Laptops are easily the most power hungry essential devices that we carry around. Even though modern laptops now offer more battery life than before due to low-power processors, & SSD drives, powering laptops while away from power outlets still remains a challenge.
About 2-3 years ago, 30-watt laptop power banks were the best available and these could mostly charge Macbook Airs (and Pros at slow speed). In the last two years, many good portable 45-watt/60-watt power banks have been launched. The latest 60/87/100-watt power banks can charge bigger laptops such as Macbook Pro 15, Dell XPS 15/13, Microsoft Surface series, HP Spectre and many more from Lenovo, Samsung and Asus etc. Our top portable chargers for laptops currently are –
MacBook Pro, Dell XPS 15/13, HP Spectre/Envy, Microsoft Surface, Lenovo, Samsung, LG
- Anker PowerCore Elite III 25600 87-watt USB-C PD
- ZMI Powerpack No. 20 100-watt USB-C PD from Mi/Xiaomi
- Omnicharge Omni C+ 20000 100-watt USB-C PD
MacBook Pro/Air, XPS 13, Lenovo, Samsung, LG USB-C laptops & Chromebooks
- Xiaomi MI HyperSonic 20000 50-watt USB-C PD
- Anker PowerCore Elite III 19200 60-watt USB-C PD with USB-C adapter bundle
- Anker PowerCore Elite III 25600 60-watt USB-C PD with USB-C adapter bundle
- Omni Mobile 25600 60-watt USB-C PD & 60-watt direct DC barrel port
Here is a detailed look at our selection of the best portable chargers or power banks for laptops –
Best USB-C PD Power Bank for Macbooks and Laptops
Best Premium Portable Charger for Laptops & Professional Equipment
Omni Mobile 25600 mAH – 60-Watt USB-C PD + 4-Preset voltage DC outlet + Wireless charging
Omnicharge Omni C+ 20000mAH 100-watt USB-C PD & Dual USB-C PD ports
OmniCharge Omni 20+ 20000 mAH – 60-Watt USB-C PD + Adjustable voltage DC outlet + AC outlet + Wireless charging
Omnicharge Omni 20+ is a premium backup power solution for not just laptops but a wide range of professional electronic equipment from cameras to various field equipment that require their own unique charging profiles and voltages. The latest version of Omni 20 the 20+ comes with a very handy new addition – 60-watt USB-C PD output ports that allow it to charge most laptops out there including Surface, Macbook Pro 15 and XPS, HP Spectre etc. The Omnicharge Omni 20+ is highly portable and versatile portable charger that even comes with passthrough-charging and wireless charging function – just place a phone on top to charge it – even while charging the power bank itself.
The Omnicharge Omni 20+ has a 20,100 mAH battery and comes with three unique ways to charge laptops –
- A 60-watt USB-C PD port for USB-C laptops
- An adjustable voltage DC barrel port for charging laptops and equipment. Omnicharge Omni 20+ can output a wide range of DC voltages. In fact, it can output ANY DC voltage from 1 volt to 25 volts including 9 volt, 10 volt, 12 volt, 18 volt, 20 volt, 24 volt etc. with a power draw of up to 70 watt This enables Omni 20+ to power almost every laptop in addition to a huge range of professional electronic equipment.
- A 100-watt max. 120v AC US version (or 230v in Europe version) port for charging speciality equipment (or laptops).
Update: If you simply need 60-watt USB-C PD for laptops or 12/16/19/24 volt DC for non-USB-C laptops and do not need 1-25 volt adjustable DC outlet or AC outlet, then the new new Omni Mobile 25600 is a much better and far more reasonably priced option. It has 25% more battery and rest of the features are almost same including pass-through and wireless charging.
In addition to this it has two 18-watt QuickCharge 3.0 capable regular USB ports for charging smartphones and 10-watt wireless charging function for wirelesslly charging latest iPhones and Samsung/Pixels/LG and other Android premium phones.
The standout feature of this premium priced portable charger is its flexibility. The AC/DC/HVDC/USB-C PD of Omni 20+ can be used to power almost any electrical appliance with a power draw of up to 100 watts. It also has two regular USB-port as well for charging smartphones. You can also fast-charge latest iPhones 11/11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XR, XS, X, 8, 8+, Samsung S20/S10/S9/S8, Note 10/9/8, all Pixels etc. via the USB-C PD port from zero to 50% in 30 mins.
The 20100 Mah battery of Omni 20+ charges most laptops nearly once. Due to its incredible 100 watt power draw support, the Omni 20 will charge a huge range of laptops ranging from Dell XPS 15, XPS 13 to HP Spectre 13, and Surface Pro 5, 4 and Surface Pro 3, as well as Macbook Pros and Macbook Airs.
The Omnicharge Omni 20+ weighs about 1.35 pounds (611 grams) and has a compact, rugged build. It gets fully charged in about 4 hours with any 45+watt USB-C PD charger such as Macbook USB-C chargers. Another uniquely feature of Omni 20+ is its wide range of input power. Omni 20+ can be charged with a wide range of input voltages including solar cells and direct DC input. We recommend a 63+ watt dual PD port charger such as AmazonBasics USB-C PD 68 watt wall charger for charging the Oni 20+ as it will charge both the Omni20+ and a latest flagship iPhone/Android phone simultaneously with fastest charging speeds for each.
The 60 watt PD output is of Omnicharge Omni 20+ is great for charging the latest Macbook Pros at the very fast speeds (60 watt).
Another very handy feature is pass-through charging, meaning the power bank can act as UPS and you can charge the Omni 20 powerbanks while these are charging your laptops.
What We Like
- 60-watt USB-C PD output charges most USB-C laptops
- Adjustable DC output with up to 100-watt output charges most non USB-C laptops
- 100 watt AC/HVDC outlet is great for speciality equipment with own AC adapters
- 1- 24 volt adjustable DC output charges laptops efficiently. A huge range of professional equipment and devices can be charged.
- Can be charged with a wide range of DC voltages via the DC barrel port
- Supports solar charging
- Supports pass through charging – charge devices while charging the powerbank. This is a great feature when you are in a hurry and need to quickly charge your power bank and devices simulataneously.
- Supports 10-watt wireless charging
- Two 18-watt QuickCharge 3.0 compatible USB ports are great for fast charging of Android USB-C smartphones including Samsung S20, S10, S9, S9+, S8, S8+, S7, S6, Note 8 etc. from zero to 50% in 30 mins. These ports will also charge most all iPhones twice the speed of regular Apple 5-watt iPhone charger.
- USB-C PD port can can fast-charge latest iPhones 11/11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, XR, XS, X, 8, 8+, Samsung S20/S10/S9/S8, Note 10/9/8, all Pixels etc. from zero to 50% in 30 mins.
- Compact and sturdy charger with premium build quality (5 x 1.1 x 4.8 inches and 1.39 pounds weight)
- Unique portable charger with unmatched versatility
- Descriptive OLED display screen
- 20100 mAh capacity charges most laptops once.
- Get charged in 3 hours with any 45-watt USB-C PD charger such as AmazonBasics USB-C PD 68 watt wall charger
- A lot of input and output options. and multiple ways to charge both laptops and smartphones (USB or USB-C PD).
What we Do not like
- A bit expensive!. High price makes it a reasonable purchase only for enthusiasts and professionals.
- 1 year limited warranty is a bit less than ideal for such a highly priced piece of equipment.
- 20000 mah capacity is less than the 26800 MAH maximum allowed by TSA. For such a high price, 26800 mah would have been an ideal capacity. The new Omni Mobile 25600 addresses this issue
Best 60-watt PD Portable Charger for Macbook Pro/Air, Dell XPS 15/13, Surface & other Laptops
ZMI Powerpack 20000 Pro 65-watt USB-C PD PPS Power bank
ZMI Powerpack 20000 Pro 65-watt (from Xiaomi, maker of Mi phones) is a high-output USB-C power bank for laptops. It has a large battery capacity of 20000 mAh and comes in a sleek, curved, polished package. Besides giving nearly one-charge to most laptops, it can also fast-charge every latest iPhone and Samsung phone out there to 50% from empty in 30 mins. Also, it is the only power bank currently that can give 25-watt PPS fast-charging supported by the Note 10 and Note 20 series Samsungs. which will give the Samsung Note 10 Plus four full charges from 30% to 100%.
The stand-out feature of ZMI Powerpack 20000 Pro 65-watt is its unusually high 65-watt USB-C PD output which charges a huge range of laptops ranging from Surface Pro, Dell XPS 15/13, HP Spectre, Macbook Air and Macbook Pro at very fast speeds of up to 65-watts.
The ZMI Powerpack 20000 Pro 65-watt portable charger will also fast-charge all latest iPhones such as iPhone 12, 11, X, XR, XS, XS Max, etc. to 50% in 30mins as it supports 18-watt USB-C PD. It also fast-charges all latest Samsung smartphones including Note 20/10 series, S20 series, S10, S10+, S10 Plus, S9/S8 etc., other latest Android phones at speeds of zero to 50% in around 30% mins.
ZMI Powerpack 20000 Pro 65-watt itself gets recharged in about 3 hours by any 45-watt or more USB-C PD charger including the Macbook charger or any of the USB-C laptop chargers. It will get charged in 5 hours with the Note 10 Plus/Note 10 chargers.
The power bank has a weight of around 15.52 oz (440 g) and dimensions of 6.31 × 3.22 × 0.83 in (160.4 × 81.8 × 21 mm) .
Pros
- 65-watt PD max output charges most Surface laptops, XPS 13/15 laptops, and Macbook Air and Macbook Pro (2015 and later)
- Maximum possible 45/60 watt charging for latest Macbook Airs
- 20000 mAh battery capacity will charge Macbook Air 13 (2017) nearly fully.
- It will charge iPhone 12, 11/XR/11 Pro etc. from 20% to 100% five times & Samsung S20/S20+/Note 10 Ultra/10 from 30% to 100% nearly four times.
- Fast-charges latest iPhones such as iPhone 12, 11 series, iPad Pros, XR, XS, X, etc. and latest Android/Samsung phones such as Samsung S10 Plus, S10, S9, etc.
- 25-watt PPS USB-C PD output charges Note 10 Plus/Note 10 from zero to 50% in 25 mins – faster than any other power bank and as fast as the Samsung Note 10 adapters.
- Gets recharged in about 3 hours by any 45-watt USB-C PD charger or in 5 hours with Note 10 charger
- Three total output ports- one USB-C and two USB ports
- Can also work as USB-hub. Great feature for many USB-C laptops with no USB port
- Comes with lots of quality accessories – a 100w PD USB-C cable, a USB-C to USB-A cable, and a travel pouch
- 3 amp max charging for older iPhones such as 6, 6s, 7, 7 Plus, etc. and older Androids
- Weighs around 15.5 oz (440 grams) – good for 65-watt output
Cons
- None really
Best Portable Charger for Dell Laptops (Inspiron, Latitude, XPS)
Dell Power Companion 4 Cell 12000 mAh
Dell Hybrid 45-watt Adapter + Power Bank 12800mAH
These two Dell power banks are our next best choices for charging Dell laptops including the XPS and Latitude series laptops. These two portable chargers are currently the only ones that work reliably with a huge range of Dell laptops for which they are designed.
Dell Hybrid Adapter + Power Bank 12800mAH is a 12800 mAh power bank with conventional DC barrel port output + 45-watt power adaptor charger designed for a Dell Inspiron, Latitude, XPS laptops. The power bank supports a wide range of Dell non-USB C laptops. It also has two USB ports for charging smartphones at pretty decent 2.4 amp speeds.
Dell Power Companion 4 Cell 12000 mAh is also a power bank with conventional DC barrel port output and supports a wide range of Dell laptops. The power bank weighs around 10 oz (280 grams) which is good for a laptop/phone dual use power bank. This model also has two USB ports for charging smartphones at 2.4 amp speed.
We found charging efficiency of both these portable chargers as decent (though nothing spectacular). Both these power banks will give slightly more than half charge (50%) to a 2018 XPS 13, and also charge iphones, Android phones at decent speeds. Given the lack of any other alternative, these two batteries are still the best portable battery options for many Dell owners.
Some Supported Dell laptops –
Inspiron Series
Inspiron 11 3000 Series (3162) Inspiron 11 3000 series (3168) Inspiron 15 5000 Series (5578) Inspiron 15 5000 Series (5570) Latitude 7280 Inspiron 11 3000 Series (3169) Inspiron 15 5000 Series (5568) Inspiron 13 7000 Series (7370) Latitude 5280 Latitude 5480 Inspiron 13 5000 Series (5378) Dell Inspiron 13 5368 2-in-1, 13 5378 2-in-1, 14 3467, 14 7460, 15 3567, 15 5565, 15 5567, 15 5568 2-in-1, 15 5578 2-in-1, 17 5767, Inspiron 13 5000 Series (5368), Inspiron 13 7000 Series (7368), Inspiron 14 3000 Series (3462), Inspiron 14 3000 Series (3467), Inspiron 14 7000 Series (7460), Inspiron 15 3000 Series (3565), Inspiron 15 3000 Series (3567), Inspiron 15 5000 Series (5565), Inspiron 15 5000 Series (5567), Inspiron 15 5000 Series (5568), Inspiron 15 7000 Series (7560), Inspiron 15 7000 Series (7569), Inspiron 17 5000 Series (5767), Inspiron 13 5000 Series – 5370 Inspiron 15 7000 Series (7560) Inspiron 17 5000 Series (5770) Inspiron 13 5000 Series (5368) Inspiron 14 7000 Series (7460) Inspiron 15 7000 Series (7570) Inspiron 13 7000 Series (7373) Inspiron 15 5000 Series (5575) Inspiron 15 7000 Series (7573)
Latitude Series
Latitude 5490 Latitude 3390 2 In 1 Latitude 5290 Latitude 5590 Latitude 7380 Latitude 3490 Latitude 5580 Latitude 12 Rugged Extreme 7212 Latitude 3590 Latitude 7480 Dell Latitude 3480, 3580, 7480, Latitude 5280, Latitude 7280, Latitude 7380, Latitude 7480
XPS 13 Vostro
Dell Vostro 15 3565, XPS 12 (9250), Dell XPS 13 9360, XPS 9365 Many other XPS 13 models
AC Outlet laptop power banks vs USB-C/DC laptop power banks
Laptop powerbanks in the market can be broadly divided into two categories –
Portable AC Outlet laptop power banks
These have an inbuilt AC outlet in which you can plug in your laptop power adapter. Such power banks are extremely inefficient as they involve two power conversion steps – DC to AC in the powerbank and again AC to DC in the laptop power adapter. This dual power conversion wastes a lot of power and as a result such power banks suffer from extremely poor power efficiency. Therefore, if your main intended use is backup power for laptops, we recommend not purchasing AC outlet power banks for charging laptops.
Instead, we recommend purchasing direct DC outlet (USB-C PD power banks also output direct DC) power banks. AC outlet power banks are only justified for providing back up for speciality power equipment that need AC power only (or have proprietary speciality power adapters) as there is really no other alternative. One good multipurpose DC+AC outlet+USB-C PD power bank is Omnicharge 20+ AC/DC/USB-C power bank.
USB-C PD/DC Output Laptop Power banks
DC output power banks have a DC barrel port (or a USB-C PD port). The DC port usually outputs 19 volt or 20 volt DC power. Some latest power banks these days also come with USB-C PD port for laptops/Macbooks that can output variable 20/15/12/9/5 volts power over the USB-C port. As most laptops use 19/20 volt DC power, this is the most efficient way to power laptops as it eliminates DC-AC-DC conversion step and therefore allows for much greater efficiencies. As DC outlet portable chargers are far superior to AC outlet laptop portable chargers, all our picks here are DC Output portable chargers. Latest USB-C PD power banks such as ZMI PowerPack Pro 20K (Our top pick for laptops – to be updated soon in article) , Omni Mobile 25600, and Omnicharge Omni 20+ can even deliver 60-watt USB-C PD for Surface Pro, and 15-inch Macbook Pros, and other laptops