CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. Read how we test products and services .
It's no secret that we spend a lot of time on our phones these days. There's social media, news, productivity, connecting with loved ones and the seemingly unavoidable doomscrolling. All this activity can lead to a quickly dwindling battery. And while many Android devices have better battery life than iPhones, they still need a little help from time to time.
Are early Black Friday sales a good time to buy?
Many retailers start "Black Friday" sales as early as Halloween, or even earlier. The quality of deals can vary early on, but as November progresses, many of the deals are as good as the deep discounts you’ll see during Thanksgiving weekend. See the best Black Friday deals we’ve found.
If you rely on a battery case to keep your phone running, you're not alone. Battery cases are convenient, but they have some drawbacks: Some are bulky and heavy, and they can negatively affect wireless reception at times. That's why nothing beats a dedicated portable charger or power bank that you can store easily and only take out when you absolutely need it. With both wired and wireless models, there's a slew of options when it comes to keeping your Android device going.
To that end, I've rounded up top picks for the best portable charger for Android devices. Though they cost more, I personally like batteries that have an integrated USB-C output built into them so I don't have to worry about carrying around a charging cable for enough power for my devices. (The models with built-in USB-C cables should also work for iPad Pro devices.) But I've also included some budget picks for those who don't want to shell out as much for portable power and their charging needs. And, while we have a separate power bank roundup for iPhones, anything here without an integrated USB-C cable will work perfectly well with an iPhone (and non-Pro iPad models), so long as you provide the Lightning cable.
Read more: Best Wireless Car Chargers and Mounts for 2023
Show less
$60 at Rei$60 at ReiInfinity Lab is Samsung-owned Harman Kardon's new accessories subsidiary and I like its InstantGo 5000 and InstantGo 10000 power banks, which come with an integrated USB-C cable for easy charging for iPhones. The larger 10,000-mAh model costs a bit more and is heavier and bulkier, but it can charge most Android smartphones twice. Though the white model is currently unavailable, the black one is in stock.
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
Photo Gallery
1/1
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
$15 at eBay$15 at eBay
MyCharge's Hub portable chargers come in a few different sizes and not only have an integrated foldable wall plug but integrated Lightning and USB-C cables, so you can charge both Apple and Android devices. It's a little bulky, but with a 4,400-mAh battery, it should be able almost fully charge your smartphone, depending on its size.
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
Photo Gallery
1/1
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
$28 at Amazon$28 at Amazon
The Anker 523 PowerCore Slim 10K PD is impressively slim for a 10,000-mAh portable phone charger and has a fast 20-watt USB-C out charging port (it's also a USB-C input to charge its battery), plus a 12-watt USB-A out port. While the Anker 313 PowerCore Slim 10K is cheaper, the fast USB-C out charging makes spending the extra dough worth it if you have a USB-C to Lightning cable.
Anker
Photo Gallery
1/1
Anker
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
$55 at Walmart$55 at Amazon$55 at Walmart
The Anker PowerCore III 10K portable charger has fast USB-C out charging (18 watts) as well as a USB-A port and up to 10-watt wireless charging. It's not magnetic, so your phone won't stick to it but it will wirelessly charge any Qi-enabled devices.
Anker
Photo Gallery
1/1
Anker
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
$40 at Apple$40 at Apple
If you're looking for a compact external battery pack for your Android smartphone (or iPhone), Mophie's pocketable Power Station Mini features a 5,000-mAh internal battery and 20-watt USB-C PD fast charging.
For $20 more, you can pick up the 10,000-mAh version with dual USB-C ports -- both come in black or blue colors. Also, note that Zagg, Mophie's parent company, offers a 20% discount off your first purchase, so that model (it's simply called the Power Station) is actually $50.
Mophie
Photo Gallery
1/1
Mophie
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
$88 at Amazon$100 at Walmart$88 at Amazon
Thanks to gallium nitride technology, chargers have been getting more powerful while shrinking at the same time. The latest example of that trend is Anker's new line of GaNPrime chargers with next-generation GaN 3 technology that the company says is even more energy-efficient. The Anker Power Bank 733, which combines a 65-watt charger with a 10,000-mAh portable battery, is part of the new GaNPrime line. It's pretty compact for what it is and offers two fast-charging USB-C ports and one fast-charging USB-A port. You can charge up to three devices at once, but note that to get a full 65-watt charge for a laptop, you'll have to plug in just the laptop.
Anker
Photo Gallery
1/1
Anker
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
$30 at Amazon$30 at Amazon
This Anker model is basically an oversized wall charger with a built-in 5,000-mAh battery. It's got two standard USB charging ports for simultaneously juicing up your phone and a secondary gadget (or two phones). And a little LED indicator on the side lets you check the charge level at the press of a button.
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
Photo Gallery
1/1
Screenshot by David Carnoy/CNET
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
$50 at Amazon$50 at Amazon
What's cool about Anker's 622 magnetic battery is that it's a wireless battery that has an integrated magnetic flap that converts into a stand. You won't get fast wireless charging from this 5,000-mAh battery (it charges at up to 7.5 watts) but it's slim and easy to carry around.
It charges via USB-C and if you use a USB-C to USB-C to charge your Android device (or iPhone), it will charge at a faster rate of 12 watts. That's not as fast as a 20-watt USB-C power adapter, but it's faster than the usual 7.5 watts.
David Carnoy/CNET
Photo Gallery
1/1
David Carnoy/CNET
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
$25 at Walmart$26 at Best Buy$50 at B&H Photo-Video$25 at Walmart
Mophie's magnetic power bank is similar to Anker's but is slightly slimmer (it's svelte for 5,000-mAh battery) and doesn't have an integrated flap that converts into a stand. While it's designed to adhere to the back of MagSafe-enabled iPhone or MagSafe cases, it comes with a "snap adapter" ring to stick onto the back of Android devices so they'll be magnet-friendly.
Wireless charging speeds appear to be limited to 7.5 watts, but if you need a faster charge, you can connect a USB-C to USB-C cable to bump the speed up to 12 watts.
David Carnoy/CNET
Photo Gallery
1/1
David Carnoy/CNET
Show expert take
Show less
Show less
See at OtterboxSee at Otterbox
Otterbox gears its Folding Wireless Power Bank toward those who like to watch movies on their phones or play games with a controller. It has a built-in stand that folds down when you take it on the go. It also has USB-C and USB-A ports that are capable of fast-charging your phone at up to 18 watts. The wireless charging is up to 7.5 watts with the iPhone and 10 watts for Android devices.
Otterbox
Photo Gallery
1/1
Otterbox
Show expert take
Show less
We used all the models above in recent anecdotal testing. Each battery pack highlighted above are ones we recommend over the dozens if not hundreds of others currently on sale at Amazon and elsewhere, which is why we zeroed in on a handful of favorite brands: Mophie, MyCharge and Anker, with some notable one-offs from Aukey, Ventev, Moshi and Harman Kardon thrown in for good measure.
Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a battery pack:
phone" target="_blank
Want more information on cell phone charger manufacturer? Click the link below to contact us.