Best power bank for laptop charging at camp — 140W output in a dense, pocketable brick
Anker 737 Power Bank: The laptop charger you can actually carry
At $90, the Anker 737 is the closest thing to a portable wall outlet for your laptop. It delivers 140W of output — enough to charge a MacBook Pro at full speed — in a form factor that fits in a jacket pocket. For campers and travelers who previously had to choose between charging their laptop or their phone, the 737 resolves that compromise.
What works
140W total output is the headline spec, and it delivers. A 13-inch MacBook Pro charges at near-wall speed. The 24,600mAh capacity holds enough charge to refill a typical laptop battery once plus top up your phone. In practice, that covers a full day of moderate laptop use in the field.
Three ports — one USB-C PD at up to 100W, one USB-C at up to 40W, and one USB-A at up to 22.5W — handle a laptop, tablet, and phone simultaneously without any port fighting over power budget. The automatic power distribution is smart enough that you don't have to think about which device goes where.
Build quality is what you expect from Anker at this price. The casing is dense and solid, the charging indicators are clear, and the unit has survived years of pack abuse from buyers who use it seriously.
What doesn't
Weight and bulk are the honest limitations. 453g is a noticeable addition to a daypack, and the form factor is closer to a paperback book than a slim battery. Ultralight backpackers counting grams will look elsewhere. The Anker 737 is a base-camp or car-camp tool, not a summit push tool.
Recharge time is 2.5 hours at best. If you drain it completely, plan to plug it in overnight before the next day's use.
Who should buy this
The traveler or car camper who routinely works from a laptop in the field and needs to charge it without access to outlets. If you're at a campsite with a vehicle nearby, this is the battery that makes a remote workspace genuinely viable.
Who should look elsewhere
Gram-counting backpackers: look at the Nitecore NB10000 Gen2 (160g, 10000mAh). Users who only charge phones: the Anker PowerCore 26800 at $60 gives you more capacity for less money without the laptop-charging premium.