Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank review: Convenience at a price

As things are opening again and I've been able to go back to Disneyland regularly, my need for a portable power bank has increased in the last few months. While I have always had a few different ones on hand, I don't have many all-in-one mobile options when I need to charge more than just my favorite iPhone. Yes, I'm talking about a portable charger for my best Apple Watch as well.

While my iPhone 13 Pro has had incredible battery life, the battery on my Series 5 has been less so. So if I've already done some workouts throughout the day, my Series 5 will only have about 30% battery (or less) by the evening, which is when we like to go to Disneyland for a few hours. And you know, there's going to be a lot of walking involved when it comes to a place like Disney, so I want to make sure that my Apple Watch can make it through the night.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to check out the Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank, and it's become one of my preferred external battery packs to take with me to the parks and pretty much any other extended trip away from home.

Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank: Price and availability

You can find the Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank on Amazon and direct from Satechi's website. Unfortunately, it is only available in black, and it costs $100. Since this is a pricey little power bank, it could be worth keeping an eye on for upcoming Black Friday deals.

Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank: It's all about that convenience

Even though I've gone through quite a few battery packs from the last several years, they always felt the same with the usual plastic body and typically two ports for charging. Nothing really got me excited about battery packs until I saw the Satechi Quatro.

The Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank stood out to me because it's one of the few battery packs I've seen that directly integrates an Apple Watch charging puck. Not only that, but it does Qi-compatible wireless charging, though the output only seems to be 5W, and it also has a USB-C and USB-A port, which charge at 18W fast charging and 12W, respectively. This means you can theoretically charge up to four devices simultaneously with the Satechi Quatro. Not too shabby, right?

The surface of the Satechi Quatro features a soft-touch matte black finish, while the edges are more of a glossy, chrome-like finish. On the top surface, you'll see the "SATECHI" logo, with the white Apple Watch charging disc to the left of it. Off to the side, you'll find status indicating LED lights, as well as a USB-C and USB-A port. On the longer edge, you'll have a button that turns the Quatro on and off with a single press. If you double press the button, it will activate the Apple Watch charger and wireless charging — a blue LED will indicate that the wireless charging is on. It turns orange when a device is using wireless charging.

Since the capacity of the Satechi Quatro is only 10000mAh, it doesn't take longer than a couple of hours to fully juice it up. The Apple Watch charger will charge your Watch at 2.5W output, and the wireless Qi-charging component caps out at 5W. So while the wireless charging is convenient, you'll still need to consider that wireless charging also generates more heat, which becomes wasted energy. I would still recommend charging up your iPhones with a cable, but the Apple Watch and AirPods are fine with wireless charging.

If you choose to use the USB-C port, you can get a max output of 18W fast charging for a supported iPhone, and this can also be used to give a bit extra juice for your iPad or even a laptop (though it may be fairly slow). The standard USB-A caps out at 12W output.

I did not have issues with getting about 50% charge on an iPhone in about 30 minutes with the fast charging. However, the main reason I like the Satechi Quatro is because of the Apple Watch charger — even though it's slower than the usual Apple Watch charger, I enjoy the fact that I'm able to charge my Apple Watch anywhere besides at home. For example, I got almost half a charge on my Series 5 while eating dinner at Disneyland in the evening, so that's a win in my book.

Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank: It's pricey for just 10000mAh

As much as I'm enjoying the Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank, I must admit that the price is a tough sell. After all, this is a 10000mAh capacity power bank that's $100 — it's not cheap. You could get several 10000mAh external batteries from other competitors for that price, to be honest. However, I think the big upsell on the Quatro is that it can also charge your Apple Watch, but whether that's worth the premium price point is up to you and how much you need it.

I also don't necessarily like the finish on the Quatro itself. The matte black surface easily attracts fingerprints and smudges, and even though you could wipe it away, traces of it remain after the fact. And the glossy edges are prone to fingerprints as well but slightly easier to wipe away. I'm also a bit surprised that it does not come with a drawstring pouch for storage (like other power banks I have). After all, this is a $100 battery pack — I've gotten drawstring pouches or carrying cases for many less expensive power banks that don't get as dirty either.

Since the Quatro does not have magnetic alignment, it can be a little hard to find the sweet spot for wireless charging. The fact that the edges are also curved does not help because a slight bump on the device can move it so that it is no longer aligned and charging. It would be nice to see Satechi add some magnetic ring to make it easier, especially with MagSafe devices. Also, note that wireless charging tops out at 5W — you can find other wireless charging power banks with faster output.

Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank: Competition

Even though the market is saturated with external battery packs, it seems that there aren't many of those that can also have wireless charging capabilities as well as Apple Watch charging. Finally, however, there is the ElevationLab Battery Pro, which is capable of topping off your Apple Watch and iPhone with high-speed USB out, all in a convenient, small package. It also has a strap to secure the Apple Watch to the battery pack when charging so that you can stow it away in your bag as it tops off. Unfortunately, however, the Battery Pro only has 8000mAh total, which is less capacity than Satechi, and it's also $100.

Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank: Should you buy it?

• You like having the convenience
• You want a battery pack that can charge Apple Watch
• You prefer premium accessories

• You don't need to charge Apple Watch on-the-go
• You want a bigger capacity battery
• You are on a budget

If you've been looking for a portable power bank that not only has your typical USB-C and USB-A ports but can also wireless charge an iPhone or AirPods, as well as your Apple Watch, then the Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank is a great option. It's a premium battery pack that looks elegant and high-end and is an excellent addition to any mobile kit.

However, there's no denying it — the Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank is expensive, especially for a 10000mAh battery pack. But the high price tag is for the convenience of simultaneously charging four devices, including an Apple Watch, which you don't typically see very often. But if you get this power bank, be warned — the matte black surface and glossy edges are total fingerprints and smudge magnets, and there is no drawstring pouch to carry it in, oddly enough.