Plugable USB C Power Meter Tester for Monitoring USB-C Connections - Digital Multimeter for USB Type C Cables, Laptops, Phones, Chargers - Driverless

This updated review is for the second unit sent to me in response to comments about the usability of the item posted in my original review below.The revised edition of this USB-C V/A meter has three notable and visible improvements. (See second and third attached photos, and fourth photo)1. Display orientation has been reversed, such that the digits read upright when installed on the left side of a laptop.2. the digits display has been changed to a different font that is a bit smaller but more easily legible.3. The OLD model had a display that alternated between the V/A and a line indicating power flow. The NEW model has V/A and an arrow all on the same screen, thus no more irritating flipping back and forth between two states.Aside from those three things, which are fairly significant, all else seems to function normally and as expected. This is quite a nice little unit. As some others have remarked, having total mAh transferred would be nice.Further comments on the construction and design.1. The construction is solid. The shell is an aluminum extrusion. Endplates are hard plastic.2. Plug and socket are snug and wiggle free.3. The USB-C plug is offset, closer to the top surface of the device (display side).************ Original Review Follows *************Does what it says, nothing more, nothing less. I use this with a 2016 MBP 13" with TouchBar and it shows how much the system is drawing at idle, during typical surfing, writing, as well as maxed out during processor-intensive tasks like gaming.TAKE NOTE: The images of the power meter on the product page you see here are inverted from what the device actually displays. That is, in the images, it looks like the display is upright and readable when plugged into the LEFT side USB-C Thunderbolt ports of your laptop. These images are NOT ACCURATE as I found out in contacting Plugable. See my question above. The display actually is readable when plugged into the RIGHT side of the laptop. This is unfortunate for two reasons.First, on MacBooks and MBP, the ports are on the left or left+right sides. On the 13" MBP, the full-speed ports are on the left. This means users are inclined to make their single-cable connection on the left side. This means the Plugable meter display will be upside down.Second, if you install it on the right side ports, then it interferes with where most folks who are right handed (the majority of the population) keep and use their mouse.I don't know why Plugable flipped the display. It was better for more users as originally depicted in the product images. Unfortunately now I find myself not using it because of the display orientation.I will purchase the Satechi unit since the display is in the better orientation.

Why would anyone need this? Well you see the thing is - all those USB-C cords you have in that box are NOT the same as all those OTHER USB-C cords you have in the box. Many do not know this. They certainly look the same. But this device will confirm they are not, and tell you which ones pass more watts then the others. And given the fact more phones are now accepting fast charging these days, and the speed of new GaN chargers, this stuff is actually very important to know, and maximize the whole point of it all......to get energy out of your wall and into your device.Buying this plugable device allowed me to throw out a bunch of older cords and adapters and hold on to the ones that are actually "up to speed".I will mention my device did have an issue with the plug coming loose, but i reached out to their customer service who contacted me immediately and took care of the issue. So for this I will give it 5 stars.

These testers are made in China, but do show a good build quality. This review will include two of these units since the first units board is starting to loosen. They sent me a newer updated model that will soon be available here. They have addressed some, not all, of the problems found in the first generation.First Unit:Came in a white box with a pluggable sticker identifying it. It came slightly scratched on the screen already, but was not to bad. This was the first generation that suffered from an flipped display when plugged into devices such as a mac. The display is slightly dimmer than the new model and flipped between charge voltage and amperage to charge direction. This make it harder to review products when the screen suddenly changes and the camera taking the picture.Second Unit:This unit came in a proper retail box, and looks like something you would see in a store. The screen was also in better condition and clearer, which made reading the display easier. They have flipped the display to make it easier to read when plugged into certain ports, but a button to rotate the display would be optimal. They have also put all the information on one screen, so it isn't constantly switching between charge data and direction.Overall:The unit is improving, but still needs a few tweaks to make it great. First is the offset of the USB-C plug. It makes it difficult to use on thinner devices. Second would have to be the lack of total milliamps transferred (mah). I would say if you get the white box one, return it and wait for the newer one, it offers a few improvements and the company assures me "we did some display work and internally we upgraded to stronger USB-C connectors. The new unit should also read higher as there is less electrical loss through the new connectors". Their words not mine. But they have switched from the USB-C connectors with a joint, to ones that are solid.

I've got two cables for USB-C alternate mode video output (to DisplayPort and HDMI) that also pass through USB-C Power Delivery to charge the laptop. Inserting this meter between the cable and the meter didn't interfere with video (including 4K 60hz on the DP cable)! 👍I've tried this meter both with various chargers: a 20V Power Delivery charger, a 5V 4A oversized projector charger that I assume is using PD spec to negotiate the high current(?), as well as a few "good old" 5V chargers with a type A–type C cable, and it worked for all of them. 👍One exception where it didn't work: OnePlus's "Dash charger" with its red type A–type C cable.AFAIK the idea of Dash charge is letting the charger do voltage drop directly to what the lithium battery needs (avoiding heating the phone from doing the 5V->3.8V conversion internally, as in usual USB charging).Indeed, I saw the meter briefly display 5V, then some significantly lower voltage (close to 4V), then flicker off and stayed off. I _think_ that didn't interfere with charging — the phone still displayed "charging rapidly" icon.Today I tried this again, and the meter showed 5V, then 3.9V, then stabilized at ~4.3V — and the meter stayed on.=> So it seems this meter doesn't work reliably at 4V and lower — but that's very non-standard for USB. Otherwise, perfect, still 5 stars in my book.P.S. It's great that this has C female – C male connectors, allowing directly connecting to charged device, measuring voltable after cable. My previous meters were type-A, so I had to measure before the cable. That meant I couldn't compare the actual voltage drop caused by the cables, could only compare cables indirectly by difference in current. With this meter I can fully compare cables 👍

This is a fantastic item to see what charging rate you are getting. I have used it to identify which cables to keep and which to donate. I have also been using it on our power banks for the same reason. The measurements have been invaluable in determining which chargers and power banks deliver accurate voltage to maximize charging speeds.I recently had an issue with this item and contacted Plugable. They were very responsive and sent out a replacement promptly. I own several Plugable products, and this is the first issue I have encountered. It is such a pleasure to get excellent customer service from a brand I trust.I highly recommend this product and Plugable! rrh

So I've heard good things about this unit, but I was iffy on trying it because the "other" unit I tried also had high praise but was DOA. Not this one! I connected both ends as instructed and I saw the sweet sweet bliss of the blue dot matrix screen light up. Within seconds it was giving me readings and a direction the power was flowing, all with that cool blue glow. I can finally see with my own eyes if my charging setup is doing what its supposed to.I saw one of the comments that said the screen scratches really easily. Having experience a similar, cloudy looking display on the "other" unit I tried, I dug my fingernail into one of the corners to see if it would peel. Bingo! There's a screen protector to... protect the screen during packaging. This one is no different. Go raw dog on this screen and you'll see your USB readings with a whole new clarity.The only downside: the display does not flip, so in some cases it might be upside down. Is that really a big deal, though? In other scenarios the display would read sideways. But word from a little bird says the screen flip is in the works. If you can't wait, just get this one.

After seeing this used by repair folks on YouTube to monitor laptop operation, I purchased one when my laptop died.It was very helpful in aiding the diagnosis and will come in handy for other USB inquiries. It is well worth its nominal cost. I also like how the display reverses at the press of a button so it can be seen in either of 2 directions.

This thing works great and does what it's meant to do with a easy-to-use minimalist style. There's a tiny button on the side of the device that can be used to rotate the display 180 degrees which is a nice touch. I've tested it charging various items around my house and office (Mobile Hotspots, Laptops, Steam Deck, Cell Phones, etc) and it works great with one exception - Samsung Super Fast Charging. When I connect this device to my Samsung S23 Ultra with super fast charging enabled the power meter reboots itself consistently about every five seconds. It still delivers power during the reboot period but this makes getting an accurate reading impossible. Disabling super fast charging fixes the issue. I'm not sure if this is something that could be fixed by Plugable or if it's something Samsung needs to address. Overall though this is a minor issue with an otherwise fantastic device.

Great little compact USB C cable meter tester, sturdy and well built. Screen is clear and bright. Recommended.

This meter is great for quickly checking whether a usb c charger is behaving as expected. It shows at a glance the voltage, current, and direction of flow on the usb power lines. For the £16 I paid, it’s a no brainer when the market has so many shoddy usb c adaptors our there.I purchased this tool when I went looking for a charger for both laptops (60W) and the iPhone X (9V, 15W). After reading some deeply concerning reviews of certain usb c chargers, I went looking for a USB-PD power meter.Nathan K’s review Of the Anker 60W (https://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-reviews/R2UR46XXKO1HKW?pldnSite=1) adapter sent me towards Plugable. Now I wonder if I should follow suit and get the full sniffer as well as the power meter.

I'm starting to get into battery chargers that use Power Delivery (PD) to charge laptops, and I wanted this device to help me learn more as I go forward - and in case I need any help with those battery chargers not working or not supplying enought power - this would help me to see that.THE GOOD: The device is very small. Very compact. Easy to store anywhere. It only take a couple of seconds for it to boot up. It will boot after you plug your USB-C power cable into it that you want to measure the current from. The display is very easy to read. Legible, bright. When the device is off you can't even tell there is a screen there. . It will appear as a mirror until it is powered on - this is normal. This is just like smaller audio players you get from China that use this type of OLED screen as it save power and works really wellDOES IT WORK? I have a power hub that I use to charge all my electronics that shows the current amperage to each device. This USB stick seems to match pretty well exactly to that when showing the amps. Also, it keeps track of how much power has gone through it to your device. This is really a great feature when you know the capacity of your battery and want to know how full it is without turning your electronics on.Packaging was very small, a cardboard box, and a ziplock bag with the device in it. No waste here, well done.The voltage shown on the device combines the voltage going through to your device, and the voltage needed to power this USB stick.CONCLUSION: There are no negatives to this device. Works perfect. Shows exactly the info I need. Measurements match my other devices so I know it's accurate. For the $ it's definitely worth it! FIVE STARS!

Fait le travail. Rien à dire.

Eta bueno lo use para hacer fuente regulable