Can I charge my Surface Laptop 5 with my Anker Power Bank (PowerCore Essential 20000mAh Portable Charger)

I don't know about the SL 5, but the SLS i7 (NVIDIA) usually can't be changed with any power bank. That's because PD charging with the SLS i7 is it's biggest problem, and Microsoft's biggest screw-up with the SLS. It changes from Windows update to Windows update. There have been times over the last year and a half (of SLS's existence) where for a short period, with a sufficient power bank (100 watts, with a proper cable), it will work., and you can charge it. But then a new Windows update comes along and it will STOP working. Windows will say "weak charging sate" or "slow charger" and not only will it not charge, but sometimes the computer will start charging the power bank!

You can try all kinds of power banks, and spend all the money you want on high wattage power banks, but it's not about the power bank. It's about the firmware, which changes from update to update. It's supposed to negotiate the charge, but with most updates, it can't. I know this for a fact, because I have a couple of portable power banks that--AT TIMES--have worked to charge the SLS. But then a Windows update comes along and the EXACT SAME POWER BANK, with the EXACT SAME CABLE, will stop working, and Windows will behave as I have described above. And this is not just me. I've talked with other owners of the SLS who have the same experience.

The documentation and support from Microsoft is useless for this issue. They refuse to deal with it, and try to make it seem that it's your power bank or cable that's the problem. Or they just tell you not to even try to use a portable power bank--to use the wall charger that comes with the computer. (Idiots--how am I going to do that in the middle of a conference hall with no outlets?)

This is the most f^#(#ed up thing about Microsoft regarding the SLS. It's otherwise a good device. You'd think that when we spend so much money on it they could get this right, but they just don't care, apparently.

I don't know if the same thing is happening with the SL 5, but it could be. So if it does, don't just conclude that the power bank is the problem: MICROSOFT IS THE PROBLEM.

Hi Wanda,

With 60 watts of power to the device, the charger that came with the Surface Laptop 5 is a great way to keep it charged and ready for use.

Hope that helps,

Greg

Hi Wanda,

It looks like that the USB-C PD port on that charger is only 20W, which is going to fall short of what the recommended wattage is for most of the Surface devices. So, while it may work to charge your device slowly, it certainly would not be able to keep up if you were using the device at the same time.

Here are some resources you can use to find the recommended wattage for your device.

USB-C and Fast Charging for Surface - Microsoft Support

Surface power supplies and charging requirements - Microsoft Support

Hope this helps,

Greg

Hi Greg,

Thanks for your reply. So, charge my Surface Laptop 5 at the wall, via the cord that came with my laptop, not the Power bank. (When I tried (in the car), nothing seemed to happen - i.e. The laptop did not recharge :(

Kind regards,

Wanda.

I've seen some good reports on a more powerful 26,000mAh Anker Power Bank - like Best replacement chargers for Surface Laptop 5 (xda-developers.com) - but nothing on the older 20K model, other than mentions of various mobile phones.