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My top-rated laptop power bank works with almost any model - and has a useful display

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ZDNET's key takeaways The Bluetti X20 has a massive capacity designed for high-draw devices, available now for $199.

It's kitted out with a DC port, and it comes with a dozen adapters covering most laptops on the market.

There's no carry handle, so the unit can be a bit cumbersome to carry. View now at Walmart

Most of us think of power banks as small, smartphone-sized battery packs that can be slipped into a pocket or clamped onto the back of a smartphone. But there's a category of power banks that are much bigger and beefier than that -- and they certainly won't fit into a pocket.

Also: I've tested dozens of cheap portable power stations and this EcoFlow is my favorite

Take the Bluetti X20, a power bank built to power laptops and other high-capacity devices. Sure, you can use it to charge your smartphone or earbuds, but that would be overkill.

This is a big charger -- it's a massive 153.6Wh / 12Ah unit measuring 8.1 inches × 8.1 inches × 3.0 inches and weighing over 5 pounds. The exterior shell is made of a mix of hard and soft polymer, and it's designed to take bumps, knocks, and impacts.

The batteries are LiFePO4 cells and should be good for over 2,500 charge cycles. This means that if you use the X20 daily, fully charging and discharging it every day, the batteries should provide over six years of use before chemical wear catches up with them.

Unlike smaller power banks, the X20 features dual built-in fans that monitor the battery temperature and automatically adjust to prevent overheating and maintain optimal ventilation.

The Bluetti X20 tech specs. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

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