When it comes to portable batteries, charging cables and other gadget accessories, Anker is one of the industry leaders. At CES this year, the company announced several new charging gadgets, as well as some true wireless earbuds that could be legit AirPod alternatives for those shopping on a budget. But maybe the most interesting new product they announced was this, the Anker PowerCore+ 19000 PD.
On the surface, the PowerCore+ 19000 PD is exactly what you’d expect. It’s a really high-capacity portable power bank (19,200mAh) that comes with Power Delivery (PD), meaning that it’s perfectly adept at charging either your smartphone or laptop or both at the same time. But the neat thing about the PowerCore+ 19000 PD is that it doubles as a USB-C hub. Since many new laptops like the new MacBook Air only have USB-C ports they require most people to buy separate dongles or dock stations to connect their other devices. The PowerCore+ 19000 PD takes care of that, and it supports high-speed data transfer. Essentially, it can quickly turn your laptop into a more productive mobile work station. And it can charge it at the same time. (Anker says that it can fully recharge a MacBook Pro from depleted to 100 percent, in only hours.)
The PowerCore+ 19000 PD has a number of ports, including one 27-watt USB-C Power Delivery port, which is capable of charging your laptop (although not at its fastest potential), and two USB-A ports, one 15-watt and 10-watt. The $130 might seem a little steep — and it kind of is compared to Anker’s other portable chargers — but the PowerCore+ 19000 PD comes bundled with a USB-C to USB-C cable ($10) and a PowerPort Speed PD 30 ($26) wall adapter.
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