REVIEW | EcoFlow – Power your gaming studio during loadshedding

For my installation, I placed both batteries under my desk and connected all my electronics to it. The EcoFlow, in turn, is then plugged straight into the wall so that the switch over to the battery happens without any downtime when the power goes out. There is no switch over lag either and this happens seamlessly.

Both the LCD panel and the app give you a readout of the power draw and indicate the battery time remaining on the current load. As you switch devices on and off, you instantly see the updates reflect on the screen.

The EcoFlow bundles with a short extension lead that converts the US plug type to South African. I then connected both my surge-protected multi adapters to the EcoFlow. On these, I run most of the electronics in my studio, including two 27-inch LCDs, a desktop PC with 700w PSU, and two notebooks with a 100w and 200w PSU respectively. I also run two Godox ES45 esport LED panels for video and ambient lighting, each of these requires about 47w at full brightness but I run them at about 60%.

With everything in place to tackle load shedding, I was eagerly awaiting a real-world test of the kit to see how well this really works when I need it the most. As luck would have it, it only took a few days after installation for eishkom to announce a few rounds of load shedding.

It is strange how your demeanour changes when load shedding gets announced and you know you’ll be able to work or game when the power is out. It’s a life-changer.

The first few load shedding days were pretty standard, it was during the day and I just needed to power my three PCs for the time the power was out. It was really great not to have to anticipate the switch-off time or to manually switch over to a generator. A simple beep (which you can disable) alerts you that the power supply has dropped and from there it’s just you and the chemically driven electronic boxes under your desk.

When I’m not gaming or rendering video, the EcoFlow River Pro with the Extra Battery can power my desktop and two notebooks for around 7 hours at a power draw of about 240w. When I start gaming on my desktop and draw more power from the battery, the timer drops to about 3 hours with a power draw of around 460w.

Of course, when under load there is an audible fan noise from the EcoFlow but it’s not particularly loud and I can barely hear it over the PC standing on my desk. I’ve even recorded video and audio in my studio during load shedding without any noise issues in editing.

While your usage may vary, I’ve been absolutely blown away by how much the EcoFlow has changed the way I’m able to work and play when the power is out. I’m not worrying about having to plan for load shedding anymore.

I even managed to record and edited some videos straight throughout load shedding once and did not even realise. It was only when I wanted to go and make some coffee that I realised the power was out. Even here the EcoFlow was able to power my beloved bean grinder, espresso maker, and milk frother.

Watt for watt the EcoFlow battery inverter solution is more expensive than the larger inverter trolleys that is popular among gamers but it all comes down to your usage requirements. Being a fully portable system is what really sold me on the EcoFlow River Pro. I’ve also used it with great success on a few video shoots to power the cameras and notebooks needed. This is where two other features on the EcoFlow River Pro come in handy, solar panel charging and car charging. If you have a 200w panel (or you can buy the official EcoFlow panel) you can charge the EcoFlow River Pro from anywhere. Similarly, you can also charge this portable power station using your car’s 12v socket – the cables are supplied.

For just under R20,000, the EcoFlow River Pro with extra battery offers an impressive array of features and usability scenarios. I love the small form factor and the fact that I can leave it under my desk.

There really is no one-size-fits-all with batteries when choosing something to suit your needs but the EcoFlow manages to fit into my crazy lifestyle rather comfortably. If you are into camping or contract work, the EcoFlow will also add immense value due to the portable nature of the product.