Its more powerful than our other picks, capable of pumping out a whopping 149 W to laptops and other power-hungry devices. Thank you for signing up to TechRadar. But thats a pretty small quibble, especially since it comes with a soft, mesh pouch as well as a roomy, hard-shell case. Having the best laptop power bank or battery charger in your portable arsenal is a good idea, especially if you do a lot of traveling or you like to squeeze in some more work while commuting to and from the office. What makes the Voltaic power bank unique, though, is that its solar-optimized. Subscribe now for unlimited access. Its slim, sleek, and easy to use, and it comes with a wall charger. The ports on this unit are widely spaced, leaving ample room for multiple plugs. At 1.5 pounds, the Jackery PowerBar 23200 (discontinued) was one of the lightest models we tested, and its two-year warranty was as good as any we saw. And, its PD 2.0 Type C port not only covers any of the newer USB-C only macbooks, but can also charge any laptop equipped with a USB-C port. You should check to see what laptops the chargers support, as some laptops still come with proprietary chargers, and make sure that it has the right connector to plug your laptop in. If you dont need an AC outlet, our favorite high-capacity power banks can charge laptops and other USB-powered devices, and theyre smaller and lighter than the picks in this guide. Our picks for the best power banks let you pack hours of extra battery life in a pocket or purse to charge your phone, tablet, or other small handheld device. There was a problem. What would have made a real difference is a rubber flap over the Omnicharges ports (which, again, the Anker and RAVPower models have) to protect its internal components against dust and minor spills, but that piece is also missing here. But if you want the extra charging options it provides and dont mind paying a premium for them, its your best bet. It also cost about the same as the PowerBar at the time of our research, and it has one fewer USB-A port. This means that it works with solar chargers and solar panels when traditional power sources are not available. But its heavier than the rest of our picks and not as ruggedly built. This model has plenty of ports, impressive capacity, and the power to charge most laptops. By Laptop power banks are a tricky thing. With a maximum power of 130W and two DC outputs not to mention, a variety of DC adapters included this power bank is compatible with many laptops. Made by a company we trust, its also backed by an 18-month warranty, which is as long as the coverage on any of our other picks. It has a USB-C PD port, a USB-A port, and an AC port with a protective rubber flap. Getting a portable laptop battery charger or power bank isnt as straightforward, however. At this writing, the Omnicharge is one of our more expensive picks. Its not quite as powerful as our other picks, and it doesnt come with a wall charger, but it recharges with any compatible DC or USB-C charger. We catalogued a range of features for each model we found, and we narrowed our search based on the following requirements: This process left us with the following 11 models to test: After spending 79 hours testing all 11 portable laptop chargers, we got to know them better than most dentists get to know their patients teeth. This compact, lightweight portable charger has an AC outlet, a USB-C PD port, and two USB-A ports, and it can charge even the most power-hungry laptops while theyre in use. Best yet, it's under $100, cheaper than most of the offerings on this list. The unit comes with a 45 W wall charger and a USB-C cable that you can use to recharge it at top speed, as well as a USB-A cable and a protective cloth carrying case. The Omnicharge Omni 20+ is the most lightweight (1.4 pounds) and compact of our picks. You can recharge the ChargeTech with the included 30 W wall charger and USB-C cable. The POWERADD Pilot Pro might be as versatile as laptop chargers come. Like the ChargeTech, this model is backed by a one-year warranty. If you dont already have a suitable charger, Omnicharge sells a charger separately or in a bundle with the main unit, but we dont recommend either one. TechRadar is supported by its audience. Not only is this charger the least expensive of our picks at this writing, but it also has one of the longest warranties at 18 months. That means you could plug in a 15-inch MacBook Pro running several programs, as well as a phone and a couple of other small devices, without overloading it. Ready.gov recommends keeping an emergency charging option for your phone and other mobile devices. You could always use one of our favorite pocket-sized or high-capacity power banks for this purpose, but a portable laptop charger gives you more types of output ports and, in most cases, more power. At 88Wh, its also airplane-friendly. Since joining Wirecutter in 2017, Ive reported on solar battery chargers, USB-C cables and adapters, rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, and more. It has a larger battery capacity than the Anker, and at this writing it costs a bit less. Its intuitively designed, too, though we could do without the built-in flashlight and wrist strap. Ive been a science journalist for more than seven years, covering a wide variety of topics from particle physics to satellite remote sensing. Its also one of the few models weve seen with dual input options (you can recharge it with DC or USB-C PD), as well as a screen showing you helpful information such as input/output wattage, charge level, and operating temperature. While the battery lives of many of the best laptops are now longer than ever, longevity still depends on how demanding the tasks theyre handling are. It had the lowest peak-power output (95.1 W) in our testing, and its one of the most finicky chargers to control when you need to turn the poweror even the flashlighton and off. The latter is convenient for storing the unit and its accessories, as well as protecting the outer surfaces from scratches and dings. More importantly, unlike other so-called laptop chargers out there that fail to work at times, this one's incredibly reliable, capable of charging your laptop every single time. Weve had good experiences with ChargeTechs products and customer service, and if you run into any issues with this unit, its backed by a one-year warranty. The Goal Zero Sherpa 100AC Power Bank is fairly compact, enjoyable to use, and equipped with an informative OLED screen. When we charged an empty MacBook Air in our testing, the Anker Powerhouse 100 brought it up to 90% with the screen at full brightness, Wi-Fi on, and an HD movie streaming. The Naztech Volt Power Station AC Outlet 14149 has one of the best warranty periods (two years) and currently costs the least of the chargers we tested. The RAVPower 30000mAh AC Power Bank (RP-PB055) is the least expensive of our picks, yet its also a smidgen more powerful. As complicated as that sounds, you will find that the ideal laptop charger or power bank for you is worth all the effort. Competition for outlets can be stiff at coffee shops, libraries, and coworking spaces. In our peak-power tests, the Anker got up to 141 watts before shutting down, outperforming all but one model: the RAVPower 30000mAh AC Power Bank. In addition, weve found the companys customer support team to be responsive and helpful. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. We especially like the rubber flap over the AC port, which prevents dust and other debris from sneaking into the port when the charger is getting jostled about in a backpack or a laptop bag. It has just as many ports as our other picks do, and its capacity is as high as that of any model weve tested. On a third side, youll find two USB-A output ports, an OLED display screen, and control buttons to toggle various ports on and off. We have a separate guide to larger portable power stations, which weigh as much as 50 pounds and can output hundreds of wattsthe type of thing youre likely to want for off-grid living, car camping, or fieldwork. But theyre easy enough to overlook, and you can cut off the strap if you like (we removed ours after testing). It also has a pleasantly textured rubber strip on one end that makes it even more impervious to damage, comfortable to hold, and easy to grip if youre pulling it out of a bag. Its backed by Ankers standard 18-month warranty, which is one of the longest weve seen in this product category. Take a look at our top picks below. As with our top pick, you dont have to supply your own wall charger to juice up the ChargeTech since it comes with a USB-C charging cable and a 30 W wall charger. Thanks to its two USB-A ports, you can charge your other devices as well. This unit also has a Qi wireless-charging feature (though its not certified by the Wireless Power Consortium, which wed prefer for confirmation of safety and optimal performance) that you can use to charge some newer phones. *At the time of publishing, the price was $150. If you're looking for a portable laptop charger that gives you the best value for your money, you've got a winner here. *At the time of publishing, the price was $200. Its two USB-A ports are handy for charging small devices, too, albeit at a slower pace. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, The ChargeTech Portable Power Outlet 27K 4.0 has the same port options as the Anker, higher capacity (it was able to charge our test laptop 1.2 times), and a lower price at this writing. To find the most popular power banks that include AC outlets, we scanned the top results on Amazon, Google Shopping, and the sites of major retailers such as REI and Target. Also, as soon as we turned on the AC output, its fan became audible, which could be distracting in a quiet room. Like the Anker, the ChargeTech can power even large, powerful laptops like the Dell XPS 13 or MacBook Pro while theyre in use. With enough power output to keep a 15-inch laptop running, it charged our MacBook Air to nearly full even with the laptops screen brightness cranked up and video playing. And, that's while charging your other portables as well with its 3-port selection. Its outer shell is made of a soft-textured plastic thats grippy and comfortable to hold, and it seems relatively scratch and scuff resistant. The good news is that many laptops today are designed with USB-C charging available. Combine that with its 74Wh power, and you've got a device that not only keeps things portable for jet-setting creatives and remote working professionals but is TSA-approved as well. In terms of battery-charge percentage, thats equal to what the ChargeTech provided, 20% more than we got from the smaller (discontinued) RAVPower model we tested, 30% more than the Anker produced, and 40% more than the Omnicharge managed. Its fairly versatile, as it includes 10 laptop adapters that should cover most users needs. Our research and testing showed that the Panasonic BQ-CC55 is the easiest and safest way to keep your rechargeable AA and AAA batteries in tip-top shape. Please refresh the page and try again. In addition, its one of the heaviest chargers weve seen, tied with the Naztech Volt Power Station at 2 pounds (though still a little lighter than our ChargeTech and RAVPower picks). In her spare time, she eats as much cheese as her body will tolerate. The Einova Ultra Fast Powerbank keeps things simple, compact and reliable, which is really all you want from a laptop power bank you want to travel with. Learn more. Its USB-C PD port works for either input or output, as well; this means you can use the port to charge a device such as a Nintendo Switch or 13-inch MacBook Pro, or you can plug it into the wall and recharge the unit itself, at top speed (provided you pair it with the right cable and wall charger). It is more compact than the RAVPower models, and the unit looks like a Dell power brick that charges your laptop. The Omnicharge comes with both USB-A and USB-C cables, but youll have to supply your own wall charger. But even with that extra power, its one of the smallest and lightest chargers we tested (the Omnicharge Omni 20+ is a few ounces lighter). TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. The charger also comes with 10 different connectors making it compatible with most laptops. It does provide an additional input option (Micro-USB) that none of the other tested models offerbut since charging is painfully slow over that port, that feature doesnt offer much of a benefit. 1 x 45W USB-C Power Delivery, 1 x 5W USB 2.1A, 1 x 18W USB Quick Charge, 1 x DC20V/5A, 1 x DC12V/2.5A, 2 x USB 5V/2.1A and 2 x USB 5V/1A, 1 x AC Output, 1 x DC in/out, 1 x USB-C in/out, 2 x USB-A, 1 x AC outlet, 2 x 5V/2.4A USB-A, 1 x Jump Start Output, 1 x DC Output, 1 x USB 5V/2.4A, 1 x USB 2 5V/1A, 1 x 16.8V/4.6A, 1 PD 2.0 Type C 5V.9V.12V.15V.20V/3A, 2 USB x 5V/2.1A, 1 x DC 5V/8.4V/9V/12V/16V/20V, 1 x USB 5V/9V/12V, 1 x USB-C 5V/9V/12V, 1x USB 5V/2A, 1x USB-C PD 5V/3A-20V/2.2A, 1x Hi-Voltage Laptop Port 12V/6A, 16V/5A, 19V/4.5A, 24V 3.5A. Its not our top pick because it doesnt come with a wall charger, its rubberized finish collects fingerprints, its relatively heavy at 2.2 pounds, and its bulkier than the rest of our picks (especially in its protective hard-shell case), but it excels in almost every other way. Its the smallest and lightest of our picks, yet it still offers all the same ports. It may only have the standard 20,000mAh capacity, but that's a full laptop charge and a half, definitely more than enough to last you while you're in between outlets. Plus, its one of the few models that come with a wall charger. Weve tested the best car chargers, and we have recommendations for affordable, reliable options that can fast-charge any device while youre on the road. The Anker recharges at top speed via its USB-C PD port when paired with the included 45 W wall charger and USB-C cable (you can use any USB charger and cable, which is convenient, but they might be more sluggish depending on their wattage). The Voltaic Systems V88 Portable Laptop Power Bank has all the necessary features that any great laptop power bank should have including four outputs, passthrough functionality, and an easy to read LCD display for monitoring the battery level and voltage. Weighing 2.2 pounds, its also one of the heaviest. After new testing, the Anker Powerhouse 100 is our top pick, the ChargeTech Portable Power Outlet 27K 4.0 is our runner-up pick, and the RAVPower 30,000mAh AC Power Bank (RP-PB055) is our budget pick. Via its DC port and included Magsafe 1 and 2 cables, this laptop charger can power up any Apple laptop from 2006 to 2018. Finally, it features passthrough charging, so you can charge it while simultaneously powering to devices via the AC or USB-A ports. These features feel superfluous to useven if youre planning to use your charger for camping or emergency preparedness, the flashlight isnt bright enough to be usefuland both extras somewhat detract from its otherwise sleek, stylish appearance. Rated capacity: 20,400 mAh (73.4 Wh)Max output: 98 WWeight: 1.4 poundsDimensions: 5.0 by 4.8 by 1.1 inches. Still, if you like to keep close tabs on how much power your laptop is getting or precisely how much battery life your device has left, you might find that level of detail advantageous. But at this writing, its also the most expensive model we tested. Ideally wed have preferred 100%, since the highest-capacity chargers we testedthe RAVPower and ChargeTech unitswere able to fully charge the laptop (plus an additional 20%) under the same conditions. Beyond its high price, the biggest downsides of the Omni 20+ are that it has the lowest output and capacity of any of our picks, and it doesnt come with a case or wall charger. The wall charger is difficult to put togetherit stymied us, and we had to ask customer support for helpand you can typically get one of our favorite wall chargers for less. ZMI also promises HP Spectre x360 13-inch and Samsung Chromebook Pro compatibility. For anyone whos bought into the Apple ecosystem or has multiple Apple devices, the MaxOak Type-C Power Bank is the perfect portable solution. Desire Athow The Omnicharge is about the size of a bagel or kaiser roll. And its not just for laptops: With its built-in AC outlet, a laptop charger can power other small devices, as well, from vibrators and video projectors to breast pumps and baby monitors. The Anker has two features that are unique among the models weve tested: a nylon wrist strap and a built-in flashlight. More importantly for travelers and digital nomads, it boasts a svelte and lightweight design at 405 g, its a lot lighter than the iPad Air. *At the time of publishing, the price was $160. (As with the Anker, you can also use any compatible USB wall charger and cable, though they may recharge the unit more slowly). New York, Rated capacity: 30,000 mAh (108 Wh)Max output: 149 WWeight: 2.2 poundsDimensions: 7.0 by 5.4 by 1.8 inches. The RAVPower 30000mAhs outer surfaces are coated in a rubbery material that, while comfortable and grippy, causes it to collect smudges and fingerprints more easily than any other model weve ever tested. It can keep up with MacBook Pros and other powerful laptops, its compact and lightweight, and its one of the few models that come with a wall charger to recharge the unit itself. But its not as ruggedly built as the Ankerits metal exterior shows scratches and dings more easily, it doesnt have a protective rubber flap over the AC outlet, and it doesnt come with a carrying caseand at 2.4 pounds, its a little heavier. It shares some aspects of our picks, offering a clean, simple look and good capacity. NY 10036. But as the brands name suggests, this model also offers the most charging options. It has an AC outlet on one side and offers USB-C PD and DC input/output ports on another. Even someone who is rarely away from their desk might want a portable laptop charger in case of a blackout or other emergency. With the right cable, the USB-C PD port can also charge a small, handheld device such as a Nintendo Switch, a wireless mouse, or a smartphone as fast as possible. Dell's Power Companion is a far sleeker battery pack if your office relies on Dell Inspiron, Latitude, XPS or Venue laptops and tablets, with the added benefit that it has extra USB ports should you need them. We handpicked the best portable laptop chargers on the market for you. This model is your best bet if you dont mind some added bulk in exchange for having the most power possible. However, along with the Goal Zero, its one of the heaviest chargers we tested, weighing 2 pounds. It even has an easy-to-read LCD display to let you know just how much juice it has left. The HALO Bolt 58830 isnt just a portable laptop charger, although it is an effective one thanks to its AC outlet. In addition to the wall charger and USB-C cable, this unit comes with a USB-A charging cable and a velvety-soft pouch. It doesnt have an AC outlet, but its USB-C port lets you charge your older MacBook units. last updated 12 January 22, Stay charged when working from home with our pick of the best portable laptop battery chargers and power banks around. It also comes with a USB-C charging cable, but sadly without a wall charger; youll need to get one that supports USB-C PD charging to recharge it at top speed. Its cheaper and smaller but just as powerful and reliable. If you have a long commute, travel frequently, or regularly attend off-site meetings and conferences, an alternative source of power can relieve charge anxiety. The Mophie Powerstation AC used to be our top pick, but it has been discontinued. In our testing, this unit had the highest peak-power performance of any model we tried, cranking out an impressive 149 W of power. It weighs just 1.7 pounds, its small and compact, and its covered in a soft twill fabric that we love. And if you have a long commute, travel frequently, or regularly attend off-site meetings and conferences, an alternative source of power like one of our picks can relieve charge anxiety. I spent 25 hours researching and 79 hours testing portable laptop chargers for this guide alone. pic.twitter.com/KQqVv4tC5x, sarah witman (@sarah_witman) April 27, 2021. We tested the performance of each charger in a few key areas, including the following: streaming videos of costa rican wildlife to test portable laptop chargers for @wirecutter is this self care? Namely, the Omnicharge has the lowest output (98 W) and capacity (it charged our MacBook Air only to about 80%) of any of our picks, and its the most expensive at this writing. Its output is slightly less powerful, too, and it comes with fewer accessories and has a shorter warranty. For a previous version of this guide, I consulted with Lee Johnson, an electrical engineer with more than 15 years of experience designing and testing electronics. When you're at your desk, you can daisy-chain to recharge the Power Companion and your Dell laptop by connecting your Dell charging brick to the Power Companion, and then connecting it to your notebook.