Review: ZILU 16,800mAh Portable Charger

ZILU 16800mAh Portable Charger

8.1

Power

7.0/10

Design

8.5/10

Build

8.5/10

Reliability

8.5/10

Pros

  • Charge Two Devices at the Same Time
  • Small Size for its Capacity
  • Relatively High Capacity

Cons

  • One Charging Port Charges Slow
  • Capacity lower than Advertised
(Last Updated On: May 11, 2019)

There are power banks that can offer some great grandeur of an experience. Some power banks deliver on their promises and others don’t.

That’s really what the charging electronics industry has become since there are so many chargers, there are companies that can falsely advertise what their power bank, wall charger or car charger is capable of.

That’s why Charger Harbor exists, we are the source that wants to eliminate false perceptions and show the truth behind charging electronics. Most of all, we value, value.

The Zilu power bank is such a charger that gives good impressions of what it could be, and although it does truly deliver is some areas, there are other areas of the power bank that can be lacking.

Although it’s definitely not on the level of retail products, the Zilu portable charger is still an alright option to consider for portable power.

However, if you want a similar power capacity portable charger that has more charging power from its ports, then we recommend the following.

Similar Capacity Power Banks:

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Power

Power Capacity:

This ZILU power bank has a capacity of 16,800mAh. There are other ZILU power banks that feature a capacity of 13,000mAh but for this review, we’ll be focusing on the higher end of the power capacity and see what this charger is capable of.

Although the power bank does have a 16,800mAh capacity, you can expect a real capacity of about 15,800mAh because of the energy that’s lost during charging.

Many people seem to think that the power bank does indeed have a 16,800mAh capacity but it’s important that you know that the power capacity that is advertised on Amazon and the charging company’s website is simply the power capacity that’s in the power bank and not what you’re actually receiving.

With that said, though, the real capacity of the ZILU power bank is still quite good.

It’s a capacity that makes it fair to call the power bank a high capacity portable charger. It’s capable of charging smartphones about 4 times over and maybe, even more, depending on what smartphone you’ve got.

Tablets like the iPad can do well for 2 full charges and maybe a half a charge as well.

It’s actually quite a good power capacity that can last for days depending on the way you use it and quite a good traveling charger if you’re going to be away from a wall outlet for a while.

ZILU 16800mAh Portable Charger (Real Capacity 15,800mAh)Phone CapacityZILU 16800mAh Portable Charger Left Over Power Capacity

# of Full Charges
iPhone SE15,800mAh1,624mAh14,176mAh

9 Full Charges
iPhone 615,800mAh1,810mAh13,990mAh

8 Full Charges
iPhone 6 Plus15,800mAh2,915mAh12,885mAh

5 Full Charges
iPhone 6s15,800mAh1,715mAh14,085mAh

9 Full Charges
iPhone 6s Plus15,800mAh2,750mAh13,050mAh

5 Full Charges
Samsung Galaxy S615,800mAh2,550mAh13,250mAh

6 Full Charges
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge15,800mAh2,600mAh13,200mAh

6 Full Charges
Samsung Galaxy S715,800mAh3,000mAh12,800mAh

5 Full Charges
Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge15,800mAh3,600mAh12,200mAh

4 Full Charges

Output Charging:

Of course, then there are the charging ports. The power bank has two USB charging Output ports.

The bold claims of the charger are how it’s the “Most Powerful Power Bank” or how it has a 3A Output are all great if they were true.

The 3A charging output isn’t a lie, though, the power bank is capable of having a total output of 3.0 Amps at any one time and that’s not because its ports are capable of charging at max speed; It’s more because the portable charger is simply not capable of charging that quickly.

Anker has their PowerCore 15,600mAh power capacity portable charger that has just a tad lower capacity.

That said, the PowerCore 15600 features two charging ports and each of the two ports have a 5V/2.4A charging rate and the max output of the charger 4.8A.

So you can use the full power of the two ports at the same time.

One of the Output ports is capable of charging at 5V/2.1A, which is an alright speed and actually good enough for charging tablets and smartphones that can charge at high Amperage speeds.

The other charging port has a 5V/1.0A charging speed which is quite slow and this other port is also what makes the power bank mediocre.

There’s a change starting to happen with power banks nowadays and that would be charging speeds have a standard now. Both ports are supposed to be equals in this.

Two Different Ports

There’s a change starting to happen with power banks nowadays, and that would be charging speeds have a standard now.

Both ports are supposed to be equals in this charging world of ours and that’s not what’s happening with this power bank.

It’s great that you can charge 2 devices at once, however, there’s one device that’s always going to be getting the short end of the stick.

This especially goes for a smartphone and tablet charging configuration, because while the tablet may be charging at relatively high speeds, the smartphone is charging below its standards.

Input Charging:

The Input charging speed of the power bank is 5V/2.0A. Although to take full advantage of the recharge speed at 2 Amps, we recommend getting a wall charger that is rated to have an Output speed of 5V/2.0A or higher from its USB charging ports.

The ZILU power bank does try, but the charging ports fall short of true greatness.

Read Review for Aukey 16,000mAh Power Bank

Design

Size and Weight:

This is where the ZILU power bank impresses because it’s able to fit all of its capacity and charging tech into very small size or at least a small size for the power bank.

The length of the power bank is 5.4 inches, the width is 2.4 inches and the thickness is nearly an inch at 0.8 inches.

For power banks within its capacity, you can usually expect the length to be longer, however, that’s not the case here and the width is perfect so that that it fits into a single hand easily.

Always remember, though; There is always equivalent exchange and in this case, the power bank is quite heavy at 10.4 ounces.

Very Easy to Hold and take Anywhere

The ZILU portable charger can be held easily in a single hand but the power bank is going to give trouble if you plan on holding it for the long-term.

We still think that the ZILU portable charger is still capable of being on-the-go power bank but it’s not capable of being that for a long time because eventually, the power bank does become tiresome to carry and walk with.

Your best bet for making this power bank to be portable and usable as possible is to know if you’re going to be walking for a long time and ensure that your destination is close by.

With all that said, the power bank can be put in a bag and carried to be less cumbersome or try squeezing it into your pockets for a more hands-free approach.

Build

Structure and Material:

The build quality of the ZILU portable charger is done like many other power banks have and this kind of models should be followed.

The entirety of casing of the power bank is plastic that’s been lightly varnished. It susceptible to scratches and smudges but to be honest nearly every power bank can be scratched and smudged.

Although it’s made of plastic, the placing of the plastic is what makes it strong.

There are main two pieces of the power bank’s body. the overall encompassing body and then’s there’s the side strip where nearly all the functional things of the power bank are.

The best thing about its build is that the side strip is depressed into the power bank’s main body structure so nothing is protruding out of the power bank.

As a result, if the power bank were to fall, it would be the main body that would get damaged, rather than the functional components.

The components of the power bank are well constructed and simple. We didn’t find there to be any flaws or malfunctions with any of the features that the power bank had to offer.

Tech:

Of course, the power bank does have safety tech charging and with a power bank that’s this small and that’s able to deliver a good charging experience it’s definitely good to have the tech.

Charging speed may vary depending on the environment that you’re using the charger in, because of its temperature control mechanism.

You can get the entirety of what this power bank has to offer below.

Read Review for PowerCore 20100

Reliability

Even with its few faults, the power bank is reliable for nearly any situation.

The only situation that it can’t be the most reliable is if you’re taking a long walk because the power bank’s weight will grow the longer you hold it.

Also, if you can get past the slow charging in one of the ports, the capacity that’s lower than its stated power capacity; then this power bank can do wonders for you.

It’s small, is capable of charging two devices at once and has an output capacity that can last for a few days if you’re using it occasionally.

It’s a power bank that has its flaws and by no means does it match its title as “Most Powerful Power Bank” but it’s a capable enough charger that does well for what it’s created for, even with its flaws.

Summary

Power:

The power of the power bank does try but the ZILU’s promise that the power bank has great powering capabilities are simply not true.

One port does a good 2.1A charging output and the other has a slow 1.0A charging speed, which can be quite bad if you want to charge two devices at the same time quickly.

The power capacity is lower than the original capacity because energy conversion is quite poor and as a result, the capacity that you’re getting is lower than the prescribed.

Design:

It’s power bank that has done the size of its dimension very well. The medium capacity power bank can be held in a single hand quite easily but the main problem is if you’re holding it, is the weight.

Weighing in at 10 ounces, the power bank is quite heavy and can be tiresome to carry if you’re holding it for long periods of time. The functional parts are placed locally and so they’re easy to find and use.

Build:

The build is solid even with the power bank being made of plastic.

But it’s not about what it’s made of, the power bank’s structure is done is a smart way with an over-encompassing piece and single strip with all the functionalities of the charger.

The only downfall that we could sense is if the charger were to fall onto a hard ground and as a result would get chipped.

Reliability:

It’s a reliable portable charger, but don’t expect to be relying on the advertised version of it. The power does have the fastest charging ever, neither is the capacity actually 16,800mAh or at least that’s not the capacity that you’ll be receiving.

If you can put those two things aside and accept the power bank for what it really has to offer; Then this portable charger can hold plenty of potentials.

Read 13,000mAh – 20,000mAh Power Bank Reviews

Specs of the ZILU 16800mAh Portable Charger:

  • Capacity:               Advertised Capacity– 16,800mAh            Output Capacity– 15,800mAh
  • Output:

USB Port 1: 5V/2.1A

USB Port 2: 5V/1.0A

  • Input: 5V/2.0A via Micro USB Input
  • LED Power Indicators: Four-LED status system
  • Size: 5.4 x 2.4 x 0.8 inches
  • Weight: 10.4 Ounces

Conclusion:

The ZILU power bank has a lot to offer but it doesn’t have as much as you think it has to offer. Regarding its design and build, sure the power bank does shine there.

However, it’s a bit lower than on the power spectrum than we’d like it to be and that really hurts what it stands for.

Although it’s not a deal breaker, if the portable charger lived up to its promises then we’d give it a higher rating.

Hopefully, in the future, it’s able to offer 2.0A charging from each port and more matchable power capacity. Currently, though, it’s still worth getting if you consider what it’s still capable of.

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