When you purchase a new phone, it comes with two standard accessories: a charging cable and a wall charger. The only issue is, what do you do if you need to charge your device, but you aren’t around your computer or near a wall outlet? Most of us (if not all) have been in a situation like this, and it’s a pain, especially if you are traveling and need your phone to access apps like Uber or Lyft.
Thankfully, this issue has been long identified, and many companies have created portable charging banks designed to help. One of those companies is Anker, America’s leading charger brand. Anker recently sent me their PowerCore III Sense 10K to review, so today, I’m going to share my thoughts on this product.
Founded in 2011, Anker has a long history of innovating accessories to help your technology work for you, rather than the other way around. They have created a variety of power banks in all different sizes and for different purposes to fit consumer needs, as well as a wide array of charging cables and miscellaneous accessories like Bluetooth speakers, home batteries, and more.
Anker's PowerCore III Sense 10K
This particular power bank is the PowerCore III Sense 10K, and it currently has four different color options: Sun-Kissed Coral, Steel Blue, Winter Sage, and Venetian Red. The bottom side of the power bank has a smooth matte finish, while the top is made with a woven fabric material. While the battery isn’t feather-light, it’s also not heavy, and it is a great size to fit in any travel or laptop bag.
The other accessories that come with the PowerCore III Sense 10K are a USB-C to C charging cable, and a cloth bag that fits around the power bank. Keep in mind here that a wall charger is not included with the purchase of the battery.
Charging Your Device
With the Anker PowerCore III Sense 10K, you can charge a device one of two ways, or charge two devices simultaneously by utilizing both ports. First, the +IQ port will work with your typical USB-A charging cable, and this is what I utilized for charging my iPhone via the PowerCore. The other port included is an 18W Power Delivery (PD) USB-C port, which is not as common now as it may be a few years down the road.
Charging the PowerCore
To see how much power is left within the PowerCore, you can refer to the button on top of the battery. This has four lights, and as the PowerCore charges up or loses charge, the lights will follow accordingly.
To charge the battery, you can, again, use either of the ports. The USB-A port can be used with a cable to plug into most computers, laptops, and wall chargers, and will take a little over 10 hours to fully charge. The USB-C port, however, will charge the PowerCore in just over 4 hours. The USB-C port can be used with a compatible charging cable (included) to a device with a USB-C port either on a newer computer or laptop, or a compatible wall charger (sold separately).
Price
Now, let’s talk about the price. From the Anker website, the PowerCore III Sense 10K is currently priced at $49.99. This is a decent price, as comparable portable batteries run in the range of about $40-$100. While the PowerCore III Sense 10K is on the lower end of this price range, the quality is top-notch.
Closing
If you have newer devices and you’re looking for a portable power bank, I would definitely recommend the Anker PowerCore III Sense 10K to you, because there aren’t any cons, especially when they include an 18-month warranty (at least if you purchase directly from their website).
If you have older devices and aren’t looking to upgrade, I would recommend you do a bit of research on your current devices before purchasing this, just because of the type-C PD port. If you purchase the power bank but can only utilize one of the ports, it may not be as good of a deal for you.
Either way, Anker has outdone themselves again with creating a product that both meets the current needs of consumers and will remain relevant for quite some time. I was really pleased with PowerCore III Sense 10K, and I look forward to recommending the product to those in search of a new portable power bank.
Anker PowerCore III Sense 10K | $40 | Amazon, Anker
