We’ve been eyeballing this handy solar bag for some time. It comes with battery packs to store energy, holding enough for a full laptop battery charge. It is also large enough to hold a 17” laptop inside.
Power: This is on the more powerful end, generating up to 15 watts. It takes about a day of charging, though.
Portability: The Generator is the essence of portability because it is, in fact, a bag. It is made of recycled PET, which makes it water resistant and light weight – though the bag still is 4.5 pounds. Add to that the weight of a laptop and that’s a fairly hefty load.
Price: A tag of $599 puts it on par with other solar chargers. Given that it is also a handy carrying case, the price tag looks a bit more attractive.
Sunshine Solar Briefcase Charger Amorphous 13 Watt
This charger offers a briefcase style, but doesn’t double as a briefcase. We talked about it a few years ago, and the fact that it’s still around says something for its functionality.
Power: Offering 13 watts, this isn’t the most powerful of options, though it is enough to extend the battery time of a laptop while in use.
Portability: While it is shaped like a briefcase, it doesn’t carry like one. Rather, it weighs a hefty 9.25 pounds, putting a damper on running around with one during the day. Yet, portability is relative – perhaps you’re looking for something to help you out while on a cruise or a remote area, and won’t need to be carrying it much. So, the compact size (20.5” x 13” x 1.5” is a nice, small size to cart around.
Price: This charger is surprisingly inexpensive, coming in at about $160, though it is on sale for $90 through October 27th. However, there’s a selection of accessories, like a charge regulator ($30), a four-panel connector cable ($18) and others that can bring up the total cost of the system. Still, it is relatively very cheap.
