Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

Smartphones have changed the world of computing in many ways. When some of us were kids, a computer that could only do a few basic things took up a lot of surface area on a desk. If you wanted something capable of playing the latest 3D games where everything resembled the endlessly upcoming Cybertruck, you’d see a difference in your power bill. The computer monitor took up the rest of your desk, and maybe left some room for a mouse and a keyboard.

Now, in 2023, you can do everything that old computer could do, and a whole lot more, and it fits in your pocket! Even on a tiny little battery, smartphones can do this all day. Sadly, though, it doesn’t mean that you can take all of those capabilities with you.

Just because computing technology has shrunk and got a lot more power efficient, doesn’t mean that they can do everything. The most obvious thing you miss out on with smartphones and tablets is touch typing. If you’re a Biblical kind of typist, and use the “seek and ye shall find” method (also known as “hunt and peck”), a laptop doesn’t give you much advantage over the phone or tablet. But, if you’re typing dozens of words per minute, you’ll miss that capability. There’s also the general size of a laptop’s screen (more real estate for work), and the fact that you can run many programs a tablet or phone just can’t run.

Outside of computers, there are many other technologies we take for granted at home that still take the same power they did in the 90s. Nebulizers, CPAP machines, portable stereos, small TV sets, satellite communications (back then it was Dish Network and DirecTV, today it’s Starlink), and many other things need juice and aren’t going to get it all from your car’s cigarette lighter away from home.

A couple weeks ago, I decided to spend a few days off-grid. I stayed at the top of a 10,000 foot mountain, and despite being at the edge of a wilderness area, it was up high enough to have excellent cell phone signal. We ended up bringing many of the comforts of home along, including a Shiftpod insulated shelter, an air conditioning unit, solar power, and several review products. I also brought my computer, camping chairs, and a folding table along to set up a mobile office of sorts.

Fortunately, one of the products we brought along to review was the FJ Dynamics MP500 portable power station. While I had a much bigger power station in the Shiftpod along, and I had my vehicle there ready to deliver some power, I really wanted to have a much more relaxing place to work for a few minutes. Instead of having a nice desktop background, I wanted a real background behind the laptop. The 10,000-foot mountain we were on provided this handily, but I didn’t feel like running an extension cord from the big solar generator or from the car.

Specifications & Such

Before I get into where the unit really helped me, I wanted to cover some more basic information.

Capacity is in line with the unit’s name: just over 500 watt-hours of storage (519 Wh to be exact). Maximum power output, again, matches the name with 500 watts of power. You can utilize this power via two AC power ports (built-in pure sine wave inverter), several USB ports, a USB-C PD port, a 12v cigarette lighter port, and a couple of DC power output ports. It also has a wireless charging pad on the top, and a built-in lantern.

But, that which is used needs to be replenished. Options for charging include charging from a home wall plug, a car’s cigarette lighter, and solar panels (not included). They even included an adapter for common solar panel connectors so you can charge the unit using the sun out in the field.

The thing that helped me the most on this trip was the USB-C PD port. The power station was just the right size to fit on my folding table and not take up too much space, and with a two-ended USB-C cable, I was able to most efficiently power my laptop. Sure, you could use the AC ports and a home power adapter, but staying with DC-DC conversions helps avoid losses and make the battery last longer.

So, it was super easy to set up a portable office with an amazing view! From where I was sitting, at one of the higher peaks in New Mexico’s Sierra Blanca range, I could see deserts, great plains, and dozens of mountains. In fact, the mountain range lies on the edge of what’s geologically considered the edge of the Great Plains, dividing it from the more geologically active western United States. I could even see the lights of Roswell, New Mexico, and the distant plains that some say aliens (or a weather balloon, but that’s no fun) crashed on in 1947.

Form Factor & Weight

As I pointed out before, I had a much larger power station with me, but bigger isn’t always better. The MP500 is great because it doesn’t weigh much and has a built-in handle that folds out of the way. Folded, it has a nice square shape that’s easy to pack in the car on trips, but at the same time, it’s nice to be able to fold the handle out for easy carrying.

It’s also not a bad-looking power station. I’ve definitely reviewed some that were far uglier and cheap looking! This one has a nice yellow color scheme that fits in well with power tools, camping gear, and other things you might carry it along with.

Final Thoughts

The last thing I want to discuss is price. The power station is in line with the competition with a $500 price tag at Amazon. That puts it under $1 per watt-hour of storage and watt of maximum power output, which is pretty close to and even lower than what you see in the industry.

Given the decent looks, good usability, and some extra features (especially the light and wireless charging), it’s a decent value proposition. You can find it at the FJ Dynamics Store here.