$33.99
The PowerCore Lite is a slim, compact power bank that packs 10,000 mAh of power. That’s enough to charge most smartphones three times over or a tablet once.
According to Anker, the PowerCore Lite has an output of 2.4 A (about double that of traditional portable chargers), which is enough to get most dead devices up and running within minutes. There’s two types of input, or ways to recharge the bank itself, USB-C and micro USB. It comes with a micro USB cable that you can use.
There’s also surge and short circuit protection built into the charger. Basically, the PowerCore Lite doesn’t have any fancy features, but it does have all the basic components of a good power bank: portability, power, and safety.
Test ①: Size and Feel
Test ②: Charging Speed
Test ③: Power Capacity
Test ④: Likeliness to Malfunction
Because what’s the point of a power bank if it’s not portable?
If you can carry around your diet Coke, you can carry around this charger.We also tried slipping it into our bags and our jacket pockets, but it never felt too heavy.
When the device is charging, an indicator to the left of the power button will light up blue.
To be sure, we ran the test five times. At the very end, we measured an average output of about 1.25 A. Basic USBs hooked up to a PC usually give you about 0.5 A; “fast speeds” start at 1.0 A, but 1.25 is nothing outstanding, about average, actually.
Do, however, note that electronic devices often only suck up as much current as they can handle (before they fry), so the PowerCore Lite may measure faster or slower on certain devices. While the iPhone 8 can draw more power from more powerful chargers, older iPhone models, for example, won’t ask for much more than 1.0 A.
The result? Out of the 10,000 mAh packed into the PowerCore Lite, we could use 5,968 mAh. Keep in mind that most mobile batteries don’t let you fully drain them to improve longevity; plus they lose power to heat. It’s actually natural that around 30 – 40% of a portable charger’s power capacity be unusable, so the PowerCore Lite earns a passing score in our books.
And just to test for overheating, we plugged in our phones and played some graphics heavy games. The power bank felt warm but never got noticeably hot.
If you’re looking for a power bank that goes above and beyond, you might find the Anker PowerCore Lite 10000 a bit lacking. However, it has all the bare bones features you could possibly want, is PSE-certified, and is definitely worth the price.
The PowerCore II Slim is 137 mm long, 66 mm wide, and 16 mm thick. It maps out a rectangle slightly smaller than that of the PowerCore Lite, but it’s also a bit thicker. It has the same number of output ports (one) and offers about the same power capacity.
The difference lies in the charging speed. The PowerCore II Slim is compatible with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge. Not only can it itself be Quick Charged (with a Quick Charge Charger), it can also power up qualifying devices faster than the PowerCore Lite.
Just like the PowerCore Lite, it only has one port for output. However, while the Redux may be shorter and narrower than the Lite, it’s also thicker, so it may not look as flattering in your pants pocket.
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