Digital Camera World Verdict
The Anker Prime 26K (300W) is an exceptionally powerful and well-designed portable charger that delivers huge performance in a bag-friendly size. Its OLED display and ultra-fast charging make power management effortless, and being able to charge and run a powerful laptop and other devices at the same time is a real win for on-location shooters. However, if you can get the most from the 140W output really depends on your devices, and many users might be better off looking at similar capacity, but slower – and therefore cheaper – options.
Pros
- +
Enormous 300W output can power up to two laptops simultaneously
- +
Detailed screen and Bluetooth app make battery management easy
- +
Surprisingly compact considering total wattage
- +
Very fast to recharge
Cons
- -
Overkill for many users who won't be able to use all 300W
- -
Costs considerably more than “normal” power banks
- -
High polish finish shows fingerprints and scuffs
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Modern photographers carry more than just cameras – there are mirrorless bodies, drones, gimbals, laptops, and lighting, and phones all competing for battery life. The Anker Prime Power Bank 26K (300W) aims to be the single charging solution that replaces all the bricks, cables, and spare batteries cluttering your kit.
With a massive 220W total output and real-time charging stats on its screen, Anker claims this is its most capable power bank yet. And after testing it over a trip to Mexico – powering a camera, two phones, and my MacBook Pro – it’s clear this isn’t just another power bank – it's a portable charging hub.
Specifications
Capacity | 26,250 mAh |
Maximum Total Output | 300 W |
Ports | 2x USB-C, 1x USB-A |
Maximum Single Port Output | 140 W |
Dimensions | (2.5 x 6.3 x 1.5 in) |
Weight | 580g (1.32lbs) |
Price
The Anker Prime 26K (300W) is available now directly from Anker and major retailers. It costs more than standard 20,000mAh units, but this reflects its premium design and laptop-level power output, and it's a fair price. However, if you just need to charge one device, or you don't care about speed, you are much better off looking at slower and cheaper solutions.
Design & Handling
The Anker Prime 20K maintains the same slick industrial look introduced in Anker’s flagship Prime line – rounded edges with a dark metallic finish, and a mini OLED display. It's a nice design, looking like some futuristic obelisk on my desk. However, the giant glossy screen does collect fingerprints very easily, so you might want to keep a microfiber cloth handy. I have also managed to put a few slight scratches in the glass during my travels, so it isn't perhaps the most robust.
The power bank comes with a single braided USB-C cable and a faux leather case, which looks great, but doesn’t have much stretch to it for getting the bank and cable in and out. Considering this has three ports, it would have been nice to be able to get at least three cables in the bag as well, rather than having to carry around loose wires.
Despite the power, the size is surprisingly manageable; it's almost like a very thick smartphone. Although at 580g, it has some heft to it (it's around the weight of three phones), so you’re going to notice it swinging around in your bag, especially on a long day.
All four ports are grouped on the top, with two USB-C ports and a single USB-A. There is also Anker’s proprietary charging connector at the base, if you want to use it with an Anker charging dock (sold separately). If you have a lot of power banks, then this is a neat solution, but for one, I'd just keep it topped up by plugging it into a fast USB-C wall port.
Performance
Individually, each USB-C port can reach up to 140W, or the two USB-C ports combined can reach 280W in total. The USB-A port can hit 22.5W on its own, or this drops to 20W when used alongside both USB-C ports – totalling 300W altogether.
Whatever configuration you’re using this in, it's some very impressive charging speed, and even two 140W outputs were overkill for keeping most of my devices running. I charged my MacBook Pro M4 14in from around 5% to 80% in about 40 minutes using one of the 140W USB-C connections – amazing – although according to the built-in screen, at no point could my MacBook actually take advantage of the full power supply. Phones are also likely to be limited to lower speeds, with even brand-new devices like the Oppo Find X9 Pro only drawing around 40W at their peak.
How long the battery will last depends on what power each device is using versus how much power it is putting back into its battery. I have used this mostly to keep my one MacBook and two phones topped up while travelling, and the Prime 26K managed a full recharge of all each night – which is about right for the combined mAh rating of the three.
However, if you have a 16-inch MacBook Pro with the top spec chip (or other Windows machines with similar power-hungry processors), you will likely find you are able to max out the 140W – especially if you are pushing your machine with anything particularly intensive – although this will run down the power bank much faster as it supplies power for both use and recharging.
Recharge time is equally impressive. With a 140W GaN wall charger, the bank refills in about one hour (1hr20min with my Anker 100W wall charger), which is faster than some laptops.
This is by far the smartest power bank I have used yet. If you connect the power bank via Bluetooth to the Anker app, you get a huge amount of control and feedback, see battery health, and update the firmware. You can see real-time and historic charging rates to figure out how fast your devices can charge, how long it takes to do a full charge, and more. You can switch power modes from smart charging to power saving, or make your own. It’s a lot for some people who just want a big battery that charges their devices fast, but power geeks will find a lot to love here.
Verdict
The Anker Prime 26K (300W) isn’t a normal power bank – it's an absolute monster. But honestly, this one will be overkill for a lot of people. It can deliver enough power for two laptops simultaneously, as well as phones, cameras, and other accessories, and still fits in a camera bag, but whether you can take advantage of all that power is the question.
Many devices (even my high-end 14-inch MacBook Pro) can’t reach the 140 single-port output on offer here. If you are in the same boat, you might be better served by more affordable options with the same capacity, but slower outputs.
However, if you do have more power-hungry laptops and other devices, then the Prime 26K (300W) is pretty hard to beat. The speed is unreal, and the OLED screen and Bluetooth connection to Anker’s very good app make power management effortless.
Features | 300W total output, including two separate 140W connections, from a power bank this size is incredible. 5 |
Design | Looks premium and futuristic. Very well made, although the large glass front is susceptible to fingerprints, grime, and scratches. 4 |
Performance | Charged all my devices at the maximum speed possible, but only a few devices can take advantage of the full power on offer here. 4.5 |
Value | A premium price for some premium features, including the OLED screen, app management, and super-speed, but these won’t be needed by many. 4 |
Overall | ★★★★☆ |
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