We’ve all suffered the sudden, all-encompassing horror of a dead phone. The accusing looks and hushed criticism of family and friends. That blank screen on the commute home that leaves you at the mercy of your chatty fellow traveler. The sudden loss of Google Maps as you turn into an unfamiliar neighborhood. The sinking feeling as you realize your phone alarm didn’t go off because you forgot to plug your phone in last night. Why, oh, why must our smartphones die?
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We feel your pain, and that is why we’ve been checking out some of the best portable chargers on the market. Until there is a real breakthrough in battery technology, a portable charger might be the best solution. We have something here for you, whatever your needs may be, from a bucketload of power for a camping trip to a pocket-friendly solution for your daily commute. These are 20 of the best portable chargers that money can buy.
Fuse Chicken Universal
- Capacity: 6,700mAh
- Outputs: 2 ports (USB-C PD, USB-A QC 3.0)
- Weight: 331g (11.67oz)
- Price: $85
- Time to fully charge: Around 3 hours
For all you globetrotters out there, this device is nothing short of genius. The Fuse Chicken Universal has everything you need to charge your smartphone all wrapped into one neat, portable package that is 3 x 3 inches square and about an inch high. It’s a power bank with a 6,700mAh capacity, which is enough to charge most smartphones at least once with some power to spare. But it’s also a wireless charging pad and a travel adapter.
Tap the power button and you can see the remaining power as a precise percentage. There’s an LED that goes green when it’s ready and red while it’s charging something. There are USB-C and USB-A ports. You can charge it or charge another device with it via USB-C Power Delivery, which goes up to 18W. The USB-A port supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 standard. It also doubles up as a wireless charging pad, capable of putting out up to 10W to fast charge your iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, or any other Qi-certified device.
As if that wasn’t enough, there’s a built-in plug for a U.S. outlet, with prongs that fold neatly away. The plug part also slides off, as it does on Apple’s power adapters, and you can slide on one of the supplied plug attachments, which include plugs for the U.K., Europe, and Australia. This is a versatile device. You can plug it into an outlet and charge an iPad Pro via the USB-C and a phone via the USB-A at the same time. Or you could use it unplugged and have the power bank charge your iPhone 8 wirelessly and rapidly charge your Pixel 3 via the USB-C port at the same time. This is a thoughtful design that’s perfect for travelers.
Zendure SuperMini Power Bank
- Capacity: 10,00mAh
- Outputs: 2 ports (USB-C PD and USB-A QC 3.0)
- Weight : 180g (6.35oz)
- Price: $30
- Time to fully charge: 3 hours
The smallest offering in the Zendure range manages to pack a lot of power into its compact body. It is a durable, crush-proof design, so it’s a good choice for adventurers. There’s a USB-C port that supports Power Delivery and can output up to 18W, making it ideal to fast charge the new iPhone 11 range. There’s also a USB-A port that supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 standard and can put out up to 18W. The USP for this is the pass-through capability that allows you to charge the Zendure SuperMini and a connected smartphone at the same time.
There are a small power button and four LEDs that light up to indicate what’s remaining. It turns itself on and off automatically when you plug in a device, so the power button is only for checking remaining juice.
You get a short USB-A to USB-C cable in the box. It’s very portable and it holds a charge well. You can get larger sizes with greater capacity and more ports, but the SuperMini is ideal if you need a small, tough charger to give you a couple of full charges for your smartphone.
Ted Baker Portable Wireless Charger
- Capacity: 5,000mAh
- Outputs: 2 ports (USB-A at 2.1A, USB-C 2.1A)
- Weight: 280g (9.87 ounces)
- Price: $140
- Time to fully charge: Around 2 to 3 hours
If you demand some style and class in your tech, then this portable charger from Ted Baker is for you. It feels reassuringly heavy with an attractive brushed aluminum finish in coppery brown and a top of soft Italian suede leather. It has a capacity of 5,000mAh which is enough to charge any smartphone fully at least once. It comes with a 1-meter USB-A to USB-C cable.
It has two ports on the side with a power button and four white LEDs to show remaining power. There’s also a single blue LED that lights up when it’s charging something. The first port is a USB-A output rated at 2.1A and the second is a USB-C input or output also rated at 2.1A both ways. We tested with a Pixel 3 and using the cable supplied it charged at a steady rate, but using a USB-C to USB-C cable enabled rapid charging.
The device also works as a wireless charger. Simply pop your iPhone or Android phone with Qi wireless charging support onto the soft suede and tap the power button. Testing with the Pixel 3, it charged at normal speed, not rapid wireless charging. We really like the look and feel of this charger and it’s just the right size to hold together with your phone. The only thing that would give us pause is the high price tag. You can get much higher capacity chargers for less, but this one is all about the style and quality.
Omnicharge Omni 20
- Capacity: 20,400mAh
- Outputs: 4 ports (100W, 70W, 3A, QC 3.0)
- Weight: 630g (22.2 ounces)
- Price: $250
- Time to fully charge: Around 3 hours
If you’re craving the versatility to charge any device in the room, but you still want something reasonably portable, then the Omni 20 is set to become the new object of your desire. This unassuming square with sloping corners packs a multitude of speedy charging options. While Omnicharge may have literally cut corners on the exterior, you’ll find everything you could need inside.
There’s a proper AC outlet, just like a wall outlet, capable of putting out 100W to power a laptop or other large devices — you could even plug a TV into it. There’s also a DC outlet that can put out 70W and two USB ports — the first is rated at 5V/3A and the second supports the Quick Charge 3.0 standard, so whatever smartphone you own it should be able to charge at top speed from this power bank.
Next to the power button, you’ll find a wee OLED screen that shows the remaining power as an amount and as a percentage. It also displays how much power is currently coming in, how much power is going out, how much time before it runs out of juice, and the temperature. On the other side of the screen, there’s a rocker to turn on the USB ports and the AC outlet. The DC port can act as an output, but it’s also the best way to charge the Omni 20 and if you use the adapter and cable provided it can charge up fully in just 3 hours — not bad for a 20,400mAh capacity device. You can also use a laptop adapter to charge it, which is handy for travelers who don’t want to pack any superfluous extras. Incidentally, the Omni 20 is FAA approved for air travel.
This is a seriously versatile device that will charge up just about anything. You can also dig into the settings using the OLED and fine-tune your charging preferences, turn the fan off, turn the screen off, and tweak various other bits and pieces. It does also support pass-through charging, so you can recharge it and charge up connected devices at the same time. There are a few different versions of the Omni 20, so make sure you get the right one for you. You can pick the Omni 20 that switches a USB-C for the AC outlet for $200 and there’s a Pro version at $300 that includes extra charging cables and tips. Our Omni 20 also had plug attachments for the power adapter enabling us to use it in the U.S., the EU, and the U.K. According to some descriptions it was going to support Qi wireless charging as well, but this feature was cut.
Originally backed on Indiegogo, it’s not hard to see why people would want a feature-packed portable charger like the Omni 20 in their bag. It’s on the expensive side and quite large for the capacity offered, but as a one-stop charging solution for every device you own, it’s hard to match.
RAVPower Super-C Series Portable Charger
- Capacity: 26,800mAh
- Outputs: 3 ports (USB-C 3A, 2.4A, and 2.4A)
- Weight: 462g (16.2oz)
- Price: $80
- Time to fully charge: 4 to 5 hours
This versatile charger has three output ports and supports USB PD (Power Delivery). There are two standard USB ports, both rated at 2.4A, but the maximum joint output is 3.4A. More importantly, there’s a USB-C port that can deliver up to 30W for your laptop or tablet, or charge your phone at top speed. There’s a power button up top with four blue LEDs to show remaining power.
Not only can it charge devices with USB-C, but it can also be charged through that port, which means it’s very fast to juice up, provided you have a powerful wall charger (you don’t get one in the box). What you do get is two tangle-free USB-to-Micro USB cables at different lengths and a longer USB-C-to-USB-C cable. It also comes with a soft mesh bag sporting a drawstring closure.
It’s not the most portable device in the world, but it’s impressively compact and light for the capacity. This is a good solution for travelers with multiple gadgets. You can expect at least five full charges for an iPhone XS, four full charges for a Samsung Galaxy S9 Plus, and it can even charge an iPad with change. If speed is important to you, then this is a must-have.
Anker PowerCore Speed 20,000 PD
- Capacity: 20,100mAh
- Output: 2 ports (USB-C 3A and 2A)
- Weight: 373g (13.1oz)
- Price: $100
- Time to fully charge: 4 hours
If you want something fast charging, then Anker’s PowerCore Speed 20,000 PD is tough to beat. This long, slim power bank is packing 20,100mAh, which is enough to charge your smartphone at least three or four times over, maybe more depending on the model. You can also charge an iPad with change or even charge a small laptop, though we recommend checking compatibility before you buy.
It has a sleek, understated design with the usual power button on the side and four blue LEDs to show remaining power. There are two ports: One standard USB-A rated at 5V/2A and a USB-C PD (Power Delivery) output that can deliver up to 24W. You may be thinking it looks a little pricey, but you also get a slim 30W power delivery wall charger in the box, alongside a USB-C to USB-C cable, a USB-A to Micro USB cable, and a drawstring carry pouch. That’s everything you need for fast charging on the go.
We tried the power bank with a Pixel 3 and found it was capable of rapid charging. The included wall charger can also rapidly charge an iPhone X or an iPad Pro (Apple’s 30W wall charger costs $49 on its own). When the power bank runs out you can fully recharge it in just four hours with the charger and USB-C cable provided. If you’re after USB-C PD support, then this package is for you.
Jackery PowerBar
- Capacity: 23,200mAh
- Output: 4 ports (85W, 15W, QC 3.0, 2.4A)
- Weight: 749g (26.4oz)
- Price: $150
- Time to fully charge: 8 hours
It’s a hefty chunk of a power bank, but this rugged option could be ideal for camping trips or varied power needs because it includes a proper AC outlet at one end capable of delivering 85W. On top of that, you get a USB-C port that can put out 15W, a USB-A port that supports Quick Charge 3.0, and a final USB-A port that’s rated at 5V/2.4A. You can fully charge your smartphone at least four or five times with this, or even fully charge a 12-inch MacBook with change left over.
We got a sturdy USB-C to USB-A or USB-C cable in the box (the USB-A top can slide off to reveal a USB-C plug). We tested the U.K. version which doesn’t come with a wall charger, but the U.S. version does. Press the power button and you get a precise percentage readout of remaining power. You have to hold the power button down for two seconds to turn the AC outlet on or off and it’s important you do turn it off when you’re done or it will drain the power. You’ll hear a fan start up when you turn it on, which keeps it from overheating.
This is a really sturdy feeling power bank and it’s ideal if you want to be able to charge multiple devices at once. We were able to charge up a MacBook Pro from the power outlet (though not fully) and it also charged a Pixel 3 at full speed from the USB-C port. It is also TSA approved, so you can take it on a flight if you want to. It takes around eight hours to fully charge up, and sadly it doesn’t support pass-through charging.
Flux Portable Charger
- Capacity: 4,000mAh
- Output: 2 built-in cables (1A and 2.1A)
- Weight: 92g (3.2oz)
- Price: $26
- Time to fully charge: 3 to 4 hours
This is one of the slimmest portable chargers we’ve ever come across. If you’re looking for something pocket-sized, the Flux Charger is worth more than just a glance. It’s a mere 7.8 millimeters thick and measures 108 x 62.8mm. It’s also incredibly light but holds enough power to fully recharge your phone at least once, possibly twice. It’s finished with a durable black or white aluminum and features two built-in cables, a Micro USB cable, and an MFi-certified Lightning cable. There’s also a Micro-USB port for charging, which comes with a short Micro USB to USB cable.
Tap the small button on the side, and the four tiny LEDs light up to show remaining power. It doesn’t support fast charging, though, and we found that it took a couple of hours to charge the large battery in the Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge. Fortunately, it should fully charge an iPhone in around an hour. The input for charging it is 1.5A, so it takes a while to fully charge, but it does support pass-through charging, so you can plug it into the wall and your phone at the same time. If you like the design, but you need more power, then check out the 10,000mAh Flux Charger Plus for $52.
Xcentz Portable Charger
- Capacity: 10,000mAh
- Outputs: 2 ports (USB-C 18W and USB-A 3A)
- Weight: 185g (6.5oz)
- Price: $22
- Time to fully charge: 3 to 4 hours
This beautifully compact portable charger has a capacity of 10,000mAh, so you can expect two full charges for most smartphones. There’s a single USB-C port for charging your smartphone at top speed and for charging the battery pack up; it supports fast charging with Power Delivery at 18W and also Quick Charge 3.0. There’s also a standard USB-A port that charges more slowly.
It’s an extremely compact design that comes in black, pink, or sandstone grey. There’s a small display window on the side with four lights to indicate the remaining power level and a square power button sits next to it. This power bank comes with a basic USB-A to USB-C cable. Just bear in mind that you’ll need a good, fast wall charger to be able to charge it up at top speed.
You’ll find LG battery tech inside this power bank and it should retain 90% of its charge over 500 charge and recharge cycles, which is a lot better than most portable chargers in this price range. If you want something small and affordable, with plenty of power, then this is a great choice.
Aukey Power Bank
- Capacity: 20,000mAh
- Outputs: 2 ports (3.4A total)
- Weight: 387g (13.6oz)
- Price: $20
- Time to fully charge: Around 8 to 10 hours
This chunky portable charger is quite heavy but packs a big capacity of 20,000mAh. It has two USB ports for charging up your devices. Both are capable of putting out 2.4A, but if you charge two devices simultaneously your total maximum output is 3.4A. You can expect four charges from this battery for most smartphones.
The design is an unobtrusive black in subtly textured plastic and it feels chunky in hand. There’s a button on the top to turn it on and you will find a typical four LED battery level indicator between the ports. It can be charged up via the Micro USB port or the Lightning port, which is unusual. The idea is that iPhone owners need only take one cable to charge up both the power bank and their iPhones.
It comes with a short USB-A-to-Micro USB cable in the box and a travel pouch. Aukey also offers a 24-month warranty. It’s not the best-looking portable charger around, but there are two reasons to consider it: The low price and the option to charge it up via Lightning cable.
EasyAcc MegaCharge D20
- Capacity: 20,000mAh
- Outputs: 4 ports (3A each)
- Weight: 370g (13oz)
- Price: $50
- Time to fully charge: Around 4 hours
This chunky battery pack in black plastic has a distinctive orange stripe around it. We’re not in love with the look, but it contains a whopping 20,000mAh of power and an unusual array of input and output ports. The green USB port supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 or 3.0, and also Huawei’s fast-charging standard, FCP. There are two black USB ports capable of up to 3A and there’s also a USB-C port that can deliver the same. Move round to the side and you’ll find a Micro USB port and another USB-C port for charging the battery up. Interestingly these inputs can be plugged in simultaneously to enable you to charge the battery up faster — bringing charging time down to around four hours, which is pretty impressive for this capacity.
You’ll find the standard four LED array on the top to show you remaining power in 25% chunks. There’s a power button on the side and you can double press it to fire up the LED flashlight, which is a handy extra that makes this a good choice for camping. EasyAcc includes a short, 24-inch USB-to-USB-C cable and a USB-to-Micro USB cable that’s the same length in the box. It does support pass-through charging, so you can plug it in to charge and plug your phone into it to charge at the same time.
We think you can expect at least four full charges for the majority of smartphones out there and probably more than that for phones with smaller batteries, like the iPhone 8. Weighing up the complete package we think this is a good value for money and worth considering if you need a lot of power and want to be able to recharge it in a hurry.
Omnimobile 12,800 Portable Charger
- Capacity: 12,800mAh
- Outputs: 2 ports (QuickCharge 3.0 and USB-C)
- Weight: 272g (9.59 ounces)
- Price $69
- Time to fully charge: 3-4 hours
You don’t need something big and blocky to recharge a laptop — far from it, in fact. The Omnimobile 12,800 is part of the same range as the Omni 20, but that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Whereas the Omni 20 is undoubtedly a charger for a bag, the Omnimobile — while still large — is designed to be slipped more easily into a pocket and carried out for day trips, rather than weekends. The rounded corners and soft-touch finish make it easy to hold in your hand, while the position of the ports at one of the flat ends makes it easy to run cables out of pockets to a phone.
But don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a less powerful proposition just because it’s more svelte than its larger cousin; the Omnimobile 12,800 still has plenty of grunt to back it up. The 12,800 battery is enough to charge a phone three or four times, and it can even recharge USB-C laptops with the super-fast 60W USB-C port. That’s enough power to recharge the new MacBook Pro 15-inch, which is an impressive feat for a charger that fits into a pocket. Granted, it’s a large pocket, but it’s still impressive. The same port also recharges the battery, with recharge speeds of up to 30W.
The USB-A port isn’t as impressive as the USB-C port, but it’s still equipped with QuickCharge 3.0, which should make light work of recharging most fast charging-compatible phones. Best of all, the battery also has Qi wireless charging capabilities, so you can drop a phone with wireless charging on top and benefit from 10W fast wireless charging. That said, we’ve noticed the signal seems a little weak, and we had to remove protective cases to trigger charging.
There’s a power button by the ports, as well as four LEDs, which light up to show the level of charge remaining. While it’s not the cheapest portable battery around, it’s certainly among the most versatile, with the ability to charge three devices at once, and even recharge larger devices like laptops. If you need a good all-around battery, for a range of devices, that’s also very portable, the Omnimobile might be your best bet.
QDOS AirBank
- Capacity: 5,000mAh
- Outputs: 1 port and Qi wireless charging (2.4A and 5W)
- Weight: 180g (6.34oz)
- Price: $65
- Time to fully charge: Around 2 to 3 hours
We’ve been seeing more and more portable battery packs that double up as Qi wireless charging pads, but this effort from QDOS has a special addition that helps keep your phone in the sweet spot, and it’s suction pads. The capacity is only 5,000mAh, so you can expect at least one full charge for your smartphone, maybe one and a half or even two, depending on your phone’s battery capacity. It’s a slow wireless charger, offering 5W, but there is also a USB port that can put out 2.4A.
The size is pretty convenient and it has a soft-touch finish, though we did notice that it picks up lint and dust very easily, and you’ll find both on the suction cups in particular if you sling it in a bag. We have noticed with some other portable chargers like this that the phone can slide off a little too easily and the wireless charging doesn’t work as well, or sometimes at all, if the devices aren’t properly aligned. The suction cups do a solid job of keeping your phone in place. We tested it with an iPhone X and found we could even turn it upside down and the iPhone stayed securely attached.
You get a short USB to Micro USB cable in the box with it, and there’s a Micro USB port to recharge the battery. The other side is home to the power button with four white LEDs to show remaining power and two blue ones that indicate whether it’s charging anything via cable or wirelessly. We’re a little disappointed by the lack of fast wireless charging and it’s fairly expensive, but the suction pads are a clever touch that works well.
Anker PowerCore II 20,000
- Capacity: 20,000mAh
- Outputs: 2 ports (18W and 12W)
- Weight: 369g (13oz)
- Price: $60
- Time to fully charge: Around 5 hours
We’re big fans of Anker’s understated and practical designs. The PowerCore II packs in a huge 20,000mAh capacity without being ridiculously big, though it is something you’ll want to sling in a bag rather than your pocket. It features two USB outputs. PowerIQ 2.0 can put out up to 18W, which breaks down to 3A at 5V, 2A at 9V, and 1.5A at 12V. PowerIQ 1.0 can put out 12W up to 2.4A at 5V. Regardless of your device, you should be able to get decent charging speeds from this portable battery. The only thing it lacks is a USB-C port.
Compared to previous Anker offerings, there are a couple of new features here. The power button is now round and it houses a ring of white LEDs, which are designed to show you how much power remains. There’s also a textured surface on the outside, so it’s less likely to slip out of your hand or slide away from the back of your phone while you’re charging your device.
This battery’s robust capacity should also provide you with more than enough power to fully charge a Galaxy S9 four times, and it will charge an iPhone 8 more than six times. It’s also quick to charge, at just five hours, provided you have a decent wall charger (not included). All in all, this portable battery charger represents great value for the money.
iQunix MiniPower Portable Charger
- Capacity: 3,350mAh
- Outputs: 1 port (1.5A)
- Weight: 79g (2.8oz)
- Price: $11
- Time to fully charge: 3 to 4 hours
Possibly the most portable pick of the bunch, the MiniPower from iQuinix is ideal for slipping into your handbag and forgetting about until you need it. Finished in brushed aluminum that comes in your choice of black, gray, red, pink, or white, this diminutive charger packs a decent 3,350mAh capacity. There is only one port, which can put out up to 1.5A, so there is no fast charging here.
It comes with a felt pouch and a short, nylon-braided, USB-to-Micro USB cable. It is quite slow to charge phones and to charge up itself with that 1.5A limit, but it is also reasonably priced, durable, and very small. When you plug it in to charge a single LED will show red if it needs to be charged further or go green when fully charged, but that’s your only indication of remaining power. It will fully charge an iPhone, but for a lot of phones with bigger batteries, you’re just looking at a top-off.
Carved Wood Power Bank
- Capacity: 6,000mAh
- Outputs: 1 port (2.1A)
- Weight: 140g (5oz)
- Price: $49-plus
- Time to fully charge; 4 to 5 hours
This is easily one of the most attractive power banks we’ve ever seen. The frame is a soft, black plastic with an ebony layer on the bottom and an eye-catching top panel. Carved offers a wide range of different finishes, some of which consist of plain wood grain, some with fantastic designs by talented artists, and some that mix natural wood grain with splashes of colored resin.
In terms of functionality, the Carved power bank is straightforward — you get enough power to fully charge a smartphone at least once, delivered via a single USB port that’s rated at 2.1A. All the connections and components rest at one end, including the USB port used to charge your phone, the Micro USB used to charge the power bank, the recessed power button, and a standard LED array that indicates how much juice is left. The charger also comes with a handy burlap sack and a short Micro USB-to-USB cable.
Mophie Powerstation Plus XL
- Capacity: 10,000mAh
- Output: 1 built-in lightning cable and 1 USB-A port (2.1A)
- Weight: 160g (5.65oz)
- Price: $100
- Time to fully charge: 5.5 to 6.5 hours
The Mophie PowerStation Plus XL is a stylish battery that’s easy to pack in your bag. The 10,000mAh capacity has enough juice to charge even the biggest smartphone a few times. You will also find a built-in Lightning cable making it incredibly simple to charge any iOS device. If iOS isn’t your speed, there is a USB-A port allowing you to charge Android smartphones and wearables.
Since charging speeds go up to 2.1A, you won’t find QC support, but it will charge most devices pretty quickly. And since the Mophie PowerStation Plus XL charges via Lightning connector, it’s easy just to plug your iPhone charger into the battery pack and take advantage of the built-in pass-through charging. There is also an option to charge the battery pack via wireless charging but the input rate maxes out at 5W, meaning it will take about seven hours to get a full charge.
It’s quite a slim device, about the same profile as a smartphone, but a little thicker. The fabric finish comes in black, deep blue, heather gray, and slate. It is one of the more expensive battery packs, however, it packs a number of features that make it excellent value for money.
Nimble 10K Portable Charger
- Capacity: 10,000mAh
- Outputs: 3 ports (2 USB-A QC 3.0, 1 USB-C PD 18W)
- Weight: 255g (9oz)
- Price: $50
- Time to fully charge: 2 to 3 hours
What makes Nimble stand out from the competition is its use of sustainable materials. The Nimble 10K is constructed from bioplastics derived from sugarcane and corn. Nimble’s packaging is also 100% biodegradable and compostable. You’ll also find a small recycling bag that ships with each product so you can mail in old electronics to be recycled.
In addition to two USB-A ports, one of which supports Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 3.0 standard, there’s also an 18W USB-C input or output port, so you can easily charge another device. One of our favorite features is the detachable magnetic cable management strap that attaches to the bottom of the battery pack for convenience. The LED lights on the side tell you how much juice is left but can also show if your device is charging fast.
If you want a higher capacity battery pack from Nimble, the company has 13,000mAh, 20,000mAh, and 26,000mAh battery packs available.
Cygnett ChargeUp Pro
- Capacity: 20,000mAh
- Outputs: 3 ports (18W, 10.5W, 45W)
- Weight: 450g (15.87oz)
- Price: $130
- Time to fully charge: 5 to 6 hours
Cygnett has revamped its power bank range and this understated offering packs plenty of power. It also boasts a USB-C port with Power Delivery support, which means it can output up to 45W — enough to charge a laptop. You’ll also find two USB-A ports — one only goes up to 10.5W, but the other supports Quick Charge 3.0 for up to 18W. You can charge up multiple devices at once, and the Cygnett ChargeUp Pro offers a maximum total output of 63W. However, there’s no support for pass-through charging, so you can’t connect other devices when you’re using the USB-C port to charge the bank itself up.
It has a soft-touch finish in teal or black with rounded corners and glossy black plastic at the business end where the power button and ports are. When you turn it on, four blue LEDs on the top give you an idea of the remaining power. There’s a very short USB-C-to-USB-A cable included in the box, but that’s all you get with it. We’re a bit disappointed with the charging speeds of this unit. The maximum input via the USB-C port is 30W and you’ll need a decent fast charger to get top speeds, but even then it’s going to take the best part of six hours to charge fully. On the other hand, the generous 20,000mAh capacity will fully recharge a USB-C laptop at least once, a tablet a couple of times, and a phone several times.
It is on the expensive side for the capacity offered, but it seems to work well. It’s a solid option if you want something to sling in your backpack that will keep your laptop and phone charged up throughout the day, as long as you don’t mind charging it overnight. You can also get this portable charger with a 10,000mAh capacity for $70 or a 6,000mAh capacity for $50.
Poweradd Pilot 4GS Portable Charger
- Capacity: 12,000mAh
- Outputs: 2 ports (3A total)
- Weight: 257g (9.10oz)
- Price: $25
- Time to fully charge: 6 to 7 hours
This is a great-quality portable charger at a tempting price. It offers two USB ports, capable of up to 3A, allowing you to simultaneously charge two devices, though that splits the output between them. It also showcases an aluminum body that’s currently available in three colors. It’s fairly lightweight, too, and will fit in most pockets.
The Pilot charges via the Lightning port using the supplied cable and should allow you to charge your iPhone roughly four times. For Android smartphones with larger capacities, you’re looking at two or three charges. You’ll also find the familiar, four-LED indicator system that lets you know the device’s remaining power at a glance. Simply tap the button to illuminate them.
Belkin Pocket Power Charger
- Capacity: 5,000mAh
- Outputs: 1 port (2.4A)
- Weight: 131g (4.6oz)
- Price: $25-plus
- Time to fully charge: Around 5 hours
Here’s a fairly small, lightweight option from Belkin that will charge up an iPhone around one-and-a-half times, and should provide at least one full charge for most other smartphones. There’s a single USB port that puts out up to 2.4A, and a MicroUSB port for charging it up that’s rated at 2A.
It’s durable, with a plastic casing that comes in your choice of pink, black, or silver. It’s small enough to slip into a pocket or handbag. There’s a power button on the side with four LEDs that light up green to show remaining power in 25% chunks. You get a 6-inch Micro USB-to-USB cable in the box with it.
If you need more capacity, then Belkin does offer 10,000mAh ($40) and 15,000mAh ($50) models that sport two USB ports for charging. Belkin offers a special $2,500 Connected Equipment Warranty that guarantees a repair or replacement if your device is damaged by an electrical charge while properly connected to the charger.
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