Over the past few years, I’ve tested 60 different power banks for Engadget. Meanwhile, battery manufacturers have given their products features with varying levels of usability, ranging from smart (built-in strips) to practical (indicating wireless chargers) to essential (special connection).
ANKER’s Laptop Power Bank (25K, 165W) Controls all the new sharp features in one charging brick – and costs less than other banks in its class. There is a built-in display that can not only let you know how much the bank has left, it also tells you how many watts are flowing through each of your devices. Pressing the button on the side cycles through the current temperature of the battery and the total life of the bank, including how many cycles. All those bits of information should help expand and fuel the bank’s longevity.
Anker / Engadget
ANKER’s Laptop Power Bank may be the only battery you need. It has a high position, a functional display and built-in cables – and it looks hot.
- Built-in cables make it convenient for charging
- Excellent charging speed and power
- The screen accumulates scuffs over time
$120 on Amazon
Large capacity in a neat package
The 25,000 mah capacity puts it well within the TSA limit of 100Wh and I took this battery on two flights in my carry-on without issue. The capacity is enough to fill my Aester smartphones (iPhone 15 and Galaxy S23 Ultra) about four times each. Separately, it progressed with the wear of my 16-Inch MacMacook Pro from 10 percent to 78 percent. That translates to an additional nine hours of use for my normal workload (Wi-Fi, VPN, too many Chrome tabs and other basic productivity apps).
My only GRIPE with the line is that the glossy screen has become quite difficult to use. It doesn’t look bad, just not as mint-new as it wasn’t installed. That’s to be expected, and I’ll take a luxe finish over some wrapped fencing any day.
Two built-in cables and a large capacity allow you to charge two devices at the same time. (Amy skorheim for Engadget)
Of course, forget your cables at home
Probably the most useful features of the most useful bank are the two built-in USB-C connectors, and one even has experience around creating management threads. It feels solid and well-built enough that I’m not afraid of such a shock. Another cable goes back to the unit and reaches two feet when needed. The end is always well tied to the spring in the body and stays in place on the beach. Not only do the cables look good, their placement means you’ll never find yourself in the unfortunate position of having a dead device and a full battery pack, but no way to connect the two.
Both cables work plug-in functions so you can easily plug them into a USB-C power adapter for recharging. There is also an additional USB port (one type-a and one type
Good speed
The 165-watt rating, like any power bank, doesn’t mean you’ll get that power from a single port. The average is the combined total, which is approximate, obtained with all four ports participating. The three USB-C outlets are rated for a max of 100w, but to reach this speed, you will need a device that can take it – my biggest hog is my watts and it goes up by almost 90 watts using a Power Bank. But for all but the worst cases, that’s pretty quick.
My iPhone 15 went from close to 70 percent charge in 40 minutes. The Galaxy S23 Ultra charged from 5 percent to 100 percent in less than an hour, and my 16-inch MacBook filled 68 percent in more than 50 minutes. That’s not the fastest performance I’ve tested, but it’s better than most other banks and most are fast enough to get you back to action in a timely manner.
Amy skorheim for Engadget
Finish it
It is satisfying when, after years of testing one type of product, you find one, more or less, a good example of the category. This is the battery I grab on my way to this coffee shop job. I’ve taken it on road trips and airplanes, and it’s never been perfect. The fact that you don’t have to remember to hold the cable takes the pressure off, and the intuitive display means you know how deep you are on the bank.
