Review – ORICO QC2.0 5 Port Desktop Charger (QSE-5U)

Gadgets such as smartphone and tablet typically come with a dedicated one port USB charger. If you have a lot of gadget that uses a USB type charger, it can be a headache to charge your devices sometimes because your wall outlet is either limited to two slots or one of your charger is too bulky. Preventing you to charge your other devices on the same wall outlet.

ORICO is well aware of that issue and with the current generation of technology, they know that some people have more than one gadget. So they wanted to address that issue by offering a variety of multiple USB slot charger. So what we have here is the ORICO QSE-5U. It is a 5 port smart USB charger that features Qualcomm’s Quick Charger 2.0. So let’s take a closer look at this charger. Is it worth buying? Let’s find out!

ORICO QC2.0 5 Port Desktop Charger (QSE-5U)

Specification

• Port5 USB Charging Ports
• Output1 x QC2.0 (5V2.4A,9V2A,12V1.5A); 4 x 5V2.4A; 5V8A 40W Max
• InputAC 100-240V 50/60HZ 1.2A Max
• Circuit ProtectionOver Current Protection, Over Voltage Protection, Short Circuit Protection, etc.
• CertificateCE / FCC / RoHS
• Compatibility5V USB-enabled devices such as cellphone, tablet, power bank, etc.

Given a closer look at the device specification, ORICO claims that the QSE-5U can charge a 3300mAh battery from 0 to 60% in just 30 mins.

Packaging – Unboxing QSE-5U

ORICO packed the QSE-5U in a simple packaging box. The box is then wrapped with a white carton holder that holds the box and prevents it from opening. The front and top of the box simply highlight the features of the charger.

A few more information can be found at the bottom of the box as well as information about ORICO.

Opening the box is pretty straightforward. The product is placed inside a soft plastic that prevents any scratches. A divider can also be seen.

Taking everything out, you will find the power cable under the divider. As well as the manual and some feedback paper. I find it a plus to see that ORICO decided to include a cable velcro strap which makes it feel premium. Giving you the option to do some cable management.

Taking a closer look at the power cable, bending and feeling it proves to be a decent cable. It doesn’t feel cheap that you can usually get from cheaper models.

The power cable is a US type 2-prong male plug and 1.2 meters long.

Given that the QSE-5U is just a small charger, a 3-prong male socket is not necessary although, for me, it will be a plus for grounding purposes. However, ORICO did claim and state that the QSE-5U is a smart charger that comes with a current control circuit.

This circuit only allows current to flow through your device if the current is under 2.8A. So basically, it has a built-in over voltage or I should call it “Over-Amperage” protection, and as well as surge protection which is one of the benefits of having a grounded connection.

Closer Look – ORICO QSE-5U QC2.0

The ORICO QSE-5U sports 5 USB ports. The green one is the port that uses Qualcomm Quick Charger 2.0 technology. Qualcomm QC2 port outputs 1.5A if you plug in a 12V device. When you plug in a 9V device, you’ll get 2A and 2.4A when a 5V device is detected.

The QSE-5U itself is not that bulky at all which is a plus. It’s more of a travel oriented charger with its dimension of 99 by 59 by 28 mm.

There are no issues here if the ports are USB version 1 or 2 or 3 as those don’t matter at all. The product is designed to be a charger and not to be used as a multiple USB port extension for your computer. So you can basically use this to any devices that use USB to charge.

A closer look at the ports reveals its distribution design. The QSE-5U is well crafted and the surface of the casing feels like matte finish when touched giving a premium feel of the product though can be easily scratched.

At the other end of the QSE-5U shows the female socket for the power cable. When plugging the power cable, you need to apply a little force to make sure it’s well plugged. It feels sturdy and it cannot be pulled out easily.

Checking the bottom side of the QSE-5U, the product highlight a few more information such as its certifications, model number, input and output, and as well as the maximum allowed output.

Charging – ORICO QSE-5U QC2.0

According to ORICO, the QSE-5U QC2.0 can charge 3300mAh battery from 0 to 60% in just 30 mins using the QC2.0 port. However, it is stated that all ports are capable of providing a 2.4A current charge for a 5V device such as smartphones.

Speaking of charging, it is a misconception that a charger is faster if it has a higher voltage. That is not true. The Amperage or the current is the most important rating to understand followed by the voltage.

So I tested it and checked if what ORICO claims is true. I used my own smartphone which is an Elephone P9000 that uses a MediaTek system and has a 3000mAh battery. Therefore, my phone doesn’t support the QC2.0 technology by Qualcomm however, as mentioned in the specification of this product, all ports are capable of providing a 2.4A output for a 5V device. So my phone should be able to receive a 2.4A charge current no matter what port I plug it into.

Using a wattage meter, I am able to confirm that my P9000 is getting a 2 to 2.2A current charge. My wattage meter shows the ORICO QSE-5U draws about 9 to 11 watts. If to convert that to Amps using a 5 Volt system, my P9000 is getting about 2 to 2.2A current charge. Which is off by a 0.2A. If that’s the case, then my P9000 should be full charge from an empty battery in about 1.8 hours.

I did a little more test to verify the results by emptying my phone to a point that I am not able to turn it back on. Then I timed the charging to see how much percent will my phone get if I charge it for 30 minutes.

Using my phone, which is an Elephone P9000 with 3000mAh, I tested the charger by charging my phone for 30 minutes. I’m not sure if there are some incompatibilities given that this is a MediaTek system but my phone got charged at 18% only after 30 minutes, as can be seen in the video above.

Doing the math, if my phone got charged from 0 to 18% when turned off for 30 minutes, my phone should be fully charged from 0 to 100% after 2.77 hours. That’s quite long given that the device is turned off. If you calculate the claimed output rating of 2.4A for 5V. Then my phone of 3000mAh battery should be fully charged after 1.5 hours.

Our Verdict

With today’s current technology and offers from different brands of smartphones, tablets, etc… I’m not quite sure anymore if it is worth buying a third party charger. If you purchase a brand new smartphone, you’ll probably get a fast charger with it which is the norm nowadays.

But if there’s one thing that I can be sure off and that will make me purchase a third party charger, is the option of charging multiple devices. A charger that is a more travel oriented and that gives you the option to organize your cables such as the ORICO QC2.0 5 Port Desktop Charger (QSE-5U). But truth be told, at the price of USD23 on Amazon, you can get something better for the same price. An example is the [easyazon_link identifier=”B071R2QVZH” locale=”US” tag=”back2gaming-20″]Wall Charger 5 Port USB from Little Big[/easyazon_link] that already features the Quick Charger version 3.0 from Qualcomm for the same number of USB ports and price.

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