Review of Rivacase Rivapower VA1084, VA1083, VA2071, VA2585 Power Banks

There’s no need to explain why power banks are useful during blackouts—they’re a straightforward solution. Even a basic and budget-friendly model like the Rivacase VA2071 is sufficient to charge your smartphone three or four times. As for the Rivapower VA1084, it goes a step further, capable of charging a laptop even while in use. I’ve discussed Rivacase power banks extensively in the past, tested them in various scenarios, and often recommended them for their practicality and reliability.

Video review of Rivacase Rivapower VA1084, VA1083, VA2071, VA2585

When it came time to review the Rivacase Rivapower VA1084, VA1083, VA2071, and VA2585 models, I was genuinely excited. Not just because they are new additions, but because they bring some intriguing features—and, of course, their share of drawbacks. I’ll dive into all of these aspects with enthusiasm, offering a balanced perspective on their strengths and limitations.

Rivacase Rivapower VA2071

Let’s start with the VA2071. Among the models on my desk, it’s the most affordable option, priced at $14/€13. However, it’s not the cheapest model in Rivacase’s recent lineup—that title belongs to the VA2006, which comes in at just $7. I had requested the VA2006 as well, but unfortunately, it didn’t arrive in time for this review.

The VA2071 is particularly interesting because it’s twice as slow as its ideological predecessor, the Rivacase VA2571. If you’re familiar with my previous reviews, you’ve likely seen the VA2571 mentioned frequently. While the VA2571 costs about $5 more, it supports charging speeds of up to 18W, making it a significantly faster option.

The VA2071 maxes out at 10W charging, despite having the same capacity of 20,000mAh (or 74Wh) as its faster predecessor. It also weighs approximately the same, coming in at around 400g. Its design is basic, with the only notable feature being a charging indicator. Interestingly, the power bank includes four ports: two Type-A, one Type-C, and one MicroUSB. However, the Type-C and MicroUSB ports are input-only—they can only receive a charge, not deliver it. This is a first in my experience and quite an unusual limitation for a power bank.

At first glance, spending $14 on a power bank like the VA2071 might seem unnecessary when you could get a model with twice the speed, the same capacity, and fewer limitations for just $19. However, there are actually two key reasons why the VA2071 still holds its own—and I’ll reveal them at the end of the video. For now, let’s move on to the next model!

Rivacase Rivapower VA2585

Next is the Rivacase Rivapower VA2585, priced at $27/€26. This model offers a noticeable step up in features. It supports charging speeds of up to 20W and includes two Type-A ports and one Type-C port. Additional conveniences include a transport strap, a power button, and even an LCD display that shows capacity, voltage, and power output.

Monitoring charging power is surprisingly useful. I’m planning to order a special 20/40 Gbps adapter soon to measure how much power SSDs consume during operation. This is only feasible through external USB enclosures, combined with an appropriate cable, which might limit the transfer speed. However, I haven’t found another way to check the power consumption of NVMe SSDs.

What sets the VA2585 apart, besides the screen, is its capacity: 30,000 mAh, or 111 Wh. This is 50% more than the Rivacase VA2571, which costs $19, meaning it’s roughly another 1.5 charges for your smartphone. The new model weighs nearly 600 g, also 50% heavier than the VA2571. However, it’s important to note that power banks and any power sources, including laptops, with a capacity over 99 Wh are not allowed on airplanes. This is something to keep in mind.

Rivacase Rivapower VA1084/VA1083

Moving on, the Rivacase Rivapower VA1084 and VA1083 can essentially be grouped together as they are very similar. They share a comparable price range — $44/52 or €43/50 — and have an almost identical design, featuring a display that shows the charge level but not voltage or power. Both models offer the same ports: two Type-C and one Type-A.

Their maximum power output is 65W through the Type-C port. This means these power banks are suitable not only for smartphones and tablets but also for modern laptops, including gaming models like my ASUS ROG Scar 15.

Read also: Review of the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G16 2024 Gaming Laptop with AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370

The main difference between these two models lies in their capacity. The Rivacase Rivapower VA1083 has a 30,000 mAh capacity, which is 111 Wh. Meanwhile, the Rivacase Rivapower VA1084 offers a 40,000 mAh capacity, or 148 Wh. This is, so far, the highest capacity I’ve encountered in person, as I haven’t seen power banks with more than 30,000 mAh in use. And I certainly didn’t expect to find one priced under $50.

It’s worth noting that these models do not support Pass-Through charging. If you connect a smartphone to the power bank while it’s plugged in for charging, both the smartphone and the power bank will charge at a maximum of just 5W. This happens even if the smartphone supports 120W charging and the power bank supports 65W.

I should also mention that the instructions promise a cable is included, and it is indeed provided, though it’s tucked away in the side of the box.

Regarding charging speed, the fastest one turned out to be the most expensive power bank, which charged at a real power output of up to 55W. During this process, it heated up to around 50°C in the area near the power controller and USB ports, but the battery area itself remained cool, with surface temperatures around 25-26°C.

Conclusions

I’ll start with the Rivacase Rivapower VA2071, and as promised, I’ll mention two reasons. First, this is the only new power bank on the desk that you can take on a plane. And second, the 10W charging speed ensures that the power bank won’t overheat during charging or discharging, reducing the risk of any issues like overheating or explosions.

This means you can safely leave your smartphone charging overnight without worrying about a fire. And yes, the faster the charging, the higher the likelihood of overheating issues. So, if this is important to you, having models like the 2071 is a key factor. Additionally, the price makes it one of the most affordable branded options to charge your smartphone four times. Just to remind you, it has a 74 Wh capacity.

Next is the Rivapower VA2585. I’d recommend it at least for the screen, and the power measurement feature will be useful if, for example, you need to charge watches or headphones and are curious about their actual power consumption. As for the VA1083 and VA1084, I recommend them for laptops. The VA1084, in particular, can charge my laptop twice, which is something I’ve never seen before and truly appreciate. So, out of all four models, I’d recommend the Rivacase Rivapower VA1084 the most.

Read also:

• HATOR Darkside 2 Pro Gaming Chair Review
• Bloody R72 Pro, W72 Ultra, R72 Ultra Mice Review
• Acer Nitro V15 (ANV15-41-R99Y) Gaming Laptop Review