Checklist · 13 picks · 5 categories
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A dead phone at 2pm ruins your whole day, so the first two things on this list are a power bank and a wall charger that can handle more than one device. Capacity (mAh) tells you how many refills you get, while wattage tells you how fast a laptop or phone charges. After that it's about how you live: an e-reader for cheap, light reading, a portable SSD to back up projects, and a fitness tracker if you want steps and sleep data. Every pick comes from a named award at Tom's Guide or TechRadar, with budget, mid and premium options, and each card shows the drawback the testers called out.
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means three independent outlets recommend a pick, means one, and limited evidence means none has yet. I research these picks. I have not tested them myself. How I pick · Broken link, wrong price range or an outdated pick? Tell me
| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ugreen Nexode Power Bank 12,000mAh | budget | $25-50 | a small power bank for daily bag carry | 1 outlet |
| INIU Pocket Rocket | mid | $25-50 | concerts and days without a backpack | 1 outlet |
| CUKTECH 30 Power Bank | splurge | $100+ | long trips and charging a laptop away from outlets | 1 outlet |
Best portable chargerbudget pick · 12,000 mAh
Best for a small power bank for daily bag carry
Tom's Guide's best budget portable charger: small enough for a day-trip bag, with 100W power delivery for a phone, tablet or even a laptop.
Heads up. Only 10W output if both charging ports are used at once, and heavy for its size
1 outlet. Tom's Guide best budget portable charger.
$25-50
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mid pick · 10,000 mAh
Best for concerts and days without a backpack
Tom's Guide's most pocketable portable charger: a 10,000 mAh power bank barely bigger than an AirPods Pro 2 case.
Heads up. Lower charging power than other power banks
1 outlet. Tom's Guide most pocketable portable charger.
$25-50
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splurge pick · 40,000 mAh
Best for long trips and charging a laptop away from outlets
Tom's Guide's best portable charger overall: a huge 40,000 mAh power bank that is airline-approved and fast-charging.
Heads up. Large size
1 outlet. Tom's Guide best portable charger overall.
$100+
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Best wall chargerbudget pick · 65W
Best for charging on the road without packing a cable
TechRadar's best iPhone charger for travel: a built-in retractable USB-C cable means one less thing to pack.
Heads up. Slightly unusual multi-port power distribution: with all three outputs in use, the cable gets 45W and the other two ports 7.5W each
1 outlet. TechRadar best for travel.
$50-100
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mid pick · 100W
Best for charging a phone, laptop and more from one outlet
TechRadar's number one overall iPhone charger pick: a quirky multi-port charger at an affordable price.
Heads up. Display could be a touch brighter, and it may be a little hefty for some
1 outlet. TechRadar #1 overall pick.
$50-100
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Best e-readerbudget pick · 6-inch
Best for a first e-reader
Tom's Guide's best Kindle for those on a budget: a redesigned, comfortable shell with a sharp 6-inch screen and long battery life.
Heads up. Higher asking price, and no warm light option
1 outlet. Tom's Guide best kindle for value.
$100+
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splurge pick · 7-inch
Best for comics, textbooks and illustrated books in color
Tom's Guide's best Kindle for colors: the most balanced color option Amazon offers right now, with a 7-inch color e-ink screen.
Heads up. Pricey, and the interface is not as customizable as Kobo
1 outlet. Tom's Guide best color kindle.
$100+
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lexar SL500 | budget | $50-100 | cheap extra storage for photos and video | 1 outlet |
| WD My Passport SSD | mid | $100+ | storing essays, notes and media for your whole degree | 1 outlet |
| Samsung T9 | splurge | $100+ | fast transfers for video and big projects | 1 outlet |
Best portable ssdbudget pick · 1TB to 4TB
Best for cheap extra storage for photos and video
TechRadar's best portable SSD on a budget: ultra slim and lightweight, and the cheapest branded portable SSD by capacity.
Heads up. Port connection a possible weak point
1 outlet. TechRadar best portable ssd on a budget.
$50-100
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mid pick · 500GB to 4TB
Best for storing essays, notes and media for your whole degree
TechRadar's best portable SSD for students: thin and lightweight, with good speeds and an excellent five-year warranty.
Heads up. No status lights, runs very warm to the touch, and the cable is too thin
1 outlet. TechRadar best portable ssd for students.
$100+
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splurge pick · 1TB to 4TB
Best for fast transfers for video and big projects
TechRadar's best portable SSD overall: a resilient drive that combines great speeds with a sturdy build.
Heads up. Expensive compared to the T7, large compared to competitor designs, and no IP ratings
1 outlet. TechRadar best portable ssd overall.
$100+
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| Pick | Tier | Price | Best for | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Smart Band 10 | budget | $50-100 | steps, sleep and workouts on a tight budget | 1 outlet |
| Amazfit Active 3 Premium | mid | $100+ | serious run tracking without a premium price | 1 outlet |
| Garmin Vivoactive 6 | splurge | $100+ | running and training tracking you can wear 24/7 | 1 outlet |
Best fitness trackerbudget pick · Band
Best for steps, sleep and workouts on a tight budget
TechRadar's best cheap fitness tracker overall: strong value, a bright AMOLED display and generous battery life.
Heads up. Weak clasp in the band, and only minor upgrades from its predecessor
1 outlet. TechRadar best cheap fitness tracker overall.
$50-100
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mid pick · Watch
Best for serious run tracking without a premium price
TechRadar's best value fitness tracker: built-in GPS and detailed workout metrics for less than many big-name fitness watches.
Heads up. Workouts aren't detected automatically
1 outlet. TechRadar best value fitness tracker.
$100+
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splurge pick · Watch
Best for running and training tracking you can wear 24/7
TechRadar's best fitness tracker overall: many of Garmin's training and health features in a slimmer, lighter package.
Heads up. Heart rate tracking could be better, and GPS isn't as precise as other Garmin models
1 outlet. TechRadar best fitness tracker overall.
$100+
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About 10,000 mAh covers a phone a couple of times and slips in a pocket. Go bigger, like 40,000 mAh, only if you want to charge a laptop or travel a lot, and check it is airline approved.
It is not essential, but it is handy for backing up essays and projects or storing video. TechRadar picked the WD My Passport SSD as its best for students.
Often yes. The UGreen Nexode 65W, for example, gives 45W to its retractable cable and 7.5W to each other port when all three are in use, so check the output when you plug in several devices.