There's really nothing worse than watching your phone, tablet, or pretty much any gadget run out of battery, especially when you are nowhere near a charging outlet. We've all been there, right? But you can avoid putting yourself in that situation again by simply carrying a portable charger with you when you are stepping out of your house. Portable chargers, commonly referred to as power banks, can help you charge your smartphone and other gadgets like laptops and Steam Deck when you are away from a charging outlet. I recommend carrying one around even if your devices have pretty good battery life because, well, you never know when you'll need more power, right?

There's no shortage of portable chargers on the market right now, so it can be a bit overwhelming when you're looking for options to buy. If you're having trouble finding the right power bank and don't know what to look for, then I've made things a bit easier for you by highlighting some of the best power banks you can buy below. Additionally, I've also highlighted some important things to consider while picking a portable charger towards the end of this article, so it's easier for you to pick the right one next time you're shopping for one of these. Let's dive in!

Best portable chargers and power banks in 2023

  • Anker 747 Power Bank on transparent background.
    Anker 747 Power Bank
    Editor's choice

    This Anker power bank packs a 25,600mAh battery and has support for up to 87W output to top up your gadgets. The highlight of this particular battery pack is that it comes bundled with a 65W wall adapter, meaning you get all your charging essentials in one pack.

  • A render of the Baseus 20000mAh 65W power bank along with render of USB-C cable
    Baseus 20,000mAh 65W power bank
    Best value pick

    This particular power bank from Baseus has a massive 20,000mAh battery inside, comes with a bunch of output ports, and has a numerical LED charger indicator to tell you the battery status. It can also charge your device at up to 65W, so you'll get a little of everything.

  • A render of the Anker 737 power bank.
    Anker 737 PowerCore
    Premium Pick

    The Anker 737 PowerCore portable charger packs a massive 24,000mAh battery, making it bigger than a lot of other chargers out there. It also supports Power Delivery 3.1 for 140W power output and comes with a digital display to show useful information.

  • A render showing the Shargeek Sharge Flow in white color.
    Shargeek Sharge Flow
    Best compact power bank

    The Shargeek Sharge Flow is one of the smallest USB-C power banks available. It packs a 10,000mAh battery in a form factor that's as small as a credit card and provides 20W fast charging. It also comes in four different colors.

  • A render of the Anker PowerCore III wireless power bank in black color.
    Anker PowerCore III wireless portable charger
    Best wireless power bank

    The Anker PowerCore III power bank is one of the best options out there that can charge your device wired or wirelessly. It can deliver up to 10W of power wirelessly to compatible Qi-certified devices, or you can also use a USB-C or a USB-A cable with it to top up at 18W speeds.

  • A render showing the mophie Powerstation XL power bank in black color.
    mophie Powerstation XL Power Bank
    Best high-capacity power bank

    The mophie Powerstation XL is an updated version of the XXL variant that was previously popular. This new model has a slightly small form factor overall, but it still packs a massive 20,000mAh battery, along with two USB-A and a 20W USB-C fast charging port. It's about the same size as an iPhone 14 Pro, meaning it's not too big and is perfect for traveling.

  • A render of the Anker 511 power bank in blue color.
    Anker 511 20W Nano Charger
    Compact & easy to charge

    Anker's 511 Fusion power bank is a perfect travel companion thanks to its small and lightweight design. It comes in Blue and Black color options, packs a 5,000mAh battery, and supports 20W PD output.

  • A render of the Baseus 100W Blade USB charger.
    Baseus 100W GaN II USB-C Charger
    Best for your laptop

    This particular power bank from Baseus delivers 100W power with Power delivery 3.0 and PPS support, so it can charge your laptop, too. It also comes with an LED display to track charging speed and time.

  • A render of the Baseus MagSafe charger for iPhones in white color.
    Baseus MagSafe battery pack
    Best MagSafe option

    The Baseus MagSafe battery pack is a portable PD charger that can deliver 20W of power to your iPhone. It packs a 6,000mAh battery inside, which is bigger than the one you get inside Apple's official MagSafe battery pack. This battery pack chargers via a USB-C port, and has LEDs at the bottom too.

  • Sharkgeek Storm 2 power bank on transparent background.
    Shargeek Storm 2 Power Bank
    Best design

    The Shargeek Storm 2 is a bit on the expensive side, but it would be a shame not to mention it as it has a beautiful design. Its transparent shell lets you see the guts as it rapidly charges your devices via one of the four ports. It's airline safe too!

  • A render of the Goal Zero Venture 75 portable charger in black color.
    Goal Zero Venture 75 portable charger
    Best for outdoor activities

    The Goal Zero Venture 75 is a high-capacity power bank, packing a 19,200mAh battery. It can charge all your devices with its two 5V/3A USB-A ports and a single USB-C port with up to 60W output. It carries an IP67 rating, and it also has a 50 lumens flashlight, so it's perfect for camping and other outdoor activities.

  • a render of the Mregb solar pwoer charger in black color.
    Mregb solar charger with PD & QC 3.0
    Solar power charger

    This solar portable charger from Mregb Store comes with a massive 36800mAh battery. It also supports both Power Delivery and QC 3.0 for up to 18W output. Other noteworthy features of this portable charger include an IPX7 rating, a built-in flashlight, and more.

Best portable battery packs to consider in 2023: Final thoughts

There are plenty of battery packs on the market, but those are the ones I'd personally pick right now. You can't go wrong with any of them, but I'd be leaning more toward the Anker 747 as my favorite pick. Not only does it pack a massive battery, but it also supports fast charging. It also comes bundled with a power adapter, meaning you don't have to go looking for fast chargers and power adapters separately. I've also highlighted some other power banks in this particular roundup, including the more compact 10,000mAh battery pack from Shargeek, a solar power charger, and even some thin and lightweight options. You'll definitely find something to your liking, so be sure to explore the entire list. As mentioned earlier, I am highlighting some important things to consider while picking the right power bank below. You'll find plenty of useful tips, and I hope it helps you pick the best power bank.

How to pick the right portable charger?

Picking the right portable charger or a power bank for your devices, thankfully, isn't as complicated as buying some other types of chargers out there. There are a few key things to consider though, so let's take a quick look at them.

  • Size and capacity: The size and capacity of the portable charger depend on your charging needs, really. Most smartphones these days have a 3,000-4,000 mAh battery, so I recommend picking up a charger that can typically charge your device at least twice to get the best value for your money. A portable charger with a 10,000 mAh battery is a good place to start. The size of the portable charger will also increase as you go higher in capacity, so keep that in mind. The last thing you want to do is buy a portable charger that's not really portable since that would defeat its purpose.
  • Traveling with power banks: While it is safe to travel with portable chargers on airplanes, there are certain restrictions. You must have portable chargers in your carry-on luggage, not checked-in luggage. Also, the battery limit is 100Wh, and anything above that isn't allowed. It also depends on the voltage of the power bank, so it's best to check with the airlines if you're carrying massive chargers with a larger capacity than 27,000 mAh.
  • Charging ports: Modern-day power banks can charge multiple devices simultaneously as they carry more than one USB port. You may not need all those USB ports all the time, but it's nice to have some extra ports, just in case. It's also important to consider the input and output ports based on the devices you have. With most smartphones adopting USB Type-C ports — hopefully the next-gen iPhones, too — you might want to pick up a portable charger that uses a USB-C port for both input and output. I've also included some portable chargers that support wireless charging, so be sure to check them out if you want more convenience.
  • Fast charging: Lastly, you should consider how quickly your portable charger can top up the battery. This, once again, depends on the type of device that you're charging, as not all smartphones support the same charging speed and standard. Apple's iPhones, for instance, support the Power Delivery (PD) standard and charge at around 20W. Most modern Android phones support PD or Qualcomm’s proprietary Quick Charge (QC) standard and can typically charge at speeds higher than 20W. So pick a portable charger based on the power requirement of the device that you’re planning to charge.