Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 Review: Smart, Efficient Power Station
The PowerRoam 1200 is the new mid-range power station from Ugreen with plenty of power in its reserves. The neat Ugreen app keeps you up to date on the power station's status while offering plenty of setting options at your disposal. Read all of NextPit's impressions concerning Ugreen's PowerRoam 1200 in this review.
Good
- Rubber covers offer protection for its numerous ports
- Clear display
- LiFePO4 battery used
- Comprehensive Ugreen app
- Very quiet when in use
- UPS functionality
Bad
- The carrying handle does not fold in
- Expensive
The Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 in a nutshell
The Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 is a compact and powerful power station with a convenient carrying handle. It only becomes unwieldy when you need to stow it. The power station comes with numerous connections that are protected by rubber covers. Apart from a UPS function, it also features pass-through charging.
The display will detail all the relevant information at a glance, and you can use the Ugreen app to keep an eye on the Powerstation. At $999 a pop, this power station offers quite the performance for its price.
If you hurry, you can still save a lot of money in May. With the Amazon coupon, you can get the Powerstation for $999. The other alternative is to buy the PowerRoam 1200 directly from Ugreen, where there is a 15% discount.
Design and connections
The Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 is a compact power station with many different ports. All of its ports are protected by a cover, and the legible display keeps you constantly informed about how the battery is doing, including both input and output power.
What I liked:
- Comparably lightweight power station.
- Simple design.
- Comfortable carrying handle.
- Ports are protected with covers.
What I disliked:
- The carrying handle cannot be folded in.
When I opened the box, the first thought that came to my mind was, "Huh, what's a jukebox doing here?" The Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 is a robustly constructed power station. Items included in the delivery were kept simple. First, there is a charging cable for you to charge it from a wall socket, a charging cable for your car, and yet another cable for solar charging as well as a user manual.
Additionally, there is a small bag used to store the cables. The PowerRoam 1200 tips the scales at 12 kg and is a compact energy box, measuring 34 × 22 × 27 cm. The weight was surprisingly low compared to the Bluetti AC180, where Bluetti's power station weighed a hefty 17 kg. This is a pleasant surprise for the PowerRoam 1200 considering the power supply is integrated within the power station.
Ugreen installed a carrying handle on top of the PowerRoam 1200, which allows you to transport the power station in a comfortable manner. However, stowing it in the car could be a slightly awkward experience since the carrying handle cannot be folded. Ugreen attached four small rubber feet to the PowerRoam 1200, so you don't have to worry about the power station slipping off your boat when you're sailing on choppy waters.
There are unobtrusive fans mounted on each side. On the left, a pair of AC connections with a maximum output power of 1200 W can be seen. In addition, a button was placed between the two ports to activate the power supply. Optionally, you can also control the power supply with the Ugreen app, but more about that in the review (spoiler alert: the app is awesome!).
On the right, you can charge the power station from a nearby power socket. You will also be able to find the connection to your car here. Last but not least, you have the option to connect it to a suitable solar panel. We especially like the fact that most of the ports are covered. Unfortunately, Ugreen does not provide any IP certification for this power station.
In front is a 4.7-inch display, and right below are two USB-C ports with a maximum power of 100 W each and a pair of USB-A ports with 22.5 W power at its peak. Finally, you have two DC5521 ports with a maximum power of 120 W. Centered in front, Ugreen placed three buttons: one to activate DC power, another to turn the power station on and off, and finally, a button that allows you to pair it to your smartphone.
Last but not least, the PowerRoam 1200 has a light in front where you can choose from standard lighting to a flashing light and an SOS light. It is extremely convenient since you can control the light via the Ugreen app.
Screen and app performance
The Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 has a detailed display and an even more comprehensive app. The Ugreen app provides you with a wide range of settings, and there are handy features for extended families as well.
What I liked:
- Great display.
- Comprehensive Ugreen app.
What I disliked:
- -
Ugreen offers you several options when it comes to controlling the PowerRoam 1200. You can view information like the current battery level, how long the power station needs to charge, input and output power, and the amount of time the Powerstation can power a connected device on the external display.
In addition, the display shows you at the right whether there is an established Bluetooth or Internet connection, and if the fans are working. With the power station, you can decide whether you want to connect via Bluetooth or with your WLAN. The advantage of connecting via WLAN is that you can control the device from greater distances.
You can tell that Ugreen has put significant effort into the app. You can log in with your email address or with your Apple or Facebook account. Once you have done so, you set up either a Bluetooth or WLAN connection, and you're ready to go. The Ugreen app is both clear and extremely detailed.
The main menu clearly shows the battery status with a nice animation in the background, the input and output power, and how long the charging process takes. If you were to scroll down a bit, you will also have information about the AC and DC power supply, including turning it on or off.
You can do the same for all USB ports. What caused unexpected enthusiasm in our review is the possibility to control the different lamp functions. Admittedly, this is nothing earth-shattering, but nevertheless, it is a feature in the Ugreen app that caused amazement among the editorial team.
You can adjust the display via the settings as well. Here, you can set the display brightness and even set the time required before the display goes to sleep. The range is from eleven seconds to a whopping 30 minutes. You can also activate the battery-saving mode, deactivate sound when you press a button, and activate the parental lock in the Ugreen app.
Performance
The PowerRoam 1200 impressed with its high efficiency and solid output power. In the Ugreen app, the power can be further increased. In addition, the power station can also double up as an uninterruptible power supply (UPS).
What I liked:
- Very high efficiency.
- LiFePO4 battery installed.
- Barely audible when working.
- UPS functionality.
What I disliked:
- -
In the Ugreen app, power can be ramped up by quite a margin. This allows for a constant output power of 2,500 W. With all that power, a look at the ratio between the rated capacity and the usable capacity becomes all the more exciting. Here, the PowerRoam 1200 impressed us as well. In this practical review, we obtained 883 Wh from the power station, doing so at a nominal capacity of 1,024 Wh.
The Powerstation consumed 1,089 Wh for the entire charging process. This results in an impressive efficiency of 81%. The PowerRoam 1200 converted the remaining 19% into heat. Speaking of charging: The Powerstation needs two hours and four minutes for complete charging in our review, which is slightly longer than the 1.5 hours as mentioned by Ugreen.
Ugreen installed lithium iron phosphate batteries in the PowerRoam 1200 which are not only longer lasting compared to conventional lithium batteries, but are also safer. Ugreen promised a capacity of 80% after 3,000 cycles.
- Also interesting to know: The best power stations with solar charging option
During charging, the power station was so unobtrusive that we had to check on it several times to see if it was even operational. At a maximum noise level of 41 dB, the PowerRoam 1200 is softer than, for example, the EcoFLow River 2 Pro (review).
What else can I say? Pass-through charging is possible with the PowerRoam 1200, and the power station also offers a UPS function. This means the power station can automatically take over the power supply in case of a power failure. In our review, the power station kept an iMac running after we interrupted the power supply on purpose.
Conclusion
The Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 impressed us across all points. The power station has a simple, chic design, and is the lightest power station we have ever held in our hands. Thanks to the supporting app, you have a wonderful alternative to control the power station conveniently and at any time. With an efficiency level of 81%, the PowerRoam 1200 ranks among the best mid-range power stations we've reviewed so far. In addition to pass-through charging, the power station also offers a UPS function.
The only thing that bothered us in the review was the carrying handle, which, unfortunately, cannot be folded in. You should therefore not stack the power station between beer crates when camping. The Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 costs $999 a pop if you want to pick it up.
Even though this is slightly expensive for a mid-range power station, the PowerRoam 1200 left a very good impression on us. Considering this is Ugreen's first portable power station, we can be very excited to see what else Ugreen pulls out from its hat in the future. Until that happens, we can strongly recommend the Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 with a clear conscience.
Finally, we would like to point out that you can still save a lot when buying the power station this May. In fact, you can save up to 15% on both Amazon and Ugreen this month should you decide to make a purchase.
- Read more: The best power stations with a solar panel in 2023
- Also interesting: Buying guide: Find the best foldable solar panel
