Laptop Power Banks

Want to charge your laptop on the go? Get yourself a power bank designed specifically for laptops. What should you know before buying a power bank?

Continue

Powerbanks for laptops are not visually different from powerbanks for mobile phones and tablets. Even a power bank for laptops will fit comfortably in your backpack or handbag. The most common laptop powerbanks measure up to 20cm. You can choose from many design pieces, as well as durable outdoor power banks.

What capacity should my laptop power bank have?

The capacity of a laptop power bank is listed in mAh and indicates how much energy the power bank has and how much it can expend when charging the device.

What power bank capacity should I choose?

With a lower mAh capacity, it may turn out that the power bank can "only" keep your laptop alive for a while and not really charge it. If you choose a high-capacity power bank, you can both work on your laptop and charge it at the same time.

Laptop power banks come in several varieties:

Power bank 10,000—20,000 mAh. It will keep your laptop up and running for several hours.
Power banks 20,000+ mAh. Ideal laptop capacity, often with multiple charging outputs. These laptop power banks will keep your device running for many hours. Take note, however, that not all laptops are equally power-hungry. A powerful gaming laptop, for instance, will drain the power bank much faster.

Large-capacity laptop power banks tend to be heavier for obvious reasons, though it's not a hard-and-fast rule. Laptop power banks typically weigh from 300g to 800g, with some weighing as much as 1,000g. A lot depends on the specific model and its other functions.

The really high-capacity power banks with 190,00 mAh will even allow you to jump-start your car in addition to charging your laptop. At the same time, they are about as large (and heavy) as "standard" laptop power banks.

How fast is the charging?

This depends on the power bank's output current. Most power banks have an output of 1A, 2.1A, or 3A. For larger devices such as laptops, it's generally a good idea to go for the upper edge and choose a 2.1A or 3A (or even a 5A) power bank.

What inputs and outputs can a laptop power bank have?

Power bank inputs and outputs are among its most fundamental parameters. Laptop power banks usually have MicroUSB, USB and USB-C input slots.

Output slots is what you use when charging your laptop. You can choose from MicroUSB, USB, and USB-C.

Be aware, however, that not all slots on the computer are used for charging. Just because your laptop has USB-C, for example, does not necessarily mean that you will be able to use the power bank with it. The USB-C slot on your laptop should be labeled Power Delivery. You can find out in the technical specifications of your laptop.

Laptop power banks can be supplemented with various adapters to be compatible with a wide range of devices. For some laptop power banks, these extensions are also part of the package.

When selecting the outputs, also determine how many devices (not only laptops, but also mobile phones, tablets etc.) you plan to charge. Determine the number of outputs accordingly. Keep in mind that some laptop power banks may have multiple output slots, but can only charge one or two devices at a time.

How long does it take to charge a laptop power bank?

The actual charging of the laptop power bank depends on several factors — the capacity of the power bank, the type of input port, and the port itself. You can charge a laptop power bank in as little as 2 hours, but 8-11 hours is far more common.

Some laptop power banks also support so-called fast charging. You can choose between Quick Charge 2.0, the more advanced Quick Charge 3.0 that supports USB-C, and more.

If a power bank supports the USB Power Delivery standard, it means that it can charge itself faster and your device will be charged much sooner. However, this technology must also be supported by the device you want to charge.