Ugreen Nexode Retractable Series Power Bank 20,000mAh 165W review: Big and fast

Among the many Ugreen essential accessories, this big power bank caught our eye in more than one way. The Ugreen Nexode Retractable Series Power Bank 20,000mAh 165W may have a long name, but it tells you everything it’s capable of, right from the get-go.

This power bank has a 20,000mAh capacity, a combined maximum charging speed of 165W and one built-in, retractable USB-C cable for added convenience. 

Folks looking for a large capacity power bank to bring overseas or a refuelling for laptops on the go are in luck, as we got our chance to put it to the test.

Let’s take a look at how this offering from Ugreen stands out.

Cleverly designed

Even though this power bank has a 20,000mAh capacity, it weighs in at just 535g with a sleek design. Unlike the other power banks that we’ve reviewed (here and here), there’s no cable sticking out of the power bank, so that’s one less aspect to worry about in terms of wear and tear. Its appearance belies its true power, since this power bank feels quite heavy in hand.

It’s a little shorter and stouter than the Anker 25,000mAh power bank that we reviewed previously, but it will still fit into a bagpack’s compartment for water bottles. It’s also possible to fit it into smaller sling bags.

The two slim rubber feet on the back of the device offer a nice finishing touch. When it’s laid down flat, it doesn’t slide on surfaces. As a klutz, this has actually helped save the power bank from toppling off my table more than a few times when I was absent-mindedly grabbing my phone while it was charged by the Ugreen power bank.

Additionally, the retractable cable and the extra USB-C and USB-A charging ports are arranged at the top when viewed upright, so you can use the power bank in either orientation. 

The retractable cable is 65cm long. You can position the power bank away from you if you need some space. It would be nicer if Ugreen offered a longer cable, because the current length makes it harder to use it while charging from a sling bag or backpack.

The cable retracts into the body automatically with a light tug, and the charging head magnetically attaches to its seated slot, keeping it secure.

On the front, a display takes up slightly more than a third of its face. This display can show the remaining charge in the power bank, the charging speed of connected devices, and even the real-time data like voltage, current, and power curves. 

What we find amazing is how little wasted space Ugreen has on its display. Other power banks have a large black panel on the front, but the actual display may only use half the space. Keeping the panel smaller also means there’s less glossy plastic to get scratched up.

There’s a side-mounted button that cycles between the power bank’s remaining charge and the charging speeds of just the connected devices. A second screen shows in-depth charging information.

Is this power bank flight-safe?

Yes, this power bank can be brought onto flights, since the lithium-ion battery inside is rated at 72Wh (assuming a standard 3.7V), which is below the 100Wh limit for power banks to be brought onto planes without prior approval (check out the IATA guidelines here).

Charge, discharge, recharge

This 20,000mAh power bank can be charged either via the retractable USB-C cable or by plugging in a cable to the USB-C port.

Either way, it juices up fairly quickly. A full charge from empty took just 106 minutes, which isn’t too bad given its 20,000mAh capacity.

The device supports PD2.0, PD3.0, PPS, QC, AFC, FCP, SCP, and UFCS charging protocols, and it works with every device we tested it with, including laptops, phones, and smaller electronics like game controllers and earbuds. 

Just like other high-speed power banks we’ve seen, one of the biggest selling points of this Ugreen power bank is that it can charge a laptop thanks to the 100W charging provided by the retractable cable and the USB-C port. While Ugreen said it has a maximum of 165W, that’s usually understood as the combined peak wattage across two specific ports. In reality, only the cable delivers 100W when all three outputs are used simultaneously.

While it’s single port/cable of maximum 100W not as fast as Apple’s 140W power adapter, the fully charged power bank was able to give a 16-inch MacBook Pro up to 51% charge before it was sucked dry. If you’re out and just need a bit more juice to keep on working, this will do perfectly.

We also tested it with the Xiaomi 15T Pro, which supports 90W charging. It got from 0-100% in just 51 minutes. The iPhone 16 Pro went from 0-50% in 30 minutes, but its trickle charging closer to max iPhone Wtook 93 minutes to fully charge to 100%. 

Worth having in your bag, but you have to budget for it

The Ugreen Nexode Retractable Series 20,000mAh 165W Power Bank might be a little pricey (S$139), but it offers a large capacity that can charge phones multiple times on a single charge. It also comes with a handy retractable cable that supports 100W charging and a useful display, so factor these in when you’re ascertaining its value.

This might be a little overkill for light users who need an occasional top-off before ending a long day. However, if you find yourself constantly drained of juice while on the go and need to keep multiple devices (a laptop, phone, and tablet) ready and fully charged, the larger capacity and fast charging speeds are fantastic. 

Ugreen should look into lengthening its short 65cm retractable USB-C cable, but the power bank excels in almost all other areas.

The Ugreen Nexode Retractable Series 20,000mAh 165W Power Bank retails at S$139 and can be purchased at Ugreen’s website.