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1 If portable chargers were superheroes, the Anker Laptop Power Bank (25K, 165W) would be the one flying in with a cape, holding a laptop in one hand and a phone in the other, both charging at the same time.
Packing a chunky 25,000 mAh battery, lightning-fast 165W output, and its own built-in retractable cables, it’s designed for people who don’t just carry gadgets, they run their lives on them.
I’ve got the power!
Whether you’re on a long-haul flight (I’m jealous), trapped in a conference with no free outlets (def not jealous), or simply binge-watching Netflix in a park (I’m with you on that one), this power bank promises to keep you plugged in without actually being plugged in.
Design
From the outside, the Anker Laptop Power Bank is unmistakably Anker: minimal, matte, and a little bit “tech fashion.” Available in Space Black or Silver, its soft-touch finish feels premium, and the rounded edges make it less brick-like in hand (though let’s be honest, it’s still a brick). The build is solid, with no rattles or flex, and it gives off the impression it could survive more than a few accidental drops. Not that I was going to test the theory!
The real showstopper? Two integrated USB-C cables. The first is a longer retractable one, about 70 cm, that neatly tucks away when not in use. The second, and one that surprised me, is a short 30 cm cable that doubles as a braided wrist strap. Both are flat, durable, and reinforced to survive over 20000 bends and retractions. Not having to dig through your bag for a cable feels like a small but life-changing luxury.
On one side of the battery, you’ll find an LCD display that’s far more than a battery icon. It shows the exact percentage of charge left, real-time input/output wattage, estimated recharge time, and even battery health stats. It’s the kind of nerdy detail you didn’t know you needed until you find yourself checking it every time you plug something in!
Weights Ports & Outputs
Let’s get this out of the way: at 595 g, this isn’t a “slip in your jeans pocket” power bank. It’s more of a “throw it in your backpack or carry-on” situation. But that weight makes sense once you realise it’s essentially a power station you can hold in one hand.
In total, there are four charging connections:
- Built-in USB-C retractable cable – up to 100W output
- Built-in USB-C strap cable – up to 100W output
- Extra USB-C port – up to 100W output
- USB-A port – up to 33W output
When charging a single device, it can push the full 100W to a laptop. With two devices connected, it maxes out at 165W combined, and with three or four devices, the total drops slightly to 130W, which is still plenty for most use cases.
This port selection means you can charge a laptop, phone, tablet, and earbuds all at once without playing musical chairs with your chargers. And yes, it handles them without breaking a sweat.
Functionality
Here’s where the Anker Laptop Power Bank really earns its keep. With 25,000 mAh (just under the 100 Wh limit for airline carry-on), it has enough juice to:
- Give a MacBook Air a full charge and still have power left over.
- Charge a 16-inch MacBook Pro from dead to about 50% in half an hour.
- Top up most modern smartphones to 50% in under 25 minutes.
For smaller devices like phones and earbuds, it is a goliath; you could keep your phone alive for an entire weekend camping trip without even thinking about it.
Recharging the power bank itself is equally quick. With a 100W wall charger (sold separately), it goes from empty to full in about 90 minutes to 2 hours. It also supports pass-through charging, so you can charge your devices and the power bank at the same time, handy if you’re stuck with a single wall socket!
Thermal safety is handled by Anker’s ActiveShield 2.0, which constantly monitors temperature to prevent overheating. Even during high-wattage laptop charging, it stays warm but never worryingly hot.
Testing
I tested the Anker Laptop Power Bank in three scenarios:
Workday walk to work (as the weather has been pretty good!)
I had my phone in my pocket, laptop in my backpack, along with the power bank. By the time I reached my destination, my HP laptop had gained 30% charge and my iPhone was back to 100%, all while the power bank still had over half its battery left.
Day trip to London.
With the chance of sitting down on the train as good as Spurs winning the 25-26 Premier League, there was no hunting for charging spots and no anxiety keeping Google Maps open while it drained my phone. We enjoyed a great day out using our phones constantly to navigate, shop, pull up tickets and listen to music.
Outdoor Weekend Trip.
We kept a GoPro, phone, and Bluetooth speaker alive for two days straight. The built-in cables meant I never had to worry about forgetting a lead! The tent had power and lighting when needed.
The LCD display is genuinely useful in these scenarios. Being able to see “you’ll be done charging in 23 minutes” changes how you use it, there’s no guessing if you have enough juice for that last pre-meeting laptop boost or phone top-up!
Conclusion
The Anker Laptop Power Bank (25K, 165W) is the portable charger equivalent of using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. It’s powerful, versatile, and overprepared for pretty much anything you throw at it. The built-in retractable cables are a game-changer for convenience. The LCD display feels like a smart upgrade over guess-the-LED-dots, and the high-wattage output means it’s just as comfortable charging up a laptop as it is topping off your earbuds.
The Anker Laptop Power Bank (25K, 165W) gets the Thumb Culture Gold Award!
Disclaimer: A sample was received in order to write this review.
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