Best Portable Chargers & Power Banks in 2026

A dead phone at the wrong time can ruin your day. A dead laptop mid-flight can kill productivity. The right portable charger prevents both — but the market is flooded with thousands of options at wildly different prices.

We tested popular power banks in real-world conditions: actual device charging, not just lab numbers.

What We Measured

We tested actual capacity (always less than advertised due to conversion losses), charging speed to various devices, portability (size and weight relative to capacity), and build quality.

Our Top Picks

Best for Laptops: Anker Prime 20,000mAh

If you need to charge a laptop on the go, the Anker Prime is the one. 200W total output means it can fast-charge a MacBook Pro at full speed — most power banks top out at 45-65W, which only trickle-charges larger laptops.

The smart display shows remaining capacity, output wattage, and estimated time remaining. The cylindrical design is unusually compact for 20,000mAh, fitting in a jacket pocket (though at 500g, you'll know it's there).

In our testing, it charged an iPhone 15 Pro 3.8 times and a MacBook Air from 0 to 75%. That's a full day of backup power for both your phone and laptop.

Best Value: Baseus 65W 20,000mAh

At $46, the Baseus delivers 80% of the Anker Prime's functionality at 40% of the price. The 65W USB-C output charges most laptops at reasonable speed — a MacBook Air goes from 0 to 50% in about 40 minutes.

The LED display shows percentage and output wattage. It's larger than the Anker Prime but lighter relative to capacity. Two USB-C ports and one USB-A let you charge three devices simultaneously.

If you occasionally need laptop charging but mostly charge phones, this is the smart buy.

Best Pocket Charger: Anker Nano 5,000mAh

For everyday carry, the Nano MagSafe is unbeatable. It snaps onto the back of your iPhone magnetically and wirelessly charges it without any cables. At 105g and credit-card sized, it genuinely fits in your pocket.

5,000mAh gives you roughly one full iPhone charge — enough to get through an unexpectedly long day. It won't charge laptops or non-iPhones, but if you just need phone insurance, nothing is more convenient.

Capacity Guide

Your Need	Recommended Capacity	Our Pick
Emergency phone backup	5,000 mAh	Anker Nano
Full day (phone)	10,000 mAh	Any mid-range
Phone + tablet	20,000 mAh	Baseus 65W
Phone + laptop	20,000+ mAh	Anker Prime

Airline Rules

Most airlines allow power banks up to 100Wh (roughly 27,000mAh at 3.7V) in carry-on luggage. All three of our picks are under this limit. Power banks are never allowed in checked luggage.

Real vs Advertised Capacity

A "20,000mAh" power bank won't deliver 20,000mAh to your device. Expect about 60-70% efficiency due to voltage conversion and heat loss. That means a 20,000mAh bank actually delivers around 12,000-14,000mAh of usable charge.