Targus Premium Laptop Charger.
You might not think of your car as an option to charge your laptop, but road warriors will appreciate the chance to keep their notebooks running longer using the cigarette lighter. This group of chargers differ slightly in design and function, but they will do the job simply and effectively.
Targus Premium Laptop Charger
- $169.99
- Available at: Targus.ca, TigerDirect.ca
Being arguably the smallest 90-watt car laptop charger on the market, it also covers a wide range of Windows PC notebooks. Targus includes tips for HP, Compaq, Dell, Acer, Toshiba, Gateway, IBM/Lenovo, Asus, Sony, Panasonic and Fujitsu - plus tips for mobile devices, like iPod, iPhone, BlackBerry and mini-USB. The company offers new and replacement tips as well, so you aren't stuck with what's offered.
The benefit is that the Premium Laptop Charger can power both a notebook and a mobile device simultaneously - but it can do this at home, an office or even on a plane.
That said, the included cords can make it a hassle to take with you back and forth from the car, though it won't matter much if it's nestled in a laptop bag. It's also a shame that Apple laptop owners also can't use this with their MacBooks.
iGo Slim AC/DC Laptop Charger and USB Port
- $129.99
- Available at: The Source, TheSource.ca
At first touch, iGo's Slim Laptop Charger looks and feels like a brick, even if it isn't quite as heavy as one. But it does handle a wide range of devices that include pretty much all the same PC notebooks the Targus charger does, as well as mobile devices.
One key difference in this case is that iGo added a standard USB 2.0 port to the brick, which makes it a simple task in charging just about any device whose battery only needs a USB connection. This proves useful in charging cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, speakerphones or other gadgets you tend to use in the car, except that the extra cables could create too much clutter.
Charging a laptop is simple enough, even though Apple notebooks aren't supported, and the surge and voltage protection should help avoid any unforeseen malfunctions.
Kensington Auto Power Inverter with USB Port
- $34.99
- Available at: Amazon.ca, NCIX.com, Future Shop, Staples
With its basic design, Kensington's Auto Power Inverter performs a simple task of just turning your car's cigarette lighter into a wall outlet, meaning you can just charge your laptop using its factory charger cable. The additional USB port to the side can perform the same task with mobile devices too.
The agnostic outlet means you can charge a Mac laptop with ease by just taking along its charger and plugging it in. The beauty of this design is that it lessens the effect of cable clutter, but it may pose a challenge in placement, particularly if your cigarette lighter is too close to a cup holder or something else on the dash you need access to.
Despite being able to plug almost anything into it, the Power Inverter is still best for laptops, given the hassle involved in bringing charging cables for all the other devices that require an outlet.