Werewolf transformed my old gadgets into USB-C powered ones
Werewolf’s VFLEX dongle allows older devices with DC barrel-jack power inputs to run from USB-C chargers or portable batteries, without modifying the devices themselves. The Verge’s hands-on review finds it particularly useful for making ageing monitors, game consoles and recording equipment portable, though users must configure the correct voltage before connecting valuable hardware.
The $8 programmable VFLEX is set up via a phone and paired with roughly $4 interchangeable barrel-jack tips; it requests the required USB-C power directly rather than converting voltage. In testing, a battery powered a Super Famicom, a 27-inch monitor and an HDMI adapter drawing about 27W combined, while a Game Boy measured only 0.33W. Compatibility still depends on the charger supporting the necessary voltage: even Apple’s 140W USB-C adapter could not supply the monitor’s required 19V.
In short
- VFLEX brings USB-C power to many barrel-jack devices.
- Correct voltage configuration is essential for safety.
- Charger voltage support limits compatibility.
Explained simply
Many older gadgets use round DC barrel jacks for power, while newer chargers and portable batteries often use USB-C. Werewolf’s VFLEX is a small adapter that connects the two, letting compatible older devices draw power from USB-C without changing the device itself.
The VFLEX works with interchangeable tips sized for different barrel jacks and can be set to request a device’s required voltage. It does not create that voltage: the USB-C charger or battery must be able to provide it, and using the wrong setting could damage equipment.
The adapter could make devices such as monitors, game consoles and recording equipment easier to power away from a wall socket. Whether it works depends on the needs of each device and the capabilities of the USB-C power source.
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