Mophie's jumbo Powerstation USB-C XXL battery pack charges MacBooks on the go

The new Powerstation USB-C XXL features USB-PD technology, allowing it to charge USB-C laptops at a rapid charging rate of up to 30 watts.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews

Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.

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David Carnoy

Aug. 1, 2017 7:00 a.m. PT

mophie-powerstation-usb-c-xxl — David Carnoy/CNET

Mophie's new $150 Powerstation USB-C XXL joins the ranks of other high-capacity batteries that can charge the latest MacBooks, other USB-C laptops and smartphones and the Nintendo Switch.

Although this battery leads with USB-C, it also has a USB-A output charge port that accepts standard USB cables. The USB-C port goes both ways -- it's an input and an output featuring USB-PD technology that allows it to charge USB-C laptops at rapid charging rates of up to 30 watts. When connected to USB-PD chargers, it charges more quickly.

This 19,500mAh battery is capable of fully charging a 12-inch MacBook but will only partially charge a MacBook Pro.

The Powerstation USB-C XXL faces competition from such products as Anker's PowerCore+ 26800 PD, which costs around $110 in a bundle with a 27W PD Portable Charger.

I've tried both batteries and the Mophie is the nicer of the two from a design standpoint -- it has a fabric-wrapped housing that gives it a grippy feel and keeps it from sliding around. It's also lighter, as it is a smaller battery (19,500mAh versus 26,800mAh).

Features, according to Mophie:

19,500mAh battery – provides more than 1 full charge to a MacBook
Cypress CCG2 chipset
USB-C output/input port (30 watts max) with additional USB-A output port 5V/2.4A
LEDs show direction of charge, confirming status switch position
Fabric-wrapped housing
Pass-through charging USB-C to USB-A
Provided cables: USB-A to USB-C & USB-C to USB- C
Price: $150

Correction, 1:15 p.m. PT: The capacity was originally listed incorrectly. Mophie has since confirmed that it's actually 19,500mAh.