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Portable Eggtronic battery bank holds a larger charge than most laptops

Portable Eggtronic battery bank holds a larger charge than most laptops (Source: Eggtronic)
Portable Eggtronic battery bank holds a larger charge than most laptops (Source: Eggtronic)
This compact $89 USD power bank can hold a respectable 63 Wh charge to be perfect for hikes or camping trips with multiple people. Recharging the bank itself, however, is almost three times slower than on most laptops.
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While smaller personal power banks may be sufficient for long days of constant smartphone or tablet use, you're probably going to want something bigger for extended trips with family members or friends. The Eggtronic Power Bank fits that niche with its relatively large 63 Wh (20000 mAh) capacity designed to recharge multiple devices simultaneously.

The manufacturer sent us a unit to test and we're definitely satisfied about the advertised capacity and small 1.6 cm-thick form factor. At 63 Wh, the bank has enough to charge our Asus ZenBook 13 from empty to full and still have about 20 percent left for other items. Most Ultrabooks or subnotebooks have integrated batteries in the 40 Wh to 70 Wh range.

When testing our older 2014 iPad Air 2 and iPhone XR, the Eggtronic is able to recharge them fully 3 times and 6 times, respectively, before needing a recharge itself.

Packaging includes the power bank, USB-C to USB-C cable, and a USB-A to USB-C adapter
Packaging includes the power bank, USB-C to USB-C cable, and a USB-A to USB-C adapter
The water-resistant linen surface is a nice luxurious touch that also prevents the bank from heating up too much when in use
The water-resistant linen surface is a nice luxurious touch that also prevents the bank from heating up too much when in use

Things start to look less impressive when analyzing actual recharge rates. Quick charging our iPhone XR via the bank's 18 W USB-A port is only about 15 to 20 minutes faster than the 10 W USB-A port which is already quite slow at about 1 percent per minute. Thus, you're going to have to use devices that are compatible with the 45 W output of the bank's USB-C port to fully exploit quick charge. Even worse is that the power bank itself takes almost five hours to recharge fully with our 22.5 W AC adapter. It's able to support up to a 30 W USB-C input charger, but the packaging unfortunately doesn't include one. You'll want to remember to recharge the bank overnight before using it the next day.

If using the included USB-C to USB-C cable, you'll want to keep in mind that certain smartphones, tablets or laptops must be set correctly. Some devices are able to recharge and discharge via the same USB-C port meaning you might accidentally recharge the power bank with your laptop when the opposite was expected. This phenomenon is not unique to the Eggtronic, but an indicator of some sort to show discharge or recharge activity would have been helpful.

Aside from the slow charge rate, the three USB ports (2x USB-A, 1x USB-C) mean you can recharge and discharge the power bank simultaneously if desired while the numerical LED charge indicator on the bank will always be better than discrete lights.

On future models, we would love to see the Eggtronic double as a wireless Qi charging station and an expanded LED indicator to show more detailed information and activity. The power bank is currently retailing for $89 USD on Eggtronic's own online store.

October 13, 2020 update: Eggtronic is slashing prices on the following five accessories for Prime Day including the power bank reviewed here.

At almost 450 grams, the power bank is heavier than most others despite the compact form factor
At almost 450 grams, the power bank is heavier than most others despite the compact form factor
Three integrated USB ports limited to 10 W, 18 W, and 45 W outputs from left to right. You'll need to use USB-C devices to really exploit the quick charge potential of the power bank
Three integrated USB ports limited to 10 W, 18 W, and 45 W outputs from left to right. You'll need to use USB-C devices to really exploit the quick charge potential of the power bank
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> Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations > News > News Archive > Newsarchive 2020 09 > Portable Eggtronic battery bank holds a larger charge than most laptops
Allen Ngo, 2020-09-18 (Update: 2020-10-14)