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Anker just knocked $20 off this portable power bank. (Billy Cadden)
Most of us know the feeling of leaving the house with a battery pack to keep our devices charged, only to realize we forgot to bring the right cables. Anker's 20,000mAh Travel Essential Portable Charger has a built-in USB-C cable, so you'll never have to deal with that issue again, and it's on sale for $49.99 ($20 off) at Amazon , which matches its lowest price of the year.
Anker 20,000mAh Travel Essential Portable Charger : Now $49.99 (was $69.99)
The 87W power bank can charge most devices, even the MacBook Neo and MacBook Air, at their top speeds if you use the built-in cable or plug them into the USB-C port. The power bank's USB-A port will be sufficient for charging tech accessories (think a fitness band, smart watch, or wireless earbuds). The power bank will automatically route power to every device plugged into it, charging them as efficiently as possible.
Anker says its power bank can charge an iPhone or MacBook Air's battery from zero to 50% in about half an hour. Similarly, it has enough capacity to charge an iPhone up to 4 times and a MacBook Air a little more than once before running out of juice. Anker equipped the power bank with a display that shows its current capacity, so you know how much battery life is left.
It's not as technically advanced as the screens built into Anker's higher-end power banks, but it's much more helpful than a series of dots. Anker says the battery takes about an hour and a half to fully charge when plugged into a 65W power adapter, which isn't included. If you connect it to a slower adapter, you'll have to wait longer. Again, the power bank's display comes in handy, as you can keep an eye on it while it charges.
If you generally travel with a low-capacity power bank, Anker's Travel Essential battery pack will be a significant improvement. You'll be able to charge more devices at once, and keep them topped up during longer trips. The built-in cable will make the biggest difference, since you'll only need to leave the house with a single accessory.
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This article originally published at This Anker battery pack can charge a MacBook and it's down to $50 .
