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Title: The best power banks and portable chargers for every device in 2025

Date: Fri, 06 Jun 2025 09:01:26 +0000
Link: https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessorie...

Dead smartphones arenΓÇÖt so smart. If you travel, stay away from home for
extended periods of time or simply forget to charge your phone occasionally,
it might be wise to keep a portable charger in your bag. Over the past few
years, IΓÇÖve tested over fifty different models to find the best power banks
for different life situations. I looked at price, capacity, design and
wattage to pick the candidates, then used each one to charge up a slew of
different devices to see how they compare. This guide also includes info on
what to look for in a battery as well the latest regulations on flying with a
power bank. Here are the best portable chargers you can buy right now.

Table of contents

Best power banks for 2025

How we test best power banks

What to look for in a portable battery pack

Other power banks we tested

Power bank FAQs

Best power banks for 2025

What to look for in a portable battery pack Battery type

Nearly every rechargeable power bank you can buy (and most portable devices)
contain a lithium-ion battery. These beat other current battery types in
terms of size-to-charge capacity, and have even increased in energy density
by eight fold in the past 14 years. They also donΓÇÖt suffer from a memory
effect (where a battery's lifespan deteriorates due to partial charges).

Flying with portable batteries

You may have heard about lithium ion batteries overheating and catching fire
ΓÇö a recent Hong Kong flight was grounded after just such a thing happened
in an overhead bin. Current restrictions implemented by the TSA still allow
external batteries rated at 100Wh or less (which all of our recommendations
are) to fly with you, but only in your carry-on luggage ΓÇö they canΓÇÖt be
checked.

Recently, Southwest Airlines was the first in the industry to take that rule
one step further. Now, flyers on that airline must keep power banks in clear
view when using them to recharge a device. If the portable charger isnΓÇÖt
actively in use, however, it can stay in your carry-on bag in the overhead
bin.

Capacity

Power bank manufacturers almost always list a batteryΓÇÖs capacity in
milliamp hours, or mAh. Smaller batteries with a 5,000mAh capacity make good
phone chargers and can fill a smartphone to between 50 and 75 percent. Larger
batteries that can recharge laptops and tablets, or give phones multiple
charges, can exceed 25,000mAh and we have a separate guide that covers that
entire category.

Unsurprisingly, the prices on most batteries goes up as mAh capacity
increases, and since batteries are physical storage units, size and weight go
up with capacity as well. If you want more power, be prepared to spend more
and carry around a heavier brick.

You might think that a 10,000mAh power bank could charge a 5,000mAh phone to
100 percent twice, but thatΓÇÖs not the case. In addition to simple energy
loss through heat dissipation, factors like voltage conversion also bring
down the amount of juice that makes it into your phone. Most manufacturers
list how many charges a battery can give a certain smartphone. In our tests,
10,000mAh of battery pack capacity translated to roughly 5,800mAh of device
charge. 20,000mAh chargers delivered around 11,250mAh to a device, and
25,000mAh banks translated to about 16,200mAh of charge. ThatΓÇÖs an average
efficiency rate of around 60 percent.

Wireless

More manufacturers are making power banks with wireless charging. Not
hassling with cables is nice, but itΓÇÖs important to note that wireless
charging is less efficient than plugging in your phone. Outside of MagSafe
options, wireless portable chargers historically didnΓÇÖt make the cut for
our top picks for this guide for that reason. The Qi2 wireless charging
standard arrived last year and improves performance for wireless charging,
including for portable banks. Currently, iPhones are the only handsets that
support the new tech, but as itΓÇÖs an open standard, expect Google, Samsung
and others to adopt it for future phones. In my testing, IΓÇÖve noticed an
uptick in the performance of non-Qi2-enabled batteries as well, so you'll now
see wireless options on this list.

Ports

Since Apple ditched the Lightning cable and adopted USB-C, weΓÇÖre getting
closer to a standard for charging connections ΓÇö and all of our picks have
at least one such port. But plenty of other devices use older interfaces,
like USB-A and microUSB ports, plus Lightning for older iPhones. You can find
cables with just about any combination of those connections, so when youΓÇÖre
picking out a battery, just check that one end of your preferred cord will
fit.

Most battery packs have more than one charging port, which gives you
different charging options. YouΓÇÖll typically see at least one port labeled
ΓÇ£in/out,ΓÇ¥ which means you can use it to both charge the bank and charge
your gadget. While USB-A output ports can power up cell phones and other
small devices, they canΓÇÖt charge larger devices. Plus, they arenΓÇÖt as
fast as USB-C ports overall. ThatΓÇÖs something to keep in mind when youΓÇÖre
deciding which ports and charging cables to use to connect your phone to the
pack.

ThereΓÇÖs even more variation among USB-C ports themselves, with different
ports on the same device supporting different power transfer rates. What that
means in practical terms is an iPhone will charge just fine plugged into a
power bankΓÇÖs 18W port. But to properly charge, say, a MacBook or similar
laptop, itΓÇÖll need the extra juice supplied by a 100W port (which larger
power banks can offer). Power banks with more than one port can also charge
multiple devices at the same time, but speeds and the overall charge
delivered will be lower.

YouΓÇÖll also want to consider your charging cable. For anything larger than
a smartphone (and to access fast-charging capabilities) youΓÇÖll want to use
USB-C ports and cables. But not all cables are created equal, even when they
have the same USB-C plugs on the end. If you want power delivery from a 100W
USB-C power bank port, youΓÇÖll need a 100W-rated USB-C cable. Luckily, power
banks capable of delivering 100W tend to include a compatible cable. For any
devices that donΓÇÖt, weΓÇÖve tried and liked AnkerΓÇÖs 100W USB-C cable. For
smaller devices, we used this 60W cable from Nimble and we donΓÇÖt recommend
bothering with cables under 60W. For around $20, higher-capacity charging
cables will make sure youΓÇÖre not wasting time with connections that limit
your potential power transfer.

Design

For the most part, these rechargeable batteries have a squared-off, brick-
like design, though many nod towards aesthetics with attractive finishes and
detailing. While that doesnΓÇÖt affect how they perform, itΓÇÖs a
consideration for something youΓÇÖll interact with regularly. Some portable
power stations include extra features like MagSafe compatibility, a built-in
wall plug or even a kickstand. Nearly all have some sort of indicator to let
you know how much available charge your power bank has left, usually
expressed with lighted pips near the power button. Some of the newer banks
take that a step further with an LED display indicating remaining battery
percentage.

How we test best power banks

Before we even put our hands on a battery pack, we did extensive research. We
considered brands Engadget reviewers and staff have tried over the years and
we checked out customer ratings on retail sites like Amazon and Best Buy.
Then we get our hanHereΓÇÖs the full list of power banks we've tested, which
range from small wireless banks to large, multi-device batteries.

Amy Skorheim for Engadget MagSafe-compatible

Apple MagSafe Battery Pack (5,000 mAh)

Spigen ArcHybrid Mag (5,000mAh)

Anker 521 Magnetic Battery (5,000 mAh)

Mophie snap+ PowerstationMmini (5,000mAh)

Baseus Magnetic (10,000mAh)

Anker MagGo Power Bank (6.6K) (6,600 mAh)

Anker 633 Magnetic Battery (10,000mAh)

Anker MagGo Power Bank (10K) (10,000 mAh)

UGREEN 10,000mAh Magnetic (10,000mAh)

EcoFlow Rapid Magnetic (5,000mAh)

Low capacity (Γëñ10,000mAh)

Mophie Juice Pack (2,400mAh)

Anker 511 Power Bank (5,000 mAh)

Anker 313 Power Bank (10,000mAh)

Nimble Champ (10,000mAh)

Biolite Charge 40 PD (10,000mAh)

Anker Nano (5,000mAh)

Nimble Champ (10,000mAh)

Satechi Quatro Wireless bank (10,000mAh)

Anker 10K Fusion power bank (10,000mAh)

Mid capacity (10,001 - 20,000mAh)

Baseus Blade 2 (12,000 mAh)

Otterbox Fast Charge (15,000mAh)

Mophie Powerstation Pro (20,000mAh)

Anker Prime (20,000mAh)

Nestout Portable Charger (15,000mAh)

Nimble Champ Pro (20,000mAh)

InfinaCore P3 Pro (10,500mAh)

High capacity (20,001mAh+)

Mophie Powerstation Pro XL (25,000mAh)

UGREEN Power Bank 25,000mAh 145W (25,000mAh)

Anker 737 Power Bank (25,600 mAh)

Zendure Supertank Pro (26,800mAh)

Mophie Powerstation Pro AC (27,000mAh)

Lion Energy Eclipse Mag (27,000mAh)

Lion Energy Trek (27,000mAh)

HyperJuice 245W (27,000mAh)

Anker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank (27,650mAh)

Anker laptop power bank with built-in cable (25,000mAh)

Belkin Boost Charge 20K with built-in cable (20,000mAh)

We're continuously updating this guide as companies release new products and
we test them. We remove some products as we find picks that are more worthy
of the best portable charger designation. We also add updated specs and
prices where necessary.

For testing, I used each battery with some combination of an iPhone 15, an
iPhone 14 Plus, an iPhone 11, a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra, a Galaxy S23 Ultra,
a 5th-gen iPad Air and an M1 Pro 16-inch MacBook Pro. I charged one phone
battery at a time, even though some packs are capable of multiple-device
charging. I charged the phones and tablets from between zero and five percent
until they were 100 percent full (or until the power bank was dead), and
didnΓÇÖt use the phones or tablets while they charged other than to power
them on and enter the unlock code. In the case of the MacBook, I used it
while it was charging (itΓÇÖs my work computer).

I used the charging cable included with each power bank to charge the Galaxy
S22 Ultra, MacBook Pro and the iPad Air. For the iPhones, I used the USB-C to
Lighting cable that Apple provides. In the case of the lower-capacity power
banks that didnΓÇÖt include a cord or included one with USB-C to USB-A
connectors, I used this 60W-rated USB-C to USB-C cable.

For reference, here are the battery capacities of each device we used for
testing:

iPhone 11: 3,110 mAh

iPhone 14 Plus: 4,325 mAh

iPhone 15: 3,349 mAh

Galaxy S22 Ultra: 4,855mAh

iPad Air: 7,729mAh

16-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro: 27,027mAh

I noted the times for each charge and the number of charges each bank
provided. I also paid attention to things like ease of use and overall
design.

Other power banks we tested Anker Prime 20,000 mAh power bank

AnkerΓÇÖs Prime bank was our previous pick for the best premium power bank,
but I thought it worked best with the expensive (yet very convenient) base.
Considering it also doesnΓÇÖt have any built-in cables, we decided to bump
the Prime battery from its position and replace it with the Anker Retractable
Cable Laptop Bank. ThereΓÇÖs still plenty to like about the Prime battery:
itΓÇÖs solid, attractive and tells you just how much charge it has left with
its onboard display. When you add the optional base, you not only get a
convenient drop-and-go way to recharge, it also acts as a charging hub with
three additional USB ports.

EcoFlow Rapid magnetic power bank

I was curious to try out the first power bank from EcoFlow, a company that
primarily makes larger power stations and whole-home backup batteries. The
first offering in the brandΓÇÖs Rapid series is a Qi2-enabled magnetic
charger with a 5,000mAh capacity. It looks quite nice with shiny silver
accents and soft-touch grey plastic on the MagSafe-compatible front.
ThereΓÇÖs a little pull-out leg that sturdily displays your phone as it
charges and the attached USB-C cable lets you refill devices directly, then
tucks out of the way when itΓÇÖs not in use. But it didnΓÇÖt outperform our
top pick in the MagSafe category, in terms of both charging speeds and the
amount of charge delivered.

Baseus Blade 2

The Blade 2 from Baseus has a unique, flat shape thatΓÇÖs just a little wider
than an ereader ΓÇö which may make it easier to slip into a low profile
laptop bag. It charged a Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra considerably faster than
any other battery bank we tried, getting it from four percent to full in just
over an hour. It then filled the phone back to 62 percent from dead on a
second charge in about a half an hour. But $100 is a lot for a standard power
bank that holds fewer than two full charges. But if you can find the Blade 2
on sale, snap it up.

Anker MagGo (6.6K)

AnkerΓÇÖs 6.6k MagGo is pretty similar to our top pick for a MagSafe-
compatible battery pack. It supports the Qi2 charging standard and props up
your iPhone so you can use it or enable StandBy mode while powering up. This
one even lets you set the viewing angle from 30 to 65 degrees. It was speedy
in getting an iPhone 15 up to 50 percent in about 40 minutes. But for the
added bulk, it doesnΓÇÖt have as much capacity as the 10K MagGo, holding just
enough juice for a single full charge plus about 5 percent. But it is $20
cheaper, which may be key for some.

Mophie Snap+ Powerstation Mini

The Mophie snap+ Powerstation Mini is terribly well-built. It feels premium
with a rubberized contact point for the MagSafe charging pad and a stand that
runs the entire width of the bank itself, making it extra sturdy. ItΓÇÖs
compact, too, but only carries a 5,000mAh capacity, which gets you a partial
charge on most newer or larger phones. Our current MagSafe/iPhone pick has
double the capacity, a stand and a digital display ΓÇö for just $20 more than
the Powerstation Mini.

Power bank FAQs What's the difference between a portable power bank and a
portable charger?

A slew of terms are used to describe power banks, including portable
batteries, portable chargers, external battery packs and even, somewhat
confusingly, USB chargers, which is what wall chargers are often called. They
all mean the same thing: a lithium ion battery that stores a charge so you
can refill a smartphone, tablet, earbuds, console controller, ereader,
laptop, or just about any other device with its own built-in, rechargeable
battery.

ThereΓÇÖs little difference between the terms, so the specs youΓÇÖll want to
pay attention to are capacity (expressed in mAh), size and weight so you can
find the right balance between recharging what you need and portability.

Power stations, on the other hand, are distinct. These are bigger units
(often around the size of a car battery) that can be used to charge multiple
devices multiple times, but notably, they canΓÇÖt be taken on airplanes.

Does fast charging actually ruin your battery?

Not exactly. The real enemy of a batteryΓÇÖs longevity is heat. The faster
you charge a battery, the more heat is generated. Modern phones have features
that keep the battery cool while charging, like physical heat shields and
heat sinks, as well as software features that slow down processes that
generate too much heat. Phone manufacturers are keen to promote a phoneΓÇÖs
fast-charging abilities, so they had to figure out ways to make faster
charging work.

While there arenΓÇÖt long-term studies on what fast charging does to a phone,
a study on EV batteries (which use the same general concept of charged
lithium ions flowing from one side of the battery to the other, absorbing or
releasing a usable charge) showed a very slight decrease in capacity over
time with only fast charging ΓÇö though what actually made a larger
difference was how hot the battery itself was, due to ambient temperatures,
when it was charged.

In short, fast charging could be slightly harder on your battery than normal
charging. But the safeguards most smartphones have make that difference
fairly negligible. To really ensure youΓÇÖre taking the best care of your
battery, limiting heat exposure overall is one of the best things you can do.

Can you use a power bank for all your devices?

That depends on the size of the bank and the size of your deviceΓÇÖs battery.
A small 5,000mAh battery isnΓÇÖt strong enough to charge laptops, but a
portable charger with a 20,000mAh capacity will give your computer a partial
refill. You also have to consider port compatibility. If your device has a
USB port, youΓÇÖll be able to easily find a cable to connect it to a battery.
If your device has a more unique port, such as a DC port, you wonΓÇÖt be able
to use a battery. Devices with an AC cable and plug can be charged, and
sometimes powered (such as in the case of a printer or speaker), by larger
laptop batteries with AC ports.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at
https://www.engadget.com/computing/accessorie...
143048526.html?src=rss

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