UGREEN's 145W fast charging power bank was a lifesaver during my long trip

A few weeks ago, I had an opportunity to fly out to Los Angeles, California for work. Embarking on this journey included hours of flying and hours more of waiting in airports and sitting in Ubers, and during that time I was really pushing the limits of endurance for my favorite devices. Fortunately, UGREEN ensured I never ran out of juice on any of my devices with its 145W power bank.

You'll have to wait until Sept. 11 to hear all the fine details on why I flew to LA, although I can tell you that I went to an exclusive, hands-on preview event for Forza Motorsport (2023). For now, though, I just want to talk about the UGREEN 145W Fast Charging Power Bank (25,000mAh); it's dense and bulky, but it's also the only battery pack you'll ever need if you need to keep multiple devices charged while on the go.

Disclaimer: This review was made possible by a review unit provided by UGREEN. The company did not see the contents of the review before publishing.

A capable power bank with all the right specs

For a retail price of $149.99, UGREEN needs to offer some impressive hardware with its power bank. Fortunately, it delivers. Here, you're getting a dense portable battery pack with a beefy 25,000mAh battery (enough to charge even the largest phone batteries 4-5 times in a row), and a combined output of 145W. All of this is packaged in a container that's not particular thin or light, so this isn't the power bank you'll slip into a pocket on your way out the door — it's meant to live in your bag, able to come out at a moment's notice and top off any of your electronics. There's enough juice and output here even to keep your laptops alive and healthy, and that's vital for many people.

Effortless charging and capacity to last

When I flew to Los Angeles, my flights were rendered considerably longer than they probably had to be, thanks to Delta's tendency to always connect flights through Atlanta International Airport (in the opposite direction I needed to go). Because of this, I was using my devices a lot. I had my Surface Headphones 2 on essentially the entire time, really pushing the 18-hour battery life (still consistent even after several years of use) across the four flights I had to take over three days (flew out on Thursday, stayed Friday, flew back Saturday).

I was using my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold5 to listen to Spotify for hours at a time (I'm currently a little obsessed with Sleep Token), watch the occasional TikTok, and keep up to date with Twi—um, X, and stay in touch with friends, family, and the Windows Central team. I also had my Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+, which saw regular usage for Solitaire, Sudoku, drawing, and anything else I wanted to do during my flights when I wasn't reading — and finishing — the Terry Brooks novel I brought with me. I had a laptop with me, too, of course, choosing to bring the HP ZBook Firefly 14" (G10).

When I was actually in LA, I scarcely had time to charge anything but my phone and smartwatch in between working and sleeping, so everything else relied on the 100% charged UGREEN power bank I stashed in my bag as I headed out the door. To keep up with that trip, a power bank needs to both charge fast and last long, and UGREEN's 145W, 25,000mAh solution excelled in both categories.

This chunky power bank can charge up to three devices simultaneous with its dual USB Type-C ports and single USB Type-A port, although the speeds you get depend on which ports you're using. This gets a little confusing, but I'll try to summarize: both USB Type-C ports max out at 100W and 45W, respectively, and you can achieve those speeds by using either port by itself or with the other Type-C port (but not with the Type-A port). The USB Type-A port maxes out at 18W speeds either by itself or when used with the 100W Type-C port. Finally, the second USB Type-C port and the USB Type-A port both max out at 15W when used together, regardless of if the 100W USB Type-C port is used.

Generally, the 100W USB Type-C port is always charging at up to 100W, depending on your device's charging capabilities, which is great. The other two ports may have slower charging speeds depending on which other ports are being used. In practice, I was able to keep all of my devices charged with ease, and at the end of my trip the battery bank still had around 50% of battery life left. Charging was reliable, fast, and effortless, and the UGREEN 145W battery bank feels like a quality, well-built accessory in the hand. What more could you ask for?

A simple screen, a too-small carrying bag

UGREEN's fast charging power bank features a simple LED screen on its side alongside a power button for said screen. When I say simple, I mean it — the screen does nothing more than show the power bank's current charge level. I wish this screen could also show the current charging speeds when devices are plugged in, to ensure that everything is working properly. At least the power button as one other function, in that you can hold it down for 3 seconds to enable "trickle charge" mode, ideal for when you want to charge your devices overnight but don't wish to stress the battery.

You also get a simple carrying bag in the box. It's nothing fancy, just a quality felt tote with some drawstrings, but it's still nice to have. However, it's just too small. It feels like it was precision measured to exactly fit this UGREEN power bank, which means it's actually a surprising struggle to squeeze it into the bag. Once you get it in there, you have just enough room at the top for the tiny, 100W USB Type-C to Type-C cable that also comes in the bag. It's mostly fine for the power bank to permanently live in this bag, as you can position all the ports at the top, but if you want to reveal the screen to check the charge level? Yeah, prepare for another struggle to slowly shimmy the bag down the power bank.

Finally, while the thicc, 145W-capable power bank from UGREEN doesn't break a sweat charging laptops and tablets galore with the Power Delivery standard, it does not support Samsung's Super Fast Charging standard. Yeah, most of my daily driver devices are made by Samsung, but I don't get 45W or even 25W fast charging with this power bank — I'm limited to just 18W. That's not trickle charging, but it definitely takes longer than with Samsung's official chargers. I'm not sure how much blame is on UGREEN for this omission, but it's still unfortunate.

The only power bank you need

You probably don't need a power bank of this caliber when you have frequent access to outlets, but the other you? Yeah, you, the one with multiple devices and frequent travels — this is the only power bank you need. The UGREEN 145W Fast Charging Power Bank (25,000mAh) is built extremely well, is utterly reliable, can charge even the best Windows laptops at max speeds, and can ensure all your devices never want for more power. If you're worried about capacity, you can charge the massive, exorbitant, 14.4" Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra from 0-100% twice with this power bank and still have enough juice to keep your wireless headphones afloat.

A smarter screen, a roomier bag, and support for Samsung's fastest charging speeds would all be great to have — and may influence your purchasing decision — but UGREEN is offering a competitive solution in the $150 price range that goes toe-to-toe with other companies like Anker. This is a great fast charging power bank, and it was a genuine lifesaver during the over 16 hours of combined travel I did to get to LA and back home. It's overkill for many people, especially given how it's just a little too big to fit in even the roomiest pants pocket, but those who need it won't be disappointed.