The ARCTIC C1 Mobile was designed with one idea at its core: portability. With its small size and low weight, the ARCTIC C1 Mobile can be easily carried around without being a burden. A lithium-ion battery is built into the device, making it a candidate for a backup battery pack. It holds a fairly large capacity of 4440mWh, enough to charge a BlackBerry Curve 8300 smart phone up to 3 times. Sporting a small 80mA solar panel, the device may be recharged when strong lighting is shone over it, eliminating the need of a USB connector to recharge the device. However, when a USB connector is available, the device can also be recharged through USB too. Through testing, the ARCTIC C1 Mobile was confirmed to be compatible with a wide variety of mobiles devices from smart phones to media players. All of these features make the ARCTIC C1 Mobile a great companion for the tech savvy traveller.
The Arctic Cooling ARCTIC C1 Mobile
Through testing, two issues were noticed. The first issue is the fact that there is no quick way to determine the remaining capacity of the built-in lithium-ion battery of the ARCTIC C1 Mobile. The only way was to make the ARCTIC C1 Mobile charge another device so that the LEDs would light up and it would give an approximation of the battery’s remaining capacity. The lack of information can become problematic in certain situations, such as when recharging the ARCTIC C1 Mobile. Indeed, in such a situation, the LEDs only show whether the device is being recharged or not. Seeing as the recharge through the solar panel is slow, you might take the ARCTIC C1 Mobile with you when it is only partially recharged. Without any information on the device’s remaining capacity, you might have a battery with low energy that is not enough to power other devices sufficiently. Although the device’s solar panel still allows the device to be powered, on a cloudy day or in a dark place, it becomes not very useful. The second issue of the ARCTIC C1 Mobile is the fact that the adapters for mobile phones included with the product require the USB extension cable to be used. A direct connection between the adapter and the ARCTIC C1 Mobile and an optional USB extension cable would have been preferred.
In a nutshell, the ARCTIC C1 Mobile meets its objectives of being a portable USB charger. Priced at 16,95 € / US$ 24.60, this device is quite affordable and seems to be well priced, but I do not know of any other comparable device to properly evaluate its value. Although the two previous mentioned issues are minor amongst the pros of the ARCTIC C1 Mobile, they drop Arctic Cooling’s score down a few notches. In other words, the ARCTIC C1 Mobile is quite a good product and, with a few changes, it will become excellent. As such, it is awarded Vortez Hardware’s Silver Award.
Pros
+ Built-in 80mA solar panel
+ Includes mobile phone adapters
+ Large 4440mAh lithium-ion battery
+ Lightweight and small size
+ Very attractive blend of silver, white and black colours
Cons
- Fairly slow recharge through the solar panel
- Lack of information on the battery’s remaining capacity
- USB extension cable that must be used with the included mobile phone adapters
The Arctic Cooling ARCTIC C1 Mobile
Through testing, two issues were noticed. The first issue is the fact that there is no quick way to determine the remaining capacity of the built-in lithium-ion battery of the ARCTIC C1 Mobile. The only way was to make the ARCTIC C1 Mobile charge another device so that the LEDs would light up and it would give an approximation of the battery’s remaining capacity. The lack of information can become problematic in certain situations, such as when recharging the ARCTIC C1 Mobile. Indeed, in such a situation, the LEDs only show whether the device is being recharged or not. Seeing as the recharge through the solar panel is slow, you might take the ARCTIC C1 Mobile with you when it is only partially recharged. Without any information on the device’s remaining capacity, you might have a battery with low energy that is not enough to power other devices sufficiently. Although the device’s solar panel still allows the device to be powered, on a cloudy day or in a dark place, it becomes not very useful. The second issue of the ARCTIC C1 Mobile is the fact that the adapters for mobile phones included with the product require the USB extension cable to be used. A direct connection between the adapter and the ARCTIC C1 Mobile and an optional USB extension cable would have been preferred.
In a nutshell, the ARCTIC C1 Mobile meets its objectives of being a portable USB charger. Priced at 16,95 € / US$ 24.60, this device is quite affordable and seems to be well priced, but I do not know of any other comparable device to properly evaluate its value. Although the two previous mentioned issues are minor amongst the pros of the ARCTIC C1 Mobile, they drop Arctic Cooling’s score down a few notches. In other words, the ARCTIC C1 Mobile is quite a good product and, with a few changes, it will become excellent. As such, it is awarded Vortez Hardware’s Silver Award.
Pros
+ Built-in 80mA solar panel
+ Includes mobile phone adapters
+ Large 4440mAh lithium-ion battery
+ Lightweight and small size
+ Very attractive blend of silver, white and black colours
Cons
- Fairly slow recharge through the solar panel
- Lack of information on the battery’s remaining capacity
- USB extension cable that must be used with the included mobile phone adapters
We would like to thank Arctic Cooling for sending over the ARCTIC C1 Mobile. Discuss this review on our forum.
