Charge your Galaxy S20 on the go with these power banks - Android

Charge your Galaxy S20 on the go with these power banks - Android

The Galaxy S20 has quite the big battery, but with a 120Hz screen and 5G radios inside, you never know when your day will go into overtime and you'll need to reach for a great portable charger to keep your Galaxy S20 alive. Or, y'know, you need a power bank on the way to work because you forgot to throw it on the charger last night the way I did. Never fear, power banks are here and they can charge our S20s three different ways this year. Pocket-friendly RAVPower PD Pioneer 10,000mAh 20W Portable Charger Staff Pick This compact power bank is like an extra-fat Snickers that can recharge your S20 twice via USB-C Power Delivery or QuickCharge via USB-A. And if your wife has an iPhone 12, it'll charge that at 20W so she can give it back faster. $29 at Amazon Made specifically for Galaxy Samsung Super Fast 25W Portable Wireless Charger (10,000mAh) This power bank supports 7.5W wireless charging so that you can top off accessories like your Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds, and it s...

The Galaxy S20 has quite the big battery, but with a 120Hz screen and 5G radios inside, you never know when your day will go into overtime and you'll need to reach for a great portable charger to keep your Galaxy S20 alive. Or, y'know, you need a power bank on the way to work because you forgot to throw it on the charger last night the way I did. Never fear, power banks are here and they can charge our S20s three different ways this year.

Pocket-friendly

RAVPower PD Pioneer 10,000mAh 20W Portable Charger

Staff Pick

This compact power bank is like an extra-fat Snickers that can recharge your S20 twice via USB-C Power Delivery or QuickCharge via USB-A. And if your wife has an iPhone 12, it'll charge that at 20W so she can give it back faster.

$29 at Amazon

Made specifically for Galaxy

Samsung Super Fast 25W Portable Wireless Charger (10,000mAh)

This power bank supports 7.5W wireless charging so that you can top off accessories like your Galaxy Watch or Galaxy Buds, and it supports 25W fast charging via USB-C for the S20 series, meaning you spend less time plugged in.

$61 at Amazon $80 at Best Buy

Value pick

Aukey Basix Slim (10,000mAh)

$20 at Amazon

There's no need to break the bank to get yourself a quality power bank. Aukey's Basix Slim might not be the fastest or the fanciest, but it offers 18W Power Delivery charging, two USB-A ports, and it comes in black or white.

Best for Ultra

ELECJET PowerPie 20,000mAh Power Bank

The S20 Ultra supports 45W charging under very, very specific conditions, and the PowerPie is one of the very few power banks that actually meets all of them. You can also use it to recharge tablets and USB-C laptops.

$50 at Amazon

Slim stability

Anker PowerCore Slim 10,000mAh PD

Anker makes dependable chargers that can take a beating and keep running for years and years. This phone-sized model is a little more expensive than Aukey's, but it looks a little better too with that patterned back.

$30 at Amazon $30 at Walmart

Top speed and quality

RAVPower 90W Power Delivery Portable Charger

This supersized power bank is still small enough to easily pack in a backpack and it has 90W output, though what matters more here is support for Programmable Power Supply, meaning you will actually see 25W charging (or 45W on the Ultra).

$80 at Amazon

Go wireless

AUKEY Basix Pro Wireless Charging Power Bank

Aukey makes this kickstand power bank in two capacities, but the 20,000mAh is a significantly better bang for your buck. Both will charge your S20 at 10W wirelessly or 18W via the Power Delivery or Qualcomm QuickCharge.

$46 at Amazon (20,000mAh) $40 at Amazon (10,000mAh)

Luxurious look

iOttie iON Wireless Go Power Bank (10,00mAh)

Metal and plastic power banks may seem slick, but covering them in a plush fabric is ten times better! There are still two wired charging ports in addition to the Qi pad, and you can get it in gray or that lovely heart red.

$40 at Amazon

Smaller than a credit card

Zendure SuperMini (10,000mAh)

Despite being half the size of the AUKEY and Samsung 10,000mAh batteries, this 18W power bank will charge your S20 via USB-C or USB-A. It'll also fit in super tiny purses and pockets.

$45 at Amazon $60 at Walmart

The best Galaxy S20 portable chargers let you charge multiple ways

There's a couple of ways you can charge your S20, but the most important things to look for will be Power Delivery (PD) and Qualcomm QuickCharge (QC). While Samsung supports Power Delivery, the S20 actually only charges around 15-18W with most PD chargers, and most QC ports aren't rated higher than 18W on a power bank, anyway. Why the lower speeds with USB-C? Samsung's "Super Fast Charging" profile is built upon Power Delivery, but more specifically a sub-certification called Programmable Power Supply (PPS), which is used to change the speed dynamically and charge more efficiently for less heat buildup. PPS is cool, but there are very few power banks that support it, and those that do — the Samsung 25W, Elecjet 45W, and RAVPower 30,000mAh power banks — tend to charge a premium for it. Unless you've got the S20 Ultra, you're probably better off sticking to normal 18W PD chargers and focusing on portability and affordability.

What does this mean? Charge with whatever standard and cable you have on hand; they're both going to charge your S20 at a good speed, even if it might not be the 25W you'd get with the Samsung wall charger. The RAVPower PD Pioneer 10,000mAh is my favorite compact portable charger because that candy-bar form factor makes it easy to carry in your pocket next to your S20, and it's got 20W wired charging for any iPhone users in your household. Another great compact option is the phone-sized Aukey Basix Slim, which has the benefit of being affordable while still offering plenty of ports and power.

Of course, you'll also need a fast USB-C charger to recharge your power bank promptly once you get home, too. Your power bank does you no good if it dies, too.

24/02/2021 05:00 PM