No one likes a dead battery, so a portable battery is an excellent tech gift for everyone on your list. But one thing that will be different from person to person is what type of battery they need, so we found battery packs that cover everyone’s needs to fill out your shopping list this holiday season.
What to Look for in a Battery Pack
While a battery pack may appear simple on the outside, there are some key things to consider when selecting the right one.
- Portability: We want these battery packs to be nice and portable, so their weight and overall size are a big concern. Of course, the more a battery can charge, the larger it needs to be, but there are plenty of high-capacity batteries that keep a compact form factor.
- Capacity: Speaking of capacity, this is one of the major factors that determines the price. Naturally, the more the battery can charge, the more it will cost—but that also translates to how much peace of mind it can provide. Nearly any portable battery can charge your phone, but some of the battery packs on this list are capable of charging anything up to a laptop, so you’re going to need to figure out how much power the person you’re shopping for needs.
- Ports: You need to keep a close eye on what types of and how many output ports a battery pack has. The two main types of ports to look out for are USB-A and USB-C—as most modern portable devices can charge with either one, and most batteries support charging multiple devices simultaneously. How much power each port can deliver is important when it comes to charging more power-hungry devices, so we’ll make sure to note that as well for the higher-capacity batteries on this list. As a side note, most of the batteries on this list also have a USB-C input for fast charging speeds.
- Fast Charging: This is just plain useful to have, and we made sure all the battery packs on this list feature it to some capacity.
Best Overall: RAVPower 20000 mAh Charger
RAVPowerThis straightforward pack has all the features you need in a charger. It has a 15W USB-A and 60W USB-C port with Power Delivery for power-hungry devices such as laptops. The 20,000 mAh capacity means it can charge and fast-charge any portable device, and the LED lights on the side let you know how much power is left in it. Wrap all that up into a sleek package and you’ve got a great battery pack on your hands.
Best Overall
USB C Portable Charger RAVPower 20000mAh 60W PD 3.0 Power Bank 2-Port Power Delivery Laptop Charger for MacBook Pro Dell XPS iPad Pro iPhone 12 Mini Nintendo Switch (Charger Not Included)
A great portable charger with plenty of juice.
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$44.99
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Best Budget Choice: AUKEY 8000 mAh Power Bank
AUKEYIf you’re looking for something in the lower price brackets, then you’ll want to direct your attention to this power bank from AUKEY. The 8,000 mAh capacity is enough for phones and tablets, and it has two USB-A ports and a USB-C. Fast charging is still here, and it even works as a wireless charger with built-in Qi wireless charging as well. The lack of Power Delivery and small size makes it a poor choice for larger devices like laptops and tablets, though.
Best Budget Choice
AUKEY Wireless Power Bank with 18W Power Delivery, Wireless Charger Portable 8000mAh, USB C Power Bank with QC 3.0, Wireless Charging Compatible with iPhone 11/ 11 Pro/ Xs/XR, New Airpods, Samsung
A simple, inexpensive option with enough power to charge phones.
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$29.99
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Nice and Convenient: Heloideo 10000 mAh Slim Charger
HeloideoIf you don’t want to lug around cords with your charger, then this model from Heloideo will be your saving grace. It has a USB-C, micro USB, and Lightning cable built into the charger, and also has one USB-A and USB-C port. Throw in a fold-out wall charger and this battery pack just screams convenience. However, like the AUKEY above, this isn’t a great choice for larger devices.
Nice and Convenient
Heloideo 10000mAh Power Bank Slim Portable Charger External Battery Pack with AC Plug and Micro Type-c Cables for All Cellphone?Black? …
With built-in cords and a fold-out AC plug this charger screams convenience.
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$39.99
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Plenty of Juice: Anker PowerCore+ 26800 mAh
AnkerThe PowerCore+ holds plenty of juice with its 26,800 mAh capacity while still keeping a portable-friendly design. With two 15W USB-A ports and a 45W USB-C with Power Delivery, it will more than cover your portable devices, and even hungrier devices like laptops shouldn’t have any issues (although it’s worth noting that this charger can’t power up the most powerful laptops). The included PowerPort Atom III wall plug charges the whole battery to full in only three hours, so this will be easy to top-up whenever you’re at home.
Plenty of Juice
Anker PowerCore+ 26800mAh PD 45W with 60W PD Charger, Power Delivery Portable Charger Bundle for USB C MacBook Air/Pro/Dell XPS, iPad Pro 2018, iPhone 12 / Mini / 11/ Pro / XS Max / X / 8, and More
The PowerCore+ packs in plenty of power while still keeping a compact form factor.
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$129.99
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Plug-in Anything: RAVPower 20000 mAh Portable Charger
RAVPowerSometimes simple ports aren’t enough for specific devices—you occasionally require the freedom of a wall plug, which is exactly what this charger from RAVPower has. With a full AC port on the top of the charger, you can plug anything into this battery pack. Besides that, the charger still includes an 18W USB-A and 30W USB-C Power Delivery port alongside a capacity of 20,0000 mAh. With only 30W charging, the Power Delivery port won’t be able to support high-end and power-hungry laptops, but it should work fine for lower-end laptops and tablets.
If you need even more power, RAVPower has another battery pack with a capacity of 30,000 mAh that also features an AC port. However, it’s important to note that this battery pack is significantly bulkier than the one featured here.
Plug-in Anything
Portable Charger RAVPower 80W AC Outlet Power Bank 20000mAh 30W PD USB C Laptop Charger External Battery Pack for MacBook Pro Dell iPad Pro Nintendo Switch iPhone Samsung(USB C Charger Not Included)
A high-capacity battery pack with an AC plug so you can connect anything to it.
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$78.28
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Emergency Charger: Anker Roav Jump Starter Pro
AnkerNo battery will make your heart sink more when it dies than your car battery. But this pack from Anjer will save the day in that situation. On top of the two USB-A ports, one USB-C port, and 12,800 mAh capacity, this battery features car jumpers for those difficult moments. It even includes an emergency light in case you find yourself in a real bad spot. It can also easily fit into a glove box.
Emergency Charger
Anker Roav Jump Starter Pro 1000A, 12800mAh, 12V Portable Car Jump Starter (Gas Engines up to 6.0L, Diesel up to 4.0L), Battery and Phone Charger with 3 USB Ports, SOS LED, and Jumper Cables
A good charger with an emergency flashlight and jumper cables for your car battery.
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$89.99
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