BlackVue Power Magic Ultra Battery B-130X

[AdLion]

Hi,

I just found online that BlackVue is about to launch an updated battery with a 7500 mAh capacity.

 

[Vortex Radar]

Excellent! Looks like a new case design, plus they’ve removed the High/Low input charging speed switch. Maybe it’s gonna be in software now?

This coincides nicely with Thinkware’s upcoming 7500 mAh battery.

 

[AdLion]

Excellent! Looks like a new case design, plus they’ve removed the High/Low input charging speed switch. Maybe it’s gonna be in software now?

This coincides nicely with Thinkware’s upcoming 7500 mAh battery.

It seems they also removed the "expansion port" .

 

[Vortex Radar]

It seems they also removed the "expansion port" .

Ooh yikes! Good call... Thinkware did the same thing with theirs which surprised me.

At SEMA, Vugera was showing their 7500 mAh dashcam battery as well, though I didn't take a closer look to see if it has an expansion port.

 

[Vortex Radar]

So the B-130X has been officially announced today. I've been bench testing one for a little bit alongside my Powercell 8 while preparing a comparison between these two and the upcoming Thinkware iVolt Xtra (which should in the mail soon).





With the B-130X, it's smaller than I thought after looking at the photos online. It's essentially the same size as the PC8 and iVolt Xtra, within millimeters. All three are 7500 mAh batteries manufactured by Egen so I thought they'd all be the same thing with a different name and case, but there's some notable differences between the three.

With the B-130X, it's the only one that supports 24v vehicles. Blackvue also removed the high/low charging switch because it can automatically switch charging speeds depending on if you're using the cig. lighter or hardwire cable. I also like that you get one app for Blackvue's dashcam configuration, cloud features, and battery monitoring.

There's other advantages for the Powercell 8 and iVolt Xtra, but I plan on covering all of that once I get to the video.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Ooh, battery pack shootout. lol
I wish they would swap the USB-A output for a USB Type-C input/output.
That way folks who don't drive long enough to charge the battery can bring it in the house, and use their laptop / smartphone QC/PDW fast charger that they already have so they don't need to buy a separate AC/DC inverter. I know the AC/DC inverters are as cheap as $15 on Amazon. But who wants to buy yet another "specialized" charger.

I also wish they would add an input to plug in a 10W solar panel so during the daytime, parking mode can run off the solar panel, making night time parking mode run even longer.
-Chuck

 

[rcg530]

I'm curious what your findings are with the B-130X. Last night, I contacted Pittasoft and they're sending me a B-130X to check out. Since the B-130X is manufactured by EGEN, it looks like the output power connector is the same as other EGEN dash camera battery packs. All of my existing cables will plug right into it!

Have you tried the Cellink Neo Plus app to see if it sees/connects to the B-130X? I know Pittasoft just updated the BlackVue app to support the B-130X, just curious if the other app works with it as well.

 

[Vortex Radar]

I'm curious what your findings are with the B-130X. Last night, I contacted Pittasoft and they're sending me a B-130X to check out. Since the B-130X is manufactured by EGEN, it looks like the output power connector is the same as other EGEN dash camera battery packs. All of my existing cables will plug right into it!

Yeah they're all Egen batteries, lol. It does look like it uses the same connectors as the B-124X and Powercell 8.

Have you tried the Cellink Neo Plus app to see if it sees/connects to the B-130X? I know Pittasoft just updated the BlackVue app to support the B-130X, just curious if the other app works with it as well.

So it looks like all the manufacturers set up their batteries to require their own apps.

B-130X: Works with main Blackvue app, but not older standalone Blackvue battery app.
B-124: Works with both main Blackvue app and older standalone Blackvue battery app.
Powercell 8: Cellink Neo Plus app, but not Cellink Neo app
Cellink Neo: Cellink Neo app, but not Cellink Neo Plus app
Thinkware iVolt: iVolt app (I don't have it on hand yet to test with other apps, but I assume that it only works with Thinkware's app)

So in short you may wind up with a bunch of dashcam battery apps on your phone too, lol.

 

[Lothar]

Yeah they're all Egen batteries, lol. It does look like it uses the same connectors as the B-124X and Powercell 8.

So it looks like all the manufacturers set up their batteries to require their own apps.

B-130X: Works with main Blackvue app, but not older standalone Blackvue battery app.
B-124: Works with both main Blackvue app and older standalone Blackvue battery app.
Powercell 8: Cellink Neo Plus app, but not Cellink Neo app
Cellink Neo: Cellink Neo app, but not Cellink Neo Plus app
Thinkware iVolt: iVolt app (I don't have it on hand yet to test with other apps, but I assume that it only works with Thinkware's app)

So in short you may wind up with a bunch of dashcam battery apps on your phone too, lol.

I hope you plan to include non-Egen batteries in your shootout such as this below:

LiFePO4 Quick Charge power banks for dashcams

UK/EU power bank manufacturer, latest batery cells, innovative and safety technology

www.power-core.co.uk

Comparison table/chart: (they don't have the newer Egen batteries to compare to)

LiFePO4 Quick Charge power banks for dashcams

UK/EU power bank manufacturer, latest batery cells technology, innovative and safety technology

www.power-core.co.uk

Hope you would do a shootout similar to this one below:

 

[Panzer Platform]

I hope you plan to include non-Egen batteries in your shootout such as this below:

C'mon Lothar,
Of course Ari would want to include the Power Core in a comparison.
But I don't think they sell / export to the US.
Also, maybe he's at the mercy of whatever manufactures are willing to send him.
Even if he bought the Power Core with his own money, I don't think there are very many Power Core customers in the US.
He would have to eat the cost of the unit.
-Chuck

 

[Vortex Radar]

Yeah in general I focus on the North American market. While testing international dashcams and batteries doesn’t lead to the same issue as radar detectors, it still makes sense to focus on NA based on my audience and where I live. If something is super interesting, I’d be open to it, but given how full my plate is already, I have to be very selective on what I prioritize and what I pass on.

 

[Panzer Platform]

I’d be open to it, but given how full my plate is already

I can’t imagine how plate your full really is. I only have 5K YouTube Subscribers, and I’ve declined to test & review some really neat junk in the past 2 months.
When you get 1M subscribers like Todd on Project Farm, then I will be expecting you to buy “exotic” items like a Power Core battery pack. Lol

Were you able to make a telescopic device for your flashlight to get that tight beam pattern? You can also use Costco paper towel tubes, but you’ll need to tape two together to get the length. lol
-Chuck

 

[Lothar]

C'mon Lothar,
Of course Ari would want to include the Power Core in a comparison.
But I don't think they sell / export to the US.
Also, maybe he's at the mercy of whatever manufactures are willing to send him.
Even if he bought the Power Core with his own money, I don't think there are very many Power Core customers in the US.
He would have to eat the cost of the unit.
-Chuck

Yeah, yeah...I know.
I was hoping he could pull a rabbit out of his hat.

All these products mentioned are re-badged Egen products built for the manufacturer (Blackvue, Thinkware, BBMC, etc...) with slight minor variations in between them and ranging +/- $50-100 USD difference among them,

 

[Panzer Platform]

All these products mentioned are re-badged Egen products built for the manufacturer (Blackvue, Thinkware, BBMC, etc...) with slight minor variations in between them and ranging +/- $50-100 USD difference among them,

You just described the General Motors, Ford & Dodge business plan for the past 75 years. lol
Speaking of magic tricks why don't you turn a "roll into a peach" buy the Power Core and test it for us?

 

[Lothar]

You just described the General Motors, Ford & Dodge business plan for the past 75 years. lol
Speaking of magic tricks why don't you turn a "roll into a peach" buy the Power Core and test it for us?

Believe me, I have already tried.
The message I sent them by filling out the contact us form on their website.




Their response:




I responded to his email on the same exact day (exactly 4 hours later...timestamps below) that this was sent by providing my own address...There was no response from the company after I sent my address to them.



I figure that they may want to send it to one of you professional reviewers to get the word out about their product if you ask them about it (assuming that they are interested in doing such a thing at all)?
Retails for 200 pounds (it used to be 160 pounds earlier, they have raised the price a few times this year) which is equivalent to $250 which is pretty cheap and very competitive with all the "Egen" based stuff. They just need to find a way to ship to USA.
I'm not looking for bell and whistles like an app, bluetooth, or whatever...Just a LifePO4 dashcam battery that is at a "reasonable" price and provides longevity.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Believe me, I have already tried.

Excellent, I guess we can finally put the subject of power core battery packs to bed since they are unwilling, or unable to ship to US. lol
Oh yeah, BlackVue is sending me a B-130X for testing. It's scheduled for delivery Monday.
According to the specs it has the low temp charge cut off; https://shop.blackvue.com/product/power-magic-ultra-battery-b-130x/
I sent an email to my contact for clarification.
She also said MSRP will be $360.

 

[runtohell121]

Google search result originally shows $360 - but Blackvue website shows $390.

I'm tempted to purchase a new one to replace the Thinkware iVolt mini in one of my vehicles that's powering the Viofo A139 Pro right now. Have a Cellink Neo powering the Viofo A229; additional parking mode recording is definitely nice.

 

[Panzer Platform]

Google search result originally shows $360 - but Blackvue website shows $390.

I'm tempted to purchase a new one to replace the Thinkware iVolt mini in one of my vehicles that's powering the Viofo A139 Pro right now. Have a Cellink Neo powering the Viofo A229; additional parking mode recording is definitely nice.

The PowerCell 8 was just on black Friday sale for $335. But I guess you don't like that one.
-Chuck

 

[runtohell121]

The PowerCell 8 was just on black Friday sale for $335. But I guess you don't like that one.
-Chuck

Wasn't really looking until I saw a few new releases - but pretty much Blackvue B-130X, Thinkware iVolt BAB95, and PowerCell 8 is almost the same. At least they're all by Egen and have same capacity.

 

[Panzer Platform]

pretty much Blackvue B-130X, Thinkware iVolt BAB95, and PowerCell 8

I think the hardware, and capacity are pretty much the same, and it's going to come down to the smartphone APP's, and any minor special functions.