Avoid the Xtend laptop AC adapter
Written: Aug 31 '03
|
Product Rating:
|
|
|
Pros: Marketing claims product flexibility and reusability.
Cons: It will never last that long.
The Bottom Line: I have never experienced such poor reliability in a laptop adapter. Save yourself from disappointment, and don't buy this product.
|
|
|
| mjlee22's Full Review: Xtend Micro Products Laptop AC Adapter for Sony Va... |
I like to have two AC adapters for my laptop. One adapter (Xtend) goes in my computer bag to travel with me, and the other (Sony) stays hooked into the myriad cables under my desk.
A year ago, I purchased the Xtend laptop AC adapter for several reasons:
1. At $89 it was $10 less than Sony's adapter.
2. It had "a model-specific output power cord to ensure compatibility with today's most popular notebook models. This unique Personality Cable or detachable output power cord regulates both voltage and current to the notebook. If a user decides to purchase a new notebook, for example, there is no need to buy another AC adapter, just the model-specific output power cord."
3. It claimed "Worldwide use: auto-switching input is compatible with 110 or 230 VAC"
Feature #2 was attractive to me because if it would be great if I could reuse the adapter for my next, future laptop purchase. Feature #3 I haven't had a chance to test, since I haven't left the country.
But I don't think I will realize feature #2, because I don't believe this adapter will last until my next laptop. The product has a 1-year warranty, and I have replaced the unit twice in that year. After the first 5 months of use, the adapter sparked and shorted out when I plugged it into a power strip. After going through a cumbersome warranty process, iGo replaced it. After 5 more months, the replacement unit broke when it fell from a table height and hit the wood floor. This time, iGo immediately shipped me a replacement, so I assume that must have been because they are having a lot of warranty issues with this product.
I have owned 5 laptops and have never had an AC adapter break on me, even though I've dropped plenty of them. I think the problem with the Xtend is that it is adding too much complexity to what should be a simple, reliable device (because it is pretty hard to use your laptop when you can't charge the battery). Secondly, it consists of 3 detachable parts: the Personality cable that plugs into your computer, the middle black "brick" that transforms power, and the cable that plugs into the wall. These separate parts increase the flexibility but concurrently decrease reliability (more connections). In fact, the second breakage occurred because the brick had a poor fit with the wall cable, and it slipped off and fell to the floor.
This unit also generates quite a bit of heat, so that you have to be careful not to touch the brick.
Recommended:
No
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
mjlee22
|
|
Location: Silicon Valley, CA, USA
Reviews written: 27
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Retired HP Software Development Manager and soccer mom. Demands quality in products.
|
|
|
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.