RAVPower 26800mAh Power Bank: Keep your smartphone powered for over a week without reaching for a wall charger

We use our mobile devices more than ever. No matter how much we ask manufacturers to deliver smartphones and tablets with multi-day battery life, we’re hamstrung by the advancement in software and hardware that outpaces energy efficiency. When we don’t have access to wall chargers, we rely on portable battery banks to keep our devices powered. Right now, there aren’t many batteries larger than the RAVPower 26800mAh portable power bank, and we’re here to tell you a little more about it.

Build and Specs

• 26800mAh power rating
• 2.4A Wall charger and two micro USB cables included
• Charge three devices simultaneously
• 500+ recharge cycles
• Dimensions – 6.77″ x 0.79″ x 3.15″
• Weight – 1 pound
• 18-month warranty

The RAVPower 26800mAh power bank is the one to rule them all when it comes to portable charging needs. It has a massive capacity at 26800mAh – for comparison sake, the Samsung Galaxy S8 has a 3000mAh internal battery which is roughly 10% of the capacity of the RAVPower power bank. The iPhone 7 has an even smaller battery at 1960mAh. The 2017 15″ MacBook Pro, which is a full-sized laptop has an internal battery at roughly 6800mAh. When you compare the RavPower power bank to any of these devices, it dwarfs their capacities.

The RAVPower portable power bank has a simple, yet refined design that shows off the company’s expertise at manufacturing mobile accessories. It’s roughly the same length and width of an iPhone 7 Plus, or Samsung Galaxy S8+, while being noticeably thicker at .79″. The size is actually quite svelte considering its large capacity, as I’ve seen lesser batteries in larger packages. The massive power bank comes in a matte and textured plastic finish that resists fingerprints, scratches, and nicks from normal usage. There are three full-sized USB A output ports that can charge three devices at the same time, with one micro USB input port for recharging. There’s also a power button for powering on the device, and a basic four LED indicator that shows the user how much power remains.

It’s a standard design that won’t shout out for attention but will outlast most mobile products you use today.

RAVPower was kind enough to throw in a mesh carrying pouch, two flat micro USB charging cables as well as a 2.4A wall outlet that can be used to recharge any device that relies on USB power.

Usage

There are certain times in the year when I know I am going to be away from a wall outlet for several days at a time. In those scenarios, I need massive power banks like the one from RAVPower. At 26800mAh, it’s simply one of the largest power banks you can get under $100. It can power just about anything that relies on USB power from smartphones, tablets, wireless headphones and speakers. If you’re looking for a laptop power bank, don’t confuse this with RAVPower’s other 26800mAh power bank which costs $20-30 more. It would be nice if RAVPower gave its power banks better names to differentiate its products, but I digress.

Camping trips, cruises, road trips and overseas vacations are times when I need maximum portable power. On daily trips, I stick to smaller and more portable batteries that I can throw in my pocket like this one here. I brought the RAVPower 26800mAh power bank on my last camping trip where there were several teens who put it to the test. They charged their phones a couple of times each (iPhones) as well as a Bluetooth speaker over a three-day weekend. I even powered two LED light strips from Luminoodle on two of the nights for over five hours and failed to completely drain the power bank. I didn’t need to pull out a solar charger or additional batteries to keep us connected through the entire trip. That’s an impressive feat for a battery, especially when teens never put their phones down.

This specific power bank from RAVPower can only output power at 2.4A, which is the most power an iPhone can take but is not enough to qualify to charge current Android devices at their fastest speeds. That’s not necessarily a bad thing since fast charging puts additional stress and heat on the power bank itself.

When I got home from camping, I recharged the battery bank and continuously powered my Fugoo Go for five full days (at 50% max volume) before I gave up trying to kill the battery. For a power bank, there aren’t very many negative things to say about it. The main downside is its weight at one pound, but this isn’t something I plan on carrying around. It’s more of a mobile power station than a day trip battery.

Conclusion

Power banks are rarely glamorous when it comes to reviews and the RAVPower 26800mAh power bank is no different from the others in that case. However, it’s a star when it comes to keeping multiple devices powered for several days at a time. It can recharge my Samsung Galaxy S8+ roughly nine times which is more than enough to get me through a week without ever needing to grab a wall charger. Or it can keep several teens happy on a three-day camping trip without fear of running out of power. The RAVPower 26800mAh power bank sells for $56.99 at Amazon and is an incredible value. I’ve owned several RAVPower products in the past and they continue to hold their place in my stable of accessories.

Learn more about the RAVPower 26800mAh power bank at Amazon.com.