I've been in search of a power bank for a long time now, ever since my trusty Anker PowerCore 20100 started to show signs of aging. Thanks to shipping regulations, it can be difficult to get power banks into Ireland, though, so when I had the opportunity to review the RAVPower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh portable charger, I jumped at the chance. For pretty much anyone else, though, it's an easy device to pick up: You can buy it from Amazon in the U.S. or RAVPower's own store on their website.

Specifications

Design

The RAVPower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh portable charger has a hard, scratch-resistant surface that will help to keep it looking in pristine condition no matter the conditions that it's put through. This power bank also has a screen on one side which shows the percentage battery level left, and it can be lit up simply by pressing the power button on the side. On the top, there are three input ports through which it can be charged - a microUSB slot, a USB-C PD slot, and a Lightning Port. I've been using the USB-C PD slot to charge it as I find that it's the fastest way to do so. As it has a 20,000 mAh capacity, it does take a long time to charge - nearly 6 hours, from my testing. Still, 20,000 mAh goes a long way, and you can use it to charge lots of devices thanks to two USB-A ports and a USB-C port too. You'll need a USB-C to USB-C cable to make use of Power Delivery, but if you do have one, you'll be able to charge your devices, like Google's latest Pixels, fairly quickly.

The RAVPower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh portable charger is definitely bulky and a bit heavy, though it's not a huge deal as it's something that you'll typically just toss into your bag and forget about. That's what I've done with it, anyway.

Charging speed and usability

Because this power bank supports USB Power Delivery, it should be capable of fast charging pretty much any USB Type-C compliant device that you own. I found it can charge the Samsung Galaxy A20e, the Huawei P20, the OnePlus 7T Pro, and even the Nintendo Switch quickly - so long as I used a proper USB-C to USB-C cable, anyway. That's because the Power Delivery port is the USB-C port, which can both charge and discharge the power bank. Sadly, there isn't much in the way of cables in the box - you only get a USB-A to microUSB cable in the box.

Whatever you've come to expect from a Power Delivery Type-C port is exactly what you'll get here, and it's a nice luxury to have. It can even charge my MacBook Pro, although obviously it's not nearly as fast as the 87W charger. It can still help me if I'm in a pinch, though. If I forget to charge my laptop, I can put it in my bag, connect it to my power bank, and leave it to charge in my bag while I go about my day. The ability to do that alone is understated. It's pretty slow, but the battery of my MacBook didn't drain when I had it plugged in, which is the most important thing. It did, however, say it would take about 8 hours to charge to full.

As for the charging speed of the power bank itself, it can charge in roughly five and a half hours when charged using a USB PD-compatible charger. That means you can just leave it to charge overnight and have it ready the next morning, which is what I've been doing. I generally just top it up a little bit whenever I'm not using it, rather than charging it all in one go every few days.

Price and availability

The RAVPower PD Pioneer 20,000mAh power bank can be difficult to import depending on where you live. Even getting this review unit was difficult as changing transport regulations mean that it could not be sent via air. If you live in the U.S. or mainland Europe, you should be fine, though. Parcel forwarding services may also be an option depending on where you live. For $50 (on Amazon U.S.), though, I think you'll get your money's worth. Previously, I used the Anker Powercore 20100, but its lack of versatility became somewhat of a problem as it aged. It couldn't charge my Nintendo Switch, for starters, and the lack of USB-PD meant that lots of devices would charge rather slowly.

If you're interested in picking up this particular power bank, you can grab it from either Amazon US or RAVPower's own website. Check out the links below!

Amazon U.S. | RAVPower's website

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