The $70 CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE is impressively good, but has one catch

What is an “SE” product? Most people would say it stands for “special edition”. I am still not quite sure, but in tech, we’ve learned to associate this modifier with products that cost less yet still deliver the core features and capabilities that make for a good user experience. An obvious example is the iPhone SE series, but other manufacturers have also adopted this naming strategy, and now CUKTECH is joining the party.

The CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE comes with a large 25,000mAh battery, a capacity that the industry has agreed is the sweet spot between capability and portability. The thing is, such battery packs are usually on the higher end of the price spectrum, with a bunch of fancy specs that inflate prices. The CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE reduces the cost to a much more budget-friendly $69.99, all without sacrificing most of what made CUKTECH such a surprisingly good manufacturer to begin with.

A bit about the CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE hardware

When we first checked out CUKTECH power banks some years ago, we were mainly impressed by the value and performance they offered, but we were also impressed by the brand’s awesome design and build quality, even matching giants like Anker. I am glad to report that this hasn’t changed one bit, and the same philosophy applies to the more affordable CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE.

While made of plastic, you can feel that this is good-quality plastic. The 1.19lbs of weight feels very well balanced, too. Nothing is loose and the single button feels solid.

Something that stood out is the change in the form factor. This power bank is shaped differently than what we’re used to with 25,000mAh battery packs, which are usually shaped more like a tall soda can. This one is flatter and thinner, with dimensions of 6.3 x 3.15 x 1.06 inches.

Built-in cables are all the hype these days, and CUKTECH added a nice one to this power bank. It is braided and feels very resistant. Apparently, it is, as it has been tested to resist 10,000 bends.

I don’t think you’re supposed to, but I’ve used this cable as a lanyard and never felt like the USB-C plug would come out of its docking slot or that the cable was about to rip apart. Again, don’t try this at home, but it’s worth noting that I was able to use it and abuse it without worries.

Overall, I feel like CUKTECH didn’t make any real sacrifices in design or build quality. The brand continues to spoil us in this department, which is nice to see.

My experience using the CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE

While it took some getting used to, I am liking the new form factor here. Something like the popular CUKTECH 20 Power Bank ($119.99 at Amazon) or Anker Laptop Power Bank ($94.49 at Amazon) would fit better in something like a backpack bottle holder. Something like the CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE fits more comfortably in flatter pockets, or maybe even laptop bags, thanks to the thinner profile. It seems to offer more versatility when transporting it.

The 25,000mAh battery capacity is ideal for me. This is enough to give my laptop a full charge on the go if needed. At the same time, it can power my smartphone multiple times (3-4 times for most handsets).

It’s enough to get rid of battery anxiety, and would keep my smartphone running a full weekend with about 30%-40% of juice to spare. I usually don’t use my laptop on weekends, but I did a couple of times, and the extra boost was definitely nice, helping me do some overtime work here and there for a few hours.

And yes, it can power a laptop. The integrated USB-C cable can push up to 100W. And while it was nice not having to carry any cables, you certainly can. It has an extra 100W USB-C port and a USB-A connection with a more modest (but still good) 22.5W max output. Just keep in mind that speeds drop to 20W if you’re using more than one of these simultaneously.

By the way, you can also recharge the power bank at 100W. I tried this and managed to see it go up to about 97W a few times, which gets me about a 25% boost in only 15 minutes. Things slow down a bit after, due to heat, but overall, it charges pretty fast, and you can recharge it using the built-in cable or the secondary USB-C port. Your choice!

CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE: What are the sacrifices?

Again, finding a nice 25,000mAh power bank for $69.99 is pretty rare. Something must give, right? As with all SE products out there, some sacrifices were made, but I don’t feel like they are true deal-breakers.

The only significant downside is the multi-port charging speed. While both USB-C ports can charge rather fast at 100W, these speeds quickly drop with multiple connections. We see these in all power banks, really, but not as drastically. If you plug in 2-3 devices at a time, the speeds drop to just 20W. And I don’t mean per port — the total output, combined, is reduced to 20W.

This results in pretty slow charging, which is OK if you’re not in a rush. If you need a quick recharge, though, you’ll be better off charging one product at a time. By a landslide, too.

Then, there is the screen. Its more expensive counterparts and competitors offer fancy screens with all kinds of information, data, animations, lights, etc. You can usually see how much each input is outputting or inputting, and you can check live details, estimated depletion times, change settings, and more. It’s really cool stuff, but I seldom find it truly helpful. It mostly just satisfies my curiosity, more than it actually improves my charging experience.

The CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE has a single button and a much less intricate screen. It only shows you two things. Press the button once to see how much charge is left in the battery. Press it again, and you’ll see how many watts are moving in or out. That’s it! Would I like to know more? Sure. Do I need to? Not really. Using the CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE, I realized I kind of like the simplicity of the screen’s UI. It’s simple, clean, and to the point.

CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE review verdict: Should you buy it?

The CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE is an outstanding product in most categories. For starters, the $69.99 price point makes it very accessible. Not only that, but it has a build quality that competes with the best, and I happen to like the design’s flatter profile, which fits better in things like laptop bags and backpack pockets.

You’ll enjoy a nicely sized 25,000mAh battery that’s enough to charge a smartphone multiple times. Not to mention, the 100W speeds are really nice, and the built-in USB-C cable is super convenient.

Honestly, there isn’t much to complain about here, but my one complaint may be a deal-breaker to some of you. The fact that the output drops to 20W total as soon as you plug in a second or third device is disappointing. Sharing 20W among three devices results in really slow charging. Most laptops won’t even charge at this point.

That said, the rest of the experience is quite awesome for a power bank that is a cent under $70. If you’re OK with only fast-charging one device at a time, I would definitely recommend the CUKTECH 25 Power Bank SE. If multi-device charging really matters to you, though, the CUKTECH 20 Power Bank ($119.99 at Amazon) is the best option from the brand.