There are a lot of new players getting into the portable power station (also commonly known as solar generators) game lately. But while Ugreen might be fairly new to portable power stations, the company itself has been around for about 10 years in the mobile device and computer accessories market, especially in regard to charging devices. So it would only be natural for them to expand into the portable power station arena. And if you are in the market for a portable power station, the Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 merits serious consideration.
When I first started editing RVtravel.com’s Great RV Accessories newsletter, I also started getting pitched various brands of portable power stations for review. At first, I was hesitant to accept them as I was afraid I would not find enough differences among the brands to have enough to write about.
I was wrong about that. Each brand I have tried is different from its competitors. Some are minor differences, some major. And each brand clearly has its pros and cons.
That said, as of this moment, if a friend asked me which solar generator/portable power station should they buy, this would be the one I’d recommend as it has features and functions that help edge out its competitors.
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Ugreen offers FAST charging!
One of Ugreen’s claims to fame is fast charging. I have to say, it does live up to these expectations. With an equal amount of solar panels charging it, it beats my Jackery 1500 by about 20% (results vary based on weather and time of year). They are slightly different sizes, so this is not a true apples-to-apples test. But the bottom line is, Ugreen is undoubtedly the fastest-charging of the brands I have tried thus far.
As my truck was having problems with its 12-volt plug consistently blowing fuses, I was never able to test that method. That said, 12-volt charging while driving is always the slowest method. As I never drive that far in a day, I always look at it as a bonus. But if Ugreen also charges faster when plugged into a car’s 12-volt plug, so much the better. If you have experience with this, please drop your thoughts in the comments below.
Plugged into an AC connection, it took me under 2 1/2 hours yesterday to charge from 0-100%. Wow! I did not catch when the charge completed exactly, but I was amazed that when I looked after the first 20 minutes of charging, it was already 18% charged.
Solar charging the Ugreen PowerRoam 1200
When using the two 200-watt solar panels that came with my Ugreen PowerRoam power station, I can charge about 20% per hour in clear weather at the right time of day. Sometimes a little bit quicker on very bright summer days.
Of course, solar power depends on how long the sun is out, how clear a day it is, and the angle of the solar panels in relation to the sun.
One thing I especially appreciate about Ugreen’s solar panels that I have not seen on other brands is that they come with a visual aid that helps you adjust the panel to the optimal angle in seconds.
In the corner of each panel, you’ll find a small clear plastic bubble with a tiny red dot in the center of it. Adjust the placement of the panel to where the shadow from the red dot is in the center and you are there. Quick, simple, and no more guesswork about whether you have the solar panel properly placed. I don’t know why every portable solar panel doesn’t have this simple but effective tool.
How much power can the Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 AC inverter handle?
The Ugreen PowerRoam has a pure sine wave AC converter capable of supporting 1200 watts continuous load through its AC ports.
However, the U-Turbo mode allows you to run higher watt loads of simple electronic devices such as a space heater or toaster.
However, know that the U-Turbo mode is not recommended for complex electronic devices like computers, televisions, microwaves, etc.
In U-Turbo mode your devices will run at slightly lower power, but you can go somewhat over the 1200W limit without tripping the overload protection built into the power station.
How long will the Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 portable power station last?
Longer than most other brands! It will last up to 10 years. You can expect 3,000 cycles to an 80% capacity lifespan (my Jackery has 500 cycles). Yes, you can use the power station after that, but it will drop to 20% capacity.
The Ugreen App
While you can, of course, control everything manually, you can also control the device by downloading the Ugreen app on your phone. That way you can check your phone from anywhere to see which ports are on or off, control the light remotely (hmmm, this could have some fun applications come Halloween), monitor the temperature of the device to avoid overheating, and more.
Control modes include standard, power saving, or always on. The app can also deliver low-battery alerts.
What I especially like about the Ugreen 1200 portable power station
- FAST charging (see above)!
- It comes with large-gauge, high-quality, sturdy cables and accessories.
- Other brands have a reasonably large heavy adapter that must be used when plugging into the wall. Ugreen does not—It’s just a cord, small and lightweight, and no AC adapter is needed.
- You can use the power station while it is charging. In other words, it has what is known as pass-through charging.
- It charges up to 13 devices simultaneously.
- Turbo mode is nice, especially if you need to reliably run appliances such as a small space heater or a coffee maker.
- The PowerRoam 1200 offers a 0% power emergency mode. This means that even when at 0% charge, you can still get up to seven hours of power to recharge your phone or run a light.
- The displays are terrific and tell you exactly how much power you have and how long you can expect it to last at its current rate of usage, and much more.
- The Ugreen 1200 is quiet even when the fan is running at high loads.
- It comes with a 5-year warranty.
- I LOVE the visual aid on the solar panels to help you achieve optimal placement. Brilliant!
- You can use other brands of solar panels with it.
- Price! The price is significantly lower than some other popular brands of portable power stations. For instance, as I write this (and keep in mind prices change), the Jackery 1000 (they don’t make a 1200) is priced at $1099. The Ugreen 1200 is on sale for $749, but the regular price at $999 is still lower for a higher-wattage power station.
What can be improved upon?
The 200-watt panels are a little heavy and awkward for one person to manipulate, but it is doable and you get used to it. If you have an extra set of hands it’s no issue at all. You could opt for four smaller 100-watt panels, but it would be more expensive.
While the Ugreen PowerRoam charged quickly to 100%, a week later it was at 98% even though I had not used it at all. When I inquired of Ugreen, they said this is normal as the unit uses some power for displays and temperature control.
I am not sure this is anything to worry about. It hasn’t been thus far and it hasn’t gone below this before I have used it, so I don’t expect it to go down exponentially. That said, I have left my Jackery 1500 for months with no changes at all in power levels.
Beyond that are two nitpicking issues:
- While I appreciate the sturdy handle, it would be nice if it folded flat for easier packing.
- I wish the zippered canvas accessories bag was just a little bit larger. As it stands, I can fit the cords and accessories for the power station in it, but not the cords for the solar panels as well. It would be far more convenient to have everything related to the power station all in one dedicated bag.
Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 specs
- Capacity: 1024 Wh
- Output power: 1200 watts
- Peak surge power: 3000 watts
- Volts: 120
- Weight: 25.4 pounds
- 200 W Ugreen solar panel weight: ‎‎18.7 pounds
Charging ports
- 2 USB-A 22.5 w each
- 2 USB-C 100 w each
- 3 Car/DC outlets, 100 w total
- 6 AC outlets 1200 w total
Shop for Ugreen portable power stations
- Shop for Ugreen at Amazon.com.
- Shop for Ugreen portable power stations and solar panels at the Ugreen website.
Other portable power stations:
- Jackery Explorer 1500 portable power station/solar generator review
- Small and mighty: Grecell T-1000 portable power station
##RVT1121
Like ur reviews.