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Jackery has been busy expanding its new V2 line of its best portable power stations, ranging from the flagship Explorer 3000 down to the compact Explorer 240. Now, we’re looking at one of the smallest in the family — the Jackery Explorer 500 v2, paired with the SolarSaga 100W portable solar panels.

This setup is designed for users who want serious off-grid capability without the bulk or weight of a full-size generator. Compact, quiet, and built with the same attention to detail Jackery is known for, it aims to balance performance and portability.

(Image credit: Future)Jackery Explorer 500 v2: Packaging

The Explorer 500 arrived in Jackery’s familiar plain shipping box, with a glossy orange inner carton for presentation. Inside, the power station was well-protected with cardboard corner bumpers and foam inserts. Included were the IEC13 AC charging cable and a user manual — simple, straightforward, and nicely packaged.

(Image credit: Future)Jackery Explorer 500 v2: Design and Build

Out of the box, the Explorer 500 measures 311 × 205 × 157 mm and weighs 5.7 kg, making it a manageable size for travel or outdoor work.

Features at a Glance – Explorer 500

512Wh capacity from LiFePO₄ batteries

500W continuous output

2 × AC sockets (230V, max combined 500W)

1 × USB-A (18W max)

2 × USB-C (1 × 100W, 1 × 30W)

0–100% charge in just 1.3 hours via AC

Multiple charging options (AC, DC, solar, car)

Fast 10ms response UPS with multiple operating modes

Compared to the larger Jackery Explorer 2000 or Jackery Explorer 3000 models, it feels feather-light, and the large fold-out carry handle makes it easy to move around.

All the output sockets, control buttons, and display are neatly positioned on the front panel. On this UK model, you’ll find:

2 × 230V AC sockets (max 500W combined)

1 × USB-A (18W)

2 × USB-C (100W and 30W)

1 × 12V car socket (10A)

The AC and DC inputs are located on the right-hand side. Overall, the layout is clean, intuitive, and practical.

(Image credit: Future)Jackery Explorer 500 v2: Charging

Using the Explorer 500 is refreshingly straightforward. Out of the box, the battery was at 28%, and when plugged into the mains via the AC cable, it began charging immediately. A full charge from that level took just under an hour, which aligns closely with Jackery’s claimed 1.3-hour full charge time.

It’s great to see Jackery continuing to rely on standard, widely available cables instead of proprietary chargers.

Alternative charging options include solar, a 12V vehicle socket, or a DC8020 input (11–60V, up to 10.5A / 200W). While DC8020 connectors aren’t as common as XT60 or XT90 standards, third-party adapters are easy to find.

(Image credit: Future)Jackery Explorer 500 v2: SolarSaga 100 Portable Solar Panels

As part of the bundle, I tested the Jackery SolarSaga 100 — the smaller sibling of the SolarSaga 200 reviewed earlier this year. With an advertised efficiency of 25%, I tested it on a clear November afternoon with low but bright sunlight.

Features at a Glance – SolarSaga 100W

Folded: 61 × 55.2 × 3.5 cm (24 × 21.7 × 1.4 in)

Unfolded: 122 × 55.2 × 2.0 cm (48 × 21.7 × 0.8 in)

Weight: 3.6 kg (7.9 lbs)

Setup, as with most folding panels, takes a few minutes, but Jackery’s attention to usability stands out. The build quality feels excellent, and the two-pin proprietary connector — while not standard — is actually a time-saver compared to traditional MC4 connections. It’s quicker, cleaner, and less fiddly.

A small junction box includes USB-A and USB-C ports, letting you charge small devices directly, no power station required.

The kickstands fold neatly away, and the panels are held closed by strong magnetic clasps rather than cheap snaps — a premium touch. The panels are a bit stiff when new but loosen with use.

A clever angle indicator helps you align with the sun, and under test conditions, the SolarSaga 100 produced a consistent 88W average output. That’s enough to fully recharge the Explorer 500 in around six hours — realistic and impressive for a 100W panel.

Overall, it’s a well-designed, travel-friendly solar panel that feels perfectly matched to the Explorer 500’s capabilities.

(Image credit: Future)Jackery Explorer 500 v2: Display

The status screen provides all the essentials at a glance: state of charge, input/output wattage, voltage, and AC frequency. It’s small but bright, crisp, and perfectly legible even in direct sunlight — ideal for outdoor use when you need quick, accurate readouts.

Jackery Explorer 500 v2: Performance – AC and USB/DC

(Image credit: Future)

In everyday use, the Explorer 500 feels like a mini powerhouse. It comfortably powered a range of small household devices, including a milk frother, mini fan, and LED lighting, staying well within its 500W continuous output limit.

High-draw appliances like coffee machines or kettles are beyond its reach, though its 1,000W surge rating helps absorb brief startup spikes.

The USB section performs flawlessly, charging phones, tablets, laptops, and power banks simultaneously without issue. However, only two USB-C ports and one USB-A feel slightly limiting given the available front-panel space — an extra USB-C port would have been welcome.

The 12V car socket remains useful for certain accessories, though it’s increasingly outdated as USB-based standards take over.

A small auto-shutoff switch cuts power when draw falls below a set threshold — a handy energy-saving feature. Meanwhile, the built-in LED light offers dim, bright, and SOS modes, useful for emergencies or camping.

One omission is Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connectivity. While some will appreciate the simplicity, others might miss app-based control or monitoring, which competitors increasingly offer.

(Image credit: Future)Jackery Explorer 500 v2: UPS Mode

Jackery claims a <10ms response time for the Explorer 500’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS) mode — and in testing, it lived up to the promise.

Connected to a home office setup drawing around 220W, the power handover was seamless when the mains was cut — no flicker, reboot, or delay.

That said, the limited battery capacity means run-time is short. For brief outages or safe shutdowns, it’s excellent. But it’s not a substitute for a larger backup power system if you need sustained uptime.

Jackery Explorer 500 v2: Pricing and Value

(Image credit: Future)

As of writing, the Jackery Explorer 500 retails for £269 on the UK Jackery Store, while the SolarSaga 100 bundle is priced at £399. Purchased separately, the SolarSaga costs £169, so the bundle saves you £39 overall.

It’s not a huge discount, but given the build quality, ease of use, and strong integration between the two products, it’s still solid value for anyone seeking a portable, all-in-one solar power setup.

(Image credit: Future)Jackery Explorer 500 v2: Verdict

The Jackery Explorer 500 v2 may sit on the smaller end of Jackery’s power station lineup, but don’t let that fool you — it’s a seriously capable, well-balanced performer. While the larger models offer more muscle, the 500 hits a sweet spot between power, portability, and price.

Paired with the SolarSaga 100, it forms a genuinely self-sufficient off-grid system for camping, van life, or emergency use.

Yes, there are limitations — the modest port selection and lack of app connectivity are mild drawbacks — but for users who value simplicity, dependability, and premium build quality, the Explorer 500 delivers exactly what it promises.

We've listed the best portable power stations.

Small power in Jackery’s new line of power stations for ultra-portability

A political scandal has erupted over allegations of severe abuses of Palestinians. A military official, who had leaked a video, disappeared briefly on Sunday. She was found later and is now being held in prison.

(Image credit: Oren Ben Hakoon)

Skip the usual restaurant gift cards and kitchen gadgets this holiday season. Give the food lover in your life something more festive like a hands-on cooking kit or live virtual class. Be it a family dumpling-making night or an expert cooking session, these hand-curated gifts bring everyone together and might even earn you a homemade holiday feast in return.

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Dell Chromebook 3120: Two-minute review

The Dell Chromebook 3120 is a small but tough laptop designed to withstand the rigors of student life.

Its compact and rounded design is certainly different. The softer material around its edges help protect it from impacts, making the Chromebook 3120 tougher than many others in this field.

Not only is it more rugged than the best Chromebook constructions, it’s also easier to repair, thanks to its top-mounted keyboard and captive screws that keep the various materials together.

The price paid for this toughness, however, is the huge bezel around the screen, which reduces the display size by a disappointing amount. At least it features screws in each corner, which again should help with servicing.

There are only four ports on the Chromebook 3120: two USB-C, one USB-A, and a headset jack. The type-C ports are located on either side, which improves versatility, and both support charging and external display connections.

The performance of the Chromebook 3120 is respectable, handling the sorts of tasks students demand of their laptops quite well. It can also handle HD video streaming and even light gaming, though nowhere near as well as many of the best laptops, so temper expectations.

(Image credit: Future)

The display is sharp and vibrant enough to enjoy such content, although its lack of brightness can cause some visibility issues, especially when viewing darker scenes. It’s also a little too reflective at times.

I was pleased to see that even the non-convertible model of the Chromebook 3120 features a touchscreen, which can be useful for navigation, although it’s not smooth enough for dedicated illustrators and handwriters.

The keyboard layout is good, with plenty of space between keys to make typing comfortable. However, presses frequently failed to register when I used it, which was frustrating. Worse, though, was the touchpad, which is too small and imprecise for accurate and smooth navigation.

Battery life, on the other hand, is up to expected standards. It lasted close to 11 hours when I played a movie on a continuous loop, which eclipses many of its rivals, although there are others that can endure for longer.

Considering its budget pricing, the Dell Chromebook 3120 is a worthwhile proposition. Thanks to its durability, portability, and performance, it really shines as a study companion—but I would recommend pairing it with an external mouse to eschew the wayward touchpad.

Dell Chromebook 3120 review: Price & availability

(Image credit: Future)

• Starts from $179.99 / £369.68 (about AU$350)
• Available now
• Reasonable price

The Dell Chromebook 3120 starts from $179.99 / £369.68 (about AU$350) and is available now. It can be configured with 4GB or 8GB of RAM, and a 2-in-1 version is also available, with a display made with Gorilla Glass.

This is a fantastic price for a Chromebook of this spec, making it one of the best student laptops around thanks to its performance and touchscreen functionality.

If you’re looking for something even cheaper, the Asus Chromebook CX1505 is a great alternative. It doesn’t have a tough exterior or a compact form like the Chromebook 3120, but it has respectable performance and a great display.

Meanwhile, the Acer Chromebook Spin 312 is one of the best student Chromebooks in our view, thanks to its truly convertible nature and lively performance.

• Value: 5 / 5

Dell Chromebook 3120 review: Specs

These are the specs for the Dell Chromebook 3120:

Dell Chromebook 3120 specs

Base configuration (Non-touch)

Review configuration

Max configuration

Price

$179 (about £135 / AU$275)

Clamshell: $299.99 / £369.68 (about AU$460)
2-in-1: $369.99 (about £280, AU$565)

Clamshell: $329.99 (about £250, AU$400)
2-in-1: $399.99 (about £305, AU$610)

CPU

Intel N100 (4-core/4-thread, 3.4GHz)

Intel N100 (4-core/4-thread, 3.4GHz)

Intel N100 (4-core/4-thread, 3.4GHz)

Graphics

Intel UHD Graphics (Integrated)

Intel UHD Graphics (Integrated)

Intel UHD Graphics (Integrated)

RAM

4GB LPDDR5-4800

4GB LPDDR5-4800

8GB LPDDR5-4800

Screen

11.6-inch Non-touch HD LCD (1366 x 768p), Anti-Glare

11.6-inch Touch HD LCD (1366 x 768p), Anti-Glare

11.6-inch Touch HD LCD, (1366 x 768p), Anti-Glare

Storage

64GB eMMC

64GB eMMC

64GB eMMC

Ports

2x USB-C, 1x USB-A, 1x 3.5mm combo audio

2x USB-C, 1x USB-A, 1x 3.5mm combo audio

2x USB-C, 1x USB-A, 1x 3.5mm combo audio

Wireless

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1

Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.1

Camera

720p

720p

720p

Battery

42WHr

42WHr

42WHr

Weight

2.82 lbs | 1.28 kg

Clamshell: 2.82 lbs | 1.28 kg
2-in-1: 3.17 lbs | 1.44 kg

Clamshell: 2.82 lbs | 1.28 kg
2-in-1: 3.17 lbs | 1.44 kg

Dimensions

11.96 x 8.19 x 0.82 ins | 303.9 x 207.9 x 20.8 mm

Clamshell: 11.96 x 8.19 x 0.82 ins | 303.9 x 207.9 x 20.8 mm
2-in-1: 11.96 x 8.19 x 0.85 ins | 303.9 x 207.9 x 21.5 mm

Clamshell: 11.96 x 8.19 x 0.82 ins | 303.9 x 207.9 x 20.8 mm
2-in-1: 11.96 x 8.19 x 0.85 ins | 303.9 x 207.9 x 21.5 mm

Dell Chromebook 3120 review: Design

(Image credit: Future)

• Rugged construction
• Compact form
• Large screen bezel

The Dell Chromebook 3120 has an unusual outer shell for a laptop nowadays. It has rounded edges covered in a soft-touch material, almost as if it has been fitted with a bumper case. This makes it look more like one of the best rugged laptops than a budget Chromebook, and Dell claims it’s as durable as those more durable devices. According to Dell, the Chromebook 3120 can withstand 30-inch drops onto steel and 48-inch drops onto plywood, something that'll probably matter if this is going to be used by a child.

In keeping with the durable chassis, the lid is also reassuringly solid, with no wobble to it at all. What’s more, it’s also very flexible – even the non-hybrid variant can still recline all the way back to 180 degrees, making it very amenable to various setups.

Despite all this ruggedness, the Chromebook 3120 is very compact, making it very easy to carry around. It’s heavier than you might expect, but not to an onerous extent.

Another advantage of the design of the Chromebook 3120 is the fact that it’s easy to maintain. It features a top-mounted keyboard and a captive screw in the chassis that keep its various materials together, both of which make the Chromebook 3120 readily repairable.

One of the worst aspects of its design, however, is the huge bezel around the display. No doubt this helps with durability as well as repairability (there are easily accessible screws in each corner), but it severely compromises the already small real estate.

There aren’t many ports on the Chromebook 3120, but they’re wisely chosen. There are two USB-C ports, which should help the device to stay relevant for longer, and both accept charging and external monitor connections.

What’s more, they’re located on either side to improve versatility. The only other ports on the Chromebook 3120 are a USB-A and a headset jack, both located on the left, but these are the next two interfaces I would’ve chosen to include on a Chromebook.

The keys have a slight but noticeable texture to them that feels smooth yet tactile. There are some useful shortcuts on the top row, but there aren’t as many as you’ll find on other Chromebooks – even those the same size as the Chromebook 3120.

• Design score: 4 / 5

Dell Chromebook 3120 review: Performance

(Image credit: Future)

• Good all-round performance
• Reflective display
• Poor touchpad

Benchmarks

These are the benchmark scores for the Dell Chromebook 3120:

TechRadar Battery Life Video Test: 10 hours and 44 minutes
Jetstream2 Benchmark: 181.945
Kraken Benchmark (lower is better): 743.3ms
Speedometer 3.0: 11.2 (±0.71)

The general performance of the Dell Chromebook 3120 is pretty good. It’s fast and snappy enough for basic tasking, from notetaking and essay writing to spreadsheet creation and browsing.

It can handle video streaming very well, too, even at 1440p. However, higher resolutions are beyond it, since you’ll have to contend with frequent and lengthy buffering times.

It’s even capable enough for some light gaming. I managed to play Asphalt Legends on medium settings smoothly, with no disruptive stutters or lag. Be warned, however, that not all Android games are compatible with the Chromebook 3120, including Alien: Isolation and Hitman: Blood Money—Reprisal.

The 1366 x 768p resolution is sharp enough for a display this small, and colors are pleasingly vibrant. Brightness is sufficient for the most part, although I wish it had more when viewing content featuring dark tones, as these can be hard to see at times.

The display also has a tendency to plunge into total blackness if the angle isn’t set just right for your particular environment. What’s more, it can be quite reflective, which further sullies the viewing experience.

(Image credit: Future)

The keys felt good to use, and their generous spacing makes them easy to navigate, even with the limited real estate. However, they lack feedback, and frequently my presses would fail to register while typing, requiring a firmer touch than with many other keyboards.

The touchpad, however, is more frustrating. It’s very small, which can make navigation and certain productivity tasks awkward, such as dragging items from one side of the screen to the other.

It also lacks refinement, with its jerky tracking spoiling my attempts at smooth, precise movements: the cursor either moved slower than expected or jumped too far ahead of where I wanted it to go. I also found that taps were very inconsistent, failing to register at least half of the time.

The touchscreen proved more responsive, but it can be quite grabby, resulting in unsmooth swipes and gestures. This isn’t the device for you if you plan on making copious amounts of drawings or handwritten notes, but the functionality is still useful for navigation purposes. It’s a shame that finger marks are quite visible, though.

• Performance score: 4.5 / 5

Dell Chromebook 3120 review: Battery life

(Image credit: Future)

The battery life of the Chromebook 3120 is very good. In our movie playback test, it lasted close to 11 hours, which is an impressive performance considering the smaller 43Whr battery, and puts it ahead of much of the competition.

It beats the Asus Chromebook CX1505, for example, which managed about 7 hours in the same test, but just fails to match the Acer Chromebook Spin 312, which managed over 11 hours.

It’s also reasonably quick to charge, taking about two hours to completely replenish.

• Battery life: 4.5 / 5

Should I buy the Dell Chromebook 3120?

Notes

Rating

Value

The can outlast it is well-priced given the spec and functionality.

5 / 5

Design

The tough chassis is welcome, as is the small size. Shame about the large bezel, though.

4 / 5

Performance

The Chromebook 3120 can be used for all sorts of tasks, and it deals with them all pretty well. The touchpad is poor, though.

4.5 / 5

Battery life

Battery life is above average, although there are others that slightly edge past it.

4.5 / 5

Total Score

The Chromebook 3120 does a sterling job as a student device, providing all the functionality and performance you could need for the classroom. But you’re best off using it with an external mouse.

4.5 / 5

Buy the Dell Chromebook 3120 if...

You want a durable machine
Thanks to its drop resistance and repairability credentials, the 3120 should last from term to term.

You want something easy to carry around
It might be surprisingly heavy, but it’s still very portable, largely thanks to its compact form factor.

Don't buy it if...

You want a great touchpad
The touchpad is too small and inaccurate for heavy use – get yourself one of the best mouse picks to go with it.

You want a large display
The lid housing the display is small enough, but the large bezel compromises it even further. It can also succumb to darkness and reflections under certain conditions.

Dell Chromebook 3120 review: Also consider

Here are some alternatives to the Dell Chromebook 3120 that are also fantastic for students:

Asus Chromebook CX15
It’s not as portable as the 3120, but it’s still quite thin. And its large width means you get a widescreen display, which is one of the highlights of the CX1505. It also performs rather well—and it’s cheaper than the Chromebook 3120.

Read our full Asus Chromebook CX15 review.

Acer Chromebook Spin 312
If you’re looking for one of the best 2-in-1 Chromebooks, the Spin 312 is a great choice. Its capable performance and sleek, portable design make it yet another student favorite. Plus, its display, though small, is a treat for the eyes, thanks to its sharp resolution. It’s a little reflective like the 3120, though.

Read our full Acer Chromebook Spin 312 review.

How I tested the Dell Chromebook 3120

• Tested for two days
• Used for a variety of tasks
• Chromebook reviewing experience

I tested the Dell Chromebook 3120 for two days, during which time I used it for a multitude of tasks.

I used it for productivity, general browsing, streaming video content, and gaming. I also ran our series of benchmarks for Chromebooks and tested its battery life by running a movie on a continuous loop.

I’ve been using Chromebooks and other laptops for years, and have reviewed plenty of them as well, ranging in their price points, form factors, and purposes.

• First reviewed November 2025
• Read more about how we test

The Dell Chromebook 3120 is billed as the perfect companion for educational purposes – but is it fit for the classroom?