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There is no single best power bank for every device. In Tom’s Hardware’s September 29, 2026 review, Joe Shields tested 13 models from Anker, Sharge, Belkin, Baseus, and Cuktech, measuring recharge behavior, delivered capacity, discharge output, and temperature. For a phone, the compact Baseus PicoGo is a more natural fit; for a power-hungry laptop, the review highlights the Shargeek 170, Cuktech P23, and Anker Prime. The right choice depends on whether a bank can sustain the charging profile your device needs—not just the wattage or mAh printed on its case.
What the 13-bank test can—and cannot—tell you
Shields’s test used a wall charger, USB meters, a 240W-rated USB-C cable, an Asus Zenbook Duo as the laptop load, and an infrared thermometer. The laptop load reached about 93W in that setup. The review measured recharge time and input behavior, discharge output and delivered capacity, and external temperature.
These results describe those products under the review’s test conditions. They are useful for comparing observed behavior, but they do not guarantee the same recharge time, output, or temperature with a different charger, cable, laptop, or individual unit. Tom’s Hardware’s review includes the full model-by-model results: Tom’s Hardware power-bank review.
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Phones: prioritize portability and appropriate output
The review favors the compact Baseus PicoGo Air for phone-focused use. Its small size and lower output make more sense for a phone than a high-output laptop bank. A bank with more wattage is not automatically a better everyday choice if you do not need that output and would rather carry something smaller.
#1 Best Overall
- 40% Smaller & Lighter Portable Charger: Powered by the industry’s first TinyCell high-density battery technology, this ultra-compact 10,000mAh portable charger power bank is 40% smaller and 36% lighter than conventional chargers. Whether you are an office user slipping a mini small portable battery into a purse for commuting, or a student looking for lightweight college essentials, you get powerful daily carry convenience without the extra bulk to keep you powered on the go.
- 45W Pro Speed Portable Phone Charger: This 45W fast charger boosts an iPhone 17 Pro Max to 76%, a Galaxy S25 Ultra to 84%, or an iPad Pro to 60% in just 30 minutes (charging from 20%). Whether you are a driver needing a quick portable charger for car, a commuter relying on a desk phone charger, or a gamer wanting a seamless Switch battery pack and Steam deck charger portable, you will spend less time tethered to a wall and more time enjoying your day.
- Detachable Cable for Multiple Devices: Unlike a standard portable charger with built in cable that becomes useless if the cord breaks, INIU's 0.4ft detachable braided USB-C cable can be swapped anytime to save your investment. It effortlessly transforms into a versatile travel charger for multiple devices, ensuring your family or group travelers always have a reliable portable charger for all cell phones to keep everyone connected without carrying messy cords.
- Airline-Safe Travel Essentials: This TSA-compliant, flight safe power bank provides nearly 2 full charges for your smartphone, making it the perfect battery pack flight safe for business trips, cruise vacations, and airplane travel essentials. Beyond flights, it empowers campers, hikers, and outdoor users with ultimate camping essentials and road trip essentials—so you can explore freely without battery anxiety, making it ideal gifts for travelers women and men.
- Trusted Emergency Backup: As the SAFE Fast Charge Pro trusted by over 38 million users, we ensure the safest charging with the highest-grade materials. When unexpected storms or hurricanes strike, it acts as a lifeline—providing a dependable power outage battery backup and emergency phone charger for emergency users.
Laptops: check sustained output, not only the peak rating
For laptop charging, Shields highlights the Shargeek 170, Cuktech P23, and Anker Prime. The Shargeek 170 sustained more than 90W at 20V throughout the review’s discharge test; the Cuktech P23 also maintained output through the test. Most of the other tested banks reduced voltage, current, or both during discharge.
A laptop may need more power than a low-output bank can supply. Check the laptop’s USB-C charging requirements and the bank’s supported output profiles, including voltage and current, before choosing. A wattage rating alone does not prove that a particular laptop will charge at that rate—or that it will charge at all through that port.
Rank #2
- Speedy 30W Charging: Experience cutting-edge 30W fast charging technology—twice as fast as 5V/3A chargers. Boost an iPhone 16 Pro Max to 50% in just 27 minutes, compared to an hour with traditional power banks.
- Ready for Endless Use: Crafted for durability, the 5.4-inch built-in USB-C cable is tested to endure over 10,000 bends, ensuring it stands up to the rigors of everyday use.
- Mighty Compact Power: This powerful 10,000mAh power bank is only 4.32 × 2.58 × 0.98". It delivers up to 2 full charges for an iPhone 15, 1.94 charges for a Samsung S24, 2 charges for an iPhone 14 Pro, and 10 charges for AirPods Pro 2, making it perfect for travel. (Note: For iPhone 14 series and earlier, please use your own Lightning cable and connect it via the USB-A or USB-C port.)
- 30W Bi-Directional Charging: Enjoy two-way fast charging, a feature found in many Anker power banks, with up to 30W output and 20W input. (Note: Compatible with iPhone 15 Series, MacBook, Galaxy, iPad, Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck, and more.)
- What You Get: Anker Zolo Power Bank (10K, 30W), 5.4-inch (13.7 cm) built-in USB-C cable, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Tablets and mixed-device use: balance capacity, output, and carry size
For a tablet or a mix of devices, weigh the output profile and usable energy you need against the bank’s size and weight. A higher-capacity, higher-output model may be useful when charging a laptop, but it can be less convenient to carry than a phone-oriented bank. Compare port count and type too, especially if you expect to charge more than one device at once.
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Compare the specifications that affect real use
- Device and charging profile: Confirm the device’s supported USB-C power-delivery profile and compare it with the bank’s output at the required voltage.
- Sustained output: Look for evidence that the bank holds the needed voltage and current during discharge, rather than relying on a short-lived or headline wattage.
- Usable energy under load: Capacity delivered at a laptop’s charging voltage can differ from what a printed mAh figure suggests.
- Recharge time: The bank’s input capability, charger, cable, and test conditions all affect how long it takes to refill.
- Practical fit: Compare port types and count, size, weight, safety features, and price alongside capacity and output.
Why mAh does not tell you how much laptop charge you will get
Power-bank mAh ratings are based on the cells’ nominal 3.7V rating. The energy a connected device receives changes as the bank converts voltage and supplies power under load. A laptop test uses a higher voltage than a simple phone charge, so the number printed on a bank is not a guarantee of how much energy it will deliver to a laptop.
Rank #3
- 87W Power to Share: Distribute 87W across three devices, with a single device receiving up to 65W, to rapidly charge iPhones, Samsung phones. Quickly charge a 14" MacBook Pro to 50% in under 40 minutes.
- Speedy Cable Charging: Utilize the built-in cable to elevate your iPhone 15 Pro to 58% or a MacBook Air to 52% in 30 minutes. You can also fully recharge this power bank in 1.5 hours with a 65W charger.
- 20,000mAh for Extended Use: Eliminate concerns about battery depletion with a 20,000mAh power bank that ensures consistent, reliable charging for all your devices, also approved for airline travel.
- Lasts Longer, Charges Faster: The integrated USB-C cable is designed to endure, withstanding over 10,000 bends for dependable charging and convenient storage.
- What You Get: Anker Power Bank (20K, 87W, Built-In USB-C Cable), 6.2 × 2.9 × 1.0 in (15.5 oz), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
A reader comment on the Tom’s Hardware review challenges its capacity calculations and argues that watt-hours (Wh) are more useful for comparison. That is a reader’s criticism, not an independently verified reanalysis of the review’s measurements. When comparing banks, use Wh where it is available, and consider the review’s measured delivered capacity under the relevant load rather than treating cell mAh as delivered output.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Recharge times varied sharply in the review’s setup
Using the review’s described setup, Shields observed that the Shargeek 170 recharged in under an hour. The Baseus PicoGo AC22 took more than six hours, the Cuktech CP24 more than four hours, and the Cuktech CP12 more than 2.5 hours. These are test observations, not guaranteed refill times: a different charger, outlet, cable, or unit may produce a different result.
Rank #4
- Huge Capacity 50000mAh Portable Charger - The 50000mAh power bank ultra-high massive capacity will keep your phone and other device running for many days！Without extra worry about low phone battery. Ideal for traveling, camping and hiking.
- Latest PD 22.5W High-Speed Charging - OHOVIV 50000mAh Portable phone charger adopts the latest Super Charger Protocol and Fast Charger Protocol with 22.5W output USB-C port.Support QC4.0 QC3.0 huge capacity power bank with fast charging, it only takes 30 minutes to charge your iPhone 14 from 0% to 55%.（NOTE: The 50000mAh PORTABLE CHARGER ARE NOT ALLOWED ON AIRPLANE！！）
- Power 3 Devices at Once - Cell phone external battery pack is equipped with 2 USB-A (22.5W output) ports, 1 USB-C (18W input/22W output) port and 1, and it can charge three devices at the same time. The portable power bank is universally compatible with all products via USB charging cable, including all iOS and Android smartphones, watch, bluetooth headsets and so on.
- LED Digital Display & Compact Design - OHOVIV 50000mAh Cell phone portable charger comes with smart LED digital display, accurately keep track of remaining juice, allowing you to easily operate your power.Our battery pack charger portable is 13.4*7*3.4cm（5.27*2.75*1.33in）, and weigh 613g (21.6oz), which is easy to carry.
- Safe Powerful Phone Charger - OHOVIV 50000mAh portable charger power bank with premium Li-polymer battery, this portable battery charger can charge your devices multiple times.Battery bank adopt smart chips to prevent overcharge, overvoltage, overcurrent, and short circuit to ensure customer safety.
Temperature readings are test results, not safety ratings
In the review’s tests, the Baseus PicoGo reached a maximum external chassis temperature of 43°C. The Anker Prime and Anker Laptop each reached 37°C. Those figures report measured exterior temperatures in that test; they do not, by themselves, establish a general safety finding or predict temperatures in other conditions.
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| Use case | Models highlighted by the review | What the evidence says |
|---|---|---|
| Compact phone charging | Baseus PicoGo Air | The review favors it for phone-focused use because its compact size and lower output suit a phone better than a powerful laptop. |
| Power-hungry laptop charging | Shargeek 170 | It sustained more than 90W at 20V throughout the review’s discharge test and recharged in under an hour in that test setup. |
| Laptop charging | Cuktech P23 | The review says it maintained output through the discharge test. |
| Laptop charging | Anker Prime | The review highlights it among the laptop options; its measured external chassis peak was 37°C in the review’s test. |
The table is a focused shortlist, not a complete ranking of all 13 models. The review’s findings do not establish current prices or availability; check current listings and the exact model revision before buying.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
