I recently started up an article comparing different USB battery banks and use cases and asked Nitecore to send me a few of theirs to include. This is one of them. Note: there’s now an NB1000 Gen 2 that’s a bit stiffer between the connectors and pack, the indicator/design has changed a bit, and output peak power has increased to 20W.
The Nitecore NB10000 is an incredibly small, very lightweight 10,000 mAh USB battery bank. I don’t know of a thinner/lighter model out there for a 10,000 mAh battery bank. It has much higher energy density (Wh/Kg) and volumetric efficiency (Wh/L) that any off the shelf battery pack.
Inputs and outputs are good: a USB-C port that’s dual use for both charging the battery bank and charging your devices, as well as a USB-A if you have older cables. It supports 18 watts fast charging via both the USB-C and USB-A ports.
It has a low power mode that you can use if you’re charging slow charge devices like bluetooth ear buds or other small devices. Some battery banks automatically turn off if they’re charging these super slow/low cap batteries, so this setting is nice.
Use cases
Flat out, the NB10000 is more portable and lightweight than other battery banks. It’d be great for multiday hikes or other times when you’re limited on weight and space.
The 18W charge/discharge rate is fast enough where you’ll be able to quick charge it at a coffee shop while you’re on that multi-day hike.
Cons
The lightweight, super thin design of the battery bank means that it’s vulnerable to bending if you put too much force on it. The minimalist square edges are good for maxing out interior battery space, but are a bit pokey and uncomfortable compared to the softer, round edges on most USB battery banks.
Conclusion
Nitecore claims that this battery bank is 40% lighter than other 10,000 mAh battery banks and it beats that handily for some battery banks. I found the bigger difference was in the volume/size. The NB10000 is HALF the volume of a compact battery bank like the Anker Powercore II slim: 71 cubic cm vs 135.
So if you need the ultimate in compactness for your USB power bank, the NB10000 is the one to beat.