Join Namerah Saud Fatmi as she explores the cool, quirky, and sometimes downright odd world of smartphone accessories, gadgets, and other nerdy toys every week.
In a world full of superb USB-C chargers and portable power banks, underrated products tend to get overlooked at times. That's why I like to dig around for excellent accessories and gadgets that are ingenious but don't get as much praise or limelight as they deserve.
This week's hero is something like that. It's not that it doesn't sell, and it's not even a new launch, but I personally think this product is not talked about enough. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce the clever little InfinaCore P3 Pandora Portable Power Bank. This hybrid charger has a small footprint and a big heart.
Equipped with foldable and swappable prongs, the InfinaCore P3 wears many hats. It's a neat little jack-of-all charger with plenty of tricks up its sleeve. This wall charger can be plugged into any AC socket, charge your devices wirelessly, and supply power on the go thanks to its built-in battery.
Let's take a look at the InfinaCore P3's specifications before moving forward. Here's everything you get in this one of a kind charger.
| Category | InfinaCore P3 Pandora Portable Power Bank |
|---|---|
| Port 1 | USB 3.0 Type-C,QuickCharge, PowerDelivery, 18W |
| Port 2 | USB 2.0 Type-A, FastCharge, 15W |
| Port 3 | USB 2.0 Type-A, FastCharge, 15W |
| Qi wireless charging coil | 10W |
| AC prongs | US plug (foldable), EU plug (swappable), UK plug (swappable) |
| Power bank capacity | 9,000mAh |
| Extras | Pass-through charging, LED indicator display |
| Colors | Black, white |
| Price | $60 |
Available in black or white, the InfinaCore P3 Pandora Portable Power Bank will set you back around $60 on average. Seasonal sales can cut that price down even further.
In the box, you get the hybrid charger itself, two swappable plugs, and a quick start booklet. All variants come with US prongs as standard. The global version of InfinaCore's P3 Pandora Portable Power Bank comes with an EU plug and a UK plug. there is also another version with just the US plugs that costs $10 cheaper. It makes a lot more sense to pay that tenner and get international plugs to spare.
Foldable prongs aren't unheard of in USB-C chargers, but swappable ones are quite rare. As a person based out of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, I find it super useful to have the ability to switch out the plugs. Anyone who travels frequently and uses gadgets from around the globe should find this super useful.
The swapping process itself is straightforward and super easy to do. You slide the plug of your choice onto the folded US prongs and voilà! Mission accomplished.
When the InfinaCore P3 is plugged into a mains socket, you can use it like any other multi-port charger. There's a USB-C PD port with 18W fast charging, and two more USB 2.0 Type-A ports that push out 15W.
The hybrid bit comes in once you look at the side with a rubber ring mounted on top. There's a Qi wireless charging coil buried within, allowing you to charge compatible phones and devices at 10W without cables or cords.
You can't use the wireless charging feature when the InfinaCore P3 Pandora Portable Power Bank is inserted in a main socket. However, thanks to the magic of built-in lithium-ion batteries, all you have to do is take it out and press the little power button on the charger. This toggles the LED display, indicating the battery percentage of the device.
Since the InfinaCore P3 has a 9,000mAh lithium-ion cell built-in, you can draw power from it even when unplugged. Then you simply place the InfinaCore P3 on its flat, wide side with the Qi charging pad pointing upward and place your wireless charging device on top.
What's even niftier is the fact that you get pass-through charging support on the InfinaCore P3. This means that while you top up your smartphone or earbuds wirelessly, you can also charge other devices using a USB-C cable.
InfinaCore includes a one-year warranty card free of charge along with the P3 Pandora Portable Power Bank. This shows the brand's confidence in its product's quality and durability. All you have to do is scan the QR code on the warranty card inside the box to activate the warranty.
And if you're confused about using the InfinaCore P3 Pandora Portable Power Bank, there's another QR code on the side of the charger itself. You can scan it to access the online help guide, FAQ, and more.
Safe to say, I am a fan of the InfinaCore P3 hybrid charger. It is portable, versatile, and travel-friendly. You can charge anything with it, and a cable is optional. Your wish can literally be its command. It isn't a perfect product, however, and definitively has some room for improvement.
My main qualm is with the wired charging speed. While 10W Qi wireless charging is standard for Qi wireless portable chargers and power banks,18W PD wired charging is pretty slow. We live in an era where you can expect at least 45W to 65W on flagship Android phones. InfinaCore needs to ramp things up if it intends to attract these Android users.
You can charge anything with it, and a cable is optional.
Thankfully, there is some good news in this regard. InfinaCore announced an updated version of the P3 called the P3 Pro at CES 2024, but it isn't available to buy yet. The P3 Pro will come with two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, 15W Qi2 and Magsafe wireless charging, a 65W power output, and an upgraded 10,000mAh cell.
Once the InfinaCore P3 Pro comes out in mid-March, this great product is going to cross into the god tier. Until then, I'd recommend buying the InfinaCore P3 Pandora Portable Power Bank only if you can't wait that long and have something like a work or school trip coming up.
