Anker. For me, they started off as one of those unknown brands on Amazon. But over the years, they’ve made a real name for themselves, especially when it comes to power banks and Bluetooth speakers. Recently they released their first-ever wireless power bank, the PowerCore 10K Wireless. And we’ve been lucky enough to get our hands on one and put it to the test.
Build Quality & Design – 9/10
When it comes to build quality, Anker is renowned for creating robust pieces of kit that will last a lifetime. I’ve had one of their Classic Bluetooth Speakers (previously known as the MP141) for just over six years now. And it still sounds as good today when I use it at work, as it did when I first unpackaged it. But despite that, a lot of products Anker make do look a little basic. But how will the PowerCore 10K Wireless measure up?
Well, it’s solid and has a decent weight to it. And although having a battery inside I probably shouldn’t drop it deliberately, I did so anyway in the name of science. The highest height being about 2 metres from the ground, because I’m likely to have it on a shelf and knock it off. Surprisingly there wasn’t a scratch on it, and I’ve not seen any kind of drop in the performance. Showing that Anker has delivered again.
One reason it’s so tough is the PowerCore 10K Wireless has a rubberized coating. It may not sound like much, but it offers shock absorption and is more durable opposed to the standard plastic casing. On top is the Anker logo, with a small raised ring around it where the wireless charging magic happens. One side has an on/off button, the other four LED indicators show battery level. At the tip, there are two USB outputs, as well as an input only USB-C port, used to charge the device itself. Basic, but it does the job.
Functionality – 9/10
The PowerCore 10K Wireless comes fitted with a 10,000mAh Lithium Polymer battery, although you probably guessed the size already by the name. This means, depending on the size of your phone battery, you should be able to get a solid 3-4 charges out of the power bank. And best of all, is you don’t need to carry a cable around with you to charge your phone or another device, as long as it is Qi-compatible and accepts wireless charging.
But don’t worry if not, as you can charge via the two USB ports at the tip. Although it defies the point really of buying a wireless charger, as the standard ones are somewhat cheaper. Still, it’s nice to have options I suppose. The ports do come in handy though because they offer a 12W output, and you can multi-charge, meaning you can charge multiple devices at once. But it will split that 12W through both, so it will slow down the charging.
The wireless pad on top does have a slightly smaller output at 5W, but, that’s not too bad really as most Qi-enabled phones have fast-charging, although some require a cable for that to work. Either way, you won’t have to wait long for it to fill your device with juice. And best of all, you can wirelessly charge your devices whilst the PowerCore 10K Wireless charges itself, meaning you can put them on at night, and wake up with both a fully charged phone and power bank.
The LED indicators on the side are a nice touch too, as they not just tell you its current state, i.e if it’s on or charging, but it can indicate battery level as well. So you’ll never be caught out wondering how much life it has left. It would be nice though to see some added features, such as a torch for example. It’s a really great accessory to have than many power banks now come with as standard. Still, even without, it’s extremely practical.
Value for Money – 8/10
I’ll be honest. Anker isn’t the cheapest brand. You’re going to be able to find some significantly cheaper products normally. A quick search online will throw up numerous different ones from both recognisable and unknown brands. But this really is a case of, you get what you pay for. There is a reason Anker have the reputation they do, and it’s because they don’t cut back on quality.
The PowerCore 10K Wireless currently retails for £29.99 on Amazon (price correct as of 14/06/2020). And normally I’d expect them to be charging much higher, I mean an official Samsung one, which looks extremely similar to this, retails at a much smaller price. And it’s not much more than some of the cheaper alternatives from unknown brands. Plus, the difference in price more than makes up for the fear the cheaper ones may randomly explode in my pocket as they may not have been tested properly.
So yeah, you can get cheaper. But really, this is pretty good value for money considering the exceptional quality you know you’ll receive when you buy an Anker product. If you don’t believe me, just ask someone who owns a Nintendo Switch. This is the only third-party charger that many owners trust not to brick their console. So what does that tell you?
Anker PowerCore 10K Wireless overall thoughts
I can’t say I’m surprised with the PowerCore 10K Wireless. I’ve come to expect great things from Anker, and they’ve delivered again. They’ve got a great product that’s solidly built, performs well and is priced reasonably. It may look a little on the basic side in terms of design, but it’s not a fashion piece, it’s an accessory to your phone or other smart devices. And anyway, if using the wireless charger no one will see it. By all means shop around, but if you want something safe and reliable, Anker has your back.
Anker’s Powercore 10K Wireless is available now from Amazon. You can find it HERE. This is not an affiliate link. But, we would appreciate it if you used it to buy this or anything else you may be looking for as it sends you to smile.amazon which helps raise money for good causes by donating a small percentage of each sale to charity. And whilst you wait for it to arrive, maybe we could tempt you with some more of our hardware reviews. just click HERE to head on over and check them out.