Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsYou Will Undoubtably Love This! TLDR - PROS/CONS LIST BELOW!
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2019
Ok, we gotta talk about this one. Firstly, let me mention which Anker batteries I own that have USB-C PD as I’ll be comparing those to this. (Also note: I’ll be saying this battery is tiny a lot. I mean that in a relative manner, as it is not as tiny as Anker’s pocket series, but it is close).
1. PowerCore+ 26800 —> I love this one. I use this simply to charge whichever laptop I have with me for that day. However, it is not ideal for a day when I only want to carry my iPad Pro around with me, as this battery is heavier than my device. So I recommend this pack for computers.
2. PowerCore+ 19000 Hybrid —> same thing as above, except less charge for the laptop but you get USB Hub benefits.
3. Both Nintendo Switch Batteries —> Great, but I only use them for the Switch/sometimes as an emergency for my iPad Pro. The smaller one is lightweight enough to carry around daily if you don’t want a lot of weight added (smaller one is 13400mAh and bigger one is 20100mAh, I believe)
4. PowerCore 20000PD —> I have also only used this for my Switch + iPad Pro, but still ever so slightly
Ok that’s it for my QUICK thoughts on the previous USB-C PD batteries that I own. Let’s jump into this one.
This one is absolutely amazing. Firstly, the size! It is small for 10,000mAh; this size was introduced with the REDUX model, which I also reviewed, but that one did not have USB-C, let alone PD (if you don’t know what PD means, 1. It stands for power delivery 2. It is a faster charging version of USB-C, oriented towards getting the most electrons into your device as quickly AND safely as possible; yes this is a very dumbed down, simple explanation but whatever).
So this battery comes in its small form factor and provides USB-C PD output (and input) at 18W. 18W isn’t incredibly fast, but it’ll be fast for charging your phones. I do not use this for my phone though. I use this for my iPad Pro, as I am able to get about an extra 70% charge out of it (Anker claims 80%, but the best I ever got was 75%, not using my IPad while charging). Of course, even if you do use the iPad while charging with this, it’ll still charge (doesn’t matter which iPad Pro you have (1st/2nd/3rd gen). Only difference between those generations are the charging cable you’ll need. If you have the newest 2018 iPad Pro, you will just be using USB-C cable that comes included with this product. If you have the older iPad Pros, you’ll need to buy Apple’s Lightning to USB-C cable (or Anker’s, as they will have their own by the end of February, I believe). Additionally, you will have a USB-A port that supports 10W output. Yeah it’s not 18W (Qualcomm quickcharge), but that USB-A port is most likely to charge your wireless headphones.
Speaking of which, since wireless headphones have such a tiny battery, you would want to use trickle charging with those, which this product also supports. Double tapping the power button turns on a green LED letting you know that you’re in tricklecharging mode. One more click of the power button and you will return to regular charging mode. You can also hold the power button for 2 seconds instead of double clicking the power button to enter trickle charging mode.
Ok let’s do the PROS AND CONS now.
PROS:
1. Size and form factor — it is smaller than all the other 10000PD batteries, which makes this perfect for travel, and it can also fit in your pocket with ease (note: I wear sweatpants, but I don’t think it would be terrible in jeans).
2. Weight — it is light, the lightest PD battery by Anker, so even more portable.
3. 28W total output — 18W from the USB-C and 10W from the USB-A output. It could’ve been engineered in a way that had a maximum of 18W output from both ports combined, but at least it is not like that.
4. Trickle Charging mode — great for smaller electronics (like wireless headphones)
5. Anker Reliability — this goes with any of their products. Even if the product is faulty, you KNOW that Anker will send you a new one with their 18 month warranty.
6. FAST CHARGE SUPPORTED PHONES — iPhone 8,X,XS,XR, and their respected larger versions, as well as any Android phone with USB C (Google Pixel, One+6, Samsung Galaxy 7,8,9,etc—I don’t know, I only use the Pixel 3 and the One+6T along with my iPhone XS Max). But phones that have USB-C port and are made post 2016 I assume will support the fast charging. For iPhones, you will need the USB-C to lightning cable that I mentioned earlier for the iPad Pro 1st and 2nd generation.
CONS (nitpicky cons, as technology is limited right now):
1. The charge it holds — 10000mAh is a decent amount of charge. I think 15000mAh in this form factor would’ve been nicer, but I’m assuming it would be too difficult to have 50% larger of a battery in this small size. 15000mAh would’ve been better since that would guarantee a full charge for an iPad Pro, which I would love to see from this tiny battery. Again, nitpicky.
2. The Price — We could all sit here and talk about any product’s price and say how we would like it to be cheaper. I don’t mind the $45, but some people might. I think the price is fine, but someone else might look at it and say, “for 10000mAh, I have to pay $45?” Well don’t forget some other companies like Mophie will charge close to $100 for this amount of charge. Plus, don’t forget this is not an ordinary 10000mAh battery; it has PD capabilities. Keep that in mind.
But who’s to say $35 wouldn’t have been the ideal price for this.
So to carry on my conversation about the batteries I carry with me. If I have my iPad and my Switch with me, I’ll carry this and one of the two Switch batteries with me (depending on my predicted usage for my Switch for that day). If I’m carrying my laptop with me,