So what's up with these fancy phone chargers, in what look like energy drink cans, being promoted everywhere? Sure, appearance wise, they look about as high-end as a phone charger could, but you'd be forgiven for checking the price and thinking "Surely a mere charging cable, no matter how impressive, couldn't warrant the cost of a fancy lunch?". It's about time we cleared things up by answering the question: 'Is Tech Energi Actually Worth It?'
What's so special about Tech Energi?
We'll start by looking at the products themselves. What actually is it that differentiates a Tech Energi charger from the generic ones you'd buy in a store or on Amazon? Sure, they look nice, and the colour-coded connector LEDs are a refreshing touch, but the most noticeable difference is that they are metallic.
Metal charging cables are certainly unusual in the market, and there are a couple of reasons for this. The first is a simple matter of costs. Metal charging cables are more expensive to manufacture, and when most people don't think twice before grabbing the first charger they see with the right connector, sellers will often rather use make a cheaper product from fear of scaring away their customers.
Bear in mind that a generic cheap charging cable often won't come with data transfer capabilities. If you're comparing chargers, look to see which ones are proper data transfer cables, and which can only supply charge. For products that come with such a necessity, you may find prices begin to hike even for low-end models.
The second reason for why metal cables are so uncommon is a little less transparent. Put yourself in the shoes of a large retailer, or perhaps a wholesaler, or even a manufacturer. The more chargers you sell, the more profit you make. It's become almost an expectation that a phone charger will have a limited lifespan, sometimes very limited. They break, they bend, they overheat, or they wear out. Sometimes you get lucky and it lasts for longer... until they get lost, or 'borrowed', or stick around long enough to gradually get slower and slower without you realising.
For the seller, this isn't an issue that needs resolving. In fact, it's an assurance that they'll make more repeat sales. For buyers (that's you) this is far less than ideal. Not only are you at risk of being without a functioning charger when you need one, but the combined cost of buying replacements is more akin to an unpredictable and expensive subscription.
At this point, it's worth reconsidering if Tech Energi is actually more expensive for you. If their brand doesn't rely on this mischievous practice, then the conclusion might actually be that they are cheaper in the longrun. As such, this brings us to our final question. Is Tech Energi actually any good?
Is Tech Energi actually good?
So Yes. We've touched on the colour-coded connector LEDs, and you've probably had the term 'SuperFast Charging & Data Transfer' forced down your throat a million times, though it should be noted that sellers can't just put 'SuperFast' on their product as a hollow buzzword. And even if they could, Tech Energi's idea of 'SuperFast' certainly fulfills its promise. And why wouldn't it? If you were going to build and price a cable as 'Luxury Grade', it wouldn't make much sense to cheap out when it comes to the product's primary function.
For Lightning cables, Tech Energi also emphasises that their products are MFi-certified, requiring specific certification from Apple approving that their products meet the requirements necessary to be declared 'Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod'. This isn't something you will see on standard chargers. Moreover, it's not uncommon for suppliers to falsely display MFi certification on their products, so always be sceptical.
But let's talk about lifespan, which as we've established, ought to be the real cost-saving decider. Metallic cables aren't just a gimmick that feel nicer in your hands. They really are just much, much, MUCH more durable, with the added and often overlooked bonus of being anti-tangle. The cables' segmented design means you can fold them, wrap them, or even tie them up to no end, and they'll just spring out of any knots you put them in and without accruing wear. This is even more handy when you've got multiple cables in close proximity.
There is evidently a degree of truth to the claim that Tech Energi is "made for life". Tech Energi is so sure of it in fact, that despite their high cost, all products can be registered for a FREE lifetime warranty. Tech Energi have trust in their products and are willing to put their money on the line to prove it.
Conclusion: So is Tech Energi worth the cost?
Yes. Like with all purchases, Tech Energi is an investment, but it's a good one. Maybe you've convinced yourself that your current phone charger will last for the rest of your life, but perhaps you'll soon reconsider continuing the cycle of wearing, breaking, and slow chargers. Or maybe you'll just decide to purchase a Tech Energi charger now to avoid a bad time, with the bonus of receiving the benefits of a solid product earlier. Either way, considering all products come with a free lifetime warranty, it's a practically risk-free purchase.