Keep your phone juiced: Anker Prime Power Bank review

We all know the pain of watching the battery on our smartphone slowly drain throughout the day and the fear of it slipping ever closer to zero, which is why it's a good idea to carry a power bank with; so how does Anker's Prime power bank perform? We've been hands-on with testing it to find out.

The Anker Prime power bank is blockier than many other power banks on the market, which tend to go for a more sleek and flat design. That's because the Prime is designed to be as much of a powerhouse as something this size can be, sporting a battery life that will last you multiple full charges across multiple devices. Plus, if you like all of your gear to be very durable, the Prime matches that.

Regardless of what type of device you want to use, whether it's an Android phone or a portable speaker, the Prime will have it back to full quickly. The Anker Prime has a separately purchasable multi-device charger as a companion, so between that and the handful of ports it already has, you can keep multiple devices topped up with ease.

One of our resident tech experts, Kyle Purves, has been testing the Anker Prime power bank for over a month. They've tried it with various devices, tested its portability on small and long outings, and have even used it to play Baldur's Gate 3 on their power-hungry Steam Deck. They've become very familiar with the Prime power bank and are ready to report about its strengths, weaknesses, and whether or not it's worth your money.

Summary of the review: The Anker Prime power bank impresses with a robust 20,000mAh capacity, super-fast charging that feels twice as quick, and durable construction. Its versatility extends gaming sessions and supports multiple device charges. While its size and weight present minor portability challenges, the exceptional performance makes it a standout and highly recommended investment for efficient, powerful charging on the go.

Performance

The Anker Prime power bank might just be the most powerful of its kind available for purchase. The output is astounding; even charging multiple devices simultaneously barely slows it down. While I've seen fast charging appear on my phone plenty of times, it's thanks to this power bank that I found out that "super fast charging" exists. It might seem like hyperbole to say it's twice as fast as a regular power bank, but in my experience, it genuinely feels that way. In fact, I've found myself letting my phone sink to lower battery levels than before, simply because I know that I can use the Prime to have it back to full in 40 minutes or often less.

It's not just with my phone that this power bank has impressed me. Like many, I've been totally captivated by Baldur's Gate 3, except I've been using my Steam Deck to play it. Although it runs relatively fine, it consumes battery like nothing else, leaving me with an hour unplugged at most if I'm lucky. So naturally, I had to try it out with the Prime and see how it would go, and I can say for definite that it more than doubled my possible playtime. It's safe to say I'm impressed with how well it handled a situation like that, as that's probably a more power-hungry situation than you'll likely end up using it for.

Its success in that experiment was mainly due to its fantastic 20,000mAh capacity. At max capacity, the Prime easily lasted four or five full charges of my phone, with enough left over to keep earbuds and headphones topped up. I only ever had to plug it in for a recharge every couple of days, and when I did, it was back up to 100 per cent in about an hour or two. The Anker Prime power bank has absolutely nailed its speed, capacity, and efficiency.

Build

Not only does the Anker Prime look like it's built like a brick, but it's just as durable as one too. While there aren't many situations where a power bank is likely to get damaged, I feel confident this one could make it out of anything relatively unscathed. My own clumsiness did result in dropping it a few times, and the only thing at risk of being damaged was my toes.

The Anker Prime sports a small display screen as well, which can show you how much percentage you have left; definitely handy for keeping on top of when it does need a boost in its own charge. By pressing the button indent on the side of the power bank, you can change the display to show additional information such as battery health and temperature, as well as adjust the screen brightness.

Although I could not see it noted or advertised on the product or its product page, the Prime Power Bank is compatible with Anker's Charging Base through a Pogo pin connection on the base. It's a handy device to have alongside it, and you could easily use it without the Prime too. The connection is Pogo pin connection appears to be magnetic, and I will say that it's nice to have a dedicated place to charge the power bank, especially since it can charge other devices at the same time as well. That said, it's not a necessity, and the Prime performs perfectly well on its own.

Downsides

While I do still believe that the Anker Prime is a portable piece of kit, it is somewhat limited by its bulk. It's a minor issue, but it's large enough to cause some packing issues in smaller bags. On days when I would go to the gym, I would only have a small bag of necessities, and the power bank was a struggle to include. It also weighs a fair bit. I wouldn't go as far as calling it heavy, but it's definitely hefty.

Of course, while I think that's important to note, it's only really a minor grievance with the Anker Prime power bank, and nothing worth knocking any points off.

Verdict

There are plenty of more affordable power banks available out there, including from Anker, but the Prime power bank is absolutely worth every penny and gets my firm recommendation. This is without a doubt my favourite power bank I've used, and I think any and everyone can get solid use out of it. If you mostly stay indoors, I found it was often more efficient to charge the Prime and then charge my phone and other devices, rather than plugging everything in at the walls.

While I do wish it were a bit lighter and a bit smaller, those small negatives are overshadowed by its fantastic performance. With an incredible capacity, potent output, and a speedy recharge rate, the Anker Prime embodies power and is bound to suit whatever your needs may be.

What else to consider?

Who tested it?

Kyle Purves is one of our commercial content writers. They're always seen with half a dozen devices on hand, so juggling charge on them all is quite important. Being able to take a single power bank with them to keep everything topped up and charged is something they definitely appreciate.

How we tested it

In order to test the Anker Prime power bank to its fullest, I've tried it out with a variety of devices for over a month. I took it with me on day outings so that I could keep my phone topped up without fear of running out. I also tried it at home quite frequently as a way to extend my playtime with my Steam Deck. To further test out its full capabilities, I combined it with the Anker charging base as well.

Kyle Purves is a Tech Writer and Reviewer for What’s The Best, with an avid interest in all things gaming and tech.

They’re well-versed in reviewing a variety of tech products, with a soft spot for speakers and earphones. They’re also no stranger to hunting down the best savings, always wanting to get the best deal possible. Outside of work, they can often be found playing through an RPG, listening to Japanese noise rock, or trying to catch up with their ever-expanding list of shows and anime to watch. If possible, they try to play Dungeons and Dragons a couple of times a week, but getting six adults to be free at the same time is easier said than done.

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