Portable chargers for laptops are an unusual commodity. This was the case for a long time because they were generally awful, cumbersome, and expensive to use. Although they have shrunk and lightened in weight over the years, they are still more appropriate for a day bag than a back pocket.

However, their fame has grown in recent years. Many people who work from home still wanted to be able to do so, even (or especially) in the midst of a pandemic, but many found that they couldn’t spend several hours in a cafe.

Laptops may be charged from anywhere with the help of an external battery pack. Finding the perfect one can be challenging, but they offer a great deal of freedom in terms of when and where you put in your hours.

What are the details to keep an eye out for?

The compatibility of a portable laptop charger with your computer should be your top priority. If your device can be charged through USB-C, then all you need to do is ensure that the charger’s output (in watts) is sufficient.

It gets more complicated if your laptop doesn’t support USB-C charging. Some of these portable chargers include a variety of tips that may be inserted into the sockets of various laptop models, while others simply have an AC outlet that can be used with any standard laptop charger.

Most laptops have a power consumption between 45 and 65W, however the range goes all the way from 30W to 80W. Having a portable charger that can output more power than your laptop requires is fine, but having one that can output less power will cause your laptop to charge more slowly or not at all.

Think about the entire capacity of the external battery. Most laptops have a battery with a capacity of 20,000mAh, however you can find models with capacities of 40,000mAh and higher.

Omni 20+

Typically, you don’t expect a lot of bells and whistles from a portable laptop charger. All it is, really, is a huge battery with a few different plugs on it… Unless the Omni 20+ is in question.

A 110V/100W AC outlet, a 100W DC outlet, and a 60W USB C PD connector are included with this 20,000mAh battery. In a nutshell, this means that you may use this power bank to recharge any laptop.

There are two options if your laptop doesn’t support USB-C charging: use the original factory charger with an AC outlet, or purchase a variety of charging tips that are compatible with a wide range of laptop models and charge from the DC port.

That’s not the end of the exciting charging action, though. Moreover, the battery’s flat top features a 10W wireless charger and a pair of 18W USB A ports capable of fast-charging most smartphones and tablets. The Omni 20+ isn’t the smallest or lightest option out there at 1.4 pounds and 5 x 1.1 x 4.8 inches, but neither are any of the alternatives.

RAVPower PD Pioneer 80W

Inexpensive and reliable external laptop batteries, especially those that can be charged through AC, are not easy to come by, but they do exist. The RAVPower PD Pioneer is my go-to because it’s an affordable and dependable portable battery capable of sustaining 80W of power (100W max).

In my testing, a full charge took (almost) the entire 20,000mAh capacity, which is more than enough to power any laptop you’re likely to use outside the house. All of the reviews is available for your perusal right here.

Chromebooks and other low-power computers are better suited to the USB C port’s 30W capacity, but larger machines can still be charged. The power supplied by the single USB-A connector is sufficient for rapidly charging the vast majority of smartphones, tablets, cameras, and other USB devices.

MAXOAK K3

You don’t need to buy an unique portable laptop battery for a Macbook; any of the devices on this list that can charge from an AC outlet and/or USB PD will work.

However, if you want a power bank that more closely resembles the Macbook look or have an earlier Magsafe-based model and don’t want to carry the factory charger around with you, the MAXOAK K3 laptop power bank will be exactly up your alley.

Its 36,000mAh (133Wh) capacity is more than sufficient, being able to fully recharge most Macbook models more than once. For maximum power delivery, use the DC port to charge older Apple computers (up to 87W with the included Magsafe connectors), while the USB C PD port provides up to 60W.

Unfortunately, this means that you can’t use a USB C connector to charge a newer 15- or 16-inch Macbook Pro, as it won’t provide enough juice to do so. However, newer Macbook Air and Pro devices up to 13 inches in screen size and older Macs are supported.

In addition to the Type-C and DC power outlets, you’ll find a pair of Type-A USB ports that can quickly charge most mobile devices.

Anker PowerCore III Elite 25600

Getting a dedicated power bank for charging a USB C laptop will save you space and weight if you just need to do that occasionally. The Anker PowerCore III Elite 25600 stands out among the many available variants for several reasons.

To begin, it has a somewhat larger storage capacity than many other models without the corresponding increase in weight. It has a capacity of 25,600mAh, which is around 20% higher than the average capacity of the other batteries here.

Not only that, but the two USB C connections can each deliver 87W of power, which is a lot for a portable laptop battery to handle. Laptops, tablets, and smartphones with a USB C port can all be charged at full speed.

Two USB-A ports provide 18W of power, which is sufficient to rapidly charge the vast majority of smartphones. However, as that is a shared capacity, please be patient if you need to use both ports simultaneously.

MAXOAK K2

Sometimes, even a 20,000mAh portable battery doesn’t have enough capacity to keep your laptop charged the whole day while you’re away from a wall outlet. A solution such as the MAXOAK laptop power bank, which has a large battery and an even larger capacity, can be helpful in such a situation.

Even the most power-hungry laptops should still get a good number of hours of use out of the 50,000mAh battery. This is because many laptops can be charged from the DC socket at least twice.

The power bank features two DC outlets, one with a 12v output and the other with a 20v output capable of delivering up to 130W. In addition, there are four USB-A connections; however, only the top two support rapid charging, so you’ll have to settle with a slightly slower rate for most devices.

It is recommended to charge the battery overnight because of its large capacity, as doing so with the provided power charger will take 6-8 hours. At least there’s pass-through charging built in, so you can charge the battery and your other electronics at the same time.

This gadget, measuring in at 8.1 inches square and 5.3 ounces, is neither portable nor lightweight.

Conclusion

Laptops may be charged from anywhere with the help of an external battery pack. Some of these portable chargers include a variety of tips that may be inserted into the sockets of various laptop models. Others simply have an AC outlet that can be used with any standard laptop charger. The RAVPower PD Pioneer is an affordable portable battery capable of sustaining 80W of power (100W max). The MAXOAK K3 laptop power bank will be exactly up your alley.

The Omni 20+ isn’t the smallest or lightest option out there, but neither are any of the alternatives. The Anker PowerCore III Elite 25600 has a capacity of 25,600mAh. Two USB C connections can each deliver 87W of power for a portable laptop battery. Older Macbook models up to 13 inches in screen size are supported. It also has two USB-A ports that can rapidly charge most mobile devices.