I recently spent two weeks traveling with a 14-inch MacBook Pro and an Android phone in my bag, testing a selection of portable battery packs that promised one-trip convenience: the ability to recharge both a MacBook Pro and a phone (sometimes fast) without hunting for wall outlets. The idea is appealing — work-from-anywhere without tethering yourself to airport plugs — but reality is more nuanced. In this hands-on roundup I share what worked, what didn’t, and the practical trade-offs you’ll live with if you pick a high-capacity pack for a day (or several) on the road.

What I tested and why

I focused on packs that meet three criteria: USB-C PD output powerful enough to charge a MacBook Pro at sensible speeds (typically 45W and up), at least one additional USB output for a phone, and portability for travel. I tested these units in everyday scenarios: a long flight where I worked on battery only, a coffee-shop day on no outlets, and a short road trip where the pack charged a phone, laptop, and my camera. Brands included Anker (PowerCore III Elite), Zendure (SuperTank Pro), Omnicharge/Omni (Omni 20+), and Baseus, plus a couple of interesting new entrants in the 30,000-40,000 mAh range.

All tests used the same MacBook Pro model (14-inch, 2023 with M2 Pro) and a Pixel 7 phone. I measured real charging current with a USB-C power meter, timed laptop-to-full cycles, and tracked actual available capacity by charging devices until the pack reached cutoff.

Key real-world metrics I focused on

  • Wattage delivered to MacBook Pro: Is the pack able to sustain 45W, 67W, or 100W? That determines whether the Mac stays charged during heavy work (compilation, video editing) or just tops up during light tasks.
  • Simultaneous charging: Can the pack supply both the laptop and phone at useful speeds, or does it throttle when multiple ports are in use?
  • True usable capacity: Manufacturer mAh numbers are often optimistic. How many full laptop charges or phone charges can you realistically expect?
  • Size and weight: Portability matters. A heavy 30,000 mAh brick that doubles your bag weight might defeat the purpose.
  • Convenience: Features like passthrough charging, display indicators, and fold-out plugs matter in travel contexts.

    • What I learned — the short practical takeaways

  • Not all “100W” claims are equal: Some packs advertise high peak output but only sustain that for a short time. The Zendure SuperTank Pro and Anker PowerCore III Elite held 60–100W consistently on the USB-C port, while smaller units dipped below 45W under sustained load.
  • Simultaneous charging often forces compromises: Many packs downshift the primary USB-C output once the secondary port is used. That meant my MacBook Pro shifted from 67W to 45W or even 30W during a heavy background phone charge, which can cause battery drain under load.
  • Usable capacity is the real metric: In my testing, a 20,000 mAh pack delivered roughly 50–60% of its rated capacity to devices when charging a MacBook Pro (because of voltage conversion losses and power management), equating to 0.8–1 full laptop charge for larger models and multiple phone charges.
  • Size/weight trade-offs: The 45W lightweight options are easy to carry and perfect for topping up a MacBook during light work, but for full-day unplugged runs you’ll want a 30,000–40,000 mAh pack — accept the extra weight.

    • My hands-on results (high-level)

    ModelRatedReal sustained PDSimultaneous behaviorReal-world MacBook chargesWeight
    Anker PowerCore III Elite 25600 87W 25,600 mAh / 87W Up to 85W briefly, stabilizes ~60–70W Drops to ~45W when phone charged on USB-A simultaneously ~1.2 full 14" MacBook Pro charges ~600 g
    Zendure SuperTank Pro 27,000 mAh / 140W (total) Stable 100W on primary USB-C when single device Splits intelligently; two devices get ~60W + 30W ~1.3 full charges ~920 g
    Omnicharge Omni 20+ (smaller) 20,000 mAh / 60W Stable 60W, good for light-to-medium use Secondary USB-C drops throughput to ~30W ~0.9 full charge ~600 g
    Baseus 65W Slim 20,000 mAh / 65W 65W briefly, generally ~45–60W Throttles primary when phone is charging ~0.9 full charge ~540 g

    Real scenarios — what happened in the field

    On a 7-hour flight I used the Zendure SuperTank Pro and worked in VS Code, Safari with multiple tabs, and a terminal compile. The pack delivered 100W initially and sustained about 67–85W for most of the flight; my MacBook Pro stayed near 100% battery the whole time and ended with a slight drop of about 5% when the pack neared its low threshold. I also charged my phone via the second USB-C, which got a fast 30–40W top-up — the pack balanced both without painfully reducing laptop speed.

    Contrast that with a commuter day using the Anker PowerCore III Elite in my backpack: on a train I did light work and used the phone heavily. The laptop input hovered around 45–60W when I simultaneously fast-charged my phone. That was fine for email, docs, and light browsing, but not enough to stop the MacBook from slowly discharging during a heavy build task.

    For full-day unplugged work, the Omnicharge Omni 20+ felt like the sweet spot if you prioritize weight. It won’t replace long, heavy compute sessions, but it’s excellent for writers, editors, and people who need reliable top-ups rather than full, repeated MacBook charges.

    Practical buying advice — match the pack to your workflow

  • You’re a power user who compiles, edits video, or runs heavy workloads: Buy a high-wattage, high-capacity pack (Zendure SuperTank Pro or similar 100W+ units). Expect more weight, but you’ll keep full performance when working.
  • You want all-day battery but will do light tasks: A 60–85W 20,000–30,000 mAh pack (Anker PowerCore III Elite, Omnicharge Omni) is a good compromise. It’s lighter and handles simultaneous phone charging ok as long as your workflows aren’t CPU-bound.
  • You prioritize portability: Choose a slimmer 45–65W unit and accept that you’ll need to charge more frequently. Perfect for meetings and short flights.
  • Don’t forget cables: Quality USB-C PD cables matter. In my tests, older or cheaper cables capped the delivered wattage and caused more throttling than the pack itself.

    • Tips for getting the most out of a single-trip setup

  • Charge the battery pack to 100% before you leave — many packs refuse passes to devices when they are low and trying to preserve the internal battery.
  • Use the port labeled for high PD output for your laptop. Some packs have one “high-power” port and others share power across ports.
  • If you must run a heavy task and charge a phone simultaneously, pause background apps on the phone or use a slower charge setting to avoid heavy throttling.
  • Consider a pack with passthrough (simultaneous input and output) if you want to top up the pack while it’s charging devices — handy at airport gates, though passthrough can increase heat.
  • Carry one high-quality USB-C 100W cable and a spare. That alone saved me from several frustrating underpowered sessions.

    • Final recommendation (practical)

    For most people who want the convenience of recharging both a MacBook Pro and a phone on one trip, the best choice is a mid-to-high-capacity pack that can sustain at least 60W on its primary USB-C port and intelligently allocate power when another device is plugged in. The Zendure SuperTank Pro is the most capable I tested for heavy users; the Anker PowerCore III Elite and Omnicharge Omni 20+ are better-balanced for travel and lighter workflows. Match the pack to how you work: value sustained wattage for heavy computing, and favor weight and size if you’re mostly doing browsing, email, and documents.