What is the best portable charger in 2026?
The Anker 737 (24,000mAh, 140W) is the best all-around pick for most people. It typically sells for $100 to $150, charges a phone roughly five times, and has enough output to top up a laptop. If you regularly need to charge a laptop plus two other devices at full speed at once, step up to the Anker Prime 250W instead.
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The one-line verdict
For most people, the Anker 737 (24,000mAh, 140W) is the portable charger to buy. It usually sells for $100 to $150, charges a phone roughly five times over, and has enough output to meaningfully top up a laptop. Our full Anker 737 review has the details; this guide is about how it stacks up against the rest of the field.
Who this guide is for
- Travelers who want one bank that covers a phone, tablet, and sometimes a laptop
- Remote workers who need backup power during outages or long travel days
- Anyone tired of a “20,000mAh” power bank that barely gets two phone charges out of it
Skip a dedicated power bank entirely if you only ever need an emergency top-up once in a while. A $20 bank in the bottom of your bag covers that.
Why the mAh number on the box lies
Power banks advertise capacity in mAh measured at the battery’s internal voltage, usually 3.7V. Your phone charges over USB-C at 5V. Converting between those voltages, plus normal heat loss, means some of the rated capacity never reaches your device. Independent testing across the category typically finds real-world delivered capacity well below the advertised mAh figure, sometimes by close to half on cheaper banks.
That is why watt-hours (Wh) is the more honest spec to compare. Wh does not change with voltage, and it is the number airlines actually regulate: the FAA and TSA cap carry-on power banks at 100Wh without special approval, 100 to 160Wh with airline approval, and ban anything above that outright.
The formula: Wh = (mAh / 1000) x 3.7V. A “20,000mAh” bank is about 74Wh on paper; how much of that 74Wh actually reaches your phone depends heavily on build quality.
Best overall: Anker 737 (24,000mAh, 140W)
Typical price: $100 to $150
The Anker 737 pairs a genuinely useful 24,000mAh / 86.4Wh capacity with 140W of output, enough to charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro or a Framework Laptop 16 at close to full speed over USB-C PD. It has a real-time display instead of vague LED dots, three ports (two USB-C, one USB-A), and it is airline-safe under the 100Wh carry-on limit.
The trade-offs: it weighs about 1.4 lbs, has no built-in cable, and it is no longer Anker’s newest laptop-capable bank, so it is worth cross-shopping against the Anker Prime lineup before paying full price. Read the full breakdown in our Anker 737 review.
Buy it if you want the best balance of capacity, output, and price for a phone-plus-laptop bank. Skip it if you only ever charge a phone; a much smaller bank does that job for a third of the cost.
Best for maximum output: Anker Prime 27,650mAh (250W)
Typical price: roughly $150 to $230 list, frequently discounted into the $125 to $175 range
The Anker Prime 250W bumps capacity to 27,650mAh (about 99.5Wh, just under the TSA’s 100Wh carry-on cutoff) and total output to 250W split across three ports. That is enough to charge a laptop, a tablet, and a phone simultaneously at full speed, something the Anker 737 cannot do without throttling.
Note that Anker also sells a related Anker Prime 200W model (27,000mAh) that we reviewed separately; Anker’s naming across the Prime lineup is genuinely confusing, so check the exact wattage and mAh figure on the listing before buying, not just the product name.
Anker has also released a newer Anker Prime 26K (300W) flagship, with a similar capacity but even higher peak output and faster recharge times. It typically lists around $230 and is aimed squarely at people who charge two laptops at once; for the multi-device-at-full-speed use case this section is written for, the 250W model already covers it for less money, so we are not adding a separate pick for the 300W model here.
Buy it if you need to charge multiple high-power devices at once, or want the fastest recharge time in the category short of the newest 300W flagship. Most people should buy the Anker 737 instead and keep the savings; 250W (or 300W) solves a problem most buyers do not have.
Best budget high-capacity: UGREEN 145W (25,000mAh)
Typical price: $65 to $110, depending on sales
The UGREEN 145W undercuts the Anker 737 on price while slightly beating it on paper capacity (25,000mAh vs. 24,000mAh) and output (145W vs. 140W). UGREEN is newer to the power bank category than Anker and typically backs its banks with a shorter warranty, but it has built a solid reputation for reliability in recent buying guides and owner reviews.
Buy it if budget matters more than brand history and you want laptop-class output. Buy the Anker 737 instead if you want the longer track record and warranty, and the extra $30 to $40 is not a dealbreaker.
Best lightweight travel pick: Baseus 65W (20,000mAh)
Typical price: roughly $50 to $60 list, often discounted lower
A 65W bank will not charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro at full speed (that needs 140W), but 65W covers most ultrabooks, including the MacBook Air and most 13 to 14-inch Windows laptops, plus fast phone and tablet charging. A 20,000mAh, 65W bank like the Baseus 65W is noticeably lighter than the Anker 737 while still covering laptop charging for most people.
Buy it if you do not own a 16-inch MacBook Pro or another 140W+ device and want to shave weight out of your bag. Skip it if you specifically need to charge a high-wattage laptop.
Best emergency backup: Anker PowerCore 5,000mAh
Typical price: under $20
At 5,000mAh, the Anker PowerCore 5,000mAh is small enough to forget is in your bag until you need it. It is not a laptop charger and it is not meant to be; treat it as a once-in-a-while phone top-up, not your main power bank.
Buy it if you want cheap insurance for the day you forget your usual charger. Skip it if you are looking for a primary power bank; step up to one of the picks above.
What actually matters when comparing power banks
- Watt-hours (Wh), not just mAh. Wh is the airline-regulated, voltage-independent number. Compare that first.
- Output wattage matched to your device. Phones need 20 to 30W, most laptops need 45 to 65W, and MacBook Pro 16-inch and similar high-power laptops need 140W or more.
- Battery cell quality. Name-brand cells generally last longer and carry lower fire risk than unbranded generic cells, which is part of why reputable brands cost more.
- Input wattage (recharge speed). A bank with fast charging input can recharge in under an hour; slower banks take several hours overnight, which is fine if you charge it while you sleep anyway.
Features that are not worth paying extra for
- Wireless charging on a power bank. It adds a real efficiency loss on top of the conversion loss the bank already has, and it charges slower than a cable. Use USB-C.
- Solar panels. The panels on power banks are small, and fully recharging a 20,000mAh bank from sunlight alone takes many hours of direct exposure. A wall outlet is faster in every realistic scenario.
- Built-in flashlights. Your phone already has one.
How to avoid an unsafe power bank
- Be skeptical of very high advertised capacity at a very low price (for example, 30,000mAh for $20); it is a common combination of inflated capacity claims and lower-quality cells.
- Look for a listed Wh rating and safety certifications (UL, CE, FCC) on the listing or packaging. Reputable brands display these; many no-name Amazon listings do not.
- Keep power banks in carry-on luggage on flights, never checked, and avoid leaving them in hot cars.
The verdict
Buy the Anker 737 if you want the best balance of price, capacity, and laptop-capable output for most travel and daily-carry needs. Buy the Anker Prime 250W instead if you routinely need to charge a laptop and two other devices at full speed at the same time. Buy the UGREEN 145W if budget matters more than brand history. For lighter loads, the Baseus 65W and the tiny Anker PowerCore 5,000mAh cover travel and emergency use, respectively.
If you are shopping around a sale, compare current listings on several of these picks, since power bank prices swing a lot during seasonal sales.
Page last updated July 2026. Prices and availability change frequently; check the current listing before buying.
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