INTRODUCTION

   Although I’ve been using and testing portable batteries (powerbanks) for almost 10 years now I’ve never seen people as interested in them as they are today. This of course is directly tied to many reasons including the high capacity internal batteries found in most current smartphones, which in some cases go all the way up to 6000mAh (there's even a smartphone available with a 13000mAh battery), the plethora of available smartphone accessories (such as smartwatches, smart bands and wireless earphones) and of course all the latest ultraportable laptops which can get recharged on the road via USB-C connectivity. That being said not all powerbanks are created equal so after testing the rather impressive X6 model by Zendure we decided to check their latest and most successful model to date called the SuperTank.

   Zendure USA Inc. was founded in 2013 by Tom Haflinger and Bryan Liu. Our mission is to deliver top-quality consumer electronics that exceed consumer expectations using high-end materials, premiere product development partners and user-centric design. Zendure’s first product was the A-Series External Battery, which was supported by over two thousand people during a one-month Kickstarter campaign, making it one of the most successful external batteries projects out there. We strive to keep innovating, designing trustworthy products, and improving people’s lives. Take a look at how far we've come.

   The SuperTank External Battery (available in black, silver and blue colors) is not only the highest capacity model currently in the entire Zendure product line (27000mAh/99.9Wh - this is the maximum safe battery capacity allowed in flights by TSA/EASA) but also one of their most popular ones largely because of the amount of people who backed its Kickstarter campaign (4499 who pledged a total of USD553.785). Aside the very large battery capacity (achieved by using premium 3.7V lithium-ion power cells) the huge success of the SuperTank is also due to its dual USB-C inputs/outputs (100W/60W power delivery), dual USB-A outputs (15W/18W), X-charge mode (ideal for low-power devices), UPS mode (uninterrupted power supply for use with devices like network video recorders), available electrical protections (overcharge/over discharge/dual temperature/short-circuit/output overpower/output overcurrent/input overcurrent/input overvoltage/MCU reset) and of course its rather compact body (for its capacity) which is made out of polycarbonate and ABS. The X6 model which we reviewed last year is one of our all-time favourite powerbanks so let's move forward and see if the SuperTank will take its place.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

Just like the X6 the SuperTank is packed inside a white box that has a large product picture at the front right under the company logo and battery capacity and above its main features.

The contents of the bundle are once again listed on the left side.

Another product picture is placed at the rear of the box along with a list of compatible devices, the product specifications and several serial/part numbers and barcodes.

The front of the box again opens up to reveal a product picture and its main features on one side and the product itself behind a clear plastic window on the other.

Along with the SuperTank External Battery and its braided 100W USB-C charging cable you will also get several stickers, warranty information paper and the quick start guide.

THE SUPERTANK

The 481g heavy SuperTank External Battery measures 119mm in length, 73mm in width and 42mm in thickness.

For size comparison purposes we placed the SuperTank right next to the AC-42K 42000mAh model by Enerpad, the AL420 9000mAh model by Xtorm and the PL3 10400mAh and PL2 6000mAh models by Luxa2.

This small round button placed at the top can be used to check the battery status, start charging and switch between the X-charge and power delivery direction.

At the front of the enclosure we find two USB-A ports (15/18W), two USB-C ports (100/60W) and the digital status screen.

On the end Zendure has printed in detail the electrical specifications of each of the 4 available ports.

As with past reviews we'll be using two ways to test the powerbank at hand, via two USB testers connected with completely empty powerbanks and with several portable devices (Zendure was kind enough this time over to also supply us with two of their braided power cables).

CONCLUSION

   Since the SuperTank External Battery by Zendure is their best model to date we didn't just use several smartphones, smartwatches, music players, wireless earphones and action cameras to test it with but i also borrowed a MacBook Pro from a 3D animator friend of mine to test its USB-C ports (the 100W one to be exact which ended up working flawlessly). Now as some of you are aware from our past reviews due to conversion from the 3.7V of the internal lithium-ion battery pack to the V supplied by the USB ports (5V/12V/20V for the SuperTank) of any portable battery the total battery capacity (usable that is) varies and so during our tests we recorded results as low as 7650mAh (USB-C tests) and as high as 20250mAh (USB-A tests). Of course, Zendure doesn't hide this fact since they clearly state that the SuperTank can even double the battery life of a MacBook Pro (15 inches, 2018 model) which is roughly 7400mAh (83.6Wh). Performance aside I was surprised to see that Zendure doesn’t bundle a carrying/storage pouch with the SuperTank (something they did with the X6) and so chances are many consumers may not like this.

   Retailing for no less than USD154.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 169.99Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de) the SuperTank External Battery is certainly not affordable. On top of that the X6 can be found now for less than half (USA) and even though it doesn’t share the same battery capacity and power delivery for the majority of consumers (at least those without MacBook Pros and devices in general which can use its 100W output) it should still make a great choice. That being said the SuperTank is without doubt among the most advanced powerbanks in the market today and that alone is enough for us to give it our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Premium Grade Battery Cells / Polycarbonate & ABS Enclosure)
- Very High Battery Capacity (27.000mAh)
- 4 Output Ports (2xUSB A / 2xUSB C)
- Available Protections (Overcharge/Over Discharge/Dual Temperature/Short-Circuit/Output Overpower/Output Overcurrent/Input Overcurrent/Input Overvoltage/MCU reset)
- 100W Max USB C Power Delivery
- X Charge / UPS Modes
- LED Status / Mode Indicator
- Available Colors (Black/Silver/Blue)

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Overall Size (Still Compact for Its Battery Capacity)
- No Carrying/Storage Pouch In The Bundle