Simple Product Picks
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 to run two demanding laptops at once.
Top picks
1. UGREEN Nexode 165W 25000mAh Power Bank - Best Overall
SPP Score: 9.0 / 10 - 25000mAh with a 140W USB-C output and two built-in cables. Our all-round pick.
Capability 10/10 - Versatility 6/10 - Build 8/10 - Value 8/10
What keeps it off a 10: The built-in cables fix the layout, so you are tied to UGREEN's port arrangement, and it is heavier than a phone-sized pack.
The Nexode is the one we'd point most people to, because it settles the thing that trips up laptop charging: the cable. Its USB-C output runs up to 140W, which is what a 16-inch MacBook Pro is built to draw (Apple ships that machine with a 140W adapter), 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. At 25000mAh, which UGREEN rates at 90Wh, it stays inside the usual 100Wh cabin-baggage limit, and UGREEN says a 100W input refills it in about two hours.
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
- ✗ The built-in cables fix the layout, so you're tied to UGREEN's port arrangement
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 10/10 - Versatility 6/10 - Build 7/10 - Value 8/10
What keeps it off a 10: A 16-inch MacBook Pro charges below its top speed because 100W falls short of the 140W it can draw, and it has no built-in cable.
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 - the 240W-rated cables only come 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
- ✗ 100W falls short of the 140W a 16-inch MacBook Pro can draw, so that machine charges below its top speed
- ✗ 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: 9.0 / 10 - 27650mAh with two 140W USB-C ports and a live display. Our pick for maximum capability.
Capability 10/10 - Versatility 6/10 - Build 8/10 - Value 8/10
What keeps it off a 10: This is the largest and heaviest pack in the guide, and more capability than anyone charging a single laptop actually needs.
The Prime is for the person whose bag holds two power-hungry machines. Both of its USB-C ports run at up to 140W on their own, so you can charge two 16-inch laptops at full speed together, or a laptop and a tablet with room to spare; Anker rates the whole pack at 250W. A 27650mAh cell, which Anker lists at 99.56Wh, is about as much battery as you can take through airport security without special approval, 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
- ✓ Two 140W USB-C ports charge two large laptops at full speed at the same time
- ✓ 27650mAh sits just under the 100Wh cabin limit for air travel
- ✓ 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 need to charge two demanding laptops away from the mains.
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 routinely power two heavy laptops at once, the Anker Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank (250W) carries about the most battery you can realistically fly with. 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 240W-rated USB-C cable 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.
Q: What wattage power bank do I need for a MacBook Pro? A: A 14-inch MacBook Pro tops out around 96W, so a 100W pack covers it. The 16-inch model ships with a 140W adapter, so you need a pack with a 140W USB-C output to charge it 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, which needs a cable rated to 240W (5A). 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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