Product: HyperMac MBP-222
Manufacturer: Sanho Corporation
MSRP: $499
Author: Bill
Date: July 14, 2009

I love my MacBook Pro. It has the power to perform intensive computations, but has a slim and lightweight form factor that is unparalleled. The screen is gorgeous, and the keyboard and trackpad are very comfortable. Battery life is another story, and is the only sticking point I have with the platform. I can usually get 2-3 hours of light use out of it, but no more than an hour of photo editing or audio processing. HyperMac’s external battery line promises to solve that problem if you’re willing to tote around an external battery.

Packaging, Included Items

The MBP-222 comes in a discrete cardboard box along with the DC Car Charger ($149) as part of a promotional giveaway. Once again, I have to thank manufacturers for using easy-to-access packaging made from renewable sources. I didn’t need to use bolt-cutters to open the box (unlike clamshell plastics), and I can recycle the material easily.

Product Overview

HyperMac offers a number of variants on a theme with their external battery systems. Mine, the MBP-222 symbolizes a 222 watt-hour battery. This is the largest of the 60, 100, 150, and 222 watt-hour batteries offered. Battery capacities are rated in hours of wifi-enabled usage, and multiples of the internal battery capacities of Apple’s mobile computers. My 15” (non-unibody, late 2008) MacBook Pro is supposed to run for 23.5 hours when fully charged and used with the MBP-222. The MBP-222 is calculated to have 3.7 times the longevity of my internal battery.

This battery is no laughing matter. It comes encased in an aluminum shell that is ridged to lift it off of any thermally insulative surface. I appreciate this, but the battery never warmed up to any noticeable degree. It does not show scratches, fingerprints, or dust easily. The “business end” is a white plastic shell furnished with green LED indicators and white dome-switches. “Charge” and “DC Out” ports are present for charging the device and connecting your laptop to the MBP-222. There is an additional USB port for charging a USB device. I tested this functionality with my iPhone 3G.

A typical AC adaptor charges the system. Two types of MagSafe cables are available with the HyperMac systems. I was sent a traditional straight connector, but a MacBook Air type connector is available.

Testing

I allowed the MBP-222 to charge fully before using it. With my laptop fully charged as well, I streamed music over iTunes (using a WiFi connection) until the system was drained. The whole thing lasted for 19 hours. Additionally, I used the MBP-222 to recharge my laptop over the course of a day. The battery was able to recharge my laptop a full three times before running dry. At that point it would still charge my iPhone over USB. I left the MBP-222 to sit for a week after being fully charged and it still indicated having a full charge. It is certainly a worthy extended battery in terms of capacity.

The car adapter is unique in that it simply transforms the 12 volts from your car’s accessory port to the voltage needed by the MagSafe system. It does not convert the voltage to alternating current intermediately. This is a safer and more efficient method.

Conclusions

I tried to run through a series of scenarios in my mind as to when I would need something like this. It’s heavy, bulky, and you would need to pack the AC adapter if you wanted to travel with it or use it on a plane. A long-haul plane ride would be the ideal situation for this product, and was the only instance I could think of. It is impractical to carry to classes where AC power is plentiful. The battery could power your iPhone or USB-powered cell phone for a week, and might be useful on a camping trip or such. A car ride could also make sense, but a car adapter would be more economical and practical. HyperMac’s car adapter would do nicely, but costs $150 dollars. Granted there are smaller systems available, which may suit individual needs more closely.

It looks attractive, and everything will follow the theme and style of the mac it’s charging. As much as the battery life is a sticking point for my laptop, the price of the HyperMac is the major sticking point here. Five hundred dollars is too much for an external battery. Even the car adapter is $150, and the 60 watt-hour battery (MBP-060) is $200 dollars. I would not be willing to pay these prices. The battery is heavy, at almost five pounds. I’m not about to take it to class to permanently supplement my internal battery, although that might be reasonable for the smaller models.

Pros

+ Simple system is intuitive and easy to use
+ Massive 222 watt-hour battery provides hours of use
+ Stylish design
+ Thermally efficient

Cons

- Cost
- Weight

Tags: battery, external, HyperDrive, HyperMac, MacBook, MBP-222, Sanho