Anker 87W power bank (A1383). Can it run a laptop?
A 20,000mAh power bank for laptop charging that fast-charges at a full 65W, with a built-in USB-C cable and airline-safe capacity.
Reviewed 18 March 2026
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The Anker A1383 power bank does the one thing most 20,000mAh banks only claim: it fast-charges a real laptop at 65W from a single port. Add a built-in USB-C cable at the same speed and airline-safe capacity around 72Wh, and it earns its place in a carry-on, if you can live with the 440g weight and no pass-through.
Pros
- 65W single port fast-charges laptops at full speed
- Built-in cable delivers the same 65W as the port
- Sits comfortably under the 100Wh airline threshold
Cons
- Around 440g, a bag item not a pocket carry
- No pass-through charging
Key takeaways
The four numbers that decide whether this is your bank.
Quick specs
The paper numbers for this Anker power bank 20,000mAh (A1383), straight from Anker’s documentation.
| Capacity | 20,000mAh / approx 72Wh |
| Total output | 87W |
| Max single-port output | 65W (USB-C or built-in cable) |
| USB-A output | 22.5W |
| Recharge input | 65W, approx 1.5 hours |
| PPS | Confirmed on both USB-C outputs |
| Pass-through | Not supported |
| Weight | Approx 440g |
| Size | 157.5 x 73.7 x 25.4mm |
| Warranty | 18 months |
Our verdicts combine hands-on testing by the SGK team with trusted independent lab data and the manufacturer’s published specifications. This Anker A1383 review draws its hard figures from Anker’s official A1383 product page and the Amazon UK listing. See how we test and score.
First impressions and design
Familiar Anker form factor: matte black, four LED dots on the side panel, and a USB-C cable tucked into a recessed slot at one end. The cable has some stiffness to it, which helps when you’re plugging into a laptop on a plane tray table or a hotel desk. Pick it up and the 440g registers straight away. It’s a bag item, not a pocket carry, and it doesn’t pretend to be.
Three ports on one face: the built-in cable recessed on the left, USB-C in the centre, USB-A on the right. The USB-C port handles input and output.
Four LED dots give a clear read on remaining charge at 25 percent per dot, precise enough to decide whether to top up before boarding.
Anker rates the cable for 10,000 bends and 5,000 twists, with reinforced joints at the root where integrated cables usually fail first.
Charging performance on a laptop
Anyone shopping for a power bank for laptop use is asking one question: does it hold a real charge, not a top-up. At approximately 72Wh rated capacity, with a typical 15 percent USB-C transfer loss, you get around 61Wh of usable output. That’s a calculated estimate, not a stopwatch figure.
| iPhone 16 (13Wh) | ~4.7 full charges |
| Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (19Wh) | ~3.2 full charges |
| iPad Pro 11-inch (31Wh) | ~2.0 full charges |
Calculated estimates from manufacturer specs and typical USB-C transfer losses. Real-world counts vary with cable quality, temperature and battery condition.
On a travel day through Heathrow Terminal 5, Alan ran a laptop and a phone from this bank at the same time and both kept charging at a useful rate through the session, the real test of the dual-output claim. Running both USB-C outputs at once drops the per-port wattage below the 65W peak, so expect useful speed to both devices rather than full speed to each.
Recharge is around 1.5 hours from a 65W USB-C wall charger, Anker’s own published figure. A slower charger stretches that out, so pairing it with a 65W GaN travel charger is worth it if you want to top the bank up between flights.
Can a power bank charge a laptop?
Yes, but the number that matters is watts, not milliamp-hours. A phone charges fine from almost any power bank.
A laptop needs real power delivery, usually 45W to 100W over USB-C, or it’ll charge slower than it drains while you work.
The A1383 delivers 65W from one port, which covers the large majority of USB-C laptops at full or near-full speed, including most ultrabooks, the MacBook Air, and the 14-inch MacBook Pro under normal load.
A 16-inch MacBook Pro or a gaming laptop under heavy load still charges, but slower than its own wall brick. To sanity-check how many charges a given capacity gives you, our mAh to Wh calculator does the maths.
Charging a MacBook
As a power bank for MacBook charging, the A1383 handles the two most common models well.
A MacBook Air, drawing 30W to 35W, charges at full speed from the A1383 with headroom to spare, and you’ll get a full laptop charge plus a phone top-up from one bank.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro asks for up to 67W to 96W depending on the model and load. At 65W the A1383 keeps it topped up during normal work and charges it fully when the lid is closed.
For a 16-inch MacBook Pro, treat this as a keep-it-going bank rather than a fast full charge.
Portability and airline travel
At around 440g the A1383 is bag-carry only. It lays flat in the back pocket of most travel backpacks and sits cleanly in a tech organiser alongside cables and a charger. It won’t go in a jeans pocket, and it isn’t trying to.
Flying with the Anker A1383: at approximately 72Wh it sits comfortably under the 100Wh threshold that UK CAA, EU and US rules apply to carry-on power banks, so you don’t need airline approval. It must travel in your hand luggage, never checked baggage. Rules shift and some airlines add their own limits, so check before you fly: our power banks on planes guide keeps the current rules in one place.
Full specifications and safety
| Model | Anker 87W Power Bank 20,000mAh, A1383 |
| Capacity | 20,000mAh / approx 72Wh |
| Total output | 87W |
| Max single-port output | 65W (USB-C port or built-in cable) |
| USB-A output | 22.5W |
| Max input | 65W (20V/3.25A), approx 1.5 hours |
| PPS | Confirmed on both USB-C outputs |
| Pass-through | Not supported |
| Built-in cable | USB-C, recessed, rated 10,000 bends / 5,000 twists |
| Weight | Approx 440g |
| Dimensions | 157.5 x 73.7 x 25.4mm |
| Airline status | Approx 72Wh, under the 100Wh carry-on threshold |
| Certifications | FCC, CE, UL. Overcurrent, overvoltage, short-circuit and overheat protection |
| Warranty | 18 months, registered directly with Anker |
Darleene asks
“Do I really need something this heavy just to charge my laptop?”
Alan’s answer: Only if you actually charge a laptop away from a plug. If it’s phones and the odd tablet, a lighter 10K bank is the better carry and you won’t miss the extra weight.
The A1383 earns its 440g the moment you need a real laptop charge with no wall socket in reach, on a plane, a long train, a conference floor. That’s the whole job.
For phone-only days, it’s more bank than you need.
Why we scored it 7.4
Scored against every power bank on our current rubric.
Charging Speed (7.5) leads: 65W single-port fast-charges most USB-C laptops at full speed, with PPS confirmed on both outputs. It’s held back by no pass-through and 100W rivals at a similar price.
Carry Rating (7.0) is fair for a 20K/65W bank at 440g, lifted by airline compliance at approximately 72Wh.
Value for Money (7.5) reflects a 4.5-star average from over 7,000 Amazon ratings, tempered by the INIU 25K offering more capacity nearby.
Port and Cable Design (7.5) rewards a built-in cable at the full 65W, set against its fixed length and no replaceability.
A holistic 7.4: a genuine laptop-travel bank with one honest catch.
Pros
- 65W single-port fast-charges laptops at full speed
- Built-in cable delivers the same 65W as the port
- Sits well under the 100Wh airline carry-on threshold
- 87W total runs two devices at useful wattage at once
- 18-month warranty and Anker’s safety record
Cons
- Around 440g makes it a bag item, not a pocket carry
- Pass-through charging is not supported
- Built-in cable is short for phone-in-hand use
- 100W rivals exist at a similar capacity and price
Should you buy the Anker A1383?
The honest split.
Buy it if
- You need a 20K bank that properly fast-charges a laptop, not trickles it
- You want airline carry-on confidence without doing the Wh maths
- A built-in cable at full USB-C speed earns its place in your travel kit
Don’t buy it if
- You charge phones only and never need above 45W, a lighter 10K bank suits you better
- You need pass-through to keep the bank topped up while it charges a device
- You want more capacity or 100W output, the INIU 25K or Baseus Blade H1 fit better
How the Anker A1383 compares
| Anker A1383 | Baseus Blade H1 | INIU 25K | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Max output | 65W single / 87W total | 100W single | 100W single |
| Capacity | 20,000mAh (~72Wh) | 20,000mAh (~74Wh) | 25,000mAh |
| Weight | ~440g | ~445g | ~422g |
| Built-in cable | Yes | No | No |
| Best for | Laptop + phone, built-in cable | Higher output, slimmer | More capacity, lighter |
The Baseus trades the built-in cable for a slimmer body and 100W output, the INIU adds capacity and output while staying slightly lighter. Neither includes the A1383’s integrated cable, which is the reason to pick it.
Alternatives worth a look
Where the A1383 is the wrong fit, one of these is usually right.
Baseus Blade H1 20,000mAh 100W
Same 20K capacity in a slimmer profile with 100W single-port output. No built-in cable, but faster peak charging and a body that slips into a laptop sleeve.
INIU 25,000mAh 100W
More capacity and higher output in a package that is slightly lighter than the A1383. The natural pick for longer trips or heavier device loads.
Anker A1695 Laptop Power Bank 25K 165W
Triple 100W USB-C ports, 165W total, and retractable built-in cables. Right if you regularly charge two devices at full laptop speed.
Frequently asked questions
Straight answers to what buyers search for.
Is the Anker A1383 allowed on planes?
Can the Anker A1383 charge a laptop properly?
How many phone charges do you get from the Anker A1383?
How long does the Anker A1383 take to fully recharge?
Does the built-in USB-C cable charge as fast as the USB-C port?
Does the Anker A1383 support pass-through charging?
What is the warranty on the Anker A1383?
What safety certifications does the Anker A1383 have?
Is the Anker A1383 still worth buying now the Anker A1695 25K is out?
A genuine laptop-travel bank
The A1383 earns its place on 65W output, a built-in cable that runs at full port speed, and carry-on compliance at 20,000mAh capacity. That combination is harder to find at this price than the headline wattage suggests. To see how it stacks up across the whole category, start with our best power banks roundup, or compare it against Anker’s 140W flagship in our Anker 737 review.
Keep reading
Three guides that pick up where this review ends.
