REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Super easy to carry in a pocket
Short recharge time
REASONS TO AVOID
No integrated cables
Can only charge a single device at a time
Anker PowerCore 5000 Review
One of our overall favorites, this portable charger is simple, high-performing, and affordable
It's hard to go wrong with the simple and affordable PowerCore 5000.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
By David Wise ⋅ Senior Review Editor ⋅ March 7, 2022
Contributions From: Austin Palmer
Our Verdict
Earning one of the top scores overall, the Anker PowerCore 5000 is one of the best power banks we've tested to date, offering a top-notch performance at a price that can't be beaten. This battery doesn't have a ton of extra features and has some limitations, such as only being able to charge a single device at a time. However, this portable power pack is inexpensive enough that you can get a few and leave one at your office, one in your car, or wherever you want to make sure that you don't get stuck with a dead battery.
Our Analysis and Test Results
The Anker PowerCore 5000 is one of the easiest contenders to transport, easily fitting in a pocket and being much less cumbersome than many other portable chargers on the market. The PowerCore 5000 has a bit less battery capacity than other heftier power banks, but should be more than enough to fully charge most smartphones at least once. However, it lacks any convenience features like integrated cables or multiple charging methods.
The PowerCore 5000 is one of the easiest to fit in a pocket.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Portability
Anker's PowerCore 5000 is one of the most portable and easy-to-carry power packs out there.
This power pack utilizes a small cylindrical profile, measuring about 1.3 inches in diameter and 4.2 inches long, and weighs in at a scant 4.71 oz. — making it one of the lightest battery packs out of the entire group.
The Anker PowerCore 5000 should also be your first choice if you're seeking a charger you can slip into your pocket while you walk around. This battery is one of the best at fitting in either a front or back pocket and has the USB output port on the end. This lets you easily plug in a device and charge it while you are walking around, keeping the device in one pocket and the battery in another, running the cable around your waist.
This battery is much smaller than most of the devices it can charge.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Charging Efficiency
This portable battery has a stated capacity of 5000 mAh, and we were able to get 3259 mAh, or about 65% of this, out of the battery when setting the discharge rate at 2 amps. It maintained this for around 3100 mAh, then shut off. We restarted it at a 1 amp discharge rate and got it to run for a few more minutes, but then it completely died. We ran the entire test again at a 1 amp discharge rate and only got a little more total energy from the battery, with our meter registering a total discharge of 3343 mAh before it died.
Anker claims that this battery pack can deliver 1.1 Samsung Galaxy S9, 1.8 iPhone 8, or 1.1 iPhone X charges, which aligned very closely with our results. We didn't have an S9, but we were able to charge a Samsung Galaxy S8 1.12 times before the PowerCore 5000 was totally depleted.
You aren't just limited to charging your phone with these devices.
Added Convenience
The Anker PowerCore 5000 has a small, simple design with no bells and whistles, requiring an additional cable to recharge the battery or to charge any devices. It does include a micro USB cable, but you need to either plug it into your computer or provide your own AC wall adapter for charging.
This battery pack only has a single output port, so you are limited to charging a single device at a time, and it does not have a built-in flashlight. However, it comes with an 18-month limited warranty.
This battery only has a single output port.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Recharge Time
This battery pack completely recharged in about two and a half hours in our test, right in line with the manufacturer's estimated time of 2-3 hours with a 2 amp charger.
Should You Buy the Anker PowerCore 5000?
While this battery doesn't have a ton of extra features, it's ultra portable, performs well, and is affordable. If you want a top-notch portable charger, we think the Anker PowerCore 5000 is a great choice.
This smaller battery recharges quite quickly.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
What Other Portable Chargers Should You Consider?
If you're hoping to charge multiple devices at once, check out the INIU Portable Charger 10000. To really stretch your dollars, the Miady 10000 comes in a 2-pack for a very affordable price. And if you need something that can charge your heavy-duty devices, like a laptop, the Anker PowerCore+ 26800 PD will do the job.
—David Wise and Austin Palmer
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