The advent of USB Type-C across all devices is that laptops can now use many of the same cables, chargers, and batteries as smartphones and tablets. There are a few larger portable batteries designed with charging laptops in mind, and now the Baseus Blade 2 is joining the party as a super-thin 65W battery.
Baseus sells a few portable batteries in this slim form factor, including the Baseus Blade 100W. The company just released the Baseus Blade 2 65W, which can charge up to two devices at once, including a laptop. Just like the other batteries in the Blade lineup, it’s slim enough to comfortably store in a backpack pocket or other bag (it’s around 0.4 inches in depth), but it won’t fit in a pants pocket as easily as some of the best portable chargers.
The new Baseus Blade 2 is capable of charging at up to 65W, but just like with most portable batteries, the output depends on how many devices you have connected and what speeds they support. If you have one device connected, it can charge at up to 65W from either of the USB Type-C ports, according to the user manual. If you connect two devices, the first “C1” port will charge at 45W, and the other “C2 port” will max out at 20W. There’s an integrated display telling you the current charging speeds, or you can use a smartphone app to see the same data.
Even though this is primarily marketed as a portable battery for laptops, and the 65W speed is enough to fast charge most USB Type-C laptops (excluding more power-hungry laptops like a MacBook Pro), there isn’t enough capacity to fully recharge most laptops. The product review at XDA mentioned it could charge an M2 MacBook Air by about 50% before running out of juice.
If you need a portable battery that can slip into just about any bag, the Blade 2 might be a great option. You can buy it on Amazon now, and if you use promo code 30OFFBLADE at checkout, you can buy one for $70. The normal price will be $100 after the code expires on March 25. You can also get it in three colors: blue, silver, and coral.
