XDream X-Power Plus review

- August 31, 2015

We’ve reviewed multiple portable speakers in 2015, from the water-resistant Inateck BTSP-20 and Divoom Voombox-party to the decidedly unique BoomBox V2. Today, I’m reviewing the XDream X-Power Plus, a device that pulls triple-duty as a portable speaker, power bank, and phone/tablet stand.

Specifications

3000mAh Lithium battery (made by Samsung)
3.5mm Audio jack
Auto on/off
Platform agnostic
Speaker power output 1.5 W
USB port
Weighs 129 grams
13 x 3.1cm

It weighs less than most smartphones and the cylindrical shape means the XDream X-Power Plus is quite portable. The XDream X-Power Plus’ polished, aluminium finish has an anodized coating which so it’ll be able to take some knocks. I can tell you that the device feels solid enough as it managed to withstand being thrown into my gadget bag without sustaining any damage.

Setup

In the box, you get the XDream X-Power Plus, a travel sleeve with a handy carabiner for attaching it to a rucksack or even a belt loop, and a USB charging cable. An odd quirk I noticed when I hooked the XDream X-Power Plus up for the first charge is that it needs a male-to-male USB cable to charge instead of the usual micro-USB connection. Not many of us carry a male-to-male USB cable around as standard, but there is a suitable cable included.

Use

To use the XDream X-Power Plus as a speaker, all you have to do is pull the top section of the device away from the body (a spring-loaded mechanism), rotate it roughly ninety degrees, and place your smartphone or tablet onto its exposed audio jack. Then, using your favourite music player (or podcast) app, press play and sound emerges from the speaker around 10 seconds later. Using the XDream X-Power Plus in this way means that you have a handy little smartphone stand as well, with the phone or tablet resting at a good angle for watching media. It’s as easy as possible, frankly. If using it as a power bank, just insert your charging cable into the XDream X-Power Plus, and the corresponding end to your smart device to begin the power transfer.

Performance

The XDream X-Power Plus performs adequately as a power bank, outputting 1A. Its 3000mAh capacity means that the battery will charge the Galaxy Note 5 once before needing to be recharged itself. It isn’t the fastest charging power bank available but it does the job. Once depleted, the XDream X-Power Plus takes between 4-5 hours to recharge and is rated for at least 1,000 recharge cycles.

There are four LED lights — blue signifying that the XDream X-Power Plus is ready to use while the 3 white LED’s show the level of charge remaining. One white LED means less than 33% charge is remaining, two equals less than 66% and three white lights means that the charge level stands somewhere between 66-100%. I found that wasn’t an exact science by any means, and could be implemented better.

As a speaker, the XDream X-Power Plus has a full-range speaker on the opposite end of where the audio jack is, offering clarity as well as a good level of sound. Much like the BoomBox V2 that I reviewed a while back, the XDream X-Power Plus is great for listening to music while you are out and about, perhaps at picnics or BBQ’s. The XDream X-Power Plus isn’t loud enough to use for impromptu raves, and that’s not a bad thing. There’s up to 15 hours of playback on offer, which means it can last two days worth of my tinkering in the garage before needing a recharge.

One of the things I would change with the XDream X-Power Plus is the need for a male-to-male USB cable when charging it. It just doesn’t fit in with the versatility of the device, and means that you need to carry an extra cable around. The second thing I would change is the way the charge level is indicated, three white lights should mean the device is fully charged, not between 66-100%. Aside from these nitpicks, I can see the XDream X-Power Plus being an ever-present device in my gadget bag.

Something to take note of if your charging port and audio jack are next to each other, as on the LG G3, is that I found I couldn’t charge the phone at the same time as playing music because the charging port becomes inaccessible. If you have a phone or tablet that has the audio jack on the top of the device though; there should be no problem whatsoever.

Closing

The XDream X-Power Plus is a unique device, combining duties as a power bank, portable speaker as well as a device stand. As a jack-of-all-trades, I would say it’s a great device to carry around, with each function being carried out well. Is it the fastest charger? No. The loudest speaker? No. But, bearing in mind that it’s a multi-purpose device, the XDream X-Power Plus offers a versatility that is difficult to match.

The XDream X-Power Plus can be had in a brushed aluminum finish, with either a blue, white, green, or orange accent. Usually, the XDream X-Power Plus goes for £49 from Wowzr, but it has been discounted to a much more reasonable £29 plus shipping. Those of you in the United States can pick up the device for between $39-$49 through Amazon.

[Wowzr – United Kingdom] [Amazon – United States]