Reviews – Page 227

Huawei Mate 10 Pro review

So far, 2018 has been a gut punch for Huawei. Huawei is the 2nd largest phone maker in the world, and they were all set to finally make their big splash here in the US, but then AT&T pulled out of a partnership deal and then US intelligence agencies sent out a warning that Americans should not buy phones from Huawei (and ZTE) because of fears that these Chinese companies are a cybersecurity threat for stealing information. To answer this, Huawei says:

“Huawei is aware of a range of U.S. government activities seemingly aimed at inhibiting Huawei’s business in the U.S. market. Huawei is trusted by governments and customers in 170 countries worldwide and poses no greater cybersecurity risk than any ICT vendor, sharing as we do common global supply chains and production capabilities. We are committed to openness and transparency in everything we do. Ultimately, Huawei will continue to develop its global business through a significant commitment to innovation and R&D and to delivering technology that helps our customers succeed in all markets that value the innovation and value it delivers.”

At the time of this writing, there hasn’t been any hard evidence to back up the government’s claims that Huawei or ZTE are spying on us. I’m not going to tell you to buy or not buy Huawei phones and I’m not going to talk politics either because that’s not what we do here on The Gadgeteer. I’m just here to review this phone. So let’s get started.

What is it?

The Mate 10 Pro is Chinese technology giant Huawei’s latest flagship Android smartphone with the build quality and features that have been set to compete with other high-end phones from Apple, Samsung, etc.

Hardware specifications

Processor: HUAWEI Kirin 970
Octa-core CPU (4 x Cortex A73 2.36 GHz+4 x Cortex A53 1.8 GHz)+i7 co-processor, Mali-G72 MP12 GPU
NPU: Neural Network Processing Unit
Operating System: Android 8
Memory: 6 GB RAM+128 GB ROM
Display: 6in 2160 x 1080 pixels, 402 ppi OLED Display
Network: Carrier unlocked 4G LTE TDD: B39
4G LTE FDD: B1/B2/B3/B4/B5/B7/B8/B12/B14/B18/B20/B28/B29/B30/B66
LAA Band: B46
3G WCDMA: B1/B2/B4/B5/B8
2G GSM: B2/B3/B5/B8 (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)
Camera (rear): 20 MP Monochrome+12 MP RGB, f/1.6
Camera (front): 8 MP FF, f/2.0
Connectivity:
Bluetooth: BT4.2, support BLE
WiFi: Wi-Fi 2.4 G/5 G, 802.11a/b/g/n/ac with Wi-Fi Direct support
DisplayPort 1.2
NFC: yes
Positioning: GPS/Glonass/BDS
Battery: 4000 mAh
Dimensions: 154.2mm X 74.5mm X 7.9mm
Weight: 178 grams
Water and Dust Resistant IP67 under IEC standard 60529

What’s in the box?

Mate 10 Pro smartphone
USB-C Earphones
AC Charger
USB-C Cable
USB-C to 3.5 mm Headphone Jack Adapter
Flexible Clear Case
Quick Start Guide
Eject tool

Design and features

When I first opened the box and saw the pretty Midnight Blue phone, I was like ooooh, it’s so pretty! For those of you who are adverse to color, the Mate 10 Pro is also available in Diamond Black and Titanium Gray.

The front of the phone is all screen except for narrow bezels along the top and bottom edges. At the top edge is a front firing speaker that has an ambient light sensor on one side and the front-facing camera on the other side. To the left of the ambient light sensor is a tiny status LED that lights up when the phone is charging and when notifications come in.

The back of the phone has dual camera Leica lenses, an LED flash, and a fingerprint sensor.

The phone’s back is made of glass with a finish that is slick and shiny. That means that it’s a magnet for fingerprints and smudges and is slippery as heck. But in what is a first for modern smartphones, I was surprised to find that the Mate 10 Pro ships with a clear silicone case included in the box. That’s a nice touch as you will be able to protect your shiny new phone as soon as you take it out of the box.

Another equally nice touch is a pre-installed screen protector. Again, I was surprised that Huawei included this with the phone, but it’s a welcome “freebie”. Especially since it’s been installed perfectly with no bubbles or dust to be seen.

On the left side of the phone, you’ll find the SIM card slot, but it doesn’t have an area for a micro SD card.

On the opposite side, you’ll find the power button and volume rocker button. Both buttons are nicely raised so you can find them with your finger and both have excellent tactile feedback. Like the Essential Phone PH-1, the power button is located below the volume button instead of above it, but unlike the Essential, I didn’t find that I had any problems pressing the wrong button.

The top edge of the phone has a speaker and an IR blaster so that you can use your phone as a universal remote control for your TV and other equipment.

On the bottom edge, you’ll find more microphones, a USB Type-C charging port and a downward firing speaker.

The Mate 10 Pro looks and feels like what you would expect from a high-end flagship phone. It’s solidly made with rounded sides and a smooth rounded back for a comfortable feel. The Mate 10 Pro had no problems surviving my rigorous Gadgeteer squeeze test without rattling, flexing, or creaking.

Display

The Mate 10 Pro’s 6-inch OLED display is lovely to look at. It’s bright, crisp, and clear. Unlike other screens like the one on my Pixel 2 XL, the screen doesn’t have a blue tint when you look at it from any angle other than straight on. Even with the brightness level set to 50%, the Mate 10 Pro’s screen is really comfortable to view.

I mentioned earlier about the status LED and the screen protector. The image above shows both. Yes, that tiny yellow dot at the top is the LED.

Fingerprint reader

For those of you who like to read my phone reviews, you might remember that I’m always complaining about fingerprint scanners because they almost never work for me. I say almost because the Pixel 2 XL’s fingerprint scanner is the first one to work for me 99% of the time. All other phones work for the first day after I set up my fingerprint and then they stop until I reprogram it. Then it stops again within a day. Rinse and repeat. Guess what though? The Huawei works for me too and I would say that it might work even better and faster than the Pixel 2’s! It seems to unlock as soon as my finger gets close to the scanner.

Camera

With Leica lenses, you would expect the Mate 10 Pro’s camera to be impressive and it doesn’t disappoint. This phone is a capable shooter. It’s blazing fast at capturing impromptu shots with a double click of the volume down button. It even shows off how fast it is by displaying the speed it took to wake and snap a picture, which if you’re curious is less than a second every time I’ve tried it.

I’m not going to pretend to be a professional photographer, but from the pictures I’ve taken with this phone, I’ve found that the colors seem true to life and sharp, even in low light. It’s even really good at taking macro shots.

Audio quality

Although you probably won’t want to listen to your favorite tunes through the phone’s speakers, you won’t be put off by their audio quality if you do. Music and other media audio sound really good. Audio quality is even better if you use the included 3.5mm to USB Type-C adapter with your favorite wired headphones.

Using the Huawei Mate 10 Pro for phone calls

During my 2 weeks using the Mate 10 Pro, I’ve had no issues making and receiving calls with this phone on the T-mobile network and have felt that the volume level on both sides of the conversation has been just fine.

Software and user interface

The Mate 10 Pro ships with Android v8.0 and Huawei’s own skin over stock Android that’s called EMUI. EMUI doesn’t make Android look that much different, but it does add extra features like the ability to take screenshots by knocking twice on the screen with your knuckle. You can also knock once and then draw an S to take a scrolling screenshot for really long pages. There’s even a built-in tool to record a screencast.

Other features included in the EMUI includes a special button that you can add anywhere on the screen that improves one-handed use. Tapping the button goes back to the home screen, and holding the button and sliding to the right goes to the previous app while holding the button and sliding to the left pulls up all the open apps.

The are other gestures that you can use to show apps in a split-screen view and you can launch apps by drawing a letter with your knuckle.

The phone even has its own very basic built-in assistant called Emy that you can use to make and answer calls.

I like some of the gestures, especially the screenshot gestures, but one thing I don’t like about the Mate 10 Pro is the software bundle. Instead of sticking with stock Google apps for the core set of programs like contacts, calculator, messages, calendar, etc, Huawei has included their own versions of these apps. Blah… I’m not saying their versions of these core apps are bad, but they are a waste of space for me because I like to stick with stock Google apps. Even more disappointing is that you can’t uninstall or hide the Huawei apps from the app list.

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro does have another trick up its sleeve. You can connect it to a large screen via HDMI and experience a desktop computer look and feel that reminds me of the Samsung DeX Station without having to buy a special dock. All you’ll need is an HDMI cable with a USB Type-C connector on the other end or a USB Type-C to HDMI adapter. I already had a cable and an adapter, so all I had to do was connect the Type-C connector to the Mate 10 Pro and the other end to my Hisense 65″ TV.

The large screen TV shows a full-screen Android desktop with a taskbar at the bottom and icons on the left side. Can’t you see the icons on the left side? Yeah, me neither. That’s the problem. A problem that I wasn’t able to resolve by changing the resolution on the phone or the format of the TV. Actually, switching the TV to 4:3 format, did allow me to see part of the icons, but ick. This feature would be really cool – if it worked. *I’ll update the review when I hear back from Huawei if there’s a fix for this problem*

Overall performance and battery life using the Huawei Mate 10 Pro for day to day tasks

This phone has a 4000mAh battery that keeps it running for a full day of medium to heavy use, with lots of juice to spare. I never saw a low battery warning and when I did recharge, it was topped off very quickly due to Huawei’s SuperCharge technology which gives you a full day of power on a 20-minute charge.

What I like

Comes with a case and pre-installed screen protector
Terrific camera that’s blazing fast
Great battery life
Unlocked for use on GSM carriers like T-Mobile and AT&T

What needs to be improved

Bloatware
No wireless charging even though the phone has a glass back

Final thoughts

I wasn’t expecting to like the Huawei as much as I do. Except for wireless charging, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a microSD card slot, this phone has pretty much every other feature you’d expect in a premium phone. The Mate 10 Pro is a quality phone and it’s a shame that it probably won’t get a lot of traction here in the US due to government warnings not to buy it and the fact that none of the major carriers are going to sell it. However, you can buy one from online shops like Amazon and Best Buy.

Price: $799.99
Where to buy: Amazon and Best Buy
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Huawei.

ARCHEER Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver review

The ARCHEER Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver can transmit Bluetooth signals from non-Bluetooth audio sources and receive Bluetooth radio and generate a wired output signal. Items like this have become fairly common, but this one has audio controls and S/PDIF. Read on to see what I think!

What is it?

The ARCHEER Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver is a battery powered gadget that operates in two ways. As a transmitter, it streams audio that it is connected to by RCA connection, 3.5mm audio cable or TOSLINK over Bluetooth. The transmitter may mute or adjust the volume of the transmitted signal. Also, the transmitter may connect with two Bluetooth headphones or speakers at once two allow two sets of headphones or speakers to play the music. As a receiver, it converts a Bluetooth audio signal into a signal which may be conveyed to audio equipment using RCA connection, 3.5mm audio cable or TOSLINK. The receiver includes the AVRCP service, which allows the unit to communicate with the transmitting equipment to adjust volume, play or pause the music signal, and skip to the next and previous song. The unit can operate using the aptx and aptx Low Latency standards if both source and sink equipment support this protocol.

What’s in the box?

ARCHEER Bluetooth 4.1 Transmitter and Receiver
3.5mm Audio Cable
Optical Digital Cable
USB Charging Cable
3.5mm Female to 2 RCA Male Cable
User Manual

Design and features

Specifications

Bluetooth Version: V4.1
Playing Time: 19 hours
Bluetooth transmission range: up to 10 meters (33 feet).
Battery Capacity: 450mAh
Operating Voltage: DC 5.0V
Size: 2 3/8″ x 2 3/8″ x about 7/8″
Weight: 43 gm

Unboxing

The BT-07 comes in a fairly standard black corrugated cardboard box. It had a hastily applied barcode sticker on the side. I’m unsure if this is from Amazon or from the manufacturer but it definitely detracts from the overall first impression. The inclusion of all three cables: a 3.5mm cable, RCA cables, and TOSLINK is a definite plus. The package also includes a micro USB cable for charging the unit but no AC adapter. The included instructions are in the English language only.

Design

The BT-07 is bigger than some other gadgets that perform a similar function, but the other types of units do not have the AVRCP capabilities that this unit has and also do not have the larger TOSLINK ports. The size of the TOSLINK port increases the minimum thickness of the unit and creating a device with an acceptable UI also adds to the units dimensions. The aesthetic of the top of the unit creates some confusion since it so closely resembles the style of the iPod. The ringed area on the top of the unit is fixed and not a button. The area inside of the ring is a button as is the area to the front, left and right. At first i was pressing the front left and right of the ring and wondering why the unit was not responding.

All of the input/output jacks and power supply are on the rear. On the left side is the AUX/SPDIF switch and on the right side is the RX/TX selector switch. Once the unit is set up the switches on either side shouldn’t need to be routinely operated. The frequently used operating functions are accessible from the top and makes this easy to use and position with the rest of the audio/video equipment that it is connected to as a transmitter, or place close by if it is a receiver going to a set of wired headphones.

The bottom has a ring of rubber to act as a foot and keeps the unit from moving around when presses to the top are made.

Operation

The unit is actually 4 items in one: A 3.5mm audio receiver, 3.5mm audio transmitter, SPDIF receiver, and SPDIF transmitter. The selection of what functions you prefer need to be made before powering on the unit. The unit is powered on and off by a long press of the center of the top (where it is labeled ARCHEER). The LED in front will glow blue for a receiver and green for a transmitter. Most buttons have separate short and long press functions that will cause the LED in front to behave in different ways. I have included the operating manual here for explanation of the various functions. It would be more convenient if the LED was on top of the unit. There is audio feedback output to the connected device if the unit is operating as a receiver. A series of tones and beeps indicate what mode the unit is operating in. It would be better still if there was a small speaker inside the unit so this same feedback could be provided when the unit is operating as a transmitter.

The unit functioned as intended in each operating mode. As a 3.5mm receiver I used it to send a signal transmitted from by phone by Bluetooth to my headphones using a 3.5mm cable. I wasn’t able to test the unit as a SPDIF receiver as I have no digital inputs i can connect the unit to. As a 3.5mm and SPDIF transmitter I was able to connect the unit to the TV and listen with my headphones over Bluetooth. I was also able to connect to two headphones simultaneously and listen to the TV.

Performance

There was more latency with the ARCHEER than with the wired connection to earbuds or with a native Bluetooth connection to the laptop but this is barely noticable if not paying specific attention to the way that speech syncs with an actors lips. The latency with two headphones connected is a bit longer and noticeable but it’s still not uncomfortable to watch. The signal to each of the two headphones was slightly out of phase, so while this could be used to power two Bluetooth loudspeakers, this may not give the best audio quality.

The claimed range of the unit is 10 meters and It worked to about 100 ft when acting as a transmitter to my Plantronics B8200 headphones and about 70 ft when working as a receiver to my (wired) headphones from a Dell Latitude E7240 outside and line-of-sight. In both cases the range exceeds the stated tolerance.

The battery lasted for about 19 hours playing the radio at a reasonable volume and took about three and a half hours to charge from a self-imposed low power shut down to full.

What I like

S/PDIF ports
AVRCP capable
aptx compliant
Long lasting battery
Excellent range
Low latency in single pair mode (aptx Low Latency)

What needs to be improved

User interface feedback
Indication on unit of what each long/short button press achieves
better location for LED indicator

Final thoughts

The ARCHEER BT-07 is a feature rich Bluetooth audio receiver/transmitter. With the large variety of input and output options it should be able to meet any Bluetooth challenge it faces.

Price: $32.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by ARCHEER.

FIIL DRIIFTER Bluetooth neckband in-ear headphones review

Bluetooth headphones have come a long way in the last few years. With the transmitter requiring just a small trickle of energy, power cells have been whittled down to unnoticeable sizes. Wires are out, all-day battery life is in, and the lightweight DRIIFTER headphones by FIIL are a solid, great-sounding combination of both.

What is it?

The phonetically-creative FIIL DRIIFTER is a lightweight behind the neck set of headphones designed for all-day wear without becoming a hindrance. The earbuds feature magnets that clasp together on your chest when they are not being used, forming a sort of lanyard approach. The feel nearly identical to the BeatsX earbuds I reviewed last year, so much so that one could easily confuse the two at first glance.

Hardware specs

Extremely lightweight
Extended-range Bluetooth technology
Sweat, dust and water resistant for any weather or sport
KINETIIC Tangle-free necklace mode with a start-stop feature
Multi-device pairing
Full-function cable and wireless voice call technology
Up to 11 hours continuous listening between charges

What’s in the box?

DRIIFTER headphones
Micro-USB charging cable
3 sizes of earbuds

Design and Features

When I opened up the DRIIFTER headphones, the similarities to the BeatsX headphones that I use at work every day were staggering. They rest behind your neck like a lanyard, have magnetic clasps on the earbuds that form a closed loop, and even have a volume control and call answer button on one cord.

Power/answer button, volume controls and the USB port covered by a rubber cap.

I don’t want to make this entire review about how these two headphones differ, but just for those keeping score, the DRIIFTER is charged by micro USB, while the BeatsX have a Lightning port, and the BeatsX are connected via Apple’s W1 Bluetooth chip instead of Bluetooth 4. What’s the difference? Not a whole lot. It comes down to what sort of cables you have on hand, and most people, it seems, have both lying around, unless you’re staunchly in the Android camp.

That aside, I really like the design of the DRIIFTER. The weight is light enough to forget about. They stay out of the way and deliver long-lasting power. And they look fairly unassuming and wouldn’t call them flashy or attention-grabbing, but sometimes that’s exactly what you need.

Setup

Charging the headphones is quick and easy… you just plug in the USB micro adapter into the slot and let it do its thing for a few hours. The red LED goes off when it’s fully charged. And if you’ve ever set up a Bluetooth device, you know what you’re in for. A simple long-press puts the headphones into pairing mode and they show up on the Bluetooth sync screen. A quick tap and you’re all set.

Performance

The sound quality and volume that I was able to get out of these headphones were exceptional. I think they had a clearer sound than my BeatsX, the only other headphones I had to compare them with. It’s not like Beats are the end-all of portable audio, but I was impressed that the DRIIFTER buds could punch in their weight class.

Ideal for all-day music and podcasts at your desk!

I had a bit of difficulty getting a good seal with the largest earbud size, but that’s the sort of thing that will vary widely between users. There are three earbud sizes, so one of them will likely fit. You will need a good seal, though, as in-ear headphones rely on that for the best sound, using the natural acoustics in your ears and head.

They’re perfectly suited for the office or the gym, though I would caution against using them in a situation where you need to be audibly aware of your surrounding, like biking in city traffic. They really do block a lot of outside sounds.

One small bug I ran across was the play/pause button didn’t seem to work when using it with several music apps on both my computer and my phone. I can’t say I ever got it to actually stop or start any music, so perhaps that button is more reserved for picking up a phone call, which does work. The attached mic seems fine for voice calls.

What I like

Lightweight and comfortable
Magnetic clasps
Sounds great for the price range

What needs to be improved

Play/Pause button didn’t seem to work with all music apps
There are a lot of options out there for less expensive, similar headphones

Final thoughts

Outside of having great sound quality and a long-lasting battery, the DRIIFTER is about as basic as they come. They’re good. Yes. However, a quick Amazon search for Bluetooth headphones presents a mile-long list of less expensive options that look very similar on paper.

Price: $99.99
Where to buy: You can buy the DRIIFTER in black or matte red by ordering on their website or Amazon.
Source: The sample of this product was provided by FIIL. Visit their website for more information.

Tronsmart U5TF Titan Plus 90W 5 Ports USB Desktop Charger review

If you are like me, you have a multitude of gadgets that need charging. And inevitably they all need charging at the same time, right? And most of your gadgets don’t come with power adapters anymore, right? And even if they did you probably couldn’t plug them up all at the same time in the same room, right? That’s where the Tronsmart desktop charger comes in. Charge 5 devices at the same time, all of them at their fastest possible charge rate. So for a device that costs approximately $27, how does it perform? Let’s find out.

What is it?

It is a 5-port desktop charger that allows you to plug up any USB-charging device and it will provide the maximum amount of charging output that your device allows.

Hardware specs

Model: U5TF
Technology: Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 & VoltiQ & Huawei FCP (Backward compatible with QC 1.0 and 2.0 Technology)
Input: AC 100-240V, 50-60HZ, 2.4A (Max)
Output: Max 5-6.5V/3A, 6.5-9V/2A, 9-12V/1.5A; 5V/2.4A
Total Power: 90W
Size: Approx. 6.25 in x 3 in x 1 in
Weight: 10.5 oz
Certifications: CE, FCC, RoHS

What’s in the box with the Tronsmart?

1 x Desktop charger
1 x AC power cable
1 x User manual
1 x VoltiQ card
1 x Warranty Card Design and features

Design and function

The Tronsmart desktop charger is a little larger than some of the other desktop charging hubs than I currently own. But it is the only one that I own that truly provides the maximum charging speed for every device. It does indeed deliver on that promise. It has a switch on the back to turn it on. I know this because when I first took it out of the box and plugged it up to try it, I plugged in one of my devices and walked away to do something around the house and came back later to realize that I never turned it on with the switch on the back. It would be nice if it automatically started charging when you plugged something up, but that’s not a deal breaker for me now that I know to look for the little indicator light on the top of the charger that indicates it is turned on. Smart.

What I like

Great price
Very light
It does indeed provide the maximum charging speed for every device

What needs to be improved

A little larger than other desktop chargers
You have to remember to switch it on

Final thoughts

For the price and performance, I really can’t find anything to complain about with the Tronsmart 5-port desktop charger. It does exactly what it purports to do and it has a simple, clean design. This is a much cleaner and smarter way to charge multiple devices at your desk than using one of those ugly power strips or trying to decide which devices to plug up to those valuable outlets in the wall. I highly recommend this device.

Price: $29.74
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Tronsmart

Audew 12V DC Digital Tire Inflator / Air Compressor review

Think about the trunk of your car. What have you got in there to help you out in case of an emergency? Spare tire? Sure. Jumper cables? Nice. Maybe you’ve even got a road flare or some water bottles. But what if that spare of yours is flat, too? You may be missing an often overlooked but equally important element of roadside preparedness – a portable air compressor. Audew is here to fill that void with their small-yet-mighty Digital Tire Inflator.

What is it?

The Audew Digital Tire Inflator is a small air compressor that is powered by the automobile’s 12V DC outlet (cigarette lighter). It’s ideal for cars, bikes, motorcycles, RVs, SUVs, ATVs and trucks… basically anything with a tire. Also, sports equipment and inflatables adaptors are included, further extending its usefulness.

Built-in LED light right on the case, which is really handy.

Hardware specs

Product power: 120W
Operating voltage: DC12V
Maximum operating current: 10A
Maximum pressure: 150 PSI
Flow: 35 PSI / min
Power cord length: 3M
Continuous working time: 8 min

Everything you need in a nice, compact package.

What’s in the box?

tire inflator with built-in 3-meter power cord
multiple nozzles for air mattresses and sports balls
instruction booklet
extra fuse
carrying bag

Design and Features

What I liked best about the Audew air compressor was the fact that it had everything necessary to complete a regular tire fill on board. No hunting for the adapter cable, tire pressure gauge, or the nozzle. It’s all right there. It even includes a backlit display and a bright LED light on the side of the case, which is super-handy for finding those tire stems in a dark parking lot or roadside.

The built-in DC cable is 3 meters long, which should be long enough to easily reach every tire on an average vehicle. I didn’t get a chance to test if it would be long enough to reach, say the back tire of an extended cab truck, but I imagine it would do the trick.

It comes with extra nozzles for filling up air mattresses or sports balls, which is a nice inclusion, but you’re going to have to be right next to your car in order to do so, which is a very minor problem.

Living in an area of the country that sees wide shifts in temperature from day to day, it’s not surprising how often my car gives me those “low pressure” alerts. And since free air dispensers seem to be getting increasingly hard to find – most are like $1.50 for a few minutes of runtime – it’s super handy to simply pop this thing out of my trunk and pump up those tires to a proper air pressure.

Setup

Since all of the required cables, hoses, and nozzles are built into the compressor unit, setup is a snap. Simply plug the adapter into the outlet and LED lights on the compressor come on. Anyone who’s ever used a bike pump would be familiar with the clamp-type nozzle… just push the nozzle over the stem, fold down the clamp and you’ve got yourself a secure connection.

I’m sure you’ve used one of these on your bike at some point. Same story.

The LED on the unit should display the current pressure. In the instance of my tire, it was at 27 PSI.

All that needs to be done from there is to use the + or – buttons on the compressor unit to set the target PSI, and then flip the switch. The compressor roars to life and fills the tire to the set pressure and shuts off. That’s literally all there is to it.

Backlit LCD display for easy reading in the dark.

If you don’t happen to have your tire’s optimum PSI, that information is usually printed on the inside of the car door, or in your car’s manual.

Performance

The compressor seemed to be comparable to one you would find at a gas station, in terms of how quickly it inflated my tire. I saw the pressure increase half a PSI unit every 8-10 seconds. Total time to get the tire inflated to the desired pressure was a little over a minute. It works just like you’d imagine.

What I like

all-in-one, compact format
easy to use
lit display and built-in LED flashlight

What needs to be improved

must be within 3 meters of the DC outlet

Final thoughts

Audew’s diminutive air compressor is the perfect size to keep in the trunk right next to your jumper cables and extra windshield wiper fluid for those “just-in-case” scenarios. It’s inexpensive, simple to use, feature-rich, and all the necessary parts are built right in. You really can’t go wrong.

Price: $36.99
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided by Audew.