
ZDNET's cardinal takeaways
- Twelve South's PlugBug is simply a partition charger optimized for iOS, offering autochthonal Find My support.
- It's particularly convenient for predominant flyers who are prone to misplacing their captious charging cables.
- The instrumentality is pricey but worthy it for its bulk, versatility, and convenience.
The PlugBug Travel 120W is presently connected merchantability for $96, which is $24 oregon 20% disconnected its archetypal terms of $120. The 50W, 2-port mentation is besides connected merchantability for $27 off.
On my archetypal travel abroad, 1 of my main concerns was purchasing partition adapters to complaint my iPhone and iPad in different countries. Once they arrived successful the mail, they were bulky, lacked capable wattage, and hardly acceptable successful my luggage. I mislaid 1 connected the archetypal time successful my hostel, and my hose besides mislaid 1 of my suitcases successful the process.
This month, I was capable to effort Twelve South's PlugBug Travel 120W, a partition charger with 4 USB-C ports that enactment successful astir immoderate state acknowledgment to its interchangeable partition adapters. However, its champion diagnostic is its built-in Find My compatibility, and it would've solved my charging overseas issues. Here's wherefore I'll ne'er question again without it.
Since I was a kid, I've ever misplaced my astir important items. I deliberation I suffer my telephone charger astatine slightest erstwhile a time due to the fact that I transportation it with maine each implicit the place. The archetypal clip I misplaced the PlugBug, I was easy capable to propulsion up the Find My app and ping it.
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You tin take from a 120W and 50W mentation of the PlugBug, and for $10 more, you tin acquisition planetary plug-ins. The 50W would beryllium cleanable for tiny spaces and arsenic a regular partition charger, portion the 120W configuration is much suitable for radical utilizing 1 adapter for larger devices that necessitate much power.
The PlugBug Travel comes with six antithetic partition adapters: the US, EU, UK, Australia, China, and Korea, and they are highly casual to interchange. The website statement says the adapters enactment successful up to 150 countries, truthful this partition charger is bully to spell nary substance your destination.
The 4 USB-C ports connected the bottommost of the partition plug.
The PlugBug itself has a precise sleek plan with a colour strategy agleam capable to drawback your oculus erstwhile successful a unreserved to battalion up your edifice room. It's colorful without being an eyesore, and I bask that.
Setting up the PlugBug was ace easy; each I had to bash was propulsion the tab from the artillery astatine the bottom, deed the link button, and past link it arsenic an point successful my Find My app. You past delegate it an emoji and a name, and statesman tracking from there.
Because it's compatible with Find My, the PlugBug tin treble arsenic an AirTag for checked luggage oregon idiosyncratic bags, if you're prone to misplacing your charger oregon mounting down your container and walking disconnected without it.
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However, the caveat is that you're beholden to Find My's tracking limitations. It is not ever precise, truthful making the instrumentality chime erstwhile it's mislaid is your champion bet. I volition accidental that the agleam reddish colour of the plug makes it easier to find successful clutter.
The 4 USB-C ports are spaced retired good and person an output of 120W. Technically, you tin complaint up to six devices with that magnitude of wattage. Therefore, my smaller devices, similar my iPhone and AirPods, complaint precise quickly. Bigger devices similar my MacBook instrumentality a small longer.
The lawsuit that comes with the PlugBug, positive its planetary outlets.
The charger comes with a lawsuit that fits snugly into your bag. The lawsuit tin beryllium a spot bulky, but it adds a protective furniture for your PlugBug erstwhile things inevitably get shuffled astir successful your luggage. There's besides a small compartment astatine the apical to store your cords in.
One happening I noticed astir the PlugBug is however dense it is. If you're sticking this successful your carry-on oregon a checked bag, it would decidedly interaction the value much than you privation it to. Therefore, erstwhile you plug it into the wall, it has to beryllium connected the bottommost outlet.
ZDNET's buying advice
Twelve South's PlugBug Travel 120W retails for $130, which is pricey for a partition charger. However, its convenience, bulk, and versatility marque it worthy the price. If you privation to effort retired a PlugBug but don't request 120W oregon the question upgrades, the PlugBug 50W retails for $70 and is inactive equipped with Find My.
If you're ever traveling and trying to complaint your devices, but tin ne'er find wherever you enactment your charging block, the Twelve South PlugBug is the instrumentality for you.