Keeping your phone and laptop charged on the go can be a pain, and if you are anything like me, then there’s a good chance you’ll forget to take the appropriate cables for that power bank you made sure to slip in your backpack. Luckily, the folks at Anker are aware of some of our shortcomings and have developed a power bank with not one but two built-in USB cables, a display, and a whole lotta juice.
I included the rather blandly named 25,000mAh Laptop Power Bank in my backpack on a trip recently, so join me after the break to hear my thoughts on this versatile device.
Design
Its design follows a similar path to the Prime Power Bank we reviewed a little while ago, but this time, Anker has rounded the edges, which helps it appear sleeker. The display area is perhaps slightly longer than it needs to be in terms of functionality.
It’s not light by any means, but the curvature of the frame helps make it comfortable to hold. The bottom of the Laptop Power Bank is made of grippy rubber.
On the left side, you’ll find the USB-C and USB-A ports and the action button, which lets you flip through the display modes.
The top houses the retractable USB-C cable whose end fits neatly (and magnetically) into the frame. The right-hand side has the protruding non-retractable USB-C cable, which has a neat little catch that enables it to be used as a lanyard.
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Specs
- 25,000mAh Capacity
- 165W Output (Total)
- Information Display with Action Button on the side
- Ports: 1x USB-C, 1x USB-A
- 1x Extendable USB-C cable (2.3ft)
- 1x Static USB-C cable (0.98ft), which doubles up as a carrying strap
- Weight: 595g
- Dimensions: 15.7 × 5.4 × 4.9 cm
Performance
Having been slung in the backpack during a recent trip to Slovenia, I was impressed at how the Laptop Power Bank made short work of keeping my phone, tablet, and laptop charged up and ready to go.
With 25,000mAh, the Laptop Power Bank can be taken on your travels in your backpack with no issues. Its USB-C cables and Type-C port can output 100W, with the single USB-A port managing 33W. Once depleted, you can recharge the Laptop Power Bank in 1.7 hours at 100W. A 20-minute charge with a 100W adaptor will net a 30% capacity, enough to top up the Vivo X200 Pro’s 6,000mAh battery.
Charging rates are dynamic and depend on how many devices you have connected.
Charging Output
- Single Device: Any single USB-C connection can output 100W, USB-A at 33W
- Two Devices: Any two USB-C can output a maximum of 165W, USB-C and USB-A at 100W and 33W (133W total)
- Three Devices: Output drops to 130W, single USB-C port at 100W, other ports sharing 30W
- Four Devices: Output stays at 130W, single USB-C port at 100W max, 30W between other three connections
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Display
Much like the Prime Power Bank, the display gives information on which port is being used, the wattage being drawn, battery health, and how much charge is left in the tank. The different information slides are operated via the Action Button on the left side.
“Anker’s Laptop Power Bank proved to be another clever piece of tech that makes your life easier.”
Conclusion
As much as I liked the Prime Power Bank, Anker’s Laptop Power Bank has usurped its place in my backpack. A power bank with built-in USB-C cables means there is one less thing to remember when traveling unless you need to charge four devices simultaneously.
There’s enough capacity to last the day even with four devices on charge, and being able to recharge in under two hours makes the Laptop Power Bank a convenience worth having. This is, of course, if you are carrying it in a backpack. I found it a little chunky and heavy when walking around with it in the front pocket of my non-skinny jeans, but it’s manageable if you need to.
For the convenience and reassurance of never being without a charging cable, Anker’s Laptop Power Bank proved to be another clever piece of tech that makes your life easier.
The Laptop Power Bank usually costs $99/£89 on Amazon and Anker’s online store.
