The best laptop power banks are a must-buy when you're working away from a power socket. After all, even the best laptops for photo editing won't run on battery forever. And with governments telling us all to stock up on food and prepare for power outages, a power bank is a great way of ensuring you can keep vital devices going for a few days if the mains electricity fails to flow.
But, the best iPhone power banks won't be powerful enough to do the job. Instead, you'll need a power bank with at least 18,000mAh capacity, as well as the right ports to connect to your specific laptop.
As an added bonus, with a power bank this powerful, you'll be able to charge your cameras, tablets, phones,and other devices too. To find you the best model for your needs, we've put our experts to work. They've been testing and reviewing power banks, as well as using them within their own workflows, in order to compile this list of the absolute best.
Here is a round-up of four big "power stations" that we have tested…
The DJI Power 1000 is a rugged, high-capacity power station designed with drone users in mind. With 1,024Wh of capacity and 2,200W continuous output (4,400W peak), it provides ample power for charging multiple drone batteries, cameras, and other essential gear on location. The two USB-C ports (140W each) allow for fast charging, while the SDC and SDC Lite ports support DJI’s proprietary adapters for even more efficient drone charging.
Weighing 13kg, the Power 1000 is not the lightest option, but its sturdy build and rounded handles make it easy to carry. The clear display offers essential battery information, though it lacks smart features like an app or battery health monitoring. Additionally, there’s no built-in light or wireless charging, which could be a drawback for some users.
Despite these limitations, the DJI Power 1000 excels at providing reliable, high-wattage power for drone operators and creatives working off-grid. Whether you're filming in remote locations or need a dependable backup power source, this station delivers efficient, high-speed charging for DJI drones and other kit.
Read more: DJI Power 1000 review
Want the best power bank that will fit in your pocket? We reckon that's the UGREEN 300W 48,000mAh; a robust and high-capacity portable charger designed for users seeking extensive device charging capabilities.
This power bank stands out for two main reasons. One is its impressive 48,000mAh capacity, which makes it capable of charging an iPhone 15 Pro nearly 11 times. The second is its ability to charge up to five devices at the same time, with a maximum output of 300W. That makes it particularly well-suited for camping trips, weekend hikes, or emergency power situations.
Despite its somewhat hefty weight of 1.86 kg, the power bank features a sleek design with high-quality materials, including a low-light display that provides real-time information about battery level and power input/output. Equipped with two USB-A ports and three USB-C ports, the power bank offers versatile charging options.
It's likely to last you a while too; Ugreen claims the device will retain 80% of its capacity after 3,000 charge cycles. However, our reviewer also noted a few drawbacks, such as its heavy weight, the lack of an included charging plug, and variable charging speeds depending on the cables used.
Read more: UGREEN 300W 48000mAh Power Bank review
If your primary concern is charging your PD devices as fast as possible then this power bank from UGREEN is for you. Capable of 145W power split across its USB ports, with one 100W capable USB-C, it's ready for all your devices that can be fast charged, as well as laptops that need lots of juice, and it's also future-proofed for those devices that haven't come along yet. With enough capacity to charge your phone several times over, or run your camera and accessories off while on long shoots away from a constant power supply.
However it isn't the only 25,000mAh capacity power bank on the market, so if you don't need its fast charging powers then you can get cheaper and lighter options elsewhere (or from UGREEN themselves), and the complex and varying power outputs might just be enough to put a lot of people off.
Read more: UGREEN 145W Power Bank review
You don't really need to have an informative screen on your power bank, but the Anker Prime power bank has the easiest power percentage and countdown timer for charging/discharging the battery I have used yet. And knowing exactly how fast my laptop is charging is both just plain interesting to know, but I can also plan ahead to give make sure I have enough juice left throughout the day.
The Anker Prime power isn’t just about a screen though, it also has a solid 20,000mAh of battery which I managed to get a few days' worth of keeping my phone and laptop going with short bursts of recharging, or one big recharge of my MacBook Pro 13. The big 200W maximum output, with a 100W single port output, also allowed me to use my laptop at full power. The power bank is a little boxy for slipping into pockets, but it looks great.
Read more: Anker Prime 20,000mAh Power Bank (200W) review
FAQs
Will one of the best portable chargers work for a laptop?
Sadly not, you will need a power bank with a much higher capacity than most power banks used to charge camera phones or other small appliances. It's recommended that you invest in a power bank with a 20,000 mAh or larger especially if you want to charge it multiple times.
How do I connect my laptop to the powerbank?
How you connect your laptop to your power bank will depend on the time of charging cable your laptop needs. While most modern laptops such as the Apple Macbook Pro 14 M2 will have a USB C input, some older models might still use round AC adapters or a standard USB A input. You will be able to get the correct cable from Amazon.
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