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This $30 USB-C cable includes a surprisingly awesome feature, and it's 33% off
ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 USB-C cable with power meter.
If you're a professional repair technician, then you'll likely have one -- or many -- USB power meters in your toolkit. They're a must-have.
Also: This gadget is the USB-C accessory you didn't know you needed, and it's only $20
But if you're a hobbyist, then you don't really want to be dropping over $100 on an all-singing, all-dancing USB power meter that does it all. For most folks, a power meter that shows the basics is all that's needed.
And this is what the ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 offers. The ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 USB-C cable with power meter is 33% off on Amazon. This amounts to a savings of $10 for a total price of $20.
View at AmazonChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 tech specs
- Length: 1.5 m/5 ft.
- Connectors: USB-C.
- Power rating: up to 240W.
- E-Marker chip: Yes.
- Display: 0.96-inch/2.4-cm color display.
- Information: Voltage, current, power, temperature, current direction, energy, timer, and more.
- Accuracy: 0.002V, 0.002A.
Also: Repairing electronics with the wrong tools can be dangerous. How to stay safe
I have a lot of different USB power meters that are jam-packed with features, but the one thing that I love about the Power-Z AK001 is the simplicity. You plug it in, the display lights up, and you get all the vital statistics about the power going across the cable.
ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 display showing voltage, amperage, and power.
There's even a handy arrow on the display that shows the direction in which the power is flowing. This is a great touch because it has caught me out using power meters where I've become confused as to what's charging what -- especially where power banks are concerned.
A little arrow on the ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 display shows which direction the power is flowing in.
I also like the simplicity of the inputs.
There's just one button on the ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001 power meter.
There's a single button on the back of the display that controls both switching screens (a single press cycles through the power meter screen, protocol detection, a blank screen, and title screen) and rotating the display (this is done by pressing the button for three seconds).
Protocol detection screen.
I've tested the accuracy of the power meter against a calibrated meter, and it easily achieves the rated accuracy -- more than accurate enough for these types of measurements.
Also: The perfect $16 USB-C tester for your repair kit (and how to use it)
It's hard to find fault with the ChargerLAB Power-Z AK001. For $20, it's an amazingly cheap and versatile power meter that doubles day-to-day as a 240W USB-C cable.
If you want a USB-C power meter with more functionality, I recommend the ChargerLAB Power-Z KM003C. It will tell you everything you need to know about what's happening over a USB-C cable.