Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 4 review: More budget-friendly than bold

Based in Melbourne, the success of local power bank and portable charger provider Cyngett isn't just a case for more Australian consumer tech. It's also a solid argument that even more mundane gadgets don't have to look boring.

Power banks aren't complicated, but there's something to like about buying one that's as nice to look at as it is to use. If you're in the market and unsure where to start regarding Cygnett power banks, the ChargeUp Boost is a great introduction to the brand. It doesn't do it all but it does do it well. 

In Australia, the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 4 starts at $44.95 for the smallest 5000mAh variant. There are also two larger models available for those who want a little more to work with. For a sense of how the three versions of the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 4 compare when it comes to price and performance, see below.

Cygnett's ChargeUp Boost might be in its fourth generation. However, from the outside, there's not a huge amount of changes to report on. The brand's most basic and budget-friendly portable charger is still very much that and hasn't undergone any radical revisions.

Like most power banks and portable chargers, the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost is rectangular in shape. Beyond that blueprint, the aesthetics and colour palette are a big part of the appeal here.

Rather than adding another generic grey or silver rectangle into the mix, the  ChargeUp Boost comes in green, red, white and black. As someone who is a fan of colourful gadgets, this was something I appreciated about the ChargeUp Boost. That said, I did feel like the images on the website had a little more pop and vibrancy than their real-world counterparts.

In any case, the topmost edge of the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost is where most of the magic happens. There's a single USB-C port here, which can be used as input or output, plus a pair of old-school USB ports which can only be used for the latter.

Outside of the cheaper 5000mAh model (which caps out at 12W), each of these ports can offer a charging speed of up to 15W. However, that max wattage applies no matter how many things you're charging at a given moment. That's not an uncommon constraint for power banks that play around this price point, but it is worth keeping in mind if you're looking to charge multiple devices.

The one other design feature worth talking about here is the LED screen on the front-facing side of the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 4. Although this isn't exactly unique and the overall practicality offered by this display isn't that far off what a more limited set of lights can communicate, the fact that Cygnett did put a little bit more effort in is somewhat endearing. It's a thoughtful touch that gives you more information to work with when it comes to keeping track of things.

Also included in the box are a very short USB-A to USB-C cable and a carry-loop. While these are handy to have, they do little to distract from the flimsy-feeling plastic material design here. Even if the Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 4 is lighter than you'd expect, it also comes across as less premium than I'd like.

The Cygnett ChargeUp Boost 4 comes charged out of the box, which is great if you're keen to grab it on short notice. That said, as previously mentioned, you'll only get 15W of charge at most out of each port here. That's pretty fast, though it is a far cry from the upper limits of what USB-C charging can technically offer. Safe to say, it likely won't be fast enough for those looking to take advantage of their phone's respective fast-charging features.

Sitting between the thriftiest of power banks and more high-end options leaves Cygnett feeling a little outgunned. There's nothing wrong with the experience of plugging this thing into a nearby device or using it to extend your phone's battery life but, then again, there's not anything to get wrong.

Despite the colourful looks, the experience offered here really does feel like the bare minimum with a fresh coat of paint. This combination isn't going to be a dealbreaker for everyone, but if you asked me to give you a reason to opt for this over something cheaper I don't know if I could make much of a case for it.