Both Hulkman Alpha 85 and the NOCO GB40 are jump starters that show your car’s battery some love. Both these boosters can be easily stored in the tool compartment of the car due to their compact size. Their long clamp cables allow the users to perform jump starts easily.
Noco GB40 is a contemporary battery booster powered by a 24W Li battery.
Not only does it offer quick jump starts but also provides a backup for your USB-enabled devices.
With a bright internal flashlight, it comes in handy for camping or emergency uses.
Being water and dustproof, it also carries IP65 certification.
Hulkman Alpha 85 is a powerful booster that supplies a huge current influx of 2100 Amperes to a lifeless battery.
Taking advantage of the efficient internal unit, it can jump-start vehicles 60 times after a single full charge and maintains its power level for more than 18 months.
As compared with Noco GB40, the Hulkman Alpha 85 has a large charge storage capacity, shows high peak current, provides more boosts per charge, supports heavy engines, and carries a longer warranty but it costs comparatively higher.
Table of Contents
Contrast Table
| Specs | Apha 85 | GB40 |
| Brand | Hulkman | Noco |
| Internal unit | 74 watt-hr Li-ion battery | 24 Watt-hr Li-Ion battery |
| Peak Current Rating | 2000 Amperes | 1000 Amperes |
| In/ Out ports | 1 x output USB-A (QC 3.0) 1 x in/out USB-C (12V, 1.5A/ 5V, 1A/ 5V, 2A) | 1 x Micro USB port (5V, 2.1A) 1 x Output USB port (5V, 2.1A) |
| DC port | Yes (15V, 10A, 15W) | No |
| Safety feature | Enabled | Enabled |
| Manual Overdrive | Enabled | Enabled |
| LED Flashlight | 400 Lumens | 100 Lumens |
| Housing Protection | IP65 | IP65 |
| Unit weight | 3.61 Ibs | 1.65 pounds |
| Warranty | 24 months | 12 months |
| Price (US dollars) | $120 to $170 | $85 to $130 |
Jumpstart procedure
Both these starters can be easily employed to start a dead engine battery following this basic jumping procedure;
1. Shut down the engine and turn off all power accessories.
2. Attach clamps-cable to jumper socket off the device.
3. Connect red and black clamps respectively to the positive and negative terminal of the battery.
4. Switch “on” the starter and wait for a few seconds before you start the engine. Both jumpers will show an indication when the engine is ready to go. GB40, boost LED will illuminate white and Alpha will show “ready” on its display screen.
5. Once the engine starts detach clamps from the jumper and the car’s battery.
Performance in extreme conditions
Noco GB40 takes the lead for working efficiency at very high temperature with a working range of -20° to +50° C. However, its charging and storage temperatures are slightly lesser than its competitor.
Hulkman Alpha 85 can be stored in temperatures up to 60° C without damaging the battery cells or losing the stored charge. However, its performance range only spans from 0 to +45° C.
| Temperature Range | Alpha 85 | GB40 |
| Recharge Temp. | 0 to +45° C | 0 to +40° C |
| Working Temp. | -20° to +45° C | -20° to +50° C |
| Storing Temp. | Under 60° C | -20 to +50° C |
Pros and Cons
| Pros of GB40 | Pros of N44 |
| Economical price | Large peak current rating |
| Multi-purpose torch with 7 modes | Supports heavier engines |
| Works in higher temperatures | Longer warranty and stand by |
| IP65 certified | 400 Lumens flashlight |
| Has override feature | More boosts on a single charge |
| Cons of GB40 | Cons of N44 |
| Low powered internal battery | Flashlight provides fewer modes |
| Less jump starts per charge | |
| Smaller warranty period |
Design
Noco GB40 is a black and grey jumper that has many buttons (power, boost, light mode) and LED indicators (power, boost, error, charge level) over the top side.
It weighs two pounds lesser than the contestant and its size is also relatively compact.
It is IP65 certified as it has flap covers over in/out ports which protect it from dust and moisture.
The feature it lacks is DC output for powering electronics like tire inflators, fans, or a vacuum.
The built-in flashlight makes it multifunctional as it offers 7 different modes which can be used for working, camping, and emergency signaling but its luminosity is only 100 lumens which makes it less bright in comparison.
The company provides a microfiber bag for storage which is another plus for this device.
Hulkman Alpha 85 comes in a space grey outlook and has a comparatively larger size and weight. Its LCD monitor offers accurate information about charge level and jumping status.
It contains USB type-A quick charging output, a type-C in/out port, a 15W DC output, and a jumping socket.
DC port allows charging of 12V appliance through a cigarette lighter adaptor and makes it more useful in comparison.
The integrated flashlight allows 5 modes and presents better lighting as its brightness is 400 Lumens. No storage pouch comes along with the device.
| Layout features | Alpha 85 | GB40 |
| Width | 4.06 inches | 3.2 inches |
| Height | 1.81 inches | 1.7 inches |
| Length | 9.06 inches | 7.7 inches |
| Weight | 3.61 Ibs | 1.65 Ibs |
| Color | Grey | Grey and Black |
Recharging
Hulkman Alpha 85 has enabled fast recharge for Alpha by using its patented 65W wall charger (provided with the product).
It only takes 1.2 hours to replenish its charge level with this charger and just 5 minutes of recharge would be enough to allow a jump start.
With a normal 18-watt charger, it would need about 5 hours to recharge completely.
GB40 allows recharging with any USB-enabled adapter but lacks any specialized technology for fast charging like that of its contestant. With a 2A charger, it needs 2.5 hours for a full charge.
Peak Current rating
Hulkman Alpha 85 has a relatively high-powered battery that can store up to 200mAh charge and its electrical power is reported at 74 watt-hours. This capacity is three times larger than its competitor.
As it holds a large amount of charge, its peak current value is double and the number of boosts possible on a single charge is thrice that of its opponent.
Moreover, its charge holding efficacy is higher as it sustains the charge levels for 18 months period.
Noco boost starter carries an internal battery with lower electrical power.
It is a 24 watt-hr lithium-ion unit. Due to minimized internal capacity, it supplies lesser current discharges to dead units and shows the peak value at only 1000 Amperes.
As less charge has been stored, it gets completely discharged after fewer boosts.
It provides 20 jump starts on a single charging. It can maintain the charge level for up to a year only.
Bypass feature
If your battery is exhausted to a level that a simple jumpstart is unable to power it up then a massive current influx is needed. But safety features do not allow heavy discharge as it may trigger sparking and short circuits.
Both these devices allow manual bypass feature to override safety mechanisms and supply heavy current to the dead battery.
Gb40 has a boost button on its topside but for Alpha you would need to press the LED and power button simultaneously for 2-3 seconds.
Supported battery types and Vehicles
Lead-acid batteries specifying voltage levels at 12 volts can be recharged or jumped with these boosters. None of these support any other battery type or voltage.
If we talk about compatibility with different engine models. Hulkman Alpha 85 jumper clearly seems to win the competition as it supports larger vehicles.
It has the capability to restart batteries of 6L diesel engines which is double the capacity of its competitor.
For gas engines, it shows support for 8.5L engines.
On the other pole, GB40 is only suitable to jumpstart smaller engine batteries. Its compatibility with diesel-powered engines is 3L while for gas simulated vehicles it can support engines up to 6L capacity.
| Alpha 85 | GB40 | |
| Gas Engine | 8.5 liters | 6 liters |
| Diesel Engine | 6 liters | 3 liters |
Warranty
The Noco Boost GB40 offers instant jump starts and quick mobile charging for a fairly long duration owing to the benefit of its well-constructed design and efficient internal battery.
However, the manufacturer warranty for only 1 year indicates that its durability is lesser in comparison, the reason can be lack of AI smart-chip and its lesser weight which makes it more vulnerable to damage.
Alpha 85 is a more durable jump starter due to its robust plastic casing, AI smart chips, and leak-proof Li-ion internal battery.
Hulkman Alpha 85 offers a replacement for damaged or faulty equipment for up to 2 years. It also gives a 30-days money-back guarantee.
Price
When it comes to pricing, GB40 gives you more advantage and still offers satisfactory power backup for your vehicle and smartphone batteries. Its price ranges from $85 to $130.
Hulkman Alpha 85 is more costly in comparison but it also offers a high peak current, a longer warranty, and compatibility with heavy engines in return. It carries price tags varying from $120 to $170.
Hulkman Alpha 85 vs NOCO GB40 Summary
- GB40 is lightweight and compact than its competitor.
- Alpha 85 has better charge storing capacity and higher peak current value.
- Alpha has a monitoring screen for precise status indications and a brighter flashlight.
- GB40 takes longer time to recharge and lacks a DC port.
- Both devices are waterproof and have an override feature.
- GB40 holds the charge for 12 while Alpha for 18 months.
- Alpha supports relatively heavy-duty engines.
- Hulkman provides a longer warranty for Alpha but charges a higher amount as well.