UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 145W Qi2 review

The UGREEN PB771 is essentially a high-capacity power bank designed to keep your camera gear and devices charged on the go. Inside the unit is a 20,000mAh capacity and a maximum output of 145W, which means it will charge cameras, lights, action cameras, smartphones, tablets, laptops, and drones.

Power banks are, of course, useful for anyone wanting to keep their devices topped up with charge, most notably smartphones—like my iPhone 15 Pro, which drains quickly. However, these larger power banks are ideal for all levels of photographers, from beginners and enthusiasts to professionals. The fact that it features such a high capacity along with multiple charging options makes it suitable for charging all manner of devices. For beginners and enthusiasts, it’s just good to have a backup power source for keeping phones and possibly batteries topped up, while for professionals, a power bank can be essential on-site.

Some of the features that make the UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 145W Qi2 stand out are the maximum output of 145W, which means it can charge high-power devices like laptops and be used as an external power source for cameras that accept PD charging.

The Smart TFT Display is a feature that will really appeal to videographers who need to keep an eye on real-time information such as battery level, voltage, current, and the power output of each port. The selection of two ports enables multiple charging from the USB-C and USB-A simultaneously.

The great thing about the UGREEN power banks is the evolution of the design. While, like all power banks, they’re simply designed to charge devices such as mobile phones, the company has taken the design and potential a step—or actually more like a leap—forward. As such, the UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 145W Qi2 features a huge capacity along with two USB Type-A and Type-C ports, which combined have a maximum output of 145W.

In use, the basics of the power bank are simple. Once charged, it’s just a case of plugging in any USB device that you want to give a power boost. Where this power bank differs from most is the screen on the front, which not only gives you a readout of how much power is being drawn or input into the device but actually breaks it down port by port.

Alongside this information, there’s also the more usual capacity indicator that shows the percentage of charge left. What’s different here is that this is shown as an accurate percentage along with the time remaining, whereas most power banks only show a few indicator LEDs to represent 15%, 50%, 75%, or 100%. This is extremely useful if you’re using these power banks to run cameras or lighting, as you can see exactly how much time each has left.

One other aspect of the design that differentiates this power bank from others is the inclusion of wireless charging. On top is an articulated pivot with a wireless charging plate. Pop your mobile on top and, as long as it supports wireless charging, it will get a top-up. It’s a great feature and one that’s very welcome in the studio, as you can be sure that your phone will stay charged as you stream music and use the screen as an all-important check on time.

The UGREEN PB771 Power Bank is a compact charging solution designed to meet the demands of photographers and videographers on the go, offering plenty of charging options for your camera gear. Inside is a substantial 20,000mAh capacity, which is enough to fully charge a good range of products through the USB Type-A and Type-C ports.

While the design is simple, it features two USB-C ports—one on the front and the other on the back—along with a USB-A port. All of these can be used at the same time, supporting simultaneous charging of up to three devices with a maximum power draw of 145W. The USB-C1 port delivers up to 65W, suitable for laptops, while USB-C2 offers 45W, and the USB-A port provides 22.5W.

One of the features that really stands out is the Smart TFT display, which provides real-time information on battery level, voltage, current, and power output for each port.

Another feature that you don’t often see on these power banks is the 15W wireless charging pad, compatible with Qi2-enabled devices. This offers a cable-free charging option, ideal for mobile phones.

As ever with power banks, safety is important. Here, there’s a 13-layer protection system that includes overcharge, over-discharge, and short-circuit prevention.

Getting started with the UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 145W Qi2 is simple enough. First, you just plug in a USB Type-C cable into the back of the unit, which serves as both the input and output. This will rapidly charge the 20,000mAh capacity in around two hours. What I really like about it from the outset is that as soon as you plug it in, the small screen flashes to life and shows that C1 has an input voltage. Next to that, you can see a green lightning flash with the exact wattage going into the battery. It also shows you the percentage of charge currently within the battery—in this case, 88%—and the approximate time remaining to fully charge, which at this point is around 14 minutes.

Likewise, if you start to plug in devices to charge them, the small screen with the C2 Out and the A Out indicators also highlights how much power is being drawn from the power bank, along with the amount of time it can sustain that power draw. For instance, if you plug in a MacBook Pro M1 X and continue working on Word processing on a mostly charged battery, this UGREEN power bank will draw about 13 to 15W, showing that you’ve got another five hours of use on the laptop before the power bank is fully discharged.

During testing, we tried a variety of devices to see how many full recharges this UGREEN power bank could handle. First up, obviously, is the Sony FZ100 battery, which powers cameras like the Sony Alpha 1 Mark II and the Sony Alpha 7 Mark IV. From a fully depleted FZ100 battery, you can expect up to 12 or almost 13 full charges. For the Insta360 Pro 2, you’re looking at between 13 and 14 full recharges. When it comes to the DJI Mic 2, if the battery is fully drained during a shoot, you can expect up to 13 full charges. Finally, for something like the MacBook Air M2 13-inch, which we use regularly in the field, you can expect up to 1.2 full charges.

In use, it’s incredibly helpful to have that backup power and to be able to see how much charge is being drawn from the unit and from each port. The power bank includes two USB Type-C ports: one at the back with a power output of 65W and one at the front with a maximum output of 45W.
During testing, we found that when charging devices, the draw rarely reached the maximum output, even when connected to a 16-inch MacBook Pro M1 Max. The battery draw was much lower, especially when the laptop itself was partially charged. Complementing the USB Type-C ports is a single USB Type-A port, which is more of a generic charging port with a much lower wattage output. This port is still useful for topping up many mobile phones and other smaller devices that only use a USB Type-A connector.

Where the UGREEN power bank really steps up to another level is with the wireless charging feature, which includes MagSafe. On top is a 15W wireless charger, which allows you to simply pop your mobile phone on top—such as an iPhone 15 Pro—and start wireless charging at 15W. Unlike the other connectors (USB Type-A and Type-C), the wireless charger doesn’t show how much power draw it’s taking from the device. However, it works just like any other wireless charger, automatically starting the charging process as soon as your phone or another compatible device is placed on top.

One feature I particularly liked about the wireless charging is that the top of the UGREEN power bank is articulated. When you place your phone on top, you can tilt the charging plate upward, which automatically activates the clock feature on your phone. This is especially handy in the studio, as it provides a convenient way to keep an eye on the time while you work.

While I regularly use power banks and portable power stations for fieldwork, I have to say that this small UGREEN unit is one of the best I’ve come across. Okay, it doesn’t have as many ports as some, and the capacity of 20,000mAh is best suited for topping up phones or smaller devices, but it’s still extremely useful. What makes it stand out from other power banks is the wireless charging option. Whether you’re in the studio, out in the field, or even in the back of a van batch-editing images to send to a client, having this small unit sitting there with your mobile phone on top to show the time makes a huge difference.

Of all the power banks I’ve reviewed—which is quite a few—I have to say that for now, this is my absolute favourite. There are many reasons for this: firstly, the decent capacity, then the wireless charging feature, and of course, like other UGREEN power banks, one of the most useful features is the smart screen. The screen tells you exactly how much charge is left and how much power each of your devices is drawing.

The UGREEN Nexode Power Bank 20000mAh 145W Qi2 is a great choice as a portable power bank to use with your camera gear. Although it has been designed as a general-use power bank, it also meets the needs of photographers, videographers, as well as anyone requiring reliable power on the go; this power bank offers a mix of features that make it a great addition to any kit bag.

With its 20,000mAh capacity and a maximum output of 145W, it can handle the demands of charging a range of devices, from cameras and laptops to smartphones and drones. During testing, it proved capable by providing multiple full charges for gear such as the Sony FZ100 battery, Insta360 Pro 2, and even the DJI Mic 2. It’s compact enough to be portable yet powerful enough to support demanding shoots or travel setups.

What sets this power bank apart is the inclusion of advanced features such as the smart TFT display that provides real-time data on battery level, voltage, current, and port-specific power output, making it ideal for photographers who need to monitor their gear’s power levels as they charge. The articulated 15W wireless charging pad adds another layer of use, enabling you to top up your phone quickly. I found this particularly handy in the studio, where wireless charging also activated the iPhone’s clock display, which was handy.

Build quality is excellent, and it feels robust and well-made, so no worries about it being thrown into a kit bag.

The only limitations are minor: there’s just one port of each type (two USB-C and one USB-A), and wireless charging is capped at 15W. However, these are small trade-offs for what is otherwise an exceptionally versatile power bank.