TechRadar Verdict
The UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank offers plenty of output to charge large devices, including many modern laptops, in a surprisingly lightweight package. Charging performance is good, but the capacity isn’t large enough to sustain it for multiple charges, and the lack of ports hampers its versatility.
Pros
- +
High power output
- +
Useful display
- +
Trickle charging support
Cons
- –
Capacity too small
- –
Only two ports
- –
Not the most solidly built
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UGREEN Nexode 12000mAh 100W Power Bank review
The UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank is designed for charging all manner of devices, from smartphones to laptops, thanks to its powerful 100W output. Despite its capabilities, it’s surprisingly light; I’ve tested other, less capable power banks that weigh more. It’s also quite narrow, but very thick too, meaning it won’t be one to carry around in your pocket. This is justifiable, though, given it’s designed for charging big ticket items.
The UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank looks smart with its dark grey finish, the signature colorway of Ugreen’s Nexode series. Unfortunately, this premium look belies its actual build quality: the chassis is a little too flimsy for my liking, even audibly creaking when I pressed its sides. Suffice to say it wouldn’t be my first choice of power bank for taking on more rugged excursions.
One of the standout features of the UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank is its display. This provides useful information in a large format, making it clear to see. The percentage figures adopt a dot-matrix format, which may divide some users, but I didn’t have an issue with this. However, clarity is somewhat compromised by its matt finish, which is rather hazy in certain viewing angles and lighting conditions.
It has one USB-C port and one USB-A port, which is a little disappointing for a power bank with this much power on offer; there are many, less powerful power banks on the market with greater port selections.
The UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank managed to charge a Lenovo IdeaPad 4G 14 inch laptop from 50% to 100% in about 90 minutes, which is a decent performance. It also stayed cool throughout, which again is also impressive. However, it depleted the bank’s battery from 100% to 12% in the process, which disappointingly means you’ll only get a single charge out of it for large devices.
Thankfully, the UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank only takes about the same amount of time to fully replenish, thanks to its 65W input via the same USB-C port.
The USB-A port provides 22.5W of power, and charging from this and the USB-C port at the same time is possible, although this drops the output of both to just 10W. The UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank also features trickle charging, used for devices with low current draws, such as wireless earbuds and smartwatches. This can be easily toggled by holding the power button.
With a price of $49.99 / £49.99 (about AU$80), the UGREEN Nexode 12,000mAh 100W Power Bank sits admirably close in the market to less powerful rivals. Its 100W power output is useful if you need to charge larger items – but you’ll only be able to charge them once. It really needs a capacity higher than 12,000mAh to make it practical for charging large devices on the go, and more ports wouldn’t go amiss either.
UGREEN Nexode 12000mAh 100W Power Bank review: price & specs
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| Price | $49.99 / £49.99 (about AU$80) |
| Capacity | 12,000mAh |
| Total wattage | 100W (USB-C), 22.5W (USB-A) |
| Number of ports | 2 |
| USB-A | 1 |
| USB-C | 1 |
| Wireless charging | No |
| Weight | 11oz / 311g |
| Power-to-weight | 38mAh/g |
Should I buy the UGREEN Nexode 12000mAh 100W Power Bank?
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Lewis Maddison is a Reviews Writer for TechRadar. He previously worked as a Staff Writer for our business section, TechRadar Pro, where he had experience with productivity-enhancing hardware, ranging from keyboards to standing desks. His area of expertise lies in computer peripherals and audio hardware, having spent over a decade exploring the murky depths of both PC building and music production. He also revels in picking up on the finest details and niggles that ultimately make a big difference to the user experience.
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