be able to evaluate them when they start hitting the market. And the meter’s two-year warranty means it will be most likely to last long enough to test them.
Keep in mind that Plugable intends this device for non-professional use. It’s meant to give an at-a-glance analysis of power transfer rates. So, it can’t replace pro-level energy meters. And unfortunately, this power meter isn’t compatible with Intel Thunderbolt 3 devices—we’ve asked Plugable to clarify this limitation.
Via: Android Police
