Best Power Banks for Steam Deck 2023
Check out these power banks that’ll power your extended Steam Deck gaming sessions, even if you’re away from an outlet.
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If you’re one of the lucky owners of a Steam Deck, you already know how awesome it is to have a handheld PC that can access a bunch of titles from your ever-growing Steam library and run them well. However, if you plan on taking the Steam Deck places, you should consider having a power bank.
Why? Well, the Steam Deck’s battery life will vary based on the game you’re playing; sometimes, you net five hours of fun, and other times it’s a mere three, regardless of battery optimization. A power bank saves you the need to visit a nearby outlet; instead, you plug in the charger and attach it to the device, and you’re good to go—(almost) unlimited power at your fingertips!
Here are the best power banks for the Steam Deck.
Baseus 65W Power Bank
Anker PowerCore
Elecjet PowerPie P20
Crave PowerPack
Krisdonia 60000mAh AC Power Bank
Crave Plus Pro
Anker PowerCore III Elite
Omnicharge Omni 20c
Our Favorite Power Banks for Steam Deck in 2023
Baseus 65W Power Bank
Budget price, premium power
The Baseus 65W Power Bank comes equipped with an LED screen for easy battery gauging, a 20000mAh capacity, and a durable exterior.If you’re noticing lackluster performance in the battery department of your Steam Deck, this power bank from Baseus is the boost you need.
- Recharges to full capacity in 2 hours
- Excellent durability
- LED screen displays remaining battery, voltage, and current
Portability, good capacity, and excellent durability—these are the three pillars that hold up the Baseus 65W Power Bank as one of the best power banks for Steam Deck. In addition to being a well of power, the Baseus 65W Power Bank provides more bang for your buck with a few welcomed features.
For starters, the Baseus 65W Power Bank has a maximum capacity of 20000mAh, which can fully charge the Steam Deck nearly four times. That’s more than enough power to get through the day’s errands, especially if you know you’ll have downtime along the way. And since it’s relatively small and durable, thanks to its metal casing, you can safely toss the Baseus 65W Power Bank into a travel bag and never worry about damaging the hardware.
Equally important are the few extra features that you get in return. An LED screen displays what’s left of the battery, charging voltage, and even charging current. Best of all, the Baseus 65W Power Bank automatically adjusts the voltage level to match that of the device it’s charging—in this case, your Steam Deck. It’s a more efficient way of handling power distribution that doesn’t lead to wasted energy.
Anker PowerCore

The perfect travel companion
The Powercore from Anker is capable of charging two devices at once, meaning you can keep your Steam Deck and external controller or Bluetooth headphones at full battery for your entire gaming session.And with a speedy 45W USB-C port, topping off your electronics won’t feel like watching paint dry.
- Can charge the Steam Deck five times
- No bigger than a smartphone
- Easily portable
Fully charged, the Anker PowerCore has 26800mAh to work with, a capacity that’s great enough to juice up the Steam Deck fully five times—as long as the power bank is used solely for the Steam Deck and the power isn’t split with another device. importantly, the USB-C port peaks at 45W, which is right where the output needs to be for the Steam Deck to charge in a meaningful timeframe.
In addition to outstanding performance, the Anker PowerCore also provides the perfect ratio between size and maximum capacity, making it an ideal candidate as a travel companion. Considering it’s not much bigger than a smartphone, the Anker PowerCore is slim and small enough to slip right into your However, you’re just as likely to make use of the included travel pouch if the day calls for some outdoor adventuring.
Given the size of the Anker PowerCore and its performance, the power bank is definitely best utilized as a backup power supply for the Steam Deck. And if, say, your smartphone is about to die, it even has a bit of power to spare in a pinch.
Elecjet PowerPie P20
Elecjet’s PowerPie P20 is your.sized companion for a long and healthy Steam Deck battery life.With a 20,000mAh capacity and both USB-C and USB-A ports, the PowerPie P20 is a simple, effective, and lightweight power bank that can fully recharge your Steam Deck in under a few hours.
- Lightweight travel option
- Doesn’t take long to reach max capacity
- Can charge 2 devices at once
With a slim and lightweight design, the Elecjet PowerPie P20 is the perfect power bank for your Steam Deck if you’re aiming to gain the most power per ounce. Given its dimensions, this portable charger is comparable to the smartphone in your hand, making it an easy choice for the sake of traveling.
The Elecjet PowerPie P20 comes fitted with a single USB-C and USB-A port, which is great if you need to charge something other than your Steam Deck. In fact, with its 20000mAh battery capacity, you can spare a portion of the battery and still charge the Steam Deck more than once. However, if you’re using the power bank strictly for charging your gaming device, you can get nearly four full charges!
Best of all, getting the Elecjet PowerPie P20 Power Bank powered back up doesn’t take long. Fully depleted, it takes just 2.5 hours to fully recharge the battery, so if you plug it in shortly before you go to sleep, it’ll be ready in the morning. It’s slim, fairly lightweight, and easily tops off the Steam Deck multiple times over.
Crave PowerPack
Charge all of your gadgets at once
The Crave PowerPack is capable of charging your Steam Deck over nine times; you might as well have a generator in your If you need to charge accessories alongside your Steam Deck, the PowerPack has four total USB ports for three additional devices.
- Massive capacity
- Can charge the Steam Deck nine times over
- Great choice for outdoor adventures and power outages
The Crave PowerPack is a high-capacity battery that, at full charge, provides 50000mAh of power to any given device. In the case of a Steam Deck featuring a 5313mAh battery, you’ll be able to fully charge the handheld gaming device nearly 9.5 times before draining the power bank completely. Of course, that’s quite a bit of power for one device, so if you need to charge your smartphone quickly for emergencies, the Crave PowerPack has plenty to spare.
Keeping the hardware safe inside is a hard plastic casing that’s fairly durable; the Crave PowerPack has the strength to withstand a few bumps and drops without damaging the internal electronics. While you can rest assured that it won’t shatter the first time it drops, the Crave PowerPack is far too big and bulky to carry freehand, so you’re better off avoiding the matter altogether by storing it in its included travel case for safekeeping.
importantly, the Crave PowerPack features a total of four USB ports for charging your Steam Deck or, alternatively, for recharging four devices all at once, which definitely comes in handy during a long trip or power outage. It also has a helpful LED indicator to display the remaining battery life.
Krisdonia 60000mAh AC Power Bank
Massive battery capacity for multiple recharges
With this much capacity, your Steam Deck might as well have an all-day battery life. Its 20W Type-C port pairs perfectly with your Valve handheld, enabling the Steam Deck to last as long as you do.
- 60000mAh capacity
- Can fully charge the Steam Deck 11 times
- Excellent companion for traveling
Say you’re planning a short trip—something that could span a day or two—and you aren’t sure if you’ll have access to a power outlet. Whether you’re going on an extended business trip or enjoying the outdoors for a few nights, you’ll want the Krisdonia 60000mAh AC Power Bank in tow, especially if you’re bringing your smartphone and Steam Deck with you.
If the name hasn’t given it away already, the Krisdonia AC Power Bank has a massive maximum battery capacity of 60000mAh. Considering the battery capacity of the Steam Deck is only 5313mAh, the Krisdonia 60000mAh AC Power Bank has enough juice to charge the Steam Deck 11 times over and then some. What’s also nice is that you can keep track of how much power you’re burning through by using the helpful LCD that displays the remaining charge.
With that said, the Krisdonia 60000mAh AC Power Bank is a bit overkill if you’re using it solely for the Steam Deck. It’s best used in the hands of someone who travel often and needs several devices charged at once, given that it has four options for powering devices.
Crave Plus Pro
The Crave Plus Pro is built to last. With its aircraft aluminum exterior, drops and dings are problems of the past.The burly durability doesn’t mean the Crave Plus Pro falters on efficiency, though. With a 20,000mAh capacity, Crave’s Pro power bank can recharge your Steam Deck to full battery well over three times.
Are you prone to accidents? Or, maybe, you value durability above all else? In either case, if you’re after high-end ruggedness, look no further than the Crave Plus Pro.
The Crave Plus Pro foregoes the common use of plastic, which scratches quite easily, for a much sturdier material: aircraft aluminum. By dropping plastic for aluminum, the Crave Plus Pro can take a great deal of abuse, not to mention extending its lifespan. It also doesn’t hurt that the metal casing is nicely designed, giving the power bank a premium look.
But what about performance? Surprisingly, the Crave Plus Pro doesn’t hold back. It has a maximum capacity of 20000mAh, providing enough juice to charge the Steam Deck over 3.75 times! Considering the Steam Deck has a battery life lasting two to eight hours, that’s an extra 7.5 to 30 hours of playtime, depending on the title. In fact, the Crave Plus Pro delivers power at the same rate as the Steam Deck’s original charger, so it always gets powered efficiently.
Anker PowerCore III Elite
Smart, efficient power distribution
Anker’s PowerCore III Elite power bank may not have the single largest capacity out there, but it shines in its Smart power distribution and durable design.And, if you have more than the Steam Deck to keep powered, the PowerCore III Elite has ports for charging three devices at once.
- Recharges in under two hours
- Automatically adjusts voltage to match the device
- Not much bigger than a smartphone
The Anker PowerCore III Elite reminds everyone that effectiveness has its place; it’s an aspect that power banks can easily overshadow with massive maximum capacities. What’s the use of all that power if it gets wasted? With the Anker PowerCore III Elite, you get a respectable power bank that puts efficiency above all else.
For starters, it has a maximum capacity of 25600mAh. That’s enough to charge the Steam Deck fully about five times or, in other words, 7 to 28 hours of extra game time. That’s all fine and dandy, but it’s how the Anker PowerCore III Elite delivers the power. It automatically adjusts its maximum power distribution to perfectly match the device it’s connected to—in this case, from 60W down to 45W to match the Steam Deck’s original charger. And if you need to charge a different device in a pinch, it has a Trickle-Charge mode for lower-power devices like Smart smartwatches or earphones.
The Anker PowerCore III Elite makes the best of its plastic casing. Rather than opt for a smooth, featureless exterior, the Anker PowerCore III Elite has a nice textured surface, making it much easier to grip and prevent accidental drops. Of course, there’s no reason not to use the travel bag included with the Anker PowerCore III Elite.
Omnicharge Omni 20c
A power bank and USB hub in one
Omnicharge’s Omni 20c is far more impactful than your everyday power bank. While it can charge your Steam Deck back to life with no problems, it also doubles as a USB hub for your daily driver gadgets and peripherals.
- Doubles as a power bank and USB hub
- Sturdy construction
- OLED screen provides oodles of data
If you’re looking for a power bank that’s far more versatile, you may want to consider the Omnicharge Omni 20c, which features a 20000mAh maximum capacity and four USB ports. However, that’s only the beginning of what this portable charger offers.
Given the number of USB ports available and 10W wireless charging on the top, the Omnicharge Omni 20c isn’t just good for charging your Steam Deck, but multiple devices at once. Why stop at charging the Steam Deck when you could charge your smartphone at the same time? On top of that, you can use it to transfer files to said device, which essentially turns it into a power bank and USB hub wrapped into a rather small device.
Considering how useful the Omnicharge Omni 20c is, you’ll want to take it with you, right? Luckily, the power bank has a rubberized outer shell that feels good in the hands, keeps most fingerprints at bay, and grips the table pretty well.
Finding the Best Power Bank for Your Steam Deck
There are several factors to consider when picking the right power bank for your Steam Deck. You’ll want to take battery capacity, durability, connectivity and compatibility, and form factor into account.
If there’s any power bank that shines in every category, it’s the Baseus 65W Power Bank. It features a tough chassis, portable, and a maximum capacity that allows you to push the Steam Deck to its limits without having to camp out by your electric outlet.
With that said, if you don’t mind dropping a few amenities, the Elecjet PowerPie P20 is perfect for tight budgets, especially if your Steam Deck is still fresh. It isn’t as durable as the Baseus 65W Power Bank—plastic as opposed to aluminum—but you’ll still fully charge the Steam Deck multiple times, while maintaining the minimum power delivery requirements.
Baseus 65W Power Bank
Budget price, premium power
The Baseus 65W Power Bank comes equipped with an LED screen for easy battery gauging, a 20000mAh capacity, and a durable exterior.If you’re noticing lackluster performance in the battery department of your Steam Deck, this power bank from Baseus is the boost you need.
- Recharges to full capacity in 2 hours
- Excellent durability
- LED screen displays remaining battery, voltage, and current
FAQ
Q: What Do I Look for in a Power Bank for Steam Deck?
You want the power bank to accomplish two things: the maximum capacity should be more than the Steam Deck’s battery, and the power output should match the Steam Deck’s original charger. The Steam Deck has a 5313mAh battery and a charger that caps its energy output at 45W.
To put that in perspective, a power bank with a maximum capacity of 5313mAh could fully charge the Steam Deck once. As for the charger, anything with an energy output lower than 45W will charge the Steam Deck at a much slower rate or, potentially worse, not charge it at all.
Q: What Does ‘Pass-Through’ Mean in Connection With Power Banks?
Pass-through technology is simple: if a power bank has that feature, it can charge devices and be charged via outlet simultaneously.
It’s a very convienant feature to have, not to mention incredibly efficient. Why charge both devices separately when you can do both? However, not all power banks have pass-through technology, so if that’s a feature you’d like to have on hand, double-check with the product’s specifications first.
Q: What Does mAh Mean?
You’ll quickly notice that all power banks have a number followed by ‘mAh.’ That stands for milliampere hours, a measurement determining a power bank’s maximum capacity.
When picking a power bank, the higher its mAh, the more power it can provide the device before being depleted. Afterward, the power bank must be recharged before it can be of service again.
Best Laptop Power Banks in 2022 – Buying Guide
If you use a laptop you are probably familiar with one of 2 these situations:
- Your laptop is going to run out of battery and you forgot its charger at home.
- Your laptop battery is old (needs to be replaced) and you always need to plug it into the wall.
Well, besides charging mobile phones and other gadgets, did you know you can use a power bank to charge a laptop?
Certainly, a power bank can perform the same function as a laptop charger, although you should know that, obviously, its power is limited and not just any model will do.
For a power bank to really work as a replacement for a charger, it must meet a series of requirements:
- Connector: include a cable with a connector compatible with the laptop’s charging port.
- Voltage (V): same working voltage.
- Power (W): same or greater power supplied.
In this guide, we will learn how to identify a laptop power bank taking into account the above requirements, and, as always, we will recommend the best models available on Amazon.
- 1 Features of a laptop charger
- 2 Using a power bank as a laptop charger
- 2.1 Charging port
- 2.2 Output port voltage (V) ❗
- 2.3 Power supplied (W)
- 4.1 Calculating the average power consumption of our laptop
- 4.2 Calculating the useful energy of a power bank for laptop charging
- 4.3 Calculating the usage time of a laptop with a power bank
- 4.4 Conclusions and general formula
- 5.1 1. Choosing the type of laptop power bank
- 5.2 2. Laptop usage time with a power bank
- 5.3 3. Test results of charging a laptop with a power bank
Features of a laptop charger
First of all, we need to know the specifications of our laptop charger in order to find a power bank that meets the same requirements.
In the following image we can see the specifications of a laptop charger:
We must check the output parameters (Output):
This means that this charger works at a voltage of 19.5V (volts) and supplies a maximum current of 4.26A (amps).
This charger does not indicate the maximum power that it can supply but we can easily obtain it by multiplying the voltage by the current:
With this information, we already know the charging voltage (19.5V) of our laptop and the recommended power (90W) that our power bank should supply.
It is very important to know this voltage because if we connect it to a charger (or power bank) that works at a higher voltage we could damage it irreversibly.
Using a power bank as a laptop charger
Next, we need to find a power bank that replaces our charger and meets the following characteristics:
Charging port
A laptop can be powered through a power bank in 3 different ways, depending on the OUTPUT port it has:

There are 3 types of laptop power banks on the market:
If we use a specific power bank with a DC output it is important to check its output voltage and if it includes a connector compatible with the charging port of your laptop.
Although, generally, this type of model usually includes a set of adapters compatible with the main laptop brands:
Their main disadvantages are:
- The difficulty in finding a model compatible with the laptop (either by the output voltage or the connector).
- They require a specific AC charger to recharge them (like a laptop charger).
- They are usually very bulky.
Another option is those power banks that include a 220V AC port.
In this case, we do not have to worry about incompatibilities since we can directly connect the charger of our laptop (or any other device) as if we were doing it to the wall socket. Sounds good right?
However, there are also some drawbacks:
- Large dimensions
- Adding an additional AC charger
- Part of the energy of the power bank is lost when using the charger of the device (in this case the laptop) as an intermediary.
A new way to power your laptop is by using a power bank with a USB-C output port with Power Delivery charging technology.
USB Type-C (USB-C) is the future of connectivity, allowing you to connect and charge any type of device (mobile, tablet, laptop, camera…) using a single universal power port, forget about searching for cables and compatible connectors.
On the other hand, Power Delivery (PD) is the technology that allows powering high-power devices – such as a laptop, through the USB-C port.
Nowadays there are many new generation laptops that use USB Type-C as a power port. In these cases, you simply need to look for a power bank with Power Delivery that is compatible with the charging voltage of your laptop.
But, what if my laptop does not have a USB-C charging port?
Is it possible to charge it with a power bank with USB-C PD?
We are aware that many users do not have a last-generation laptop, in this case, we would need to use a special adapter or cable that has a USB-C connector (power bank) on one end and an INPUT DC connector (laptop) on the other end.
This adapter or cable incorporates a trigger capable of demanding power in Power Delivery to the power bank at a certain voltage: to date, we have found 2 models for 15V and 20V, but we do not know if in the future they will be manufactured at other voltages.
For this reason, we must pay attention to the voltage when buying this cable, since if we make a mistake in choosing it we could seriously damage our laptop.
If we connect a 15V PD trigger cable to a laptop charging at 20V, it will not be able to start charging = for a 20V laptop we need a 20V PD trigger cable.
On the other hand, if we connect a 20V PD trigger cable to a laptop charging at 15V, WE COULD IRREVERSIBLY DAMAGE OUR LAPTOP = for a 15V laptop we need a 15V PD trigger cable.
Output port voltage (V) ❗
Depending on the type of power bank we need to check for which voltages its output port works to know if it is compatible with the charging voltage of our laptop:
If we use a power bank with AC output port it is not necessary to check the voltage because we would still power the laptop with its own charger (which is already in charge of transforming the 220V voltage to the charging voltage of the laptop).
On the other hand, if we choose to buy a power bank with DC or USB-C PD output port, it is very important to check that this port has the same voltage as your laptop charger, otherwise you could irreversibly damage your laptop.
This output voltage will always be indicated in the power bank specifications as “DC Output” or “USB-C Output”.
Actually, any electronic device must withstand a voltage of.10% of its nominal voltage. that is:
If your laptop charges at 19.5V, it can take a maximum voltage of 21.45V (19.5V1.95V), therefore, a 20V power bank could be connected to it.
In addition, it is necessary to take into account the voltage drop that occurs in the cable connecting the power bank and the laptop, which varies between 0.15 and 0.2V (depending on the resistance of the cable itself) for each meter of length.

For example, if the output voltage of the power bank is 20V, the laptop would receive a voltage of 19.8V (20V-0.2V).
On the other hand, we can also find models that may have one or more DC output ports with a fixed voltage or a single multi-voltage DC port, whose voltage can be selected (by pressing the “Power” button) to the charging voltage of our laptop.
Obviously, if we were to use a power bank with AC output it is not necessary to check the voltage because we would continue to power the laptop with its own charger (which is already in charge of transforming the 220V voltage to the computer charging voltage).
Power supplied (W)
Finally, we must take into account the maximum power that can be supplied by the output port of the power bank:
If the charger of our laptop is 65W then it is advisable to use a power bank that is capable of providing the same or higher power than the charger. because, otherwise, the computer would not even start up as it needs the maximum power during its start-up (and subsequent use) at the same time as it recharges its battery.
However, in the following section we will look at some situations in which it is possible to use a lower power model:
How much power does a power bank need to charge a laptop?
Depending on the laptop model, its charger will be designed to supply a maximum power, i. e: 45, 65, 90, or even 130 watts (W).
We may not find a power bank that provides the same or a higher power than our laptop charger either by specifications or budget. In this situation, we can also buy a lower-powered power bank.
Let’s say we are working in a coffee shop with our Lenovo Z50-70 laptop (its charger is 65W) and we run out of battery.
We could use a 65W power bank or resort to a lower power one, for example, 45W, to be used under certain conditions:
If we remove the battery from the laptop, the power of the power bank needed to continue working with the laptop will be lower than the power provided by its charger. since in this case, the energy needed to recharge its battery is not necessary.
We should also consider, that the power required during the start-up of a laptop is always higher than the average working power, due to the extra current peak that is produced.
Next, we connect the power bank and then remove the battery from the laptop.
If we deactivate the sleep mode (open the lid) we could enjoy the energy of the power bank without “suffering” that extra consumption of energy during startup.
In this scenario, we could use a power bank that supplies at least 70% of the power of our laptop charger. That is to say, if our charger is 65W, the power of the power bank should be at least 45W.
Another option would be to keep the laptop turned off while recharging.
In this case, we would only need the power required to recharge the laptop battery and we could use the same power bank as in the previous case (45W), i.e., supplying at least 70% of the power of our laptop charger.
If the 2 previous options do not convince you, it is possible to use a lower-powered power bank when the laptop battery is not completely discharged (usually less charging power is required after 50% battery).
This way, if we connect the power bank before the laptop battery is depleted, we also avoid the excess power demand during startup.
The problem lies in knowing our laptop’s starting peak and how much power it needs to recharge its battery when it is still half-charged. Measurements would have to be made and this is usually not within everyone’s reach.
For this reason, we think that the most advisable thing to do is to use a power bank with the same or higher power than the laptop charger in these scenarios.
How many hours would I be able to use a laptop with a power bank?
Let’s suppose we are interested in buying a power bank to charge our laptop and we want to know how much extra time we could continue working with the power bank connected.
First of all, it is important to consider the following questions for the right choice of power bank:
- To get an idea of the average power consumption of your laptop, what kind of tasks do you usually use your laptop for? For example: surfing the web, office, gaming, watching Netflix…
- For your chosen tasks, how many hours does your laptop last with a 100% charged battery?
- What is your budget?
- What type of laptop power bank do you want to use, with DC, AC, or USB-C Power Delivery port?
Now, we are going to see an example using a laptop with the following features:
- Brand: Acer
- Model: Aspire E5-551-T2HE
- Charger: 19V/3.42A (65 W)
- Charging voltage: 19V
- Battery capacity: 45Wh
- Charging port: DC jack 5.5 x 1.7 mm
- Regular Usage Tasks: office tasks and web surfing.
- Battery life 100%: 3.5h
Although our Acer laptop has a DC charging port, we decided to purchase a power bank with a USB-C PD port along with a USB-C PD to DC adapter cable:
- Brand: Litionite
- Model: Vulcan 20000mAh PD 65W
- Battery capacity: 74 Wh (20000 mAh/3.7V)
- USB-C PD port: 5V-20V (65W max)
- PD power: 65 W
- Charging voltages: 5V- 20V (check here)
- USB-C PD to DC jack 5.5×2.1 20V cable
- Adapter: DC jack 5,5×2,1 to DC jack 5,5×1,7
Next, let’s calculate the approximate time we can use our Acer Aspire E5 laptop with the Litionite Vulcan power bank:
Calculating the average power consumption of our laptop
If we don’t have enough knowledge or the necessary tools to measure exactly the average consumption of our computer, we can make an estimate taking into account:
- The energy stored in the laptop battery.
- The estimated duration time for the tasks we usually perform with our laptop.
The energy stored in the notebook battery – measured in watt-hours (Wh) – can be found in the specifications of the battery itself.
This data may be displayed directly or, if not, it must be calculated by multiplying the voltage (V) by the capacity (mAh) of the battery.
For example, in the battery specifications of the left image the energy stored in the battery would be 49 Wh while the image on the right would be 73.26 Wh (11.1V x 6600mAh / 1000).
The capacity of a laptop battery gradually decreases with use, consequently, the energy stored in the battery is less than that indicated in the specifications.
If you want to know the current capacity of your laptop battery and thus its stored energy, you can use a free program called HWINFO32. Just follow these steps:
- Download the portable version of the software from the official website. Choose the Local (USA) option.
- Unzip the downloaded file and run HWiNFO32.exe.
- Accept Windows permissions (it is a secure application, it only displays information about your system and components).
- The HWiNFO32 welcome screen opens, then press the Run key.
- On the left side of the main screen, click on the Smart Battery option.
- On the right side of the same screen, information about your laptop’s battery will appear:
- Designed capacity: this is the maximum capacity (mWh) that the battery had at the factory.
- Full charge capacity: is the current capacity (mWh) of the battery.
- Wear level: wear level (%) of the battery.
Once we know the energy stored in the laptop battery we must divide by the time (expressed in hours) that the laptop lasts when its battery is fully charged (100%):
Average Laptop Power Consumption (W) = Battery Energy (Wh) / Time of use (h)
In our example, the Acer Aspire E5 laptop battery is 45 Wh and we have about 3.5 hours to use it for everyday tasks before its battery is completely drained.
Therefore, our laptop consumes an average of 12.9 watts (W):
Acer Power Consumption = 45 Wh / 3.5 h = 12.9 W (watts)
Of course, the consumption of our laptop and, therefore, the battery life will vary depending on the tasks we are performing at that moment.
Surfing the web is not the same as playing a game that demands maximum CPU and GPU performance, for example.
Calculating the useful energy of a power bank for laptop charging
Once we have an estimate of the consumption of our laptop we will calculate the number of hours we could continue to use it with a power bank.
At first, one may think that one should simply apply the following formula:
Laptop usage time (h) = Power bank Energy (Wh) / Avg. Laptop Power Consumption (W) ERROR!
The above formula is not valid, as we must take into account the energy efficiency of the power bank and the laptop during the charging process as well as other factors that we will see below.
If the stored energy is not indicated in the specifications of the power bank, we can easily calculate it by multiplying the capacity of its internal battery (mAh) by its nominal voltage (V) and dividing the result by 1000:
Power Bank Stored Energy (Wh) = [Battery capacity (mAh) x Battery voltage (V) ] / 1000
The nominal battery voltage of a power bank is usually 3.7 volts, although we remind you that there are also models with 3.6, 3.8 or 3.85V batteries.
However, during the process of charging a device, this 3.7V must be transformed at the output port of the power bank to the charging voltage of the connected device, in this case, a laptop whose voltage range is usually between 12 and 20V.
For this reason, due to this voltage transformation, part of the energy stored in a power bank is lost during the charging process of the device, and, depending on its energy efficiency, the loss will be greater or lesser.
There are power banks that have an efficiency higher than 90% as well as those that have an efficiency below 80%, but if the model is of a good enough quality its efficiency will be around 85%.
For more information, we invite you to read our guide on the Actual capacity and energy efficiency of a power bank.
In conclusion, the energy supplied at the USB output port of a power bank will be different from the energy stored in its battery and can be calculated by the following formula:
Power bank Useful Energy = Stored Energy x Energy Efficiency
Therefore, following our example, the useful energy that the Litionite Vulcan power bank can supply to a device would be:
Litionite Useful Energy = (74 Wh x 85) / 100 = 62.9 Wh
Once we know the power consumption of our Acer Aspire E5 and the useful energy of the Litionite Vulcan power bank, we need to know the energy required to fully recharge the laptop battery.
Remember that a laptop with DC input can be powered through a power bank in three different ways, depending on the output port (OUTPUT) that the power bank has:
Next, we are going to analyze the different “particularities” that our power bank may have depending on the output port used:
In the case of using a power bank with DC or USB-C Power Delivery output, our laptop will also have an energy cost both in recharging its own battery and in powering the laptop itself.
Therefore, and for the same reasons stated above, the energy efficiency when recharging the battery or using the laptop will be around 85%.
Being the estimated useful energy for battery recharging or laptop use:
Useful Energy = Power bank Stored Energy x 0.85 (Power bank efficiency) x 0.85 (Laptop efficiency)
Useful Energy = Power bank Stored Energy x 0.7225
If we apply the first formula with the Litionite power bank the useful energy would be:
Litionite Useful Energy = 74 Wh x 0.85 x 0.85 = 53.5 Wh
If we use a power bank with an AC port, we can connect the laptop’s own charger to this output, just as we would connect it to a wall outlet.
In this case, in addition to the above, the efficiency of the charger itself should be added (we will also consider an efficiency of 85% for the charger) and, therefore, the estimated useful energy would be:
Useful Energy = Power bank Store Energy x 0.85 (Power bank efficiency) x 0.85 (Charger efficiency) x 0.85 (Laptop efficiency)
Useful Energy = Power bank Stored Energy x 0.6141
In the case of our example with the Litionite power bank, we see that the available energy is lower:
Litionite Useful Energy = 74 Wh x 0.85 x 0.85 x 0.85 = 45.44 Wh
As we can see, if we use a power bank with AC port the usage time to power a laptop will be shorter than in the case of using a power bank with DC or USB-C PD port due to the additional power loss in the charger.
However, the convenience of being able to use the laptop’s own charger saves us from having to use additional cables that match the DC power input of our computer.
In addition, we would not have to worry about having to take a power bank that would give us in its output the charging voltage that our laptop needs, since sometimes it is not an easy task to find it.
We should only look at the power delivered by the power bank and apply the same considerations that we have already seen in the section What is the power required to charge a laptop with a power bank?
Calculating the usage time of a laptop with a power bank
At this point, there are 3 different cases in the use of the useful energy of a power bank.
We will formulate each case to obtain a general formula for the usage time of a laptop with a power bank and then apply it to our example of the Acer Aspire E5 laptop and the Litionite Vulcan power bank.
In addition, we will compare the results obtained in each formula with the data we actually obtained in this example.
Finally, remember that this is not an exact calculation, we are talking about an estimate to help us know the approximate time of use before buying the power bank.
If we remove the battery of our laptop (in the case of being removable) and instead connect the power bank to power it, we would have an approximate time of use in hours:
Laptop usage time (h) = Power bank Useful Energy (Wh) / Avg. laptop power consumption (W)
If we apply the formula in our example:
- Acer Aspire E5 (theoretical) usage time = 53.5 Wh / 12.9 W = 4.15 h (4h 9min)
- Acer Aspire E5 usage time (actual) = 4h 37min
Another option is to recharge the battery with the laptop turned off. in this case, we can calculate the number of theoretical charges by applying the following formula:
Number of laptop charges = Power bank Useful Energy (Wh) / Laptop Battery Energy (Wh)
- Number of Acer Aspire E5 charges (theoretical) = 53.5 Wh / 45 Wh = 1.19 charges
- Number of Acer Aspire E5 charges (actual) = 1.42 charges
We can see that with the Litionite power bank we would recharge 1.19 times the Acer laptop battery, i.e. we would obtain a 100% full charge and still have enough energy left over in the power bank (8.5 Wh) for another partial charge of the laptop:
Useful energy – Laptop battery energy = 53.5 Wh – 45 Wh = 8.5 Wh
We could also calculate the theoretical usage time with the number of charges and the average consumption of our laptop:
Laptop usage time (h) = No. of charges x Laptop battery energy (Wh) / Avg. laptop power consumption (W)
- Acer Aspire usage time (theoretical) = 1.19 x 45 Wh / 12.9 W = 4.15 h (4h 9min)
- Acer Aspire usage time (actual) = 1.42 x 45 Wh / 12.9 W = 4.95 h (4h 57min)
As we can see it is 20 minutes longer than the actual usage time of case 1 with the laptop battery removed.
If we do not remove the battery (or it is not removable) and we use the computer while charging, t he power bank will power the laptop both for use and for recharging the battery itself.
For example, the useful energy of the Litionite power bank (53.5 Wh) will be divided between the use of the Acer laptop itself (with an average power consumption of 12.9W) and the recharging of its battery (45Wh).
In this case, it is difficult to formulate a method to calculate the theoretical time of use of the laptop because the energy used to recharge its battery varies for each model since the recharging speed of the laptop will be different depending on the charging system implemented by the manufacturer. That is to say, a laptop can provide 15W in 1 hour to recharge its battery while another one can provide 35W.
In our example, we found that the Litionite power bank was able to power the Acer laptop for 1.83h (1h 50min) until its useful energy was exhausted.
In addition, during this time, Litionite recharged the laptop battery up to 82% of its energy (45Wh) which allowed us to continue working for almost 3 hours more on office tasks:
Usage time with laptop battery recharged to 82% = 45Wh x 0.82 / 12.9W = 2.86h
Therefore, the total time using our Acer laptop for office tasks was 4 hours and 41 minutes:
Acer Aspire usage time (actual) = 1.83h 2.86h = 4.69h = 4 h 41 min
Conclusions and general formula
In the first 2 cases described, we saw that the theoretical usage time was similar while the actual usage time suffered small variations.
This is because we are working with real efficiencies, both in the laptop and in the power bank and, logically, they must differ from the theoretical efficiencies (85%) that we establish as a reference for the estimated calculation when we do not know the real efficiencies.
The most common is not knowing both the real efficiency of our computer and that of the power bank we are going to use to recharge it.
We also explained in Case 3 that it is not possible to use a general formula to predict the usage time because each laptop behaves differently during its battery recharge. However, the actual results obtained are similar to the first 2 cases.
Remember that the objective is to have an idea of the time of use of our laptop before buying a power bank, for this reason, we believe that the formula of case 1 is the best option for a quick estimate:
Laptop Usage Time (h) = Power bank Useful Energy (Wh) / Average Laptop Power Consumption (W)
Quick guide and real use cases
In this section, we will try to summarize the essential content of this guide by linking to the sections you need to consult to buy a laptop power bank.
Choosing the type of laptop power bank
Depending on the type of output port of the power bank we will have to make several checks:
- Check the voltage (V) and power (W) of the laptop charger. Read this.
- Look for a power bank that has a DC output port with the same voltage (V) and power (W) equal to or higher than that charger. Possible problems:
- “I can’t find a model with the same voltage as my charger”. Read this.
- “I can’t find (or don’t want to spend much money) a model with the same power as my charger”. Read this.
- Check that the power bank has a cable and/or connector compatible with the charging port of the laptop.
- Check the power (W) of the laptop charger. Read here.
- Use an AC power bank with the same or higher power (W) than that charger. Possible problems:
- “I can’t find (or don’t want to spend much money) a model with the same power as my charger”. Read this.
- Check the voltage (V) and power (W) of the laptop charger. Read this.
- Look for a power bank that has a USB Type-C output port with Power Delivery (PD) technology with the same voltage (V) and equal or higher power (W) than that charger. Possible problems:
- “I can’t find a model with the same voltage as my charger”. Read this.
- “I can’t find (or don’t want to spend much money) a model with the same power as my charger”. Read this.
- Charging cable:
- If the laptop has a USB-C charging port then there would be no problem, you can use the laptop’s own charging cable.
- If the laptop has a DC charging port then you must use a special cable with an adapter that converts from USB-C PD to DC (read this) and meets the following requirements:
- Have the same charging voltage as the laptop.
- Support the maximum power supplied by the power bank using Power Delivery technology.
- The DC connector of the cable is compatible with the DC port of the laptop.
Laptop usage time with a power bank
Once you have chosen the power bank, we will theoretically calculate the estimated time you could use your laptop for a certain regular activity (watching Netflix, YouTube, office tasks, surfing the Internet, playing online games…) depending on the charging method: laptop battery removed, laptop turned off or using the laptop while charging:
- Check the average duration (in hours) of the laptop with the battery fully charged (100%) according to the type of task usually performed.
- Check the energy (Wh) of the laptop battery. Read here.
- Apply formula:
- Average Laptop Power Consumption (W) = Laptop Battery Energy (Wh) / Time of use (h)
- Check stored energy (Wh) of the power bank. Read here.
- Depending on the type of power bank, calculate energy to work with the laptop and/or to recharge its battery (read here):
- Power bank with DC or USB-C PD port (read here):
- Useful energy = Power bank energy x 0.7225
- Power bank with AC port (read here)
- Useful energy = Power bank energy x 0.6141
Depending on the charging method of the laptop:
- With the laptop battery removed:
- Usage time (h) = Useful energy (Wh) / Average Laptop Power Consumption (W)
- Number of charges = Useful energy (Wh) / Laptop Battery Energy
- Usage time = No. of charges x Laptop Battery Energy (Wh) / Laptop Power Consumption (W)
Test results of charging a laptop with a power bank
Next, we are going to see the theoretical and real results obtained by charging some laptops with a power bank:
- Model: Lenovo Z50-70
- Charger: 20V/2.25A (45W)
- Charging voltage: 20V
- Battery energy: 70Wh
- Charging port: DC Lenovo (square jack)
- Usual usage tasks: office automation with virtual machine (Virtual Box)
- Battery life 100%: 2h 45min = 2.75h
- Average laptop consumption: 70Wh /2.75 h = 25.5W
- Model: Omars 20000mAh USB-C PD 45W
- Battery capacity: [email protected] 72Wh
- USB-C PD port: 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/2.25A (45W max)
- Charging voltages: 5V, 9V, 12V, 15V, 20V
- Cable: USB-C PD to DC Lenovo 20V
- We calculate the useful energy of the power bank to use the laptop and recharge its battery:
- Useful energy = Power bank energy x 0.7225 = 72Wh x 0.7225 = 52Wh
Time of use with the chosen tasks:
- Laptop battery removed:
- Theoretical data: Useful energy Power bank / Average laptop power consumption = 52 Wh / 25.5 W = 2h
- Actual data: 2h 50min
- Actual data:
- Laptop usage time with power bank: 1h 41min 35% of the battery recharged.
- Total usage time: 2h 33min
- Model: Acer Aspire E5-551-T2HE
- Charger: 19V/3.42A (65 W)
- Charging voltage: 19V
- Battery energy: 56Wh (5000mAh/11.1V) reduced to 45Wh
- Charging port: DC Lenovo (square jack)
- Usual usage tasks: office automation and web surfing
- Battery life 100%: 3.5h
- Average laptop consumption: 45Wh /3.5 h = 12.9W
- Model: Litionite Vulcan 20000mAh USB-C PD 65W
- Battery capacity: [email protected] 74Wh
- USB-C PD port: 5-20V (65W max)
- Charging voltages: 5- 20V (read this)
- Cable: USB-C PD to DC jack 5.5×2.1 20V
- Adapter: DC jack 5.5×2.1 to DC jack 5.5×1.7
- We calculate the useful energy of the power bank to use the laptop and recharge its battery:
- Useful energy = Power bank energy x 0.7225 = 74 Wh x 0.7225 = 53.5Wh
Time of use with the chosen tasks:
- Laptop battery removed:
- Theoretical data: Useful energy Power bank / Average laptop power consumption = 53.5 Wh / 12.9 W = 4.15h (4h 9min)
- Actual data: 4h 37min
- Theoretical data:
- Number of charges = Usable energy / Laptop battery energy = 53.5Wh/45Wh =1.19 charges.
- Usage time = No. of charges x Laptop battery energy (Wh) / Laptop power consumption (W) = 1.19 x 45 Wh / 12.9 W = 4.15 h (4h 9min)
- Number of charges = 1.42 charges
- Usage time = 4.95 h (4h 57min)
- Actual data:
- Laptop usage time with power bank: 1h 50min 82% of the battery recharged.
- Total usage time: 4h 41min
- Model: HP Stream 11 (11-d010nr)
- Charger: 19.5V/2.31A (45W)
- Charging voltage: 19.5V
- Battery energy: 37 Wh
- Charging port: DC HP 4.5/3.0 mm (blue round jack)
- Usual usage tasks: watch Netflix with maximum brightness on HD resolution screen (720p).
- Battery life 100%: 6h 29min = 6,48h
- Average laptop consumption: 37Wh /6.48 h = 5.71W
- Model: Baseus 20000mAh USB-C PD 45W
- Battery capacity: [email protected] (76Wh)
- USB-C PD port: 5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/2,25A (45W max)
- Charging voltages: 5V, 9V, 12V, 15, and 20V (read this)
- Cable:USB-C PD a DC HP 20V
- We calculate the useful energy of the power bank to use the laptop and recharge its battery:
- Useful energy = Power bank energy x 0.7225 = 76 Wh x 0.7225 = 54.91 Wh
Time of use with the chosen tasks:
- Recharging battery with laptop off:
- Theoretical data:
- Number of charges = Usable energy / Laptop battery energy = 54.91 Wh/37 Wh =1.5 charges.
- Usage time = No. of charges x Laptop battery energy (Wh) / Laptop power consumption (W) = 1.5 x 37 Wh / 5.71 W = 9.72 h (9h 43min)
- Number of charges = 1.75 charges
- Usage time = 8.98h (8h 58min)
- Actual data:
- Laptop usage time with power bank: 1h 45min 85% of the battery recharged.
- Total usage time: 8h 15min
Best power banks for laptops (June 2023)
Once you are familiar with the features of a laptop power bank, we present the best models available on the market taking into account the different types of output ports: DC, AC, and USB-C PD.
Notice: Remember that if your laptop has a DC charging port and you choose to buy a power bank with a USB-C PD port you need to use a USB-C PD to DC adapter.
INIU Power Bank B63 (25000mAh), Design for Laptop
INIU’s inspiring 65W charges your MacBook Pro up to 50% in 30 mins. Hit your phones, tablets and steam deck’s latest charging needs, a futuristic feature to rely on.
Even Wider Compatibility
INIU battery charger matches with most laptops, tablets, mobiles (iPhone, Samsung. ), and small devices as Airpods. Tend your fast charging and trickle charging needs smartly.
Charge 3 at Once
Triple ports are at your pick. Dual USB-C ports directly fit both new iPad and new iPhone, and one USB-A port for your old devices.
00mAh for A Week
The USB C portable charger power bank fast charging massive power supply can charge MacBook Pro 14ʺ 1.2 times or iPad Mini 6 3.4 times, abundant even for devices of huge capacity.
What You Get
INIU 65W USB c battery bank1, USB C to USB C cable1, USB A to USB C cable1, user manual1, travel pouch1, 30-day money back guarantee, industry-leading 3-year warranty, and lifetime technical support.
OUT12/3 45W(Max)30W(Max)/22.5W(Max) (5V=3A 9V=3A 12V=3A 15V=3A 20V=2.25A)(5V=4.5A 4.5V=5A 9V=3A 12V=2.5A)/(5V=4.5A 4.5V=5A 9V=2A 12V=1.5A)
Compatible Models Steam Deck / Chromebook / Laptops / Tablets / MacBook Air M2/MacBook Air 2020/ MacBook Pro 13 2017/ MacBook Pro 13 2020 / MacBook Pro 15 2017/ MacBook 16 / MacBook 12 / MacBook Air 13 / MacBook Air 12; iPad Pro 12.9/11/10.5/9.7; iPhone 14 / 14 pro / 13 / 13 pro / 12 /12 Mini / 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max / XS / XS Max/ XR / X / 11 / 11 Pro / 11 Pro max / 8 Plus / 8 / 7 / 6; Galaxy Z Fold 4 / Flip 4 / Samsung Galaxy S23 / S23 / S23 Ultra / S22 / S21 Ultra / S21 / S21 / S20 Ultra / S20 / S20 / S20 FE / S10 / S10e / S10 / S9 / S9 / S 8/ S8 / Note20 / 20 / Note10 / 10 /Note 9 / Note 8 / Note 7 / Z Fold2 / Z Flip; LG V60 / V50 / G8 / G7; Oneplus 9 Pro / 9 / 8T / 8 Pro / 8 / 7 pro / 6T; Google Pixel 3 / 4/ 4a /5; iPad Air 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / iPad mini 1/2/3/4/5/ Airpods / Airpods Pro / Apple Watch 6 5 4 3 2 1 / SE / pro
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How to Choose the Right Power Bank?
For a longer trip, you may want to choose a power bank with a higher mAh and wattage. Power banks with higher mAh can last for more charge cycles before needing a recharge themselves. This is especially helpful for trips that have a long travel time where you may not have guaranteed access to wall outlets to power your devices.
We recommend anywhere from 20,000 mAh to 30,000 mAh and 65W to 100W for trips with extended travel time. This level of charging capacity helps give you peace of mind during travel (which is already stressful as it is) and guarantees that you will not have to rely on wall sockets for your devices or for a recharge to your power bank.
For a shorter trip, you may not need as much mAh and wattage in your power bank. We recommend a range of 6000 mAh to 10,000 mAh and 20W to 45W for trips with a shorter travel time. These types of power banks hold plenty of energy to guarantee 1 or 2 full charges to your smartphone without needing to be recharged. That should be plenty of power to get you to your destination and within reach of a wall outlet.
Devices are particularly important during business trips. You may need your phone to link up with colleagues and your computer to get tasks done. For that reason, you may want to choose a power bank that has a high mAh to last multiple charging cycles, and that can power a variety of devices.
We once again recommend a 20,000 mAh to 30,000 mAh and 65W to 100W power bank for business trips. It may also be useful in these cases to have multiple power banks dedicated to each of your devices. Our Baseus Blade Laptop Power Bank has a charging capacity of 20,000 mAh and 100W, making it an excellent source of energy for your laptop while your phone is linked up to another portable charger.
When it comes to parties and small day trips, you will not need a portable charger with a huge charging capacity. We once again recommend a range of 6000 mAh to 10,000 mAh and 20W to 45W. Our Baseus Magnetic Foldable Power Bank, with a 10,000 mAh and 20W capacity, is particularly convenient for parties and other outings thanks to its ability to fold up and be used as a kickstand. Easily stored in your. it utilizes a magnetic connection to secure strongly to your device, providing a fast charge without interrupting your device usage.
All You Need to Know About Power Bank
Power banks allow you to charge your devices on the go. With a power bank in hand, you can juice up and continue to use your devices without worrying whether or not there will be outlets nearby to keep you going.
Power banks, also known as portable chargers, operate in a similar fashion to your bank account, hence their name. They act as a storage facility for energy. You can use the electrical energy stored within your power bank to charge your devices anytime and anywhere. This is largely thanks to a special type of circuit contained within the power bank itself that controls the flow of energy.
The process is really quite simple and consists of 3 parts: energy absorption, energy storage, and energy release.
Before you head out on any excursion, whether it’s a business trip, a day out with friends, or any other instance where you may find yourself without ready access to outlets, charge up your power bank through an external power supply like a wall socket. The energy will be stored within the portable charger in a chemical form, ready to be passed into your device at any moment when it is connected to the charger via an output port.
A fast charging power bank is exactly what its name implies: a portable charger that can juice up your devices at a much faster rate than simple wall chargers. These power banks utilize a higher voltage and essentially increase the number of watts being pumped into your device to charge it up more quickly than average.
Wireless power banks are extremely convenient for those who hate traveling around with tons of wires. Rather than getting all tangled up in wires every time you need to charge your devices, simply rely on a wireless power bank. Though they do require a USB to charge themselves, these handy gadgets have the ability to charge your devices through contact alone, with no wired connection required. Battery cases that attach to the back of your phone are one common example of wireless power banks.
To understand the question, we first need to take a look at mAh. The unit mAh is also known as a milliamp hour, and it refers to the charging capacity of a power bank. It indicates how much energy can be transferred from your power bank to another device over time. And, of course, the higher the mAh of a power bank, the more energy it can provide.
Today’s average smartphone has a battery capacity of 2,800 mAh. With that number in mind, let’s break down the charging output you can expect from these common types of power banks:
- 6000 mAh: 2 full smartphone charges before power bank recharge required.
- 10,000 mAh: About 3.5 smartphone charges before a power bank recharge is required.
- 20,000 mAh: 7 full smartphone charges before power bank recharge is required.
- 30,000 mAh: Nearly 11 full smartphone charges before a power bank recharge is required.
The lifespan of a power bank may vary depending on various factors, such as quality, build, battery capacity, type of battery, and how the power bank is used. The average lifespan range for a power bank may be anywhere from 1.5 to 3 years or 300 to 1000 charge cycles. It’s important to remember that charge cycles are likely the most accurate representation of lifespan. This is because some may use a power bank more frequently than others, making years an inaccurate depiction of the lifespan that does not factor in usage.
To increase the lifespan of your power bank, remember to take good care of it. Here are a few useful tips to help you make the most out of your portable chargers:
- Do not use a power bank to charge your devices above 80%.
- Do not leave power banks in extremely hot or cold temperatures.
- Do not let your power bank reach 0%.
- Do not bring your power bank in contact with liquids of any kind.
With power banks and other types of batteries, the first thing you need to worry about in terms of wattage is the watt-hour. Watt-hours indicate how much energy you can get out of a battery and the rate at which that energy will be transmitted from the power bank to your device.
The second thing to worry about when it comes to wattage in your power bank is the overall energy capacity. Oftentimes, the wattage of a power bank refers to its maximum charging output. This may be higher or lower depending on how the power bank is being used. When used as a means of gaining energy from an external source, the maximum wattage output may be higher than when it is used as a power bank on its own. So, if you used a dual 45W power bank, you might expect the energy output to reach up to 45W when used as a charging station from an external source and up to 30W when used as a standalone power bank.
If you’re wondering how to charge your power bank, we’re here to help you there too. To juice up your portable charger, simply connect it to an external power source like a wall socket, just like you would with your devices. This will allow it to absorb and subsequently store electrical energy to then be transferred to your device of choice later on when needed.