The other day, I showed off a handy USB-C cable with a built-in power meter. This cable is convenient for quickly diagnosing if a charger or device is not functioning correctly. But the information it offers up is quite basic.
For those who need more information, they will need a more versatile USB-C power meter.
Enter the MakerHawk Type-C tester.
I’ve had a number of USB testers over the years, and I’ve recently added this to my toolbox because it caters to modern high-power chargers.
MakerHawk Type-C tester
- Voltage: 4-30V
- Current: 0-5A
- Capacity range: 0-999999mAh
- Energy range: 0-999999mAh
- Timer: 0-99 hours
- Power: 0-150W
- Charging resistance: 0-999.9 Ohms
- Inner temperature: 0-80ºC
- Data voltage: 0-10V
I like that the power range of this meter goes up to 150W because this easily covers modern 100W USB-C chargers. (A number of my older USB-C meters didn’t do this.)
Having a ceiling of 150W also means that this meter can work with Apple’s new 140W USB-C MagSafe chargers for the M1 MacBook Pro laptops).
I really like this meter because it’s small and there’s only one button. It’s simple to use –compared to some meters that are needlessly complicated.
I also like the clear, colorful LCD display that shows me everything I need to see without having to page through endless screens. Some people might find the text on the small side, so it might be worth bearing that in mind.
I’ve tested the accuracy of the meter, and the error range seems to be well below 5%, which — for me — is perfectly acceptable.
And finally, let’s come to the price. You get all this for $17.
For that price, you can’t go wrong.
