Modern laptops charge over USB-C, so the right power bank can keep one running through a long train journey or a full day away from any wall socket. The catch is wattage: a pack that fast-charges a phone might only trickle into a laptop. This guide picks three power banks that genuinely drive a laptop - one for most people, a straightforward option for lighter machines, and one built for a bag that carries a big laptop and a tablet together.
Top picks
1. UGREEN Nexode 165W 25000mAh Power Bank - Best Overall
SPP Score: 9.2 / 10 - 25000mAh with a 140W USB-C output and two built-in cables. Our all-round pick.
Capability 9.8/10 - Versatility 8.0/10 - Build 8.9/10 - Value 8.9/10 - Fit 9.8/10
Fit for this guide: Laptop charging is the question, and 140W PD3.1 with two built-in cables answers it without packing extras.
Every pick here is scored out of 10: four marks rate the product and are the same in every guide, and the fifth rates its fit for this guide - how we test and score.
The Nexode is the one we'd point most people to, because it settles the thing that trips up laptop charging: the cable. The name says 165W, but the number that matters for a laptop is the 140W a single USB-C port runs at, which matches the 140W adapter Apple lists for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and because one of its two built-in cables is itself rated to 140W, you get that speed without hunting for a compatible lead. The second built-in cable handles up to 65W for a tablet or a smaller laptop, and there's still a spare USB-C port and a USB-A for a phone or earbuds, so four things can charge together. A small display shows what's going in and out. UGREEN rates the 25000mAh cell at 90Wh; check that figure against your own airline's limit before you fly.
Pros
- ✓ 140W USB-C output charges a 16-inch MacBook Pro at the speed it's built for
- ✓ Two built-in braided cables, one rated to the full 140W, so there's no separate lead to buy or lose
- ✓ Four outputs and a live display for charging several devices at once
Cons
- ✗ Heavier and bulkier than a phone-sized pack, as any 25000mAh laptop bank is
- ✗ 165W is a shared total, so the 140W cable eases off when other outputs draw
Who it's for: Anyone who wants full-speed laptop charging without thinking about which cable to pack.
Who it's not for: People who only ever charge a phone and want the lightest possible pack.
2. INIU Laptop Power Bank 25000mAh 100W - Best Budget
SPP Score: 8.9 / 10 - 25000mAh with a 100W USB-C port for most laptops. Our value pick.
Capability 9.8/10 - Versatility 8.0/10 - Build 8.5/10 - Value 8.9/10 - Fit 8.9/10
Fit for this guide: 100W over a single USB-C output covers an ultrabook or 14-inch laptop from a 25000mAh pack.
If you don't need the very top wattage, INIU's 25000mAh pack covers most laptops without the headroom you may never use. Its single USB-C port pushes up to 100W, which fast-charges the great majority of ultrabooks and 14-inch laptops, and tops up a 16-inch MacBook Pro quickly even though it can't reach that machine's full 140W ceiling. A second USB-C and a USB-A sit alongside it for a phone or a pair of earbuds, and the 25000mAh capacity matches our top pick for staying power between mains sessions. You bring your own cable here, and at 100W a standard USB-C lead is all it needs - a higher-rated cable only comes into play once you go past 100W.
Pros
- ✓ 100W USB-C fast-charges most ultrabooks and 14-inch laptops
- ✓ 25000mAh matches the top pick for staying power between mains sessions
- ✓ Charges a laptop and a phone at the same time from its three outputs
Cons
- ✗ Only one USB-C port carries the full 100W, so pick the right one for a laptop
- ✗ No built-in cable or display, unlike the step-up picks
Who it's for: Ultrabook and 14-inch laptop owners who want laptop-capable charging without headroom they won't use.
Who it's not for: Anyone with a 16-inch MacBook Pro or a mobile workstation who wants the fastest possible charge.
3. Anker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank (250W) - Best Premium
SPP Score: 8.7 / 10 - 27650mAh with two 140W USB-C ports and a live display. Our pick for maximum capability.
Capability 9.8/10 - Versatility 8.0/10 - Build 8.9/10 - Value 8.9/10 - Fit 8.0/10
Fit for this guide: 250W total and dual 140W USB-C exceed one laptop, fitting professionals running several devices at once.
The Prime is for the person who wants the most output and the biggest cell in one pack. Either USB-C port runs at up to 140W on its own, so whichever machine you plug in first charges at full speed; Anker rates the whole pack at 250W across its three ports, which is enough for a big laptop and a tablet at once. A 27650mAh cell, which Anker lists at 99.56Wh, is the largest here by some way, and a colour display plus a companion app show exactly what each port is doing. Anker includes a 140W-rated USB-C cable in the box, so the full-speed lead is sorted from the start.
Pros
- ✓ Either USB-C port will drive a 16-inch laptop at its full 140W, with 250W across the pack for everything else
- ✓ 27650mAh, which Anker lists at 99.56Wh - check that against your airline before you fly
- ✓ Includes a 140W-rated USB-C cable, and its display and app show live input and output
Cons
- ✗ The largest and heaviest pack here, and heavy enough that you'll feel it in a bag
- ✗ More capability than anyone charging a single laptop needs, where the other two picks do the job
Who it's for: Multi-device professionals who want a full 140W for the laptop and 250W across the pack for everything else.
Who it's not for: Single-laptop users, who are well served by the overall or budget pick.
Quick verdict
For most people the UGREEN Nexode 165W 25000mAh Power Bank is the pick to beat: full 140W laptop charging with the right cable already built in. If you're running an ultrabook or a 14-inch laptop and want to keep it simple, the INIU Laptop Power Bank 25000mAh 100W does the job on an ordinary cable. And if you want the most output in a single pack, the Anker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank (250W) carries the most battery of the three. If your main concern is squeezing the most capacity under airline limits, our best power bank for long flights guide works through the watt-hour maths.
How we chose
Charging a laptop comes down to two numbers: how many watts the pack can push down a single port, and how much energy it stores. We looked for USB-C outputs that match what real laptops pull - 100W for most ultrabooks, 140W for a 16-inch MacBook Pro - and for capacities in the 25000mAh class that give a full laptop charge or several phone top-ups between mains sessions. We weighed the cable question too, because 140W charging needs a cable rated to carry it and a normal lead quietly caps at 100W, so packs with the right cable built in or in the box save that headache; if you'd rather buy a separate lead, our fast-charging USB-C cable guide covers what to look for. Every link goes to the Amazon UK listing, where you can confirm each pack's port wattages against what your own laptop draws.
FAQ
Q: Can a power bank charge a laptop? A: Yes, as long as it has a USB-C Power Delivery port with enough wattage. Most ultrabooks charge happily from a 100W port, while a 16-inch MacBook Pro can draw up to 140W, so match the pack's output to your machine. Our guide to charging a laptop from a power bank walks through what to check on the label before you buy.
Q: What wattage power bank do I need for a MacBook Pro? A: Apple's top listed adapter for the 14-inch MacBook Pro is 96W, so a 100W pack covers it. Apple lists 140W for the 16-inch, so that machine needs a pack with a 140W USB-C output to charge at full speed.
Q: Do I need a special cable for 140W charging? A: Yes. Charging above 100W uses the USB-C Extended Power Range, so the cable has to be rated for it as well. A standard USB-C cable still works but caps the charge at 100W, which is why the packs here with a built-in or bundled 140W cable are handy.
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