Werewolf VFLEX Transforms Legacy Gadgets With USB-C Power

If you have a collection of older electronic devices gathering dust because their proprietary power bricks are long lost, a clever new gadget might finally bring them back to life. Senior editor Sean Hollister at The Verge recently tested an ingenious hardware solution called the Werewolf VFLEX, a diminutive programmable dongle capable of turning vintage power ports into modern USB-C receptors without requiring any permanent modifications or soldering to the original hardware.

The underlying philosophy of this system is delightfully straightforward. When Nintendo shipped the Super Famicom back in 1990, the universal USB protocol was non-existent, meaning legacy gear relied entirely on dedicated wall adapters. By acquiring the 8-dollar VFLEX dongle alongside a 4-dollar barrel jack tip, users can effectively bypass missing power supplies and tap into the immense capacity of contemporary USB-C portable battery packs instead of hunting down scarce original wall chargers.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Real-world testing highlights the sheer versatility of this setup. Hollister deployed the VFLEX to power a vintage Super Famicom during a five-player Bomberman gaming session on the Fourth of July, kept an aging Atomos video recorder running when its native batteries failed prematurely, and converted a desktop monitor into a portable screen for garage videography without dismantling a carefully cable-managed desk setup.

Power consumption metrics underline just how efficient these retro setups can become. Running a game console at 2W, a monitor at 24W, and an HDMI adapter at under 1W means a large Shargeek 300 portable battery can sustain them for hours. Furthermore, measuring his wife's original 1989 Game Boy draining a mere 0.33 watts while playing Tetris revealed that even a pocket-sized battery pack could theoretically keep the handheld running for over 90 continuous hours.

Source: The Verge