The jump starter is an electronic device for starting a car that has trouble turning over due to the fact that it has run out of gas or because there is a dead battery. A traditional jumper cable can also be used to start a vehicle, but this method requires another car in order to complete the task.
“A standard set of jumper cables will work with most modern cars. Ideally you want your second vehicle to have a good battery and still carry enough charge to extend some life into your stranded engine.”
How does the Viking Jump Starter work
The Viking jump starter uses a set of batteries (which are replaceable 12V/7Ah lead acid) that provide electrical power to the unit. It has a total of 3 USB ports which allow for charging devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops.
“The Viking jump starter can also be charged through the integrated solar panel to extend your car starting time by using green energy.”
How does the NOCO Jump Starter work
The solar panel on top of the Noco jump starter can be utilized to charge up a separate battery (N134L 12V/7Ah) for later starting ability.
“The NOCO Genius Boost Plus is a completely portable and powerful jump starter capable of boosting up your vehicle battery.”
The separate battery needs to be charged up with either a car charger or through the solar panel.
The NOCO Jump Starter is charged up through USB (through a computer/phone/tablet) and comes with a 12V adapter that plugs into the cigarette lighter in order to power the unit.
Why should you buy a Viking jump starter instead
#1. Price is almost the same
The Viking and the NOCO are very similar products with only a few differences in the way they function. For this reason, it would be hard to justify spending more money on one product over the other for such minor design discrepancies. The Viking jump starter runs on $30 less than that of the NOCO unit and can be found online for about $90 dollars cheaper than that of its flagship competitor. See comparison chart below in order to view price difference between both units.
#2: The charge time for both units are close in terms of running time needed
In order to fully charge up a car battery using either a NOCO or a Viking, it would take roughly between 8 hours (using the solar panel) to about 10-12 hours using a car charger. When looking at the price of an additional 12V/7Ah battery needed in order to power up the NOCO unit, it works out cheaper to buy a replacement 12V/7Ah lead acid battery for the Viking unit rather than buying one additional 7Ah battery from NOCO.
#3: The Solar Panel is not that efficient
Both units have a solar panel on top of them which allows you to charge up your special jump starter batteries. While both units have roughly same run times per charge when comparing either of them, the Vikings instructions state that its special jump starter batteries should take between 8-9 hours of charging time using the solar panel whereas the NOCO unit is stated to take anywhere from 10-11 hours.
#4: The Viking can be charged on a computer as well
The NOCO Viking jump starter vs noco comparison that comes with one 12V/7Ah lead acid battery must first be charged up before it can start your vehicle. On top of that, you will also need to have another car with good charge in order to charge up the separate jump starter battery in order for it to function. Furthermore, charging up the NOCO through a computer will not actually charge up a second 7Ah battery which means that you will only get two USB ports instead of three.
What are some alternatives to the Viking jump starter
#1: The NOCO Genius Boost Plus GB70
The NOCO Genius Boost Plus is a portable jump starter that has the ability to start your vehicle. Also, it has the versatility of being able to charge up USB devices such as smartphones and tablets. It is slightly less expensive than the Viking unit and can be found for about $100 dollars cheaper than that of the Viking unit.
#2: The NOCO Genius Boost G3500 6V/12V jump starter
The NOCO Genius Boost G3500 is a jump starter with two USB ports and a built in flashlight (flashlight not that great). It also has the ability to start up your car battery as well. Lastly, it can be charged up via USB or through the cigarette lighter in your vehicle (included adapter). The unit will cost about $40 bucks cheaper than that of the Viking and still has two different jump starters to choose from; one for 6V batteries and one for 12V batteries.
The noco battery pack review and how it compares to other options on the market today
The noco genius boost plus is slightly better than the Viking due to it being able to jump a vehicle without any external power source. However, for most consumers out there who have bad car batteries this may not be an option. The unit by itself will jump start a CAR BATTERY only.Not sure if you can change that but it doesn’t state that its capable of doing so anywhere in their documentation.
The NOCO Genius Boost G3500
This unit is cheaper and more versatile than the Viking because it has two jump starters that are contained inside of one unit. On top of that, this unit comes with three built-in USB ports which means you could charge up your phone or other devices while having the ability to jump your car battery.
NOCO Genius G750 12V/24V UltraSafe Smart Battery Charger
If you have an older vehicle that requires a 24V battery and the newer cars with a 12V batteries are able to run off of this unit then this would be the best option for you. A lot of people who own classic cars usually use this particular brand. Because it is more versatile than other options on the market. It also comes with two USB ports found on top instead of having them hidden in the front which makes it a lot easier to plug in your smartphones or tablets. You can pick up one of these units for about $150 dollars cheaper than what the Viking charges for its product.
In the end, it’s all about what you need out of your car battery jump starter. If you want something to be lightweight and compact, then go with a Viking Jump Starter. However, if you need more power for bigger cars or trucks. Then we recommend going with the Noco Genius Boost Plus GB40 12V 40Amp Booster Pack Car Battery Jumper Power Supply Kit. Because it has been tested by both Consumer Reports and Tools in Action magazine as being one of the best on the market today.