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Cost: $29.99
Capacity: 5,000 mAh
Output: 18 watts
Dimensions: 19.1″ x 10.8″ x 7.1″ (48.5 x 27.5 x 18 cm)
Weight: 2.15 oz (89.5 g)
Origin: Made in China
Nitecore NB Air
I’ve been testing portable battery packs recently, and I wanted to show you the smallest 5,000 mAh battery pack called the NB Air by Nitecore. It is so tiny that you can fit it into a small travel wallet.
Now, I use portable battery packs almost every time I travel. My standbys have been slimmer 10,000 mAh models. The Nitecore NB10000 and INUI Fast Charge are two of my favorites because of their small, slim designs, high output, and large capacity for the size. When it comes to size, however, I may have a new winner.
NB Air 5,000
When it comes to daily carry use, I don’t think anything could beat the tiny NB Air. The specs on this thing are incredible. It is lightweight, at about 90 g or a little under 3.2 oz, with 5,000 mAh capacity—large enough to charge most cell phones at least once. For example, the Pixel 8 battery is 4,575 mAh, which is a full charge. The iPhone 15 is 3,349 mAh, so the NB Air will provide almost one and a half charges.
Size & Shape
Other than being very light, I love the shape of this charger. The skinny and slim design makes it easy to fit into divider pockets in your travel pack. It’s so small you could even slip it into the elastic band on your travel wallet.
Compare that to some of the bulkier power banks that also work great, but can leave a lump in your travel pack, and you’ll find that the Nitecore NB Air 5,000 is a perfect lightweight option.
Materials
One of the most amazing features of this battery is that it’s waterproof. Even after testing it, I’m having a hard time believing that it’s true, but it is.
An IPX7 rating means you can submerge it up to 1 meter underwater for up to 30 minutes. So, unlike your other electronics, you don’t need to worry about getting this battery wet.
Power Output
The last spec on the NB Air to mention is power output. This is the number measured in watts that indicates the maximum output capacity of the power bank.
Unlike some of these gigantic batteries designed to power laptops, the NB Air is designed to be an incredibly small battery pack with just one USB-C charging port. For that reason, it has a lower 18-watt max power output.
To put that into perspective, my Pixel 8 supports up to 27-watt fast charging, which will charge the phone 50% in about 30 minutes.
The NB Air maxes out at 18 watts, so it will take a little longer. If you want faster charging, you’ll have to get a larger battery pack, for example, 22.5-watt, 30-watt, or 100-watt models.
Alternatives to the Nitecore NB Air 5,000
If the Nitecore NB Air 5,000 seems too small, here are a few different-sized battery packs. I’ll also tell you which size is best for your situation.
First, 10,000 mAh packs are mid-sized batteries, good for charging multiple devices or one device multiple times. These are good if you use your phone a lot, especially for navigation or maps that use a lot of power.
Next are smaller 5,000 mAh packs. These are daily carry batteries, good for about one full charge of most cell phones. This is the minimum I like to carry on the road to make sure my phone doesn’t die.
The third size is the largest—20,000 or 25,000 mAh battery packs. These are heavier and more robust but offer huge capacity and high power output for charging devices that need more power, like laptops.
For example, these are both 25,000 mAh batteries: the 100W INUI and the 165-watt Anker. Both of these can charge two Dell laptops, which require 45 watts.
Final Verdict: Nitecore NB Air
If you need a small, extremely slim battery for charging your cell phone on the road, the NB Air is the smallest one that I know of.
You shouldn’t expect it to charge all your devices or charge devices fast, but it’s one of the smallest and most reliable battery packs I’ve used.
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