Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 Evaluation: Embrace Stylish Off-Grid Living with Top Rated Solar Generator

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Key Takeaways

The UGREEN PowerRoam 1200 is a compact and travel-friendly portable power station that is suitable for outdoor excursions and can provide comfort during power outages.
The power station has a decent output and fast charging capability, making it useful for various applications and devices.
Although the layout of the plugs can be awkward and the solar panel performance may be lacking, the overall quality and functionality of the PowerRoam 1200 make it a solid choice for emergency situations and off-the-grid living.

Some portable power stations will be there for you in an emergency. Others allow you to enjoy creature comforts while off-the-grid. UGREEN’s PowerRoam 1200 is an attempted balance of both, providing enough power to keep food chilled during an outage while also catering to an off-the-grid lifestyle.

There is a notable simplicity to the PowerRoam 1200 that quells the initial intimidation factor that may come with some larger units. Compared to the BLUETTI AC200MAX , UGREEN’s portable station is quite a bit smaller. Of course, that comes at the sacrifice of fewer watt-hours . But as I quickly found, the 2,048Wh of the AC200MAX is likely overkill for the average user. At 1,024Wh, you’ll be able to pull off quite a bit with the PowerRoam 1200, especially if a solar panel is continuously running power to the unit. The portable power station itself is compact and easy to travel with, but the 200W foldable solar panel I tested with it proved to be unwieldy and a little inefficient. With a few adjustments, though, it’s possible to have a functional system that can help in emergencies or join you on your next camp outing.

UGREEN doesn’t tend to disappoint when it comes to overall quality, and the PowerRoam 1200 is no exception. Save for two minor design flaws and fluctuations in rated efficiency, the 1,024Wh portable power station is a solid choice, especially for going off the grid.

Ugreen PowerRoam 1200

9/ 10

UGREEN’s PowerRoam 1200 portable power station is a compact and travel-friendly battery designed to add a touch of comfort to an outdoor excursion. Multiple outputs and solar panel compatibility allow the PowerRoam to help in the event of a power outage.

Battery Type(s)

LiFePO4

Service Life

10 years

What’s Included

Power cord, solar panel cord

Brand

UGREEN

Wattage

1,024Wh

Power Source

AC, solar, and car powered

Voltage

120V

Dimensions

3.4 x 8.7 x 10.6in (8.6 x 22.1 x 26.9cm)

Weight

25.4lbs (11.5kg)

Pros

Compact and easy to travel with
Companion app has a host of useful features
Decent output and fast charging
Plenty of outlets for basic application

Cons

Layout of plugs is a little awkward
Solar panel underperformed
Never received a true 1,024Wh output
Not expandable

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Design: Portable, But Poorly Laid Out

Mark LoProto / How-to Geek

I have two gripes about the PowerRoam 1200, and they both relate to the design. First off, the handle, while a nice touch for portability, prevents stacking units. If you’re working with limited space, stacking is an option you’d likely want to have. It’s not a major inconvenience, though, especially since the power station isn’t expandable.

I am, however, perplexed as to why the unit was laid out as it is. The front features a small but easy-to-read LCD panel, two 12V/10A 120W DC inputs, two USB-C ports, two USB-A ports, a car charger port, and a powerful light, complete with stationary, strobing, and flashing settings. On one side, you’ll find your solar and wall inputs while the other features AC inputs, including three two-prong and three three-pronged standard plugs.

Because of the layout, that means you could have all manner of wires jutting from the power station at all angles. It can get a little messy, which would have been mitigated by reserving ports to the front and only one side.

Fast-Charging Keeps You Powered

When I unboxed the UGREEN PowerRoam 1200, it was expectedly low on power. The battery gauge, easily found on the front LCD, read 27% charged. Though the unit came with a 200W solar panel, I used the included wall plug for the first cycle.

When plugged into the wall, the total input averaged around 236W and took 44 minutes for the power station to reach 100% battery. The display keeps you abreast of total input and how long it will take to charge. Its estimate was fairly accurate. In fact, it overestimated and averaged about 50 to 55 minutes.

Solar is a Decent, Albeit Slower Alternative

Unfortunately, I didn’t have the same experience with the 200W solar panel, which typically sells separately or as part of a higher-priced bundle. Whereas plugging into an outlet produced near-expected input, the solar panel underperformed. Even at the height of a cloudless mid-summer day in the desert, with the built-in smart alignment feature telling me the panels were properly positioned, the PowerRoam was only receiving about 112W of the advertised 200W. At that rate, from 40% battery, the station estimated 5.6 hours until a full charge.

The panel unfolds from a portable 25.2 x 21.3 x 2.7in to just under 8 feet long, which can be a problem for smaller backyards or outdoor spaces. Thankfully, it fit well in my space, and I was able to angle the panel for maximum efficiency. I wasn’t thrilled about how unsteady and flimsy the kickstands were, but they held up well over several hours of testing.

Overall performance really highlights the best applications for the PowerRoam 1200, especially if you have a hierarchy of what you can’t live without during a power outage. You may need to prioritize which devices remain powered, but the solar panels should keep you well-stocked with electricity.

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Good for Emergencies, Great for Outdoor Living

Mark LoProto / How-to Geek

I can see the PowerRoam 1200 coming in handy during a power outage, but it’s not where it will shine. During an in-home test, I plugged my fridge, air fryer, television, and Xbox Series S into the station. The refrigerator, a sizable side-by-side, drew only 4W, though the station estimated a 66-hour battery life (equating to 256Wh). When I added the air fryer, it ran at a near-consistent 1,200W, dropping the battery life to about 44 hours. Separately, the TV and Xbox drew about 79W together.

Even with the solar panel, an extended power outage that lasts days may prove to be a bit too taxing for the PowerRoam. Granted, you’re not using appliances like a microwave or air fryer constantly, but if you consider other modern necessities (computers, mobile devices, and, in the hotter months, at least one fan), that 1,024Wh can be consumed rather quickly.

Alternatively, 1,024W is more than enough if you’re semi-roughing it in the great outdoors. It’s unlikely you’ll have a continuous, 24-hour drain on the power source, which allows the solar panels to actively charge the battery rather than simply keeping it from depleting at a faster rate.

When you think of what you’d have to power when you’re off the grid or camping, it’s devices like hotplates, small burners, lanterns, and, if you’re marginally roughing it, your smartphone or laptop. None of those are going to draw a lot of power from the battery.

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Many Features Surprisingly Reserved for the Companion App

In many instances, save for convenience, there’s no real need to use a companion app with these types of products. However, for the UGREEN PowerRoam 1200, there are a few features you can’t access without it. Available on Apple and Android , you can quickly connect the app to your PowerRoam 1200 via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi (though it took a few tries to connect to my network) and enjoy a clean interface that shows the battery life, total input, total output, and discharge time. As I’m writing this review, my iPhone 11 is drawing 4W and is expected to drain the battery (currently at 44%) within 57 hours.

While the main screen allows you to do everything available on the power station itself, including changing the light setting, there is an Operating Modes feature available only through the app. Through this menu, you can change from Standard, Power-Saving, and Always-On modes, which dictates whether the device powers off after 5 hours of inactivity, 2 hours, or remains on until manually shut down.

It’s an odd feature to hide inside an app. Almost as odd as limiting a temperature gauge strictly to the app. As you use your portable power station , you’ll want to make sure the fans are working and not overheating. It’s a reading that should also display on the device’s screen.

You can also adjust settings like a quiet mode, which reduces the noise of the cooling fan; a child safety lock; AC frequency and DC currents; and more. Most of it isn’t trivial and are things you’d expect to be able to adjust on the device.

Should You Buy the UGREEN PowerRoam 1200?

I see a lot of value in UGREEN’s PowerRoam 1200 . Even living in the desert where power outages are infrequent and overnight outdoor excursions even less so, the portable power station gives me peace of mind. Even though I have the 2,048Wh BLUETTI, the PowerRoam is so much easier to carry around, it takes up far less space, and its companion app is less glitchy. Some features in the app should be accessible on the station itself, but being able to make the adjustments you can is helpful.

The LCD is easy to read and provides you with all the necessary information, from watts in, watts out, remaining battery life, and expected battery life. It’s also nice to be able to have all your devices plugged in and seamlessly switch between which are drawing power by hitting the respective AC and DC buttons. I do wish the plug layout was a little more condensed to two areas, but it’s easy to overlook in favor of the portability of the unit.

There were some discrepancies in how long the battery would actually last and I never really hit the advertised 1,024Wh. I suspect it’s one of those “when all conditions are perfect” situations. However, I was pleased with the results I saw during the power tests I ran. In an emergency, the PowerRoam 1200 could be invaluable, but it’s most useful when living off the grid or enjoying some time connecting with Mother Nature. If you live in a region with more frequent inclement weather and have a lot to keep powered during an outage, a higher-capacity power station may serve you better.

Ugreen PowerRoam 1200

9/ 10

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Ugreen PowerRoam 1200 Evaluation: Embrace Stylish Off-Grid Living with Top Rated Solar Generator