I have so many flat, white plastic extension cables in my office that are hidden away out of sight. They're not conducive to a relaxing working environment, so I just stick them behind drawers and try to hide the wires that look like a ball of fallen spaghetti to one side.
This power strip from Trozk, however, is one that could sit proudly on your desk and actually contribute to your creative process instead of hindering it. It's called the TC-02 Game Style Power Socket, and it's based directly on the original Nintendo Famicom, taking inspiration from its colours, shape, and style to create the ultimate retro power accessory for your work or gaming station.
Ok, it's not the same direct shape and it doesn't have two controllers that sit in the top, but the body is rectangular and the rounded corners do make me think of Japanese gamers opening the Famicom for the first time in 1983. I've got to hand it to Trozk, they've made a power strip seem incredibly out of the ordinary with this design, allowing Retro Gamers like me to think about the past every time they plug in a modern device like a laptop, smartphone, or Apple Watch (strictly for emulating Pokémon Gold on, obviously).
While the standard 4 plug extension may set you back $5 or £5, this power strip starts at $72 and can be picked up from AliExpress or eBay. You're paying more here because of all the cool features on this thing. 'But what are they?' I hear you cry.
The main display shows you lots of things you don't really need to know but are cool to monitor anyway, like how much current you're drawing at any one time and your current voltage. You'll get a small smiley telling you about how much power you're consuming at any one time, so if it looks sad, your electricity bill is probably going to be astronomical.
According to AliExpress, the TC-02 power strip itself comes with short-circuit, over-voltage/current, super high power, electrostatic, and trickle protection. So, not only does it look like one of the most influential consoles of all time, but it's going to keep you and your devices safe every time you plug something in.
While there are two USB-A ports and a USB-C port on the front, it's the back of the device where you'll slot your actual plugs into. Anyone from the UK like me is now sighing with disappointment; those are definitely not UK plug sockets right there, which means this isn't going to work for me here in the English countryside. Still, if you are reading this from the USA, then you can rest assured that you'll have enough room to slot in the bulkiest plug and still make use of the other three slots - there's enough room for everything here (as long as it's not a UK plug).
Having a power strip that has extra bells and whistles certainly makes it more interesting to use, and integrating console-like features, such as buttons, displays, and high-score style real-time usage features is very cool. As I said above, the TC-02 Game Style Power Strip is more expensive than your standard 4-way extension, but it's arguably way cooler and more informative, and you don't have to reach around the back of your drawers to plug something in every time you want to use it! That's a win for me and my glass back right there!
