The USB-C connector solved the classic problem of reversibility, but in doing so it introduced other headaches. Unfortunately, the market is full of cables with horrendous quality, and very few manufacturers follow the official specifications to the letter. Nobody wants to see their computer turned into a torch by an accessory or a USB cable of dubious origin, but that's where Satechi's new USB power meter comes in, reporting volts, amps, and mAh with the help of a small screen.
I've seen my share of fried motherboards at the hands of hubs USB that draw more power than they should. At first, the USB specification was a real carnival, and every time we plugged in a new accessory, you had to take a leap of faith. Over time, the standard improved noticeably... until the Type-C connector appeared. Its rules are demanding but clear. And it's a shame to see that many manufacturers out there still believe they can create a simple adapter and be done with it. The Amazon reviews by Google engineer Benson Leung reveal a disturbing number of defective products, and one was so bad it burned his laptop. It's clear that with the Type-C port, users need some kind of extra protection.
What it does
That brings us to the new USB power meter sold by Satechi. It's a very interesting gadget that reports in real time voltage, current, and current over time. This is especially useful when determining how well a charger or battery pack is working, and we can add the stability of a cable or adapter. That means the meter works in both directions, whether the computer is receiving power or acting as a power source for something else (an external hard drive, say).
What it doesn't do
Now, when we say it's a "meter", we shouldn't expect any other function. It doesn't have automatic cut-offs, nor does it act as a fuse. The user needs to have a solid idea of each device's consumption and compare those numbers with the meter's reading. It costs $30, and compatibility is limited to Type-C. Maybe in the future there will be versions for other ports.
For more details, visit the official Satechi page.
