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Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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Credit:
Reviewed / Betsey Goldwasser
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The Goal Zero Sherpa can charge a multitude of devices at once, without sacrificing speed to do it. But it's not exactly cheap. Read More
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With 25,600 mAh battery capacity and a strong USB-C port, the Anker PowerCore III Elite can quickly charge three of your devices simultaneously. Read More
This standard power bank has a 50,000 mAh battery capacity, lasts for more than 1,000 recharging cycles, and comes with a 12-month warranty. Read More
With a 20,000 mAh battery capacity, high-charging power, and portability, this versatile power bank is a great choice for just about anyone. Read More
Planning on using your laptop while on the road? A small portable charger might be fine for keeping your smartphone and wireless earbuds charged, but you’ll need a portable laptop charger, or one for your tablet, to help your power-hungry devices stay juiced.
A large power bank, like the ones featured in this guide, can rapidly charge a laptop or tablet multiple times (of course, they're capable of fully charging your smartphone and other rechargeable devices, too). Many come packing multiple ports, allowing you to charge a number of devices, all at once. Some even offer a 110V AC outlet that you can use as a power source for your laptop's wall charger!
The Goal Zero Sherpa 100PD (available at Walmart for $179.95) seems to be the best portable tablet and laptop power bank for your large devices, offering the best balance of power storage, power output, and flexibility for those who need power on the go.
Rugged, powerful, and versatile, the GoalZero Sherpa PD100 is the best laptop battery pack for most people.
Nice and sturdy
Includes a wireless charging pad
Large and heavy
Easy to use
Reliable customer service
Long battery life
Doesn’t work with many laptops
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There are five things you need to look out for when buying a power bank for your laptop or tablet: capacity, power output, ports, and portability.
Capacity: The capacity is the measure of energy the battery can store. The low or high capacity of a battery is recorded in milliamp-hours (mAh) or Watt-hours (Wh). Both of these measurements represent how much electrical energy the battery can release over time. One mAh means the battery can release energy at a rate of one milliamp for one hour. One Watt-hour means that the battery can release a flow of 1 Watt for one hour. Different manufacturers use different numbers for their products, but the bottom line is the bigger the number, the more juice the battery can store.
Power Output: The power output is a measure of how much power the battery can output at maximum. Measured in Watts, the higher this number is the better. If you're charging a laptop battery that can receive up to 60 Watts and can output only 30 Watts, it will take twice as long as it would with one that can give out 60W. A 60W battery will charge more devices at once than a 30W one at full speed.
Ports: Ports are used to connect the battery to the devices you want to charge. USB-A ports are large and rectangular and can be found on most gaming laptops. Some offer built-in cables that have plugs for micro USB or Lightning connectors. You usually see these types of ports on older Android devices or iPads. There's also USB-C, which can handle more energy than USB-A.
Portability: Portability is how easy the battery is to carry around. A smaller battery will hold less charge but will be easier to carry with you. A bigger battery will hold more juice (and thus will be able to charge your laptop several times), but will be harder to lug around.
Richard Baguley is a veteran writer who has written about technology ranging from Alphabet to Zip file utilities. He has contributed to pretty much every major tech publication, including Amiga Format Magazine, PC World, Wired, CNET, Toms Guide, Forbes, and many others. He lives in the Boston metro area with his wife, dog, and an indeterminate number of cats.
Lily Hartman
Staff Writer, Search
Lily Hartman is a staff writer who also enjoys writing magazine articles about health and outdoor recreation. In her free time, she likes to hike, camp, run, and lift weights.
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