Plugable USB C Power Meter Tester for Monitoring USB-C Connections - Digital Multimeter for USB Type C Cables, Laptops, Phones, Chargers - Driverless

This updated review is for the second unit sent to me in response to comments about the usability of the item posted in my original review below.The revised edition of this USB-C V/A meter has three notable and visible improvements. (See second and third attached photos, and fourth photo)1. Display orientation has been reversed, such that the digits read upright when installed on the left side of a laptop.2. the digits display has been changed to a different font that is a bit smaller but more easily legible.3. The OLD model had a display that alternated between the V/A and a line indicating power flow. The NEW model has V/A and an arrow all on the same screen, thus no more irritating flipping back and forth between two states.Aside from those three things, which are fairly significant, all else seems to function normally and as expected. This is quite a nice little unit. As some others have remarked, having total mAh transferred would be nice.Further comments on the construction and design.1. The construction is solid. The shell is an aluminum extrusion. Endplates are hard plastic.2. Plug and socket are snug and wiggle free.3. The USB-C plug is offset, closer to the top surface of the device (display side).************ Original Review Follows *************Does what it says, nothing more, nothing less. I use this with a 2016 MBP 13" with TouchBar and it shows how much the system is drawing at idle, during typical surfing, writing, as well as maxed out during processor-intensive tasks like gaming.TAKE NOTE: The images of the power meter on the product page you see here are inverted from what the device actually displays. That is, in the images, it looks like the display is upright and readable when plugged into the LEFT side USB-C Thunderbolt ports of your laptop. These images are NOT ACCURATE as I found out in contacting Plugable. See my question above. The display actually is readable when plugged into the RIGHT side of the laptop. This is unfortunate for two reasons.First, on MacBooks and MBP, the ports are on the left or left+right sides. On the 13" MBP, the full-speed ports are on the left. This means users are inclined to make their single-cable connection on the left side. This means the Plugable meter display will be upside down.Second, if you install it on the right side ports, then it interferes with where most folks who are right handed (the majority of the population) keep and use their mouse.I don't know why Plugable flipped the display. It was better for more users as originally depicted in the product images. Unfortunately now I find myself not using it because of the display orientation.I will purchase the Satechi unit since the display is in the better orientation.

I have no way to measure how accurate this device is, but the readings are consistent and repeatable for a given configuration. It is quite useful just on this basis. I think it does a really good job at least ball-parking what's going on in a charging situation, and this is invaluable. Have been using it for several weeks for different charging configurations, and repeated configurations for two situations - all with very similar charging profiles. Very sharp, easily readable display that can be inverted. I try to keep the plug ends protected - Saran Wrap currently - I wish there had been a nice-quality small plastic box to pop it into for this purpose, but that's a small issue. So, at this time (3 week mark): Highly recommended.

It works good, and I use it sparingly to check power output for new/unknown usbc chargers/cables. However, within 5 months, the metal housing on usbc port has become loose. Not a big deal, a drop of super glue should fix it.

Extremely easy to use ... just connect it inline with your charging cable. It immediately displays the voltage, amperage, and total watts used as well as an arrow indicating the direction of power flow (charging vs. discharging.)There is a single button on the side that flips the display 180° -- so it doesn't matter if you plug it into the left-side vs. right-side of something.The LCD readout is right up against the edge of the window ... which means that if the voltage or wattage is a 2-digit number (left of the decimal) the leading number *might* be difficult to read unless you lean your head a bit to the right so you can see the left-edge of the display. e.g. is the leading digit a "3" vs. an "8". This is really a minor nit. The device could benefit from having a slightly wider display to accommodate a tiny bit of space in front of the leading digit.It's insightful to see how much power chargers are *really* supplying or how much device are actually consuming -- especially with modern USB "Power Delivery" specs where the power draw can vary considerably. So far I've used this on devices that pull up to ~100 watts (e.g. 96 watts) and it handles them with ease.

Good man.

After seeing this used by repair folks on YouTube to monitor laptop operation, I purchased one when my laptop died.It was very helpful in aiding the diagnosis and will come in handy for other USB inquiries. It is well worth its nominal cost. I also like how the display reverses at the press of a button so it can be seen in either of 2 directions.

I've had this power meter for about a year and a half now and its been working great. I keep it in my desk drawer and have used it to test numerous USB C chargers. I never want to face an issue where an entire setup is not working because of a single faulty cable or component.I buy a USB hub. It advertises 100W. I slap this baby on to test that.I buy a USB C PD cable. 140 watts advertised. I slap this baby on.A little pricey, but 10/10. The button to flip the display is such a good ease of use feature. 👏👏