Anker PowerCore Lite 10000

Our team had the opportunity to test several PowerCore Lite 10000 external batteries (and its bigger sibling, the 20000), putting them through several trials (drops, humidity, etc.). Very used to the thicker format of the brand's other power banks, we weren't sure this new model — with its new format using a single flatter cell instead of several 18650 cells — would be as durable and of the same quality as Anker's other external batteries. We were therefore very pleasantly surprised to find that this is indeed the case. It turns out to be both robust and very well designed, very pleasant to the touch with its micro-textured surface, and easy to carry even in a trouser pocket.

The battery withstood our drop tests without flinching, and seems very resistant. We particularly appreciated the practicality of its dual input port, letting you bring just one cable regardless of your phone, even without an adapter, as is sometimes necessary with other power banks. It's a shame, however, that it's impossible to charge both ports at the same time, and that the USB-C port isn't also an output port (a Power Delivery port would have made this battery a true marvel). Another downside is that this power bank isn't any faster, whether charging or discharging: it has no Power Delivery (PD) or Qualcomm Quick Charge (QC) technology, just standard ports at 2A input and 2.4A output. That's probably to be expected given the particularly minimalist format of this battery, but if Anker ever manages a power bank with this format that's also faster, it will truly be the best.

Beyond these minor drawbacks we had to dig for, the PowerCore Lite battery has only strengths: enhanced safety (protection against overvoltage or short-circuits in particular), its non-slip grip, its PowerIQ technology, and its trickle-charging mode that keeps a low-power device such as a Bluetooth headset topped up.

In short, this battery is one of the team's favorites in its category: it has kept everything we love about Anker products, especially their robustness, while benefiting from a particularly well thought-out format. We can only recommend it, especially since the manufacturer's warranty is 18 months.