Whether you need a good all-rounder in the Sharge Shargeek 170 to stash in your backpack and keep everything topped up for your college studies, something ultra portable and pocketable like the (aptly named) Pocket Rocket, or a beefy Anker PowerHouse for those long trips away from electricity, I've got you covered.
The feature you're looking for is called passthrough charging. If the power bank supports this feature, you can charge the portable charger and a connected device simultaneously. Do solar power banks work? Power banks with integrated solar panels can work, but they are very inefficient and tend to charge very slowly when using sunlight to juice up.
Why should you use a portable charger?
In situations like these, a portable charger—also called a power bank or battery pack—can feel like a lifesaver. Backup batteries are even more critical if you need to charge your electronics while the power is out after a storm.
Do portable chargers use a lot of power?
Not really. Even the most potent power banks are limited to a certain degree. The best portable chargers can usually handle about 200W, which would be your most significant limitation. For example, most desktop PCs use far more than 200W.
How many Watts Does a portable charger use?
It also has USB-C and USB-A ports that are capable of fast-charging your phone at up to 18 watts. The wireless charging is up to 7.5 watts with the iPhone and 10 watts for Android devices. Show more Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on a portable charger or power bank.
Which portable charger is the fastest?
If it does, and you really want the fastest pocket-friendly portable charger out there, get the Iniu. I'm betting that most people don't have a 45W-charging phone, and are willing to settle for “really fast” when they can get the portable charger that's the easiest to use. And that's why I think the Anker Nano is the best for most people.
Which power bank should I buy?
The Nimble Champ is our top recommendation for most folks, but we have all sorts of alternatives here. Read our Best MagSafe Power Banks guide for Apple-specific portable chargers, and our Best Portable Power Stations guide if you need more power. Updated June 2025: We've added power banks from Redmagic and Statik, and added a new FAQ.