I tested the Anker PowerCore Essential 20000 and it’s good for charging smaller devices but capable of little else
Anker PowerCore Essential 20000 review
The Anker PowerCore Essential 20000 is a power bank designed for charging smartphones and other smaller devices multiple times, thanks to its 20,000mAh capacity.
As you might expect from a fairly simple power bank, the PowerCore Essential 20000 isn’t particularly striking in terms of its appearance. However, it does sport a nice texture on the front panel, and the overall build feels solid and premium – as is the case with many of Anker’s power banks.
While it’s quite thin and narrow, it’s also long and reasonably heavy, which compromises its portability somewhat compared to some of the best power banks. However, this is still a relatively easy power bank to travel with, and it reduces the dimensions that matter most.
The PowerCore Essential 20000 features a single power button, which feels as premium as the rest of the bank. It has four LED dots around the bottom to indicate the battery level. However, these are very dim, which makes them hard to see at certain angles and in certain lights, which is less than ideal if you want to quickly glance over to check the status.
There are four ports on the PowerCore Essential 20000, two of which are USB-A for charging your devices, with a power output of 15W each. You can also charge two devices at the same time, and there’s a trickle charging mode designed for safely replenishing small devices with low power draws, such as smartwatches and wireless earbuds. This can be activated by pressing the power button twice. However, when on, the fourth LED will remain green no matter what the battery level is, which is a shame.
I managed to charge my Google Pixel 7a from 50% to 100% in 90 minutes, which is a reasonable performance. It depleted the PowerCore Essential 20000 by a single bar, which means you should get a couple of full phone charges out of it. Replenishing the PowerCore Essential 20000 from two bars to full took about six hours, which is less impressive.
Ultimately, the PowerCore Essential 20000 doesn’t represent the best value when you consider its lackluster port selection, power, and features. It’s capacity does make it more practical than it otherwise would be, but there are better-priced alternatives out there.
Anker PowerCore Essential 20000 review: price & specs
Price | £39.99 / $69.99 / AU$79.99 |
Capacity | 20,000mAh |
Total wattage | 15W |
Number of ports | 4 |
USB-A | 2 |
USB-C | 1 (input only) |
Micro USB | 1 (input only) |
Wireless charging | No |
Weight | 12.1oz / 343g |
Power-to-weight | 58mAh/g |
