Everyone should own a portable power bank, they are one of the handiest accessories to come along in the past decade and have changed the way many of us think about powering some of our devices while away from home. With more and more cameras and accessories being charged by USB-C PD, as well as our phones and laptops, it's easier than ever to just think about consolidating the way you charge all your devices.
While a lot of these devices share the same connector, they can't all charge at the same speed, so it's a good idea to get one power brick that can handle all your charging needs, from accessories that take a measly 5W up to 100W+ laptops. And if the power is strong enough, you can also run a number of devices directly from a power bank, the same as if they were plugged into the mains.
UGREEN has launched one of the fastest charging power banks yet, with up to 145W of power across its three ports, and a 25,000mAh capacity. So how does this power bank keep up with a busy photographer's lifestyle? Well, I've put it to the test.
Specifications
Capacity: 25,000mAh
Max output: USB-C (1) 100W, USB-C (2) 45 W, USB-A 18W
Flight safe: Yes
Charging time: 2 hours
Weight: 505g
Size: 16 x 8.1 x 2.7 cm
Key Features
The stand-out feature of the UGREEN 145W Power Bank is right there in its name. The power bank is capable of an incredible 145W of power across its three ports, a feat that many mains chargers are not even capable of. But here's where things get a little complicated, each port on the power bank is rated for a different wattage, and while they can all be used together at the same time, you won't get the maximum speed from each port.
To break it down with some visuals I've added a chart from UGREEN underneath that shows the individual ports, their outputs alone, and their outputs when used at the same time as one or both of the other ports.
Basically, despite the headline 145W speed, the UGREEN power bank's maximum speed out of one port tops out at 100W, which is still mighty impressive and it's more than enough for fast charging all the latest devices. You can also achieve the full 145W between both of the USB-C ports, (100W + 45W) if you don't use the USB-A port.
This in itself is a little complicated, but then you have to add in whether your devices can actually make use of the full power of each port and which device is best to plug into which port. So this is certainly not for anyone who is either not very technically minded or anyone who runs for the hills at the thought of a little math.
The power bank has a 25,000mAh capacity, which by UGREEN's own calculations can fully charge a MacBook Pro 14" up to 1.3 times, a Galaxy S23 Ultra up to 3 times, and iPhone 14 up to 5.6 times. Although interesting to note that an iPhone 14 can only charge at a maximum of 30W, you can plug it into the 100W port on the power bank safely, but it won't charge any faster. When it comes to cameras and accessories, often these max charging speeds are near impossible to find, so it's hard to know if it's worth the extra power.
Build & Handling
The UGREEN power bank has a gunmetal grey plastic shell but feels solidly built, the design is nice with minimal and tasteful branding. The power bank is a little heavy, you'll feel it weighing down a jacket pocket if you're out and about. However the power bank is not too large, about the same size as a couple of iPhone 14 Max phones stacked on top of each other, it can easily be slipped into a pocket or bag.
One of the nicest features of the power bank is it has a numerical countdown on the side for how much power is remaining. My other power banks all have a series of three or four LED lights, which are so much harder to gauge exactly how long you have left than just having the percentage at a glance.
The power bank comes with a relatively short USB-C to USB-C cable, although this cable is capable of carrying the full 100W from the most powerful port on the power bank. The power bank also comes with a soft sleeve, which feels really nice, although is very tight and I did struggle to get the power bank inside it, I'm not sure if it is intended the power bank remains in the sleeve full time as it isn't easy to slip in and out. It would also be beneficial for a little space to keep the cable in the sleeve so it doesn't get lost.
Performance
The performance of the power bank is stand out. I have several lights from Zhiyun, such as the excellent Zhiyun Molus X100, that I use for video that can be powered by 100W USB-C which I can now use connected to this UGREEN power bank on the go and in lighting setups I couldn't before. Having a powerful battery is going to enable me to work so much more effectively on the go, without having to constantly be concerned about ensuring carrying extra batteries for all my kit or straying too far from an outlet.
The power bank has charged everything that accepts USB-C charging including my Fujifilm X-T5, Canon EOS R, and MacBook Pro 13. I have been using the power bank over the last week exclusively to charge my Google Pixel 7 Pro phone, and have managed to go five whole days just on the UGREEN power bank, so I'd be more than happy to rely on this while traveling and leave my wall plugs and international adapters at home.
Verdict
If your primary concern is charging your PD devices as fast as possible then this power bank from UGREEN is for you. Capable of 145W power split across its USB ports, with one 100W capable USB-C, it's ready for all your devices that can be fast charged, as well as laptops that need lots of juice, and it's also future-proofed for those devices that haven't come along yet. With enough capacity to charge your phone several times over, or run your camera and accessories off while on long shoots away from a constant power supply.
However it isn't the only 25,000mAh capacity power bank on the market, so if you don't need its fast charging powers then you can get cheaper and lighter options elsewhere (or from UGREEN themselves), and the complex and varying power outputs might just be enough to put a lot of people off.
Read more: find out more about the best laptop power bank, the best iPhone power bank, or the best solar chargers in our guides.
