UGREEN Nexode 20,000 mAh retractable cable power bank review – never forget the cable again!

REVIEW – I may have too many portable power banks! Why would I want to look at another? Well, have you ever forgotten to pack a cable? If so, your power bank is reduced to a paperweight. The UGREEN Nexode Power Bank with retractable USB-C cable fixes that with plenty of power to boot.

⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $99.99 ($69.99 at the time I wrote this)
Where to buy: UGREEN, Amazon

What is it?

This UGREEN power bank has a 20,000 mAh capacity (rated capacity 11,600 mAh) with power handling of up to 165W. A color display on the front monitors everything going on. It has one retractable USB-C cable (100W), one fixed USB-C and one fixed USB-A port.

What’s included?

• • Power bank
  • Drawstring pouch
  • USB-C cable
  • Documents

Tech specs

Is it me, or are instructions printed in smaller text than before?

Output: USB-C1 + USB-C2: 165W Max (5V/3A, 9V/3A, etc.)
Input: USB – C1：5V/3A、9V/3A、12V/3A、15V/3A、20V/5A（100W Max） USB – C2：10V/2.5A、5V/3A、9V/3A、12V/3A、15V/3A、20V/5A（100W Max） USB – A：5V/2.5A、9V/2A、12V/1.5A、5.5 – 11V/3A（33W Max）
Ports: 3 ports (1*USB-C input, 1*USB-C output, 1*USB-A output)
Battery Capacity: 20,000 mAh
Rated Capacity: 11,600 mAh
Protocols: PD3.0/PD2.0, QC4.0/QC3.0, FCP, Apple 2.4A, SAMSUNG 5V/2A
Dimensions: 114×54×50mm (with cable)
Weight: ~335g (battery + cable)
Surge Suppression: 4.2V
Operating Temp: 0℃ – 35℃ (working) / -20℃ – 45℃ (storage)
Cell Type: Li-Polymer (21700)
Efficiency: Charging (low): ≥85% / Discharging (low): ≥90%

I took a photo of the back of the power bank as well.

Design and features

The power bank measures 114 x 54 x 50mm (4.5 x 2.1 x 2.0 in) and weighs 335 grams (0.74 lbs)

There’s a color display under the tinted plastic window that shows the current state of charge. A single button on the right toggles through the screens, enables trickle mode, or turns the display off. Trickle mode allows you to charge devices that draw very small sips of power that may not be high enough to overcome the circuitry’s detection threshold. In other words, without trickle mode, the battery would simply go into idle and not charge your device.

The star of the show is the retractable USB-C cable which measures 65 cm (2.1 ft), which can be used to charge the power bank, or to fuel your devices. The second USB-C port is also dual purpose (in or out). The lone USB-A port is output only.

The retractable cable is flat and very flexible. The tip folds down flat against the top of the power bank with a magnet, keeping things tidy.

Assembly, Installation, Setup

I charged the power bank by plugging the retractable cable into a suitable power supply (not included). The cable is rated at 100W max. UGREEN claims it can recharge to 100% in 1.5 hours. The screen (below) shows that the retractable cable (C1) is charging (green lightning bolt) at the rate of 92.1W. The timer in the upper right shows the estimated time to completion.

Performance

I am generally skeptical of power bank ratings because it’s unclear how to determine them. I connected a battery capacity tester and let it run for a few hours. The marketing “battery capacity” is listed as 20,000 mAh, but the usable, rated capacity is actually 11,600 mAh after conversion losses. A 21700 lithium cell operates at 3.7V and must be converted up to 5V (or more).

In two separate tests lasting just over 4 hours, the power bank exceeded the 11,600 mAh rated capacity. I measured 12,628 mAh and 12,245 mAh, and about 60 watt-hours.

So what’s it like using all three USB ports? I connected a Kindle, iPhone and laptop all at once.

The laptop was plugged into C1 (the retractable cable), iPhone into C2, and Kindle into A. You can toggle through displays with a push of the button. The right side shows a chart plot of power over time, which is kind of neat to look at, though I find the main display (left) more useful.

Final thoughts

The simple fact that power banks are useless without a cable really sold me on the UGREEN Nexode Power Bank with retractable USB-C cable. It’s really grab and go without having to scrounge for the right cable. The color display is also quite handy. With the ability the charge three devices at once, it may be the only power bank I need.

What I like about UGREEN Nexode 20,000 mAh retractable cable power bank

• Retractable USB-C cable
• Color state of charge display
• Up to 165W total output

What needs to be improved?

• I kind of wish the more realistic “usable” battery capacity is advertised, rather than the total capacity.

Price: $99.99 ($69.99 at the time I wrote this)
Where to buy: UGREEN, Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was provided for free by UGREEN. UGREEN did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.

Check out these other reviews!

• UGREEN Nexode Fast Charging Power Bank review
• UGREEN 100W 20000mAh Power Bank review

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