Baseus EnerCore CR11 20000mAh Power Bank (67W) review: Portable power for your MacBook

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating

Pros

Large battery capacity

Built-in retractable USB-C cable

Cons

Just two power outputs

67W maximum power

Our Verdict
This is a handy-sized, reasonably lightweight laptop power bank with a convenient and long retractable USB-C cable built-in that performed well in out MacBook-charging tests.

Price When Reviewed
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The Baseus EnerCore CR11 is a handy-sized laptop power bank that in our tests supplied nearly a full charge to a 14-inch M2 MacBook Pro. Its name even sounds like a battery.

It’s not just handy in size—it has a conveniently built-in USB-C cable, meaning you don’t need to carry one around with you.

There are higher capacity portable laptop power banks and even ones with two integrated USB-C cables, so what makes the EnerCore CR11 stand out?

Power bank tech specs

Battery capacity: 20000mAh (72Wh)

Fastest Power Output: 87W

Total Power Output: 67W

Power Input: 45W

USB ports: 1x USB-C cable (67W PD 3.0); 1x USB-C port (65W PD 3.0)

Dimensions: 5.7 x 2.7 x 1.1 inches (14.5 x 6.9 x 2.8cm)

Weight: 13.7oz (389g)

Power and performance

The Baseus EnerCore CR11 will work with any of Apple’s MacBooks, as well as its phones and other products—indeed with just about any USB-C-powered device.

In particular it is a great fit with the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Air models. The 13-inch Air has a battery rated at 54Wh, so the power bank’s 72Wh battery should be plenty for a full refill and maybe a little more on top.

The 15-inch Air has a larger 66.5Wh battery, but that’s still within the power bank’s range for a 100% refill.

Both the Air MacBooks are fast-charge capable at 70W, so the 67W output is close enough to reach that target.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro is rated at around the same watt hours (between 70Wh and 72Wh) although the power bank’s 67W output isn’t enough to fast-charge that model; it requires 96W for the speediest charging.

This power bank certainly works with the 14-inch MacBook Pro. We tested it with an M2 model and the Baseus power bank charged it from 0% to 95%.

See our list of MacBook battery capacities for more details on the whole range of Apple laptops.

You can charge two devices simultaneously, but the total wattage remains at 67W so the cable and port will share that speed of output. It could charge two MacBooks but this would be pushing it hard for the larger Pro MacBooks. An iPhone might take 20W or so, leaving around 45W for a laptop.

At 72Wh it is within TSA, CAA and EASA airline limits for carry-on.




Simon Jary

Ports and output

Other 20K power banks boast more ports, with three (2x USB-C and 1x USB-A) being the average.

The 200W (max) Anker Prime 20000mAh Power Bank offers two USB-C (100W PD 3.0) and one USB-A (65W PD 3.0); the 130W (max) Ugreen Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh has one USB-C (100W PD 3.0), one USB-C (30W PD 3.0) and a USB-A (22.5W PD 3.0).




Simon Jary

The Baseus EnerCore CR11 might be limited to just two power outputs but none of the above 20000mAh power banks boast a retractable USB-C cable. This pulls out to a maximum 27.6-inch (70cm).

Its nearest competitor is the recently launched Ugreen Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh that has a 165W max output, retractable USB-C cable (about an inch shorter than the Baseus) and three ports: two USB0-C (100W  PD 3.0) and one USB-A (33W). It will cost you about $20 more, however.




Simon Jary

Display

There is a simple and appreciably large display that shows the remaining percentage of power bank battery capacity. Other power banks, such as the Ugreen Nexode, have more detailed displays but the one you need the most is the remaining capacity so other displays could be accused of over sharing.

Price

The Baseus EnerCore CR11 Power Bank is list-priced at $89.99 but is discounted at $59.99, which appears to be its realistic cost. This is a decent price point for a 20K power bank, but you should also consider the $99.99 (but discounted at the time of writing to around $75) Ugreen Nexode as it has more ports and a higher total power output.

The cheapest 20000mAh power bank we have tested is the $35 Cuktech CP253L 20000mAh Power Bank that offers three outputs but no built-in cable. The Baseus EnerCore beats it on total power output (67W vs 55W) plus the handy cable.




Simon Jary

Should I buy the Baseus EnerCore CR11 Power Bank?

This is a handy-sized, reasonably lightweight laptop power bank with a convenient and long retractable USB-C cable built-in that performed well in out MacBook-charging tests and suits the MacBook Air well.

It is outgunned by the competition, so we’d recommend you check specs and pricing in our roundup of the best power banks for MacBook.