Anker PowerCore Slim PD review: Simple, slim, and steady

It’s tough to shop for charging accessories without stumbling across Anker’s products. Case in point, the company offers 30 different power banks in its portfolio. Some offer wireless charging, others deliver 45W speeds, and several even have solar panels and built-in flashlights. Sometimes, however, you just want a simple, slimline portable charger that does the basics well. In this Anker PowerCore Slim PD review, we’ll see if this power bank ticks those boxes.

See also: The best portable chargers and power banks

What you need to know about the Anker PowerCore Slim PD

• Anker PowerCore Slim PD (10,000mAh): $29.99 / £35.99 / €29.99

It’s not the largest or the fastest, but today we’re checking out Anker’s 10,000mAh PowerCore Slim PD. It packs a USB-A port and a USB-C, which top out at 12W and 18W, respectively. Anker’s lightweight power bank measures 149.6 x 68.6 x 14.5mm and easily slips into a pocket.

The entire design is plastic, with a circular button on the top to check the remaining charge. Like most Anker products, it relies on a set of four blue LEDs.

Inside the box, you’ll only find the power bank itself, some essential paperwork, and a USB-C to USB-C cable. At a relatively modest $29.99 asking price, we can’t say there’s too much more to expect in the compact packaging.

What’s good?

The key selling point is all in the name — Anker’s PowerCore Slim PD is a great size for travel. It’s similar in size to a Google Pixel 5 and weighs just 212g. Anker kept the overall design simple, combining the charging status LEDs with the button used to check them. The all-over plastic design is relatively smooth, but the textured top panel offers just enough grip when you’re fishing through a backpack.

I think Anker also got the price just right with its PowerCore Slim PD. It will only set you back $29.99, a significant saving over Anker’s PowerCore III Wireless.

The PowerCore Slim PD offers solid charging support, even if the speeds aren’t world-changing. It packs Power Delivery in the USB-C port with Quick Charge 2 and 3 in both ports. You can use Apple’s 2.4A standard for your older devices, and 18W USB-C speeds are good enough for most accessories. Personally, I achieved 17.3W speeds on an iPhone 12 Pro, with a Samsung Galaxy S21 reaching 14.4W — nearly the 15W max you can get without having a charging accessory with USB PD PPS support (more on that in the next section).

What’s not so good?

While the 18W USB-C speeds are usually enough for one device, they won’t keep up when you need to charge multiple devices at once. The PowerCore Slim PD splits 18W between both ports, and I regularly found that the iPhone 12 Pro took the lion’s share. It grabbed between 10.5-11W speeds compared to 7.5-8.5W on the Galaxy S21, regardless of the port.

I also would not turn to the PowerCore Slim PD to charge a full-size laptop. It reached 14.4W Power Delivery speeds for my Microsoft Surface Laptop 3, which isn’t close to the 65W maximum. Overall, it serves best as a power bank for phones and tablets, though that’s true of any 10,000mAh power bank — look for something with a higher capacity.

As I mentioned above, this power bank supports USB Power Delivery, but it does not cover the USB PD PPS standard. That means it won’t get your recent Samsung Galaxy or Google Pixel flagship devices back to speed as fast as others. However, you can’t always get the fastest standards for this price, so this is less of a criticism and more a PSA for anyone with a Pixel 6 or Galaxy S21 phone.

See also: The best USB-C cables you can buy

Anker PowerCore Slim PD review: Should I buy it?

If you need a simple, slender power bank with Power Delivery, the PowerCore Slim PD is a great choice. It’s lightweight and small enough to slip in a pocket or backpack, and there are no frills or wasted space. While the 18W top speeds may not be enough for certain USB Power Delivery PPS devices, it’s still a good power bank for most portable gadgets and accessories.

That said, if you’re looking for a 10,000mAh portable charger with a bit more punch, you may want to check out some of Anker’s PowerCore III Wireless ($49) which adds a Qi charging panel on top and a handy kickstand to stream your favorite shows. Mophie’s Powerstation PD XL ($25) is another worthy competitor. It’s smaller than the PowerCore Slim PD and still supports Power Delivery. If you want the very best 10,000mAh power bank, the Samsung 25W Wireless Portable Battery ($79), you’ll be paying quite a bit more, but getting full USB PD PPS support, 7.5W wireless charging, and premium build quality.