Anker Prime 26K 300W power bank review: charging taken to extremes
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Anker’s Prime 26K power bank offers enormous power output, smart safety features and desktop dock support - but it comes at a premium price
High-end laptops, handheld gaming devices, and even cameras are placing increasingly high demands on us in terms of keeping them powered. With gadgets out there needing north of 200 watts, tech-lovers are starting to invest heavily in staying ahead of the consumption.
And the Anker Prime 26K 300W power bank is a fine example of the sort of charging system you might need - not necessarily straight away, but in the not-too-distant future.
Put it this way, there are smartphones out now that can top up at 100 watts, tablets are starting to charge more quickly, and VR headsets are booming, requiring faster and faster power outputs.
As its name suggests, Anker's latest and biggest portable power bank can cope with a huge 300-watt output. That's combined across all its outputs, but each of its two USB-C outputs can hurl out 140 watts each.
And the battery itself, again as the name suggests, is a rather impressive 26,250mAh - which is so big it's had to have special type approval to go on aircraft.
The bonkers numbers don't stop there, either. The unit itself can be recharged at up to 250 watts, by plugging power in to two ports at a time.
There's a clever software system called PowerIQ 4.0 that sorts all this out, ensuring each input is getting the power it needs and it's charging as efficiently as it can.
There's also another software system called ActiveShield 4.0 which checks the unit's temperature, apparently 10 million times a day, so you can be confident the lithium-ion battery is going to stay safe.
You might be thinking by now, that this amount of tech is going to result in a very large device, but it's really not too bad. Sure, it's not as small as a true pocket power bank, and it's actually pretty heavy, but it's an ideal size for a rucksack, or maybe a large coat pocket.
There's room on the front of the device for a fairly large LED display, and I've always loved Anker's little screens, because they have some really useful information. You can see everything from the time and date to the battery temperature. And, of course, all the current charging stats are easy to hand, including port-by-port information.
It shouldn't come as any surprise that it's pretty expensive. Compared to its rivals, it's well priced, but at £179.99 (with free delivery) it's going to feel like an indulgence for most people.
However, for some people - people who have a Steamdeck, for example, or maybe a MacBook, or even just a power-hungry smartphone, a power bank with this much grunt is becoming an essential tool. And it's fair to say Anker makes one of the best on the market.
The perfect pairing: Anker's Ultra-Fast Charging Base
If you're lucky enough to already own an Anker Prime Power Bank, or if you're considering investing in one, this is a piece of tech you really should be adding to your shopping basket.
It's a desktop charger that acts as a docking station for your power bank. So after a heavy day of keeping your tech topped up, you just plonk the unit down onto this very compact base, and it will hose 150 watts into your power bank, so it's ready for its next task.
It costs £99.99, so it might sound quite expensive, but then you notice it has three USB charging outputs built in, and it starts to make even more sense.
So this is not just a desktop charger for your power bank, it's a USB hub. You can actually charge four devices at the same time, including your power bank. And one of those outputs can offer up 140 watts.
At the time of writing, we've found a deal on Anker’s website knocking £15 off the price, so you can get one for £84.99. But this deal ends soon.
At that money it's a really smart investment, and a great way to tidy up your desk.