Andrew O'Hara
Nomad's popular Battery Cable, which integrates a battery pack into a Lightning-enabled charging cable, has received a significant upgrade, with the second-generation version enhanced by a more robust exterior, higher capacity battery and other changes.
Keeping iPhone charged on the go can seem like an insurmountable task. Power users are likely familiar with the assortment of power adapters, batteries and cables that need to be toted along as everyday carry, and each accessory seems to have its own set of problems.
Enter the Nomad Battery Cable. The combination cable and battery pack not only cuts down on excess luggage, but simplifies the charging process. It's a must-have when we head out of the office.
Power on-the-go
Using the Nomad is dead-simple. Just plug it in and use it as a typical Lightning charging cable. With an iPhone is attached and the cable is plugged in to a USB outlet, the phone will charge first, then the in-line battery. When you head out, unplug the cable from the wall and the built-in battery will be charged up, ready to go. No more worrying about whether your portable battery pack has juice.
In addition to the battery, Nomad includes a number of other, equally smart design decisions. Super-strong nylon envelops the cable's length, preventing tangling and protecting the reinforced interior. Nomad says they flex tested this cable up to 10,000 times before it failed.
Battery Cable comes in at a lengthy 1.5 meters, but a handy silicone cable tie keeps it organized.
What's new in V2?
Version two of this capable cable is even more useful with four changes — two big and two small.
Battery capacity has increased from 2,350 mAh to 2,800 mAh, which is enough to fully charge an iPhone X. That is roughly a 20 percent increase in battery size, without increasing the physical dimensions of the battery enclosure.
That enclosure is now inside an aluminum tube instead of the plastic body that covered the first version. Aluminum not only looks and feels better, but it should offer increased durability as well.
A few other small changes include a slightly thinner cable with a darker nylon color. The custom cable tie has been relocated from the short half near the USB-A end to the longer side that has the Lightning connector. This should make it a bit easier to wrap up the cable when only a portion is needed.
Conclusion
Having an always-charged battery built into a super-strong Lightning cable can be an indispensable tool for iPhone owners constantly seeking an outlet to top off their device. Nomad's solution is compact in size, lightweight and has come in handy more times than we can count. It is able to provide adequate backup power before we know we need it, and now it can handle our iPhone X.
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
Where to buy
The upgraded V2 Battery Cable is available to order now from Nomad's website for $49.95, the same price as the original.
Nomad has a pile of other Lightning cables as well including powerful 100W USB-C cables, universal cables, and rugged weatherproof models.
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19 Comments
I don't mean to be a dick, but I don't understand how you give a new product "5 out of 5 stars" when it's incompatible with every Macbook* released in the last three years.
(*by "macbook", I mean the modern ecosystem including Macbooks, Macbook chargers and high-speed iOS chargers)
USB-C or GTFO
That’s a bit unnecessary, Eric.
Mind you, I would take issue with USD$49.95 for a 2,800 mAh battery, regardless of its other features. That is waaaay above the price of competitor products. So automatic downgrade of at least two stars right there.
edit: actually i would take another two stars off as 2,800 mAh just isn’t worth it at half the price. There are any number of just as compact chargers at half the price but around 5,000 mAh, which takes care of any battery power transfer inefficiencies. An xtra cable isn’t that inconvenient. So one star ⭐️ sight unseen, and happy for it to stay that way.
I have to agree that $49.95 for a cable plus 2500 ma battery is a lot of money. Since you already have at least one cable, spend the money on a nice, much larger capacity, battery. Or not.
How is this 5 out of 5 stars?