Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review: The best power bank I've ever used

I used dozens of power banks in the last three years, and there isn't anything else as good as this one.

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review
(Image: © Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

Android Central Verdict

This is Anker's most powerful power bank yet, and it manages to do a terrific job in daily use. The battery is big enough to charge several devices, and with 140W USB PD 3.1 and SuperVOOC compatibility, you can easily charge just about any phone and tablet — as well as most notebooks. The design is durable, you get an LCD with charging and battery details, and you can effortlessly charge three devices at once. This is the best power bank I used, and while it's on the costlier side, the long-term reliability after four months of use makes it an obvious recommendation.

Pros

  • +

    Total power budget of 250W

  • +

    Charges three devices at once

  • +

    Goes up to 140W over USB PD 3.1 and 65W SuperVOOC

  • +

    Massive 27,650mAh battery is ideal for long journeys

  • +

    Good design with textured sides

  • +

    LCD panel shows real-time charging

Cons

  • -

    Costly

  • -

    Magnetic charging base isn't included

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Anker is the world's leading charging brand, and its GaN chargers, cables, and power banks are often among the best in their segments. The Prime series consists of the manufacturer's best offerings, featuring elegant designs and the latest GaN tech. The Prime 27,650mAh is Anker's latest product in this portfolio, and with a power budget of 250W and the ability to charge three devices at once, it clearly has a lot going for it.

The power bank has a new design, with a seamless front that differentiates it from other products. And it isn't that massive considering you get a 27,650mAh battery — I have 25,000mAh power banks that are bulkier. There are other niceties as well, including an LCD panel that shows real-time details, magnetic connectors at the bottom that let you attach the power bank to a charging base, and three ports in total.

I get to use a lot of power banks, and I've tested dozens of products in the last three years. So I'm confident when I say that the Prime 27,650mAh is the best power bank in this segment.

Anker Prime 27,650mAh 250W Power Bank: Pricing and availability

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

Anker unveiled the Prime 27,650mAh 250W Power Bank at the end of 2023, and the power bank is now available globally. It costs $149 on Amazon, and you can pick it up from Anker's website as well. If you don't like the standard model with the grey color scheme, there's a gold-accented variant that retails for $153.

The power bank costs £179 ($220) in the U.K., and it's available for ₹19,999 ($231) in India.

Anker Prime 27,650mAh 250W Power Bank: What I like

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

I mostly used UGREEN and Baseus power banks in recent years, and I have to admit Anker did a great job with the design. The power bank is smaller than a portable Bluetooth speaker while still offering a massive 27,650mAh battery, and that's a design win. If anything, UGREEN started emulating the vertical design with its own Nexode power banks after the success of the Prime, so Anker knows what it's doing in this area.

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

The front has a cleaner look this time, and while the use of acrylic leads to increased smudging, it makes the design stand out. What I like is that there are textured sides, making it easier to hold the power bank. You get the two USB-C and solitary USB-A port at the top, and the bottom contains magnetic pins that can be used with the charging base.

There's a power button on the right, and like most recent power banks, the Prime 27,650mAh power bank has a built-in LCD panel that shows charging details. You get the battery remaining, time left to charge a connected device, and the power button lets you adjust the brightness and toggle Bluetooth.

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

The best part about this power bank is that in addition to the usual USB PD 3.1 charging standard, you get OPPO's SuperVOOC, making it the perfect choice to use with OnePlus and OPPO phones. This is a huge deal, as other power banks are limited to USB PD. But with Anker licensing SuperVOOC tech, it is able to provide the 10V/6.5A power profile necessary for the standard.

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

You'll need to use the USB-A port if you want to take advantage of SuperVOOC tech, with the USB-C ports only offering USB PD's power profiles. I used the power bank with a host of devices under the BBK conglomerate, including the OnePlus 13, Find X8 Pro, and Vivo X200 Pro, and it did a fantastic job with all of these phones.

Another nifty trick is a trickle-charging mode that's ideal for charging accessories. You'll need to double-press the power button to toggle trickle-charging, and a green indicator LED shows up next to the battery indicator to show this mode is active. This mode uses the USB-A port, and you can connect earbuds, smartwatches, and any other accessories that don't need that much power. Double pressing the power button again switches the power bank back to USB PD mode.

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

As you get two USB-C ports alongside USB-A, you can charge three devices at once. Here's a look at the various power profiles, and how it holds up when charging several devices at once:

  • USB-C1/C2 out (140W max): 5V/3A (15W), 9V/3A (27W), 12V/3A (36W), 15V/3A (45W), 20V/5A (100W), 28V/5A (140W)
  • USB-A out (65W max): 5V/3A (15W), 9V/2A (18W), 12V/1.5A (18W), 10V/6.5A SuperVOOC (65W)
  • USB-C1/C2 in (140W max): 5V/3A (15W), 9V/3A (27W), 12V/3A (36W), 15V/3A (45W), 20V/5A (100W), 28V/5A (140W)
  • USB-C1 + C2 out (240W max): 100W + 140W
  • USB-C1/C2 + USB-A (205W max): 140W + 65W
  • USB-C1 + C2 + USB-A (250W max): 140W + 92W + 18W

Both the USB-C1 and C2 ports are able to deliver 140W of power over the USB PD 3.1 protocol, and what's interesting is that you get a total 240W power budget when both ports are in use, with one port able to hit 140W and the other going up to 100W. Similarly, you get 140W out of one USB-C port even when the USB-A port is being used at 65W.

The differentiator with this power bank is that even with all three ports in use, you get 140W over USB-C1, with the C2 port going to 92W, and the USB-A down to 18W. What I also like is that you get to charge the internal battery at 140W; other products I tested recently only do 140W one way, falling back to 100W when charging the battery.

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

The power bank contains seven 3,950mAh cells, totaling 27,650mAh. The battery size is just under the maximum allowed onto a plane (100Wh), and I didn't have any issues taking the power bank aboard a flight. It definitely got looks from gate security as they were curious about what it is, but there were no problems otherwise.

Charging efficiency is pretty good too, and I was able to charge the Vivo X200 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max in one go and still have battery left. It is in line with other power banks I tested recently, and the size of the battery combined with the 250W power budget makes this a great choice for travel — it's what I'm taking everywhere.

Anker Prime 27,650mAh 250W Power Bank: What I don't like

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

I don't have any problems with the power bank itself, and the only thing I would have liked is the charging base. The accessory charges the power bank at 100W, and it's so much more convenient than plugging it into a USB-C port. But it's available as a $50 extra, and not bundled with the package.

Outside of that and the fact that the front gets smudged easily, there are no problems with the Prime 27,650mAh power bank.

Anker Prime 27,650mAh 250W Power Bank: The alternatives

Shargeek 170 Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

There's no shortage of power banks available today, and if you want a decent option with a big battery, I'd suggest the 65W Baseus power bank. It has a 30,000mAh battery, and coming in at $79, it is a standout value. Obviously, you miss out on 140W charging and all the other extras, but it is affordable.

If you need 140W charging, I really like the Sharge 170. It also uses the USB PD 3.1 protocol and hits 140W, and the unique design turns heads. It's down to $129 now, so while it isn't affordable, you get plenty of similar features as the Prime power bank.

Anker Prime 27,650mAh 250W Power Bank: Should you buy it?

Anker Prime 27650mAh 250W Power Bank review

(Image credit: Apoorva Bhardwaj / Android Central)

You should buy this if:

  • You want the best power bank currently available
  • You need to charge your MacBook via a power bank
  • You have a OnePlus phone and need a power bank that does 65W over SuperVOOC
  • You need charging stats

You shouldn't buy this if:

  • You don't need the massive battery

The Prime 27,650mAh power bank has been faultless in four months of use. I tested it with dozens of phones, several tablets, and a gamut of accessories — including the Steam Deck — and it did a brilliant job delivering a reliable charge to all connected devices.

The sizeable battery ensures it can easily charge several devices at once, and with both USB PD 3.1 and SuperVOOC compatibility, you get unmatched versatility — I haven't used any other power bank that charges OnePlus devices at 65W. Combine all of that with an elegant design and long-term reliability, and you have the best overall power bank money can buy today.

Harish Jonnalagadda
Senior Editor - Asia

Harish Jonnalagadda is Android Central's Senior Editor of Asia. In his current role, he oversees the site's coverage of Chinese phone brands, networking products, and AV gear. He has been testing phones for over a decade, and has extensive experience in mobile hardware and the global semiconductor industry. Contact him on Twitter at @chunkynerd.