NiteCore NB20000
Ultralight 20,000 mAh 45W USB-C PD Power Bank
Introduction Good Bad Missing Specifications
Measurements User's Guide Recommendations
NiteCore NB20000 Power Bank (11.4 oz./ 323g, $99.95). bigger. I'd get mine at B&H, at Amazon or at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. It also comes as a thinner 10,000 mAh version, the NiteCore NB10000.
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July 2022 Better Pictures Canon Nikon Sony Fuji LEICA All Reviews
NiteCore NB20000 Power Bank. bigger.
Introduction top
Introduction Good Bad Missing Specifications
Measurements User's Guide Recommendations
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This NiteCore NB20000 claims to be the world's smallest and lightest 20,000 mAh power bank. It packs a punch for such a little gem, with a 45W USB-C PD output, and charges at up to 30W. It also comes as a thinner 10,000 mAh version, the NiteCore NB10000.
The NB20000 really is small and light. I certainly haven't seen every power bank out there, but it is smaller and lighter than my my Anker PowerCore Select 20000 (11.4 oz./323g versus 13.5 oz./382g), and my Anker PowerCore Solar 20,000 is much larger and weighs a portly 16.7 oz. (474g) by comparison.
The NB20000 is small, and it does this by being all battery with no rubber bumpers to add size or weight. Therefore it's a hard plastic brick with pointy corners and hard edges. If you drop it on something hard, expect a cracked or certainly dented corner.
Being small there is less area to radiate heat, so those smaller areas have to get hotter to radiate the same heat as a larger power bank. Therefore at high power the brick can get hot; this is normal.
The top and bottom appear to be woven carbon fiber, and the rest is all plastic.
I'd get my NiteCore NB20000 at B&H, at Amazon or at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. It also comes as a thinner 10,000 mAh version, the NiteCore NB10000.
Good intro top
Lots of power in a small package.
USB-C PD and USB-A outputs.
Mine actually weighs 0.045 oz. (1.3g) less than advertised!
Lack of rubber coating makes it smaller, lighter and much easier to get in and out of a camera case.
Bad intro top
Hard case without bumpers; it's very hard but not necessarily tough used as a portable device.
The second USB-C port marked INPUT never seems to do anything.
Missing intro top
No built-in flashlight.
While it claims pass-though USB-A power outputs while charging via the USB-C INPUT port, I found that the INPUT input is ignored and never does anything. I can charge only through the IN/OUT 1 port, during which sometimes I can get some output at the USB-A ports. Good luck.
Comes with a USB-C to USB-A cord, but no USB-C to USB-C cord.
No case included.
Specifications top
Introduction Good Bad Missing Specifications
Measurements User's Guide Recommendations
I'd get my NiteCore NB20000 at B&H, at Amazon or at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. It also comes as a thinner 10,000 mAh version, the NiteCore NB10000.
Electrical Specifications Engraved on Side specifications top
NiteCore NB20000 Power Bank. bigger.
Size specifications top
5.37" × 2.36" × 0.84"
136.3 mm × 60 mm × 21.4 mm.
Weight specifications top
11.405 oz. (323.3g) actual measured weight.
Rated 11.45 oz. (324.5 g).
Quality specifications top
Made in China.
Environment specifications top
IPX5 rated.
Included specifications top
Power Bank.
USB-C to USB-A cable.
Printed instructions.
Price, U. S. A. specifications top
July 2022
Measurements top
Introduction Good Bad Missing Specifications
Measurements User's Guide Recommendations
I'd get my NiteCore NB20000 at B&H, at Amazon or at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. It also comes as a thinner 10,000 mAh version, the NiteCore NB10000.
Charge Power performance top
From USB-A
I measure up to 18W (12.2 V at 1.437 A) charging from a USB-A QC3 source to the USB-C input.
When done it draws 194 mW as a trickle.
From USB-C PD
I measure up to 28.85W charging via USB-C PD (20.000 V at 1.4425 A), during which it gets pleasantly warm; hotter at the connectors.
When done it draws 110 mW (12 mA at 9 V) as a trickle.
Charge Energy performance top
I measure that it takes 90.32 Wh to charge completely from empty via USB-C PD.
Discharge Energy performance top
I was able to draw 63.95 Wh from the USB-C PD port from a fully charged battery.
Battery Capacity
I measure 76.00 Wh (the geometric average of the charge and discharge energies), which is amazingly close to the advertised 77 Wh.
Efficiency performance top
Since we get 64.95 Wh out from 90.32 Wh in, that gives us a 70.8% overall efficiency, or an 84.14% charge or discharge efficiency.
This is on the low side; I usually see about an 80% overall or 90% charge or discharge efficiency. No big deal, I doubt anyone reading this realized that these devices always lose about 10% of your energy charging or discharging; you never can get 77 Wh from a 77 Wh battery inside a power converter like all power banks.
Discharge Power performance top
I had no problem charging my 12.9" iPad Pro Third Generation (2018) at 35 W through USB-C; I have no problem believing the 45W USB-C PD claim.
User's Guide top
Introduction Good Bad Missing Specifications
Measurements User's Guide Recommendations
I'd get my NiteCore NB20000 at B&H, at Amazon or at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. It also comes as a thinner 10,000 mAh version, the NiteCore NB10000.
Charging user's guide top
Mine only charges through the IN / OUT 1 USB-C port. My INPUT port always seems to be ignored.
Luckily it charges from any USB-A or USB-C source, so long as you have an appropriate cord.
Low-Power Device Charging user's guide top
The NB20000 shuts itself off when it thinks your device is done charging. If you are charging a very low-power device, it may turn itself off anyway and you'll be out of luck.
To work around this, there is a "low power" mode where it won't turn off. To get this mode, tap the button twice. You'll see a white LED, which signifies that it is going to stay on regardless. If you use this mode, you're on your own to turn it off when done by holding the button a few seconds.
My beyerdynamic AVENTHO Bluetooth headphones charge quickly, with enough power to keep this power bank ON, and it all shuts off when they're done, no special mode needed. Likewise my Apple Watch charges fast enough with enough power so no special mode is needed.
If you have no problems, you don't need this mode. Only use it if the NB20000 is turning off on you.
Pass-Through Charging user's guide top
This means that you can charge other devices from this bank while charging it. It might be helpful while traveling so you can carry less.
NiteCore says this works only if you use the INPUT USB-C input and the USB-A outputs.
I found that my INPUT input is ignored. I only can charge through the IN / OUT 1 USB-C input. If I press the button to turn on the bank, sometimes I can get USB-A output at the same time it's charging. I doesn't work reliably for me, good luck.
Cooling user's guide top
If you're concerned about heat buildup, stand it vertically on its side for cooler operation. Don't leave the big flat side facing down; a lot of heat radiates from it.
Seeing the Blue LEDs user's guide top
The LEDs are directional; if you can't see them in the daytime, be sure to look them straight-on.
Recommendations top
Introduction Good Bad Missing Specifications
Measurements User's Guide Recommendations
I'd get my NiteCore NB20000 at B&H, at Amazon or at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. It also comes as a thinner 10,000 mAh version, the NiteCore NB10000.
This is the most power-dense power bank I've seen. I keep it in my padded camera case, where it's ideal for charging or operating cameras or MacBook Pros or phones or iPads or anything.
I'd be careful and put it in a sock if just throwing it in a backpack with other items; it's not rubber padded.
I'd get my NiteCore NB20000 at B&H, at Amazon or at eBay if you know How to Win at eBay. It also comes as a thinner 10,000 mAh version, the NiteCore NB10000.
This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of these links to approved sources when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.
Thanks for helping me help you!
Ken.
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