When we think about power banks, Anker is the first name that comes to mind. The brand offers an expansive lineup of portable battery packs across price points, from the premium Anker Prime to more affordable options like the Anker Nano.
For the past week, I’ve been testing the Anker Zolo. It caught my attention because it offers impressive capacity and speed, plus integrated USB-C cables and a sleek digital display—all for $50. It’s the best affordable battery pack for gearheads to get, and also great to pack for travel at just 12.8 ounces.
With a 20,000-mAh battery capacity, the Zolo power bank is capable of charging any phone multiple times. It completely recharged my iPhone 17 Pro Max when its battery dipped below 20 percent, topped up the battery of a MacBook Neo, and got my AirPods Max 2 to 100 percent before a flight, without draining its power source.
A convenient digital display helped me keep tabs on the power bank’s battery capacity. The screen isn’t as data-rich as the color display of the Anker Nano power bank I used before, but it does the basics right.
On the connectivity front, I found that the Zolo power bank’s features punched well above its price tag. In addition to a pair of braided USB-C cables, the portable battery has a standalone USB-C port and an old-school USB-A connector. That’s enough even for a hardened gearhead like me. Until not too long ago, affordable portable batteries didn’t offer so many outputs, let alone built-in cables.
With 45 watts via a single USB-C output, the Zolo power bank rapidly charged a MacBook Neo and an iPhone 17 Pro Max when I put it through its paces. Such a robust power output also ensures the accessory can reliably juice up Android phones, tablets, and compact laptops like the MacBook Air. Replenishing its own battery pack at up to 30 watts with a compatible charger is also brisk.
Budget-friendly battery packs are typically not capable of such feats. However, it’s important to note that using multiple outputs to charge gadgets significantly reduces their charging speeds. The maximum velocity is only available when you use one output, and that’s fine by me.
Having relied on it for the past week, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Zolo power pack to upgraders on a tight budget. Anker’s product, while not perfect, checks the important boxes, including the ability to replace one fast charger on the move.
Weighing a tad below 14 ounces, the Zolo power bank is not pocket-friendly, but its battery capacity and number of outputs more than make up for its heft. The same goes for its pair of integrated cables. The accessory will easily fit into most bags and backpacks.
If you are looking for a compact backup battery, Anker offers a cheaper version of the Zolo power bank with half the capacity, lower power output, and one USB-C cable.
Shop the Anker Zolo Power Bank
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Stefan is an award-winning consumer technology editor with over a decade of experience in reviewing gadgets, particularly smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, desktop and laptop computers across multiple form factors and platforms, as well as accessories for them. He also covers televisions and audio equipment, including headphones, earbuds, wireless speakers, and soundbars. Since joining Hearst in 2015, Stefan has contributed to BestProducts, Popular Mechanics, and numerous other publications. Prior to his current role, he served as the US Editor for GSMArena.com.
Rachel is the Deputy Editor of Reviews for Hearst's Enthusiast and Wellness Group where she supports Popular Mechanics, Runner's World, and Best Products. Her background is in service journalism and earlier in her career she worked as a daily newspaper reporter and book editor. She spent more than a decade as a staff editor and writer at TripAdvisor and Penguin Random House and her byline has appeared in Time Out New York, the New York Daily News, and New York Magazine. Outside of work, Rachel can be found planning her next trip, visiting museums and galleries, and walking her wirehaired dachshund in Central Park.
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