Review cover Growatt VITA 550 Power Station (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review

Sometimes, a power bank just isn't enough.

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When you're on the go or need power in an emergency situation, sometimes a pocket-sized power bank isn't enough. So where do you go from there? A portable power station, which is a massive battery that can charge up and power just about anything you need. Whether it's for camping or serious outages, a power station can be an invaluable addition to your tech arsenal. 

The Growatt Vita 550 packs a whopping 11 outlets into its rather elegant form. Everything is nicely labeled and easy to see, with a digital display that tells you the input, output, and remaining battery life at a glance. I'm more accustomed to clunky-looking gas generators, so the sleek, streamlined look of the Vita is impressive. 

As for what's going on inside, the power station uses a 538Wh battery, which can output 600W. You'll get about 10 years of use out of the Vita 550, and its LiFePO4-type battery. The capacity and output is fairly standard for power stations, but Growatt takes things a bit further, offering something they call "Watt+", which lets you kind of (safely) overclock the Vita 550, powering devices that pull a maximum of 1050W.

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  • Charge Time (Outlet): 1.6hrs
  • Charge Time (Solar 100W): 5.4hrs
  • Charge Time (Solar 200W): 2.5hrs
  • Battery Life: 3,000+ cycles
  • Charging Input: AC (500W)
  • Warranty: 2yrs

For example, if I tried to power something that takes a ridiculous amount of power usually, like a heater or air conditioning unit, it would trip the Vita 550 whenever it tried to draw more than 600W continuously. However, if you activate the Watt+ feature, you can nearly double the output. I don't think this is something you should be using regularly, but if you ever run into a situation where you need something that uses a lot of wattage for a short amount of time--say a corded lawnmower or an espresso machine--you have the ability to do so in a pinch. This can be incredibly useful if you find yourself needing to do something just out of the range of an extension cable, or for keeping an appliance (a fridge or freezer) powered through a short outage to prevent spoiled food. 

At just a smidge under 18lbs, the Vita 550 is fairly easy to transport around. This makes it light enough to take with you on camping or road trips, or just makes it hassle-free to move around for any household need you might have of it. There's a small, yet super bright light on the front of the device, which helps illuminate the ports late at night, or during a power outage. Everything about the Vita 550 is designed well. 

Ports: 

  • 3 USB-A
  • 2 DC
  • 1 USB-C PD
  • 1 Wireless charging pad
  • 3 AC
  • 1 Car/Lighter port

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That bonus feature is tied exclusively to Growatt's mobile app. On the back of the device is a QR code so you can download it the moment you unwrap the Vita 550 from its packaging, clearly signaling that Growatt wants you to take advantage of the app. While I am normally skeptical of being tied to an app to get the most out of any product, it's a super useful app, giving you a lot of control over the power station. From it, you can toggle and manage just about every setting, while also checking in on the current input and output, remaining capacity, etc.

Despite the large capacity, Growatt's Power Station charges up super quickly. It takes about 2 hours to fully charge it up from 0%, meaning you don't have to worry too far in advance about making sure it's topped up for any outings. Growatt also offers a solar panel to pair with the power station, which is the ideal use case for the Vita 550. Being able to charge it up and have continual power without relying on the grid is a fantastic feature, though a pricey one. 

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You can get a Vita 550 for a little under $400 when it's on sale. That's a huge investment for any kind of product, but if you live somewhere where power outages or emergency situations might arise, it's a reasonable price to pay to be able to ensure you have your essentials powered for a short time. Growatt's rapid charging times and interesting pseudo overclock Watt+ feature make the Vita 550 an alluring purchase. 

 

Verdict

What We Liked ...
  • Super quiet in use
  • The Watt+ feature is useful
  • Lots of ports for versatility
  • Charges quickly (both wired or solar)
  • Surprisingly compact and easy to carry around
What We Didn't Like ...
  • Doesn't have a UPS function
  • Can't passthrough charge while the 550 is charging via cord
9.2
out of 10

Overall

The Growatt Vita 550 is a smartly-designed power station that has a ton of function and versatility.
This review doesn't answer few questions.
How fast it charges from solar panel? "Quickly" doesn't say much.
It doesn't say what type of inputs it has. If third pic is what I think it is, can this be charged from car? If yes, what voltages it accepts and how fast it charges (12V/10A, 24V/15A?).

Edit: For second question I have found an answer on their site. It accepts up to 13.6V/10W. So it cannot be used in trucks on both 24V and 12V (truck outputs 14V on 12V socket)
 
Those power stations are really unneccessary when using a power outlet to charge them. Maybe if you live in Africa, but not in most countries.
They are meant to be charged over a solar panel. If this model is not able to passthrough charge even when a solar panel is attached, then it is trash and plain useless.
For people who think it might cut your power bill: No it won't. The batteries will be long dead before you reach the break even point and make a profit out of it. This is an absolute niche product and is just there to brag that you can charge your phone with 'green' energy.
 
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Those power stations are really unneccessary when using a power outlet to charge them. Maybe if you live in Africa, but not in most countries.
They are meant to be charged over a solar panel. If this model is not able to passthrough charge even when a solar panel is attached, then it is trash and plain useless.
For people who think it might cut your power bill: No it won't. The batteries will be long dead before you reach the break even point and make a profit out of it. This is an absolute niche product and is just there to brag that you can charge your phone with 'green' energy.
It apparently can passthrough charge via solar panel, but not when plugged into an outlet, specifically. I'd argue that a lot of places outside of third world countries can consider such a thing far less than niche, though it depends on how willing you are to consider Texas as "not a third world country".

This review doesn't answer few questions.
How fast it charges from solar panel? "Quickly" doesn't say much.
It doesn't say what type of inputs it has. If third pic is what I think it is, can this be charged from car? If yes, what voltages it accepts and how fast it charges (12V/10A, 24V/15A?).

Edit: For second question I have found an answer on their site. It accepts up to 13.6V/10W. So it cannot be used in trucks on both 24V and 12V (truck outputs 14V on 12V socket)
Thank you--I should have included that information from the get-go I'll edit the review to have it.
 
Those power stations are really unneccessary when using a power outlet to charge them. Maybe if you live in Africa, but not in most countries.
They are meant to be charged over a solar panel. If this model is not able to passthrough charge even when a solar panel is attached, then it is trash and plain useless.
For people who think it might cut your power bill: No it won't. The batteries will be long dead before you reach the break even point and make a profit out of it. This is an absolute niche product and is just there to brag that you can charge your phone with 'green' energy.

I’ve only ever seen things like this as a ‘big brother’ to power banks, something you’d use to power something when mains power isn’t an option e.g. Power cuts, in a forrest, etc.

For just your phone, power banks with solar panels do exist, although I don’t know about their quality.

I have seen alternatives which are used by those trying to live off grid, (try to) be green or have higher requirements for blackouts, although they are much larger and they used ‘full size’ solar panels.
 
Seems very nice for camping, especially for my tech-addicted ass.

I remember my parents having to go out of their way to find campsites with power outlets lmao...

I'll have to consider getting one based on this glowing review
 
Someone used a device like this to bring a Wii U and Smash Bros to a picnic, complete with a big TV. It was actually pretty cool, especially since it's silent, unlike a gas generator.

The wattage is too low to be a whole house generator replacement though. A single outlet normally provides 1500w and this provides 600w normally and 1050w with the overclock. A PS5 only needs 70 watts, so this still provides plenty for an on the go gaming rig. My PC has a 1000w power supply (RTX 3080 needs 320w on its own), but it probably doesn't draw that very often.
 
Those power stations are really unneccessary when using a power outlet to charge them. Maybe if you live in Africa, but not in most countries.
They are meant to be charged over a solar panel. If this model is not able to passthrough charge even when a solar panel is attached, then it is trash and plain useless.
For people who think it might cut your power bill: No it won't. The batteries will be long dead before you reach the break even point and make a profit out of it. This is an absolute niche product and is just there to brag that you can charge your phone with 'green' energy.

GBAtemp user struggles with the concept of going outside
Has no idea how portable electricity would be useful
More at 11
 
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For people who think it might cut your power bill: No it won't. The batteries will be long dead before you reach the break even point and make a profit out of it. This is an absolute niche product and is just there to brag that you can charge your phone with 'green' energy.
This is not made for that. This is made for the people who want some portable power when they go on a camping trip, or if your power goes out, you can run some lights and charge your devices. You are absolutely right that this is a niche product, as it is mostly for people that don't have access to full power at all times. This would be handy on construction job sites though, so you can charge your power tool batteries and maybe run a radio for music.
 
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What a terrible device. It's your bog-standard 12v cheapo thing you can grab from the hardware store but without the ability to hook it up with additional 12vs to work in parallel and it costs 3-4 times as much for... A colour display.
 
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