twister6
Android Expert
This is a review of Anker PowerCore+ 20100 mAh USB/USB-C external battery. http://www.ianker.com/product/A1371011, also available on Amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014ZO46LK/?tag=vectron00-20
It has been awhile since I reviewed external batteries because a lot of these new product releases became redundant. There was nothing new or exciting until QC2.0 was introduced. When you look on-line, there are multiple dozens of unknown re-branded external batteries, while only a handful of trusted manufacturers who stand behind their product with quality control, extended warranty, and adequate tech support. I always hold Anker in high regard and was a bit surprised they didn't jump on QC2.0 bandwagon right away. But now I quickly realized they were aiming higher, at the new USB-C standard.
USB-C topic has been a buzz for a while now, and we are finally starting to see more devices supporting it. What makes it stand out is the reversible connector which you can plug in either way by flipping it. It resembles micro-usb, but adds symmetrical layout which you can flip. No more trying to jam the connector upside down in the dark. Plus, USB-C will support 1.5A and 3A at 5V, depending on the device sinking the current. And speaking of devices, there are already a number of those that support USB-C standard, including 2015 MacBook, Google's Chromebook Pixel, and upcoming Nexus 5x and Nexus 6P. I personally don't have any of these devices yet, but still was excited to take a look into this next gen Anker external battery.
Unboxing.
Arrived in a nice sturdy cardboard box, I noticed that Anker changed their packaging. Still environmentally safe and without any non-recyclable plastic, but now with a little less generic look. There is no battery image on the cover, but the back has a clear message of "The Future of USB Connectivity has Arrived", listing different USB-C product solutions offered by Anker.
Inside of the box you have a partitioned area for the battery and accessories box.
Accessories.
Beside the actual battery, included accessories are USB to micro-USB cable, USB to USB-C cable, and a storage pouch. Considering battery enclosure is all metal (aluminum), storage pouch is always a plus even while using the battery, so it creates an extra friction with a surface or keeps surface away from scratches. Now with support of USB-C, you have an option to charge other devices supporting this connector as well as using this cable to charge the battery. My only comment here, I wish two USB-C cables where included since you will always need to use one for charging of the battery because input is usb-c, and you need another one to charge devices with usb-c. But I'm sure it won't be a problem to buy a spare cable.
Design.
Considering 20100 mAh capacity of this new PowerCore+ battery, there shouldn't be any expectations of portable design. The battery dimensions are 185mm x 60mm x 23mm with a heft of 460g! The weight comes from the battery cells that hold this enormous charging capacity, and Anker usually open about using premium Panasonic cells. What I like about this battery, despite a noticeable weight, the design is very slim and elongated, making handling of this battery very easy with a comfortable grip. And even so the body is all aluminum shell, it feels very solid with no flex due to a reinforcement layer underneath. Also, the shell provides a good heat dissipation which enhances the efficiency of the battery.
The usb ports are located on one side where you have 2x full size USB Power IQ output ports, and one USB-C input port. Input power supports 2.4A @5V charging which can also accept QC2.0 from corresponding wall charger. Keep mind, you have to use usb-to-usb-C cable to charge this battery, thus my comment about having a spare one. The output USB ports do NOT support QC2.0, but they can source up to 2.4A at 5V. As a matter of fact, combined outputs are rated at 6A.
The only other control is a combined Power button with LED meter wheel, or as Anker refers to LED Power Wheel. In the last few years LED meter indicators undergone quite an evolution. Everybody was using 4-LED indicators for 25% increment charging/capacity. Then, some went for 5-LEDs to have a more "granular" 20% increment. There was also some with LCD display showing the actual percentage, but that added a drain to the battery itself. Anker was among first with 10-led circle indicator, but their designs required shaking to turn the power on or bringing up LED status. This new battery has a round power push-button with 10-led segments built into it - the BEST design to date. You don't need to shake anything, push button has a nice tactile response, and 10 bright LED dots give you an excellent visual feedback of the charging status or the battery capacity in more accurate 10% increments.
Charging.
Charging of the battery itself is very straight forward, and you have to keep in mind that large capacity takes a while to get fully charged. Even so you can use your regular 2A wall charger, it will take you half a day to charge it up. With QC2.0 wall charger, you can re-charge PowerCore+ itself in about 5 hours.
When it comes to charging of your devices, smartphone or tablet or laptops supporting usb-c, the current draw is dependent on your device and PowerIQ chip will determine the optimal charging speed. For example, my Note 4 can be charged at 2A rate, but connected to this battery it was only drawing 1.65A which is still fast enough.
The efficiency of the battery is over 90% meaning you will get over 18100 mAh, actually closer to 19000 mAh. The battery is very efficient, and it also has an advanced surge protection and short circuit prevention, especially important when charging high current usb-c devices.
Conclusion.
Even if you don't take into consideration USB-C support, this is one high quality and high capacity battery at a very reasonable price with 18-month of warranty and bulletproof build quality. Quite amazing that about a year ago 20k mAh capacity batteries used to be close to $100, while this PowerCore+ is under $60. The only real negative here is that battery can't charge other devices at QC2.0 quick charge rate. Other than that, you are getting an all aluminum shell construction, USB-C input/output port support, advanced power button with 10-led meter, rapid charging of the battery itself, 2 output ports supporting up to 6A of current and being compatible with both standards USB and USB-C, and a huge 20k mAh capacity. Definitely recommend this PowerCore+ if you want to future-proof your external battery.
It has been awhile since I reviewed external batteries because a lot of these new product releases became redundant. There was nothing new or exciting until QC2.0 was introduced. When you look on-line, there are multiple dozens of unknown re-branded external batteries, while only a handful of trusted manufacturers who stand behind their product with quality control, extended warranty, and adequate tech support. I always hold Anker in high regard and was a bit surprised they didn't jump on QC2.0 bandwagon right away. But now I quickly realized they were aiming higher, at the new USB-C standard.
USB-C topic has been a buzz for a while now, and we are finally starting to see more devices supporting it. What makes it stand out is the reversible connector which you can plug in either way by flipping it. It resembles micro-usb, but adds symmetrical layout which you can flip. No more trying to jam the connector upside down in the dark. Plus, USB-C will support 1.5A and 3A at 5V, depending on the device sinking the current. And speaking of devices, there are already a number of those that support USB-C standard, including 2015 MacBook, Google's Chromebook Pixel, and upcoming Nexus 5x and Nexus 6P. I personally don't have any of these devices yet, but still was excited to take a look into this next gen Anker external battery.
Unboxing.
Arrived in a nice sturdy cardboard box, I noticed that Anker changed their packaging. Still environmentally safe and without any non-recyclable plastic, but now with a little less generic look. There is no battery image on the cover, but the back has a clear message of "The Future of USB Connectivity has Arrived", listing different USB-C product solutions offered by Anker.
Inside of the box you have a partitioned area for the battery and accessories box.
Accessories.
Beside the actual battery, included accessories are USB to micro-USB cable, USB to USB-C cable, and a storage pouch. Considering battery enclosure is all metal (aluminum), storage pouch is always a plus even while using the battery, so it creates an extra friction with a surface or keeps surface away from scratches. Now with support of USB-C, you have an option to charge other devices supporting this connector as well as using this cable to charge the battery. My only comment here, I wish two USB-C cables where included since you will always need to use one for charging of the battery because input is usb-c, and you need another one to charge devices with usb-c. But I'm sure it won't be a problem to buy a spare cable.
Design.
Considering 20100 mAh capacity of this new PowerCore+ battery, there shouldn't be any expectations of portable design. The battery dimensions are 185mm x 60mm x 23mm with a heft of 460g! The weight comes from the battery cells that hold this enormous charging capacity, and Anker usually open about using premium Panasonic cells. What I like about this battery, despite a noticeable weight, the design is very slim and elongated, making handling of this battery very easy with a comfortable grip. And even so the body is all aluminum shell, it feels very solid with no flex due to a reinforcement layer underneath. Also, the shell provides a good heat dissipation which enhances the efficiency of the battery.
The usb ports are located on one side where you have 2x full size USB Power IQ output ports, and one USB-C input port. Input power supports 2.4A @5V charging which can also accept QC2.0 from corresponding wall charger. Keep mind, you have to use usb-to-usb-C cable to charge this battery, thus my comment about having a spare one. The output USB ports do NOT support QC2.0, but they can source up to 2.4A at 5V. As a matter of fact, combined outputs are rated at 6A.
The only other control is a combined Power button with LED meter wheel, or as Anker refers to LED Power Wheel. In the last few years LED meter indicators undergone quite an evolution. Everybody was using 4-LED indicators for 25% increment charging/capacity. Then, some went for 5-LEDs to have a more "granular" 20% increment. There was also some with LCD display showing the actual percentage, but that added a drain to the battery itself. Anker was among first with 10-led circle indicator, but their designs required shaking to turn the power on or bringing up LED status. This new battery has a round power push-button with 10-led segments built into it - the BEST design to date. You don't need to shake anything, push button has a nice tactile response, and 10 bright LED dots give you an excellent visual feedback of the charging status or the battery capacity in more accurate 10% increments.
Charging.
Charging of the battery itself is very straight forward, and you have to keep in mind that large capacity takes a while to get fully charged. Even so you can use your regular 2A wall charger, it will take you half a day to charge it up. With QC2.0 wall charger, you can re-charge PowerCore+ itself in about 5 hours.
When it comes to charging of your devices, smartphone or tablet or laptops supporting usb-c, the current draw is dependent on your device and PowerIQ chip will determine the optimal charging speed. For example, my Note 4 can be charged at 2A rate, but connected to this battery it was only drawing 1.65A which is still fast enough.
The efficiency of the battery is over 90% meaning you will get over 18100 mAh, actually closer to 19000 mAh. The battery is very efficient, and it also has an advanced surge protection and short circuit prevention, especially important when charging high current usb-c devices.
Conclusion.
Even if you don't take into consideration USB-C support, this is one high quality and high capacity battery at a very reasonable price with 18-month of warranty and bulletproof build quality. Quite amazing that about a year ago 20k mAh capacity batteries used to be close to $100, while this PowerCore+ is under $60. The only real negative here is that battery can't charge other devices at QC2.0 quick charge rate. Other than that, you are getting an all aluminum shell construction, USB-C input/output port support, advanced power button with 10-led meter, rapid charging of the battery itself, 2 output ports supporting up to 6A of current and being compatible with both standards USB and USB-C, and a huge 20k mAh capacity. Definitely recommend this PowerCore+ if you want to future-proof your external battery.