REASONS TO BUY
Fairly compact given its capacity
Available in multiple colors
REASONS TO AVOID
No integrated cables
Only a single USB port
Anker PowerCore 10000 Review
The PowerCore 10000 is a bare-bones charger that gets the job done but lacks any extra features to make it more convenient to use
Credit: Laura Casner
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Our Verdict
While the Anker PowerCore 10000 couldn't clinch one of the overall top spots in our power bank review, we don't think it's a bad product by any means. This run-of-the-mill USB charger is pretty petite given its capacity, with more than enough juice to fully recharge most devices a handful of times. It lacks extra convenience features that many top models offer, like a built-in wall plug, charging cable, or flashlight, but it is a solid option for a simple portable charger designed to charge one device at a time.
Our Analysis and Test Results
We liked that the PowerCore 10000 has a fast charge rate — up to 2.4 amps — for the one device that it can charge at a time, which is fast enough for larger devices. Besides that, it's a fairly uninspiring charger that isn't our first choice, but we were more than happy to add it to a backpack or slip it into a pocket when heading out if our phones were low.
Performance Comparison
The PowerCore 10000 is a fairly average portable charger but it gets the job done.
Credit: Laura Casner
Portability
The Anker PowerCore 10000 got off to a solid start in our most significant testing metric, portability, which comprises 40% of the final score for each product. The PowerCore 10000 tips the scales at a mere 6.48 ounces, which is quite a bit lighter than the average charger in our test group. This product takes up a fairly small volume, measuring 3.56 inches long by 2.38 inches wide by 0.84 inches thick — definitely small enough to easily carry around in a pocket.
This Anker charger isn't too uncomfortable to carry around in a pocket.
Credit: Laura Casner
We never found it uncomfortable to carry in a pants pocket unless we were sitting right on top of it, and you could easily forget it was even there when carrying it around in a jacket.
Charging Efficiency
Responsible for 30% of the final score, our next series of tests focused on the capacity of each portable battery. The Anker PowerCore 10000 delivered a middle-of-the-road performance.
The Anker PowerCore 10000 delivered some middle-of-the-road results in our capacity test.
Credit: Laura Casner
We measured the capacity of each charger by using a digital meter and a dummy resistive load set for different discharge rates, as well as by truth testing any claims from the manufacturer regarding the number of charges you could get for different devices.
We only got 2.2 Samsung S8 charges out of this battery instead of the claimed 2.5.
Credit: Laura Casner
We were able to pull 5273 mAh out of this battery with the discharge rate set to 2.4 amps, which is about 53% of its stated capacity. This improved a bit when we dropped it to a 1 amp discharge rate, but we were still only able to get about 64% of the claimed capacity out of it.
This charger also fell a little short of its charging claims in our test. Anker states that you should be able to charge an iPhone 8 3.5 times and a Samsung Galaxy S8 2.5 times, but we were only able to charge an S8 about 2.2 times.
Added Convenience
Next, we rated and scored all the extra features and functions that make these chargers more user-friendly and convenient, which accounts for 20% of the overall score for each product. Regrettably, the bare-bones nature of the Anker PowerCore 10000 didn't get many accolades in this metric.
The PowerCore 10000 is only capable of charging a single device at a time. It also lacks all of the integrated features that other models have, like a flashlight, built-in wall plug for recharging the battery pack, or integrated cable for different devices.
This battery does include a micro-USB cable but you'll need to provide your own if your device has a different charging port.
Credit: Laura Casner
This USB charger includes a micro-USB cable for recharging the pack or charging compatible devices, but you'll need to supply your own USB power brick or charge it off a computer.
Recharge Time
Our final testing metric dealt with how long it took to recharge each of the portable chargers, which comprises the residual 10% of the total score. The performance of the Anker PowerCore 10000 rebounded a bit from the previous metric.
It can take 3-5 hours to fully recharge the Anker PowerCore 10000.
Credit: Laura Casner
The manufacturer claims that it takes 3-5 hours to fully recharge this battery, which matched up with our test results quite well. It took approximately 240 minutes (4 hours) with a high-quality charger in our evaluation, though this could increase if your USB power source doesn't have the best discharge rate.
Should You Buy the Anker PowerCore 10000?
The PowerCore 10000 is a fairly run-of-the-mill charging device that shouldn't disappoint. It doesn't have any fancy features, but it gets the job done and is a decent and affordable backup charging solution for your devices.
What Other Portable Chargers Should You Consider?
For a power bank with a decent capacity, integrated flashlight, and the ability to charge multiple devices at once, we love the INIU Portable Charger 10000. If you're looking for a great 2-for-1 deal, check out the affordable 2-Pack Miady 10000.
—
David Wise and Austin Palmer
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