It would be an understatement to say portable power banks are a dime a dozen — it's more like a dime a hundred. While there are some great ones out there, for me to justify dedicating a standalone review to one, it has to either do something new or different. The Shargeek 170 from Shenzhen OEM Sharge fits the bill. We've tested a couple of the company's previous battery packs before, and this is the most capable one yet.

The Shargeek 170 is so named because it can pump out 170W of power, including a single port capable of outputting 140W (enough to charge the largest MacBook Pro at full speed). It also has a 24,000mAh battery, just about the largest possible you can still bring on an airplane.

It's a bit too heavy to take with me outside on a daily basis, but this is an ideal travel companion, especially for days when I know I have to camp out at a coffee shop that doesn't have a socket.

About this review: Sharge sent us a Shargeek 170 for the purposes of this review, and it had no input into its contents.

Pricing and availability

Sharge has given the Shargeek 170 a bit of an unusual release. In North America, the product is launching via crowdfunding platforms Kickstarter and Indiegogo. Both campaigns are already fully backed, and shipping is listed as February 2024. But in Southeast Asia, the product is listed on Lazada for immediate purchase right now. The good news is the crowdfunding price is a bit lower, at $119, which is an "early bird" price. The official retail price will be $199.

Design and hardware

Transparent prism design stands out

The Shargeek 170 is larger and heavier than the previous product my colleague tested, the Storm 2, and that's despite the Storm 2 packing an even slightly larger battery. However, the new model has a 40% boost in maximum power output, reaching 140W, while the Storm 2 maxed out at 100W. I suppose since the Storm 2 was already too bulky to be pocketable, adding a bit more size doesn't matter.

The Shargeek 170 features the same transparent plastic casing as the Storm 2, and it again shows off the internals of the battery. Not everything inside is real — some are merely decoration — but it is nonetheless a cool design that stands out.

There are three ports: two USB-C and one USB-A. Each USB-C port can pump out 140W of maximum power, but only one can at a time. If you are drawing 140W of power from a USB-C port, then the most power you will get from the other USB-C port is 30W. The battery pack maxes out at 170W whether you're using two or three ports. There's also clicky button in the middle above the ports that turns the IPS LCD panel on or off.

What I like

Can charge any on-the-go device I have

This isn't one of those battery packs that can stay in your bag at all times. It's just too big. Instead, I use the Shargeek 170 in specific situations, like when I'm taking a long-haul flight, I want to do some video editing work (or gaming) on the MacBook Pro, or if I am going to a coffee shop for a longer than usual work session. It's useful to have a single battery that can top up my laptop, phone, and earbuds at the same time, regardless of where I am.

The Shargeek 170 also supports bypass charging, meaning I can plug a power source into the battery and another cable going from the battery to a device. Not only will my device be charged, but if the power source is supplying enough power, it will also top up the battery at the same time. I've actually used the Shargeek 170 as a wall plug extension of sorts, as one of the hotels I was staying at had a socket that was unusually far from the table.

The IPS LCD screen displays how much power is being drawn from, or pumped into, the battery pack, and it will show a countdown clock to when the device will finish charging. However, I found the clock wasn't too accurate.

What I don't like

You don't always get the full advertised power output

One issue I had with the Shargeek 170 was that I rarely got the advertised full charging speed the device is capable of. For example, most of the time, the battery pack would pump about 70-80W of power to my 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pro, which is fine. It can still keep the machine charging while I'm working, but it's far below the maximum 140W. Likewise, with many of my Chinese Android phones, which can technically charge at 100W or 120W speed, the Shargeek 170 usually just pumped about 50-60W of power to those devices.

To get the maximum speed with a MacBook, you really need to have the optimal conditions, including using the right USB-C cable. The laptop should not be under heavy load, and battery capacity should be at the middle 60% chunk (battery charging slows down toward the final 20% or so).

To be fair, the 16-inch MacBook Pro is a beast of a machine, and Chinese brands have different charging protocols, so I can excuse the Shargeek 170 not being able to pump full power. The good news is for more "mainstream" devices, like the iPhone 15 Pro Max and Galaxy Z Fold 5, the Shargeek 170 usually does charge those devices at the advertised maximum speeds. It pumped out the maximum 30W for my Pro Max, but for most Android phones, I usually couldn't quite get the advertised maximum speed.

Should you buy the Shargeek 170?

You should get the Shargeek 170 if:

• You want a portable battery that can sufficiently charge your large laptop on the go
• You are alright dealing with crowdfunding sites and the delay
• You have the budget

You should not get the Shargeek 170 if:

• You don't use your laptop outside often
• You only need a power bank for your laptop or headphones
• You don't want to deal with the hassles of a crowdfunding campaign

The Shargeek 170 is a cool-looking and useful battery pack. While I have to dock some points for it failing to reach peak 140W power output, it's still a very handy do-it-all charger that can charge basically any portable gadget. Whether it's earbuds, a digital camera, a phone, or a tablet, the Shargeek 170 can top it up.

I find the release schedule a bit odd — why is it listed on Lazada for immediate purchase in Asia but North Americans have to go through crowdfunding? The early bird discount price is still attractive.