WIRED reviewer Simon Hill has updated the publication’s power-bank recommendations for July 2026 after testing more than 100 portable chargers, naming Anker’s Laptop Power Bank as the best overall option. For people who carry phones, tablets, and laptops that all seem to die at the least convenient moment, the useful part is less glamorous than the marketing copy: ports, capacity, wattage, and whether the thing can charge more than one device without throwing a fit.
Hill says WIRED’s top pick is Anker’s $120 Laptop Power Bank, also listed at $105 through Amazon and Best Buy at the time of the update. The device has a 25,000-mAh capacity, one USB-C port, one USB-A port, and two built-in USB-C cables. One of those is a retractable 2.3-foot cable; the other is a braided 1-foot cable that also works as a carry loop.
The Anker unit can deliver up to 165 watts across two devices, according to Hill, with up to 100 watts available through a single USB-C connection. Its screen shows remaining charge, input and output rates, battery temperature, and battery health. Hill says it supports pass-through charging, recharges in about two hours, and charged multiple tested devices, including phones, an iPad, a Poco tablet, a MacBook Air, and a Chromebook. WIRED also says it can charge four devices at once and remains below the publication’s cited limit for carrying power banks on flights.
Smaller batteries and less gray plastic
For a smaller charger, WIRED recommends Nimble’s Champ Series 2, priced at $60. Hill describes the 10,000-mAh version as lighter and smaller than many portable chargers, with two USB-C ports and a lanyard loop. WIRED says the range also includes a 5,200-mAh model and a 20,000-mAh Pro version with two USB-C ports and up to 65-watt output.
Hill also points to Nimble’s environmental claims and design choices, including 90 percent recycled plastic, plastic-free packaging, and an included 3.3-foot USB-C to USB-C cable. Batteries still depend on metals with ugly supply-chain realities, and WIRED does not pretend otherwise. Its claim is narrower: Nimble reduces packaging and plastic impact where it can.
Sharge and Qi2 picks
WIRED’s “best-looking” pick is Sharge’s Shargeek 170 Power Bank, listed at $110 on Amazon after a 35 percent discount from $169. The transparent, triangular charger has a 24,000-mAh capacity, two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, a 170-watt maximum output, and an IP66 water-resistance rating. Hill says it supports Power Delivery 3.1, Quick Charge 4.0, and PPS, and fast-charged devices including an iPhone 15 Pro, Pixel 8, Xiaomi 14 Ultra, and MacBook Air.
For magnetic wireless charging, WIRED keeps Anker’s $90 MagGo Power Bank 10K with Qi2 as its top portable MagSafe/Qi2 choice. Qi2 uses magnets for alignment and supports up to 15-watt wireless charging, while older Qi devices can charge at slower rates. The Anker model has a 10,000-mAh capacity, one USB-C port, a Qi2 wireless pad, a kickstand, and a display showing remaining power. Hill says an iPhone 14 Pro gained 25 percent in about 20 minutes during testing, though the battery fell short of two full wireless iPhone charges.
WIRED says its editors select featured products independently, while the publication may receive compensation from retailers or purchases made through its links. That is the usual affiliate-commerce footnote, and readers should price-check accordingly.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
