Here's a backup battery that can fit in a jacket pocket and charge a laptop

If the crux of what you’re looking for in an external battery is a compact size, large capacity, and powerful speed, then the Anker Prime Power Bank (20K, 220W) might be your ideal product.

I’ve spent the last decade testing tech products and am thoroughly impressed by the Prime Power Bank 20K. It’s not flashy, but it’s full of power. Its color display and app connectivity are nice, but ultimately, this is the battery you buy because you’re constantly on the go.

A small power bank with speed

This power bank’s unwieldy name comes from its greatest attributes. It has a (roughly) 20,000mAh battery capacity, and its total output power is 220 watts. Those things aren’t particularly remarkable for an Anker battery.

The part that’s impressive is the combination of these things in a device that can easily be tucked into the palm of your hand and should fit in most jacket pockets.

Either USB-C port can produce up to 140W of power if used by itself. If both USB-C ports are in use, then they can each unleash 110W. The battery can be recharged at 100W with an appropriately powerful power adapter. Importantly, it’s TSA-approved.

If you want to buy the Prime Charging Base, you can set this battery on top for wireless, induction charging. I haven’t tried that part yet, but it looks great as a desk power hub. It just adds another $100 to the total price.

Using the Prime Power Bank 20K

The battery weighs 1.12 pounds or 510 grams. It feels hefty to put in your jacket, but it shouldn’t be a dealbreaker to add to a backpack or carry-on.

I like the speed, but my favorite part is probably the screen. It can show the time, power, and heat level. The display will rotate so it’s always right side up. You can customize the screen, but you’ll need to connect it to the Anker app on your phone.

The app connection lets you handle all the nitpicky settings. Things like how long the screen will stay active or whether you want to prioritize power to a certain port. For as advanced as it is, if you never want to touch that aspect, then you don’t need to. It’s optional and won’t take away from the device’s full capabilities. I found myself tweaking the settings in the app, but not using it constantly.

Is the Anker Prime Power Bank (20K, 220W) worth spending money on?

Ultimately, the Anker Prime Power Bank (20K, 220W) doesn’t feel overly special compared to some of Anker’s other battery products. There’s no retractable cable or fold-out prongs. What you see is pretty much what you get.

Still, this is about as solid a battery as you could hope for. It can easily power a MacBook Pro or any laptop. It should be able to recharge an iPad close to two times. If you have demanding power needs but need to pack light, this is the one to get.