Summary
All I want from an external, backup, battery is a lot of power and speed in a compact size. The aptly, but not sufficiently namedUgreen 300W 48,000mAh Portable Chargeris a device after my heart. It’s hard to resist its adorable frame while still managing to charge a laptop quickly or an iPhone 15 Pro more than 10 times.
Ugreen 300W 48,000mAh Portable Charger
This portable charger has a maximum total output of 300W, PD3.1 support, 140W bidirectional charging, and five ports. With 140W self-charging speed, full charging takes about 1.5 hours.
Price and Availability
The Ugreen 300W 48,000mAh Portable Charger retails for $199.99 but has frequently been on sale for $169 or less. For comparison, theUgreen Nexode Power Bank 20,000mAh 130Wbattery has less than half the capacity and half the speed (only 3 ports) and retails for $99. [The 300W Portable Charger has been briefly unavailable on Amazon, but does return with more stock.]
A Big Battery With a Handy Light
To be clear, the Ugreen 300W 48,000mAh Portable Charger is only compact compared to a big power station. Its 4.1-pound weight isn’t ideal for a backpack or purse, but it’s much smaller than five 10,000mAh batteries would have been several years ago.
The battery is highly suitable for moving around the house, in the backyard, packed in a car, or used in any similar scenario. Its handle makes it easy to pick up. Camping might be the perfect use for this device, although keeping it around the house just for emergency power wouldn’t be out of the question.
Along the side of the battery is a light strip with low, high, and SOS lighting modes. If you only want to use it as a light, it will keep burning for 115 to 150 hours, depending on the brightness level. I liked that the battery had a light, but often forgot about it.
That’s an extreme use and would put the battery’s five USB ports to waste. Three USB-C ports flank the bottom and two USB-A ports reside above those. Depending on how many ports are in use at once will determine how much power each one is capable of putting out.
The complete diagram is complicated, but the main things you need to know are that the first USB-C port is capable of 140W out (and in), a single USB-A port can do 22.5W out, and all three USB-C ports can be used at the same time to handle 100W out each.
The Finer Details Are the Best Parts
Plenty of battery capacity, more than enough to charge a MacBook Air M2 15-inch, is great. Speedy power is fantastic too. Those are expected things though. The same is true for Ugreen’s stated safety protection against overcharging, high temperatures, or short-circuiting. Consumers just expect these batteries to be safe by default.
My favorite thing about the Ugreen 300W 48,000mAh Portable Charger might be its smart screen. (I thinkall batteries should have displaysthough.)
The display shows its current level of charge along with in and out speeds. I don’t necessarily need to see how fast my X100VI camera is charging with a USB-C cable, but seeing its 7W light up on the display is interesting. It’s great to be able to confirm that the Ugreen battery is being re-charged at its top speed too.
If you didn’t know that most devices slow down their charging speeds as their batteries get full, you might see that first-hand on the smart display. It might have been nice to see more individualized data per USB port on the screen, or heat, but I also like the minimalism and the clean design of the small amount of data too.
It’s minor, but I also like that there are rubber feet on the bottom of the battery and the back. It can be used upright or on its back without rubbing against the surface.
Should You Buy Ugreen 300W 48,000mAh Portable Charger?
TheUgreen 300W 48,000mAh Portable Chargeris supposed to be a fast, powerful, and compact battery. That’s exactly what it is. The abundance of ports makes it handy for a family spending time away from home too. Everyone can plug in at once.
The $199 retail price is a bit high, but I’ve only seen the battery on sale, usually around $169 or lower. In that case, it’s hard to beat, unless you specifically need a physically smaller, lightweight, battery to pack. Still, I like this one’s built-in light, smart display, and versatility for nearly any electronic power need.
