Cuktech 20 Power Bank review: a mighty power bank that’s just about portable enough - but it might be overkill for many

The Cuktech 20 Power Bank is a large power bank with plenty of power for charging laptops and other high-demand devices. Despite this, it’s reasonably portable, although it’s quite thick, which compromises portability somewhat. The screen provides some useful information, although it’s a little on the small side, while charging performance is quite good. It’s not exactly cheap, and it may have too much power for many, but it’s still a worthwhile battery for topping up big devices while traveling. Why you can trust TechRadar We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test. Cuktech 20 Power Bank: review The Cuktech 20 Power Bank has a high power output and large capacity, designed for charging laptops and similar devices while traveling. As you would expect from a battery of this ilk, it’s quite a handful. It’s thick across its depth, although thankfully it’s not as wide, nor is it as heavy as I was expecting. This makes the Cuktech 20 Power Bank reasonably portable all things considered, although it’s slightly more cumbersome than some rivals with similar specs. Thankfully, the Cuktech 20 Power Bank is still airline safe despite its size, since it falls below the TSA’s 100Wh limit. It’s also useful that this is clearly labelled on the side, so if an agent is ever doubtful, you can at least show them. Cuktech has tried to inject some interest into its appearance as well, with its two-tone design and translucent front panel, and I did appreciate the linear texture on the sides, which aids grip and feels premium to the touch. However, this is still a rather austere looking brick, albeit one that’s perhaps a bit more sleek than some of the best power banks. One of the standout features of the Cuktech 20 Power Bank is the screen, which displays various information, such as the battery life and estimated charging time, as well as the wattage, voltage, and amperage for each port in real time. There’s also a handy indicator to tell you whether a port is delivering or receiving power. Although this information is certainly useful, it’s a shame the display area is quite small. It’s also a shame that given its size, the Cuktech 20 Power Bank only has three ports, as other power banks of this ilk can squeeze in one or two more. Still, at least two of them are USB-C, and both are input and output capable. The first USB-C port has an output of 140W, whereas the second tops out at 60W. The USB-A port, meanwhile, has a maximum power output of 30W. Despite this, the maximum output doesn’t quite add up to 230W, but 210W – which is still plenty of power for a brick this size. Charging via all three ports simultaneously is also supported, while an additional trickle charging mode is available for charging low current devices, such as earbuds and smartwatches, which can be activated by double pressing the power button. It took just under two hours for the Cuktech 20 Power Bank to charge an HP Chromebook Plus, which has a 58Wh battery, from empty to full via the most powerful USB-C port, which is a solid performance. The estimated time given by the bank was accurate for the most part too, closely matching that of the Chromebook’s, although figures went awry at the tail-end of the charge. The Cuktech 20 Power Bank lost 82% of its charge in the process, which unfortunately means you’ll likely only get one laptop charge out of it, but this is expected given the capacity – and if it did have more juice in the tank, it would likely exceed flight limits. Charging the bank itself took two hours from empty to full in, which is another impressive performance. When charging the bank itself, it’s a shame that the screen goes off, although fortunately this can be changed in the settings. Also, there’s a handy LED strip running vertically below it that repeatedly fills up to indicate charging, which also looks stylish – for what that’s worth. I should mention, however, that my first attempt to charge the Cuktech 20 Power Bank failed. After 30 minutes or so, I noticed it wasn’t receiving any charge, despite my cable being attached correctly. I’m not sure if this was because the bank was expecting to deliver an output rather than receive an input, but a simple re-plug fixed the issue. I can also report that I only experienced this once during my testing, so I can only presume this was a one-time glitch. If you’re looking for another large yet flight-ready power bank, the Anker Laptop Power Bank is a great alternative. It’s slightly cheaper than the Cuktech 20 Power Bank, but it has more convenient features, such as two built-in USB-C cables, one of which can be looped to create a carrying handle. It has less total power than the Cuktech 20 Power Bank (165W), but this is still plenty for many people’s needs. But if you do need over 200W of total power, in a reasonably portable and flight-ready package, the Cuktech 20 Power Bank is a solid pick for charging laptops and the like on the go. (Image credit: Future) Cuktech 20 Power Bank review: price & specs Swipe to scroll horizontally Price $119.99 / £99.99 (about AU$188) Capacity 25,000mAh Total wattage 210W Number of ports 3 USB-C 2 USB-A 1 Wireless charging No Weight 22.5oz / 630g Power-to-weight 40mAh/g (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the Cuktech 20 Power Bank? Buy it if… You want plenty of power With 210W of total power, the Cuktech 20 should be enough for all kinds of devices. You still want to fly with it Despite its power and size, the Cuktech 20 is still airline safe, which is helpfully labelled on one side. Don't buy it if… You want something small The Cuktech 20 does a good job of keeping things compact, but it's undeniably thick, which can be inconvenient. You want something cheap With all that power comes a high price, and there are some equally capable but slightly cheaper alternatives out there. Cuktech 20 Power Bank review: Also consider