DJI Power 1000 Portable Power Station Review: This Thing is Absurdly Good!
Today, we’re diving into an in-depth review of the brand-new DJI Power 1000 Power Station, a sleek and impressively quiet little unit from a brand typically known for its drones and camera equipment.
This is DJI’s first serious venture into the world of portable power stations, so here at The Solar Lab, we wanted to give it an honest and unbiased review. Whether you’re considering this unit for camping, backup power, or as part of your everyday tech setup, we’ll cover everything you need to know.
Not only will we break down the key specs and reveal the results of our own in-house testing, we’ll provide our own series of pros and cons and decide if it’s worth buying. To round things out, we’ll even provide you with a few alternatives.
Let’s get started!
What is the DJI Power 1000?
The DJI Power 1000 is the of two new power stations from DJI, with its sibling being the smaller DJI Power 500. For those unfamiliar with DJI, they’re not exactly new to the tech world. In fact, they’ve been one of the dominant forces in the drone world since 2013 and also produce a variety of cameras, microphones, and gimbals.
While they’ve certainly been around for a while and have a strong reputation for making high-quality tech products, the Power 1000 and Power 500 act as their debuts into the power station world. Given that we’re personally quite familiar with DJI’s camera equipment and drones, we were really excited to see what the Power 1000 brings to the table.
Breakdown of Key Specs and First Impressions:
Before we dive into the results of our testing, let’s quickly review the specs for the Power 1000:
Battery Capacity: 1,024Wh Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Battery
Total Weight: 28 lbs (passes the Tiny Baby Lift Test with flying colors)
Output Power: 2,200W inverter (4,400W surge rating)
Input Power: Three options for charging (1,200W AC input, 400W solar input, 100W DC car charger input)
Price: Regular price of $999 (on sale for just $699 at launch)
All of these specs are really strong on paper, especially if you can pick it up for that introductory price of just $699. At that price and with these specs, this thing is a serious bargain. Even at the full price of nearly $1,000, it still offers great value for a lightweight power station that packs a 2,200W power inverter and a high-capacity 1,024Wh battery.
So, What Can the DJI Power 1000 Actually Do?
After playing around with it, we came to realize that the Power 1000 offers outstanding performance and it offers some really cool features. At its core, it boasts a high-quality 1,024Wh LiFePO4 battery. The fact that you’re dealing with a lithium iron phosphate battery means you could cycle it from completely dead to full every day for roughly 10 years before it drops to 80% capacity. Such a huge battery lifespan makes that $699 sale price look even better.
The battery’s 1,024Wh storage capacity also means it can hold enough power to charge a standard drone about 12 times, a smartphone roughly 57 times, and it can even handle small appliances, like the type of mini-fridge you might bring on a camping trip, or even just some of the basic appliances you might want to run at home during a power outage.
Charging and Input Power Ratings:
As mentioned, you get three options for charging the Power 1000, which is pretty solid for a smaller unit. Some of the power stations we have tested do not support solar inputs or DC car charging, but you get the option for both of those inputs, as well as standard AC charging.
Here’s a basic breakdown of those inputs and roughly how long they take to charge the internal battery:
AC Charging: With a standard AC wall outlet, the Power 1000 can take up to 1,200W of input power, meaning it can fully charge in just over an hour.
Solar Charging: With 400W solar input capability, it can fully charge in about two and a half hours with the right solar panels.
Car Charging: Since it can only accept a maximum of 100W of input power this way, charging the unit with a car-style DC input is clearly the slowest option, but that’s not exactly the end of the world. Ideally, you would favor AC or solar charging, so having the ability to charge your Power 1000 from your vehicle can be seen as a bit of a bonus that could be used when you’re in a pinch. It’s a good option for just topping up the battery when you’re on your way to an off-grid location, even if it is really slow.
Output Power Rating and Ports:
The Power 1000 can push out 2,200W of output power, with a 4,400W peak rating for surges.
This is actually really impressive, and almost feels like overkill in the best way possible. DJI really didn’t need to equip this thing with such a massive power inverter, especially given it was primarily designed for charging portable devices, like drones and cameras, but it’s a really nice touch. All of this output power adds to the unit’s versatility, allowing it to double as a reliable source of backup power for power outages and basic use around the house.
In terms of output ports, it features two 120V AC outlets, two USB-As, and two 140W USB-C ports. The fast-charging USB-C ports are great for fast-charging more demanding devices, like an Apple MacBook Pro, which only needs about half of that input power to charge.
While the ports all seem to work great, and they do cover most of the basic needs, we would have liked it if they equipped it with a few more options. With that said, these ports are definitely adequate for the unit’s intended purpose, which is keeping portable devices fully charged for long stretches of time.
Testing Out the Power 1000
As we always do when we’re reviewing a new product, we put the DJI Power 1000 through a series of tests, and here’s what we found:
The Efficiency:
We tested the unit’s efficiency by using it to run a 1,615W load. Given its 1,024Wh battery, we expected about 38 minutes of run time. In reality, it only lasted 29 minutes, putting its efficiency at around 76%—not bad, but a bit off the 80% to 90% industry-leading efficiency ratings out there.
Even though this is slightly below average, the efficiency rating jumped up when we ran it under more typical loads, so it’s nothing to be overly concerned about.
AC Charging Speeds:
While the unit has a switch for 600W or 1,200W AC charging, we noticed some inconsistencies. During our tests, we couldn’t get it to hit the full 1,200W input rating with AC power. This was despite it being on the correct setting.
This might have been a safety feature since the battery was fully drained when we tested it out, but it was odd to see it cap out at about a 65% charge after nearly 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Testing the Surge Capacity:
We ran the Power 1000 at 2,400W (a bit above its 2,200W output rating) for 20 minutes, and it handled this test like a champ. No loud noises, no automatic shut-offs, and basically no real issues from the unit at any point. This is really impressive for a power station of this size.
Solar Charging:
Unfortunately, DJI didn’t send us the proper solar adapter, but we did manage to use the DC car adaptor cable to test it with a 200W solar panel. It performed well, charging at 99W, which is almost the full potential of the adapter we used.
Since, at the time of reviewing, this was a newly released product, we weren’t overly surprised it didn’t come with everything, but we’d imagine if you ordered one new, you would get you the proper solar adaptor. Given how the other charging cables and inputs worked, it should allow you to hit close to that full 400W solar input rating with the right solar panel setup.
Pass-Through Charging:
Pass-through charging is crucial if you need to charge the unit’s internal battery while simultaneously pulling power from it to power to your devices or appliances. While this may seem like a basic feature, quite a few power stations don’t support it.
If you’re off-grid and charging the battery with solar panels, while also wanting to use it to charge something, such as your phone, it’s a hugely beneficial feature, so we always like to test it out. The Power 1000 passed this test easily, allowing us to charge the unit while running other devices. Another big plus for the Power 1000.
Our Pros and Cons for the DJI Power 1000
Now that you know a little bit more about it, let’s dive into some of the things we really liked about this little unit, as well as some of the minor faults we found:
What We Loved About the DJI Power 1000:
After putting it through its paces, we found a lot to love about the DJI Power 1000. While we could have gone off, here are just a few of the things that really stood out to us:
Super Quiet Operation:
This thing is whisper-quiet! Unlike other power stations, which tend to rely on loud cooling fans when they’re running, the Power 1000 barely makes a sound while it is running.
Even when we were pushing it close to its 2,200W capacity, the noise was minimal, making it ideal for charging sensitive equipment indoors, like cameras, drones, phones, and laptops. You don’t have to worry about the Power 1000 generating any distracting noises, or even just a basic hum while it's off working in the background.
This actually makes a lot of sense given DJI’s background in the world of cameras, drones, and camera accessories, as they’re probably used to designing their products for creators that need quiet environments to workin.
With that said, no matter what you need it for, having a quiet power station is just generally pretty awesome. Even if you want to run it in your bedroom during a blackout, it’s not going to keep you awake unless you’re an incredibly light sleeper. The same can’t be said for some of the other power stations we’ve tested in the past.
The Incredibly Powerful Inverter:
For the small physical size and lightweight design of the Power 1000, DJI really didn’t hold back when they equipped it with a 2,200W inverter.
As mentioned, this inverter is more than capable of handling high-demand devices and even some small appliances, so you have the option to use it for emergency backup, or to power some more demanding devices when you’re off-grid, like the AURZEN Boom 3 Projector, which we used at several points when we were testing the Power 1000 out. We’ll also mention this little projector in more detail at a later point.
Sleek, Simple, and Portable Design:
Being very familiar with the brand, one of the things we really like about the Power 1000 is the fact that it looks like a typical DJI product: clean, sleek, and exceptionally well-made. The attention to detail is really there. Basically, everything just works exactly like you’d expect from a high-quality product designed by a reputable manufacturer.
Even things that are often the issue with power stations below the $1,000 price range, like the visibility of the display screen, are just on the money with the Power 1000.
Not only is the display screen easy to read, clearly showing all the essentials, like input, output, and remaining battery percentage, it gives you warnings when you’re running low on stored power. All-in-all, it’s just equipped with some really nice and intuitive features—a hugely appealing trait for those who are already familiar with DJI’s cameras and drones.
The Compatibility with DJI Accessories:
Another one of the really cool things about the Power 1000 is the accessories—those included, as well as those available for purchase separately.
For example, the carrying case is actually really nice and surprisingly practical. While carrying cases are exactly a necessary item for most power stations, the case you get with the Power 1000 is really durable and functional. It even features ventilation pockets to allow airflow in while the unit is running.
The case also makes the unit somewhat waterproof and more impact resistant, adding a layer of protection if you’re taking it with you on the go. Plus, as you’d expect, it makes an already-portable unit even easier to carry. You almost feel like you’re just carrying a small duffle bag, rather than a powerful power station.
Where We Think DJI Could Improve the Power 1000:
As you likely know by now, our opinions at The Solar Lab can’t be bought, so we always try to find at least a few things we don’t like about any product we are reviewing. While this is sometimes really easy, we have to admit that finding faults with the Power 1000 was pretty tough, especially at an introductory price of just $699.
Still, we would have found this thing to be borderline flawless if they addressed the following issues:
The Fairly Average Efficiency Rating:
While there’s nothing overly bad about the efficiency, we mentioned that we tested the Power 1000 under a full load and found that it only had an efficiency rating of 76%. This is a little lacking compared to some of the other units we have tested in the past.
With that said, the efficiency actually climbs back up when you aren’t putting the inverter under a full load, which makes sense when you think about the cooling fans, the inverter itself, and a few other internal mechanisms that draw power from the battery when the unit is being pushed to its max.
The Input Power Disparities:
While the 1,200W input rating for charging with AC power and the 400W solar input are both great, we really don’t know why it can only accept 100W of input from a car charging port. It’s better than nothing, but you’re going to be sitting around for a long time if you want to fully charge the battery using car charging alone.
BONUS Mention: The AURZEN Boom 3 Projector
We mentioned earlier that we used the AURZEN Boom 3 Projector to run tests on the DJI Power 1000, and it’s worth taking a moment to quickly explain why we like using this little projector so much.
Despite its tiny size, this mighty projector is an all-in-one home theater system, complete with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube compatibility right out of the box. With a 4K display offering crisp colors, it’s an absolute joy to use, and something we get a lot of use out of here at The Solar Lab.
Whether you’re upgrading your home theater or just want a portable projector you can take with you on a trip, this projector is super useful and it pairs perfectly with the Power 1000. We’ll leave a link and a promo code for it at the bottom of this article.
So, is the DJI Power 1000 a Worthwhile Purchase?
In a word, yes! At its launch price of $699, the DJI Power 1000 is a true steal. Even at its full price of $999, it’s still a solid buy for anyone in need of a quiet, powerful, and portable solution for charging cameras, drones, and small devices. For those familiar with DJI, you get the same quality and performance you have probably come to expect from the brand. It's well-suited for creatives, campers, and even just homeowners that are looking for a reliable source of backup power for power outages.
If you’re not sold on it, or maybe you’re just unfamiliar with DJI and want a power station from a company that specializes in making them, the Jackery 1000 PLUS and the more budget-friendly Anker C800X Power Station are both fairly similar in terms of performance and quality, and we have reviews on both of those units for you to watch.
With that said, the DJI Power 1000 is a huge hit, and it leaves us really excited to see what the brand does on the power station front in the future!
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