Rolling Square inCharge XS Review

Since I have reviewed a few of their cables now, Rolling Square sent me their latest and greatest to the inCharge line, the XS. This was a gifted product, but they never read my reviews before publishing or have control over what I say. So any and all opinions in this post is my own. 

That being said, Rolling Square have had a history of quality with me. They are one of the few manufacturers I know that takes the time to listen to the community and engages with us to hear about what we like, what we don’t and how their products can do better. So I’m always excited to see what they come up with.

This time around there’s been a bit of subtraction as well as addition. I am never going to complain about faster charging, and now boasting 240w it will breeze through whatever you throw at it.

This time though something has been removed. The inCharge XS charging cable is a 4-in-1 charger, as they have removed support for Micro USB. Good riddance, I won’t miss it. I still say it retains its title as a universal charging cable, as who uses Micro USB nowadays. If I buy any new tech and it requires Micro-USB, I’m just disappointed. 

USB C has a lot of improvements to make in terms of what it delivers, but at least its being worked on. And with just a few legacy devices still using it it’s frustrating I have to bring a dedicated cable for it. I’m hoping this is a sign the tech industry is taking one more step away from Micro USB.

I love the design of Rolling Squares inCharge cables. They feel premium and durable. I love the design of Rolling Squares inCharge cables. They feel premium and durable. Considering this one is always meant to be on display and hang on your keys, looking good is always a plus. Making it the perfect accessory for lovers of EDC gear and minimalist tech accessories.

This time the three colours are more Earthy tones. With a Lanzarote Grey, Sahara Beige and Atacama Orange. I know colour choices aren’t something that’s a priority but anyone who loves tech loves their tech looking cool. I got Lanzarote grey and I do love it, but I have to admit the more I see the Sahara Beige the more I wish I chose it.

This small charging cable is designed for your keychain, and its sleek form manages to do that seamlessly. It’s nice and compact, making this a really portable charge cable. I often keep an inCharge in my various camera bags and tech kits as well so I always have one within reach. I usually keep my keys sleek and minimal, I hate having extra bulk in my pockets. But this compact travel charger is no bother at all.

Like all of Rolling Square’s inCharge cables, these are made tough. Every detail has been considered to ensure that they can take everything life throws at you. And they have to be, since these will sit in your pocket on your keys, they will be bashed, crushed, and potentially even sawed by the teeth on your keys.

But all of this has been considered, with reinforced TPU, Nylon reinforcement and Aramid fibre all used to ensure that this cable will outlive the devices you use it to charge.

I am finding the size very limiting. I love these cables but in terms of practicality. My favourite so far has been the larger inCharge XL in the 30cm size. Its easier to manipulate, im still closer to a power socket but my devices are often usable. 

I’ve also found with this size that when I’m transferring data it’s a lot easier to knock an SSD free. Where the cable is so short it remains more rigid, so when knocked instead of just moving on the table often the SSD disconnected, stopping any transfers.

The inCharge XS is now capable of an incredible 240w. That’s more than powerful enough to charge even high-power devices such as your laptop. Being able to deliver that much power makes it a fast-charging travel cable, perfect for anyone on the go.

Unfortunately this is a bit where the size lets you down, as its too small to connect most plug sockets with a laptop and still be usable. If you are just trying to do a quick charge though you can find a way. 

Being so small, I like using the inCharge XS for backing up photoshoots or videos to my SSD whilst I transfer. I’m happy with the transfer speeds at 480mb/s although newer SSDs capable of almost double that. I have dedicated cables optimised for data transfer which I keep nearby. So the inCharge XS hasn’t completely remove all my other cables just yet. I think this could have some room for improvement.

I have always found the Rolling Squares inCharge cables to be the best charging cables for travel. All these changes and improvements are making the Rolling Square inCharge XS a powerhouse. I just hope to see these improvements added to their larger sizes.