Review: Anker PowerCore Lite 20,000mAh Portable Charger

Anker PowerCore Lite 20,000mAh Portable Charger

9

Power

8.4/10

Design

9.0/10

Build

10.0/10

Reliability

8.5/10

Pros

  • Has a high power capacity
  • Each of the ports has a 5V/3.0A charging rate, which is higher than the normal 2.4A
  • Features two input ports, so you have double the options on what cable you can use

Cons

  • Does not feature Quick Charge
  • Recharging speed could be faster
(Last Updated On: September 17, 2018)

Anker provides some of the best quality power banks and other charging electronics products on the market, and you likely know that by reading our reviews, or from actually using one of their products. Their power banks feature many different of power capacities, and the best thing about them is that they’re always powerful, with their power capacity or the charging speed that comes from the ports. Recently, Anker has been releasing their new PowerCore Lite portable chargers, and with one that we’ve reviewed already called the “PowerCore Lite 10000”. It was a slim power bank that was quite powerful and easy to take anywhere that you wanted.

In this review, we’re taking a look at this PowerCore Lite 20,000mAh portable charger. This charger seems to be quite similar to their PowerCore 20100 model, and this is their way of creating new power banks with a new type of look, but it does have differences, so let’s take a closer look.

Power

Power Capacity:

The power capacity of this power bank starts at 20,000mAh, but just like any portable charger on the market that’s not really what you’re able to use. So we’re going to get the average conversion and figure out how much you’re really able to use.

3.7 x 20,000 = 74,000 / 5 = 14,800

The average amount of output capacity that you’re actually able to use with this charger is going to be 15,000mAh. It’s still a high power capacity and this much power can be highly useful for charging smartphones such as a Galaxy S9 with its 3,000mAh battery or a Note 9 with its 4,000mAh battery to their full power about three times. Well, the S9 would be able to charge to its full power about four times because of its lower battery capacity.

To put it basically, you’re able to charge most smartphones on the market to full power multiple times.

The same can also be said about tablets, but not all of them. If your tablet has a 5,000mAh battery, then you can fair about 2.5 full charges. That said, if you want to have the ability to charge a device to full power multiple times over, then you’re likely going to have to charge a single device at a time, as charging two devices with this power bank at the same time basically splits the power capacity.

Of course, charging two devices at once is what this power bank is made to do and it can still provide a full charge that way, too.

Output Charging:

There are two ports on this power bank, and each of the ports is slightly more powerful than regular USB-A ports on other Anker power banks, as each of the ports is able to output a 5V/3.0A charging speed. Whereas most standard ports have a 5V/2.4A charging speed. The max output of the charger is 4.8A and that’s really the only downside with its charging as you won’t be able to use both of the ports at their max power at the same time.

Input Charging:

The recharging for this power bank is quite different than what other Anker power banks feature and it seems like it’s something that Anker’s PowerCore Lite portable charger is going to be featuring. As this power bank makes use of two input ports, with one input being a Micro-USB and the other one is a USB-C input port. The USB-C port can only be used as an input

The two input ports can only be used once at a time, as using them both at the same time will not result in a faster recharge rate and they each have the same recharging speed of 5V/2.0A. So you should use a 2 amp wall charger or higher to recharge the power bank. With that said, we think that making either of the input ports Quick Charge compatible would have made more sense for a high capacity power bank as it would have resulted in a faster recharge rate.

Design

Size and Weight:

At this point, high capacity power banks aren’t exactly large anymore and that’s not to say that they’re as easy to carry around as a mini 3,000mAh power bank. Instead, it’s a lot more manageable to take these power banks wherever you’d like.

As this charger has a length of 6.8 inches, a width of 2.8 inches and a thickness of 0.9 inches. So the charger is basically the same size as most smartphones out there, such as the Note 9, except for its thickness. The PowerCore Lite 20000 has a 13.1 Ounces weight.

So what makes it feel quite large is mostly its weight, and even then you can just place it into a pocket and bring it with you everywhere. Placing it into a back pocket is what we found to work best.

Functional Components:

The charger is easy to use, with the two USB-A output ports and the power button being on one side, and the Micro-USB and USB-C input are together on another side. Also off to one of the sides is where there are four Blue power capacity indicators that show how much power is left.

Just like with most Anker power banks, you don’t have to press the power button to begin charging, as charging automatically starts when you place a device into the ports. If you want to turn on the power indicators to see how much power is left, then the power button can come to use.

Build

Structure and Material:

The power bank has a great build and this is basically what you can expect from most Anker products. The charger is made of plastic, but it’s put together very well and the ports on Anker products are some of the best we’ve used as they hold on real tight to the charging cable that you place into them.

There’s etched design of lines that makes it easy to hold the power bank in your hands.

Tech:

The charger does not get warm at all, and it’s something that Anker does very well at. Overall, though you can’t really expect it to overheat when there are only 4.8 Amps being released.

Reliability

Despite its awesome presentation, this Anker PowerCore Lite 20000 charger is a high standard type of power bank. The USB-A ports are slightly more powerful at 3 Amps, and the recharging is more accessible as it makes use of a USB-C and a Micro-USB input. So it can be useful for someone that’s not concerned about making use of fast charging tech such as Quick Charge or Power Delivery, as this power bank does not make use of those fast charging technologies.

That said, if you do have a Quick Charge compatible smartphone, then it’s best to go for Anker PoewrCore II 20000 portable charger that has the same power capacity, but features Quick Charge.

Summary:

Power:

The power capacity is enough to change provide full multiple charges for most smartphones, the two standard USB-A ports are quite powerful and the two input ports makes recharging easier, in case you don’t have one cable but do have the other.

Design:

The charger has a small form factor even though it is a high capacity power bank, and you’re actually able to fit this charger into your pocket.

Build:

The build is great and it feels premium to use every time you use it.

Reliability:

Since this power bank does not feature Quick Charge, and if you own a Quick Charge compatible smartphone, then it’s best to go for a Quick Charge power bank, as this PowerCore Lite is an optimal standard power bank, not a fast charging one.

Specs of the Anker PowerCore Lite 20,000mAh Portable Charger:

  • Power Capacity: 20,000mAh | Output Capacity: 14,800mAh
  • Output:

Each Port: 5V/2.4A

Max Output: 4.8A

  • Input:

Micro-USB Input: 5V/2.0A

USB-C Input: 5V/2.0A

  • LED Power Indicator: Four Blue Power Indicators
  • Size: 6.8 x 2.8 x 0.9 inches
  • Weight: 13.1 Ounces

Conclusion:

Even though this Anker PowerCore Lite 20,000mAh power bank is standard across the board, it doesn’t disappoint with its charging power or its build quality.

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