NITECORE NB Plus 10,000mAh Lightweight Power Bank Review

The NITECORE NB Plus 10,000mAh Lightweight Power Bank is small and durable, with two ports for charging devices. It features a carbon fiber shell, which we’re used to seeing from NITECORE, and performs similarly to what we expect from the brand. Is this just another battery bank from NITECORE, or is it worth taking on your next trip? Let’s dive in and find out.

The Rundown

The NITECORE NB Plus 10,000mAh Lightweight Power Bank is the big sibling of the NITECORE NB Air USB-C 5000mAh Power Bank. They’re very similar in the same way that the NITECORE Carbo 20000 is the older sibling to the Carbo 10000, and the NB20000 is the older sibling to the NB10000. At this point, NITECORE has more battery bank lines in its collection than Pack Hacker has staff members, enabling the brand to get into the nitty-gritty of special-use design features. As battery banks go, this one is fairly general-purpose and ideal for travel.

As the name denotes, the NITECORE NB Plus 10,000mAh Lightweight Power Bank is a 10,000 mAh battery bank. For years, this was the top end of the line when it came to capacity, but we’ve blown past that line in recent years, with some reaching numbers higher than 30,000 mAh without breaking the $100 threshold, which was unimaginable in years past. Like the race to reach unimaginable heights with camera megapixels, we often wonder when enough is enough with a battery bank, because we think 10,000 is more than enough for most travel purposes. But, is this battery bank really 10,000 mAh?

A device like this will lose some energy to heat, ports, and cables. A better indicator of how much juice you’ll get from the squeeze is rated energy, which measures how much power you can actually pull from the battery bank. The NITECORE NB Plus has a rated energy of 5,600 mAh, which is pretty typical compared to other NITECORE battery banks we’ve tested. To determine what’s best for your devices, look into the internal battery in those devices to see how much charge that rating will give you.

The NITECORE NB Plus has two ports: a USB-C and a USB-A. The USB-A is just an output port, maxing out at 22.5 watts, which is standard but not exciting. The USB-C is both an in and out port, and it has an 18-watt maximum input and 22.5-watt maximum output, which, again, is standard but not shattering the glass ceiling regarding battery banks in a similar price point.

Four lights indicate how much charge you have left and when you need to juice up. A power button to the left of the lights turns them on, allowing you to see how much power remains quickly. This is pretty standard, though we prefer it to the newer battery banks with a screen on the front, as that wastes more power and feels unnecessary.

Like most from NITECORE, the battery bank is crafted from carbon fiber and plastic. There are two carbon fiber sheets, one on either side, and plastic around the edges. The plastic doesn’t feel as durable as the carbon fiber, but it has held up well in testing, and we haven’t had any issues with the NITECORE NB Air, which we’ve had for longer and utilizes the same design.

The battery bank has an IPX7 rating for extra ruggedness while traveling, which means you can submerge the device in water for up to 30 minutes at up to a meter of depth. We wouldn’t recommend doing this for fun, but it can survive a deep dive if necessary and is more than enough to handle a sweating water bottle or a spill at the local cafe.

Packability

The NITECORE NB Plus is palmable—much more so than battery banks that came out even a half-decade ago. It’ll fit into most pockets, but it may be too long for some feminine-styled pants with shallow pockets. Its thin design makes it easy to fit in tight-fitting pockets.

Because of its size, it fits into small slings without issue. Additionally, it’ll fit inside the admin panel in your daypack or travel backpack, and you can stow it inside a glovebox or tech pouch.

The size and weight (5.47 ounces or 155 grams) feel top-notch for 10,000 mAh, making it easy to take with you, no matter where the destination is.

Quick Comparison

The NB Plus performs well compared to its younger sibling, NITECORE NB Air.

The NB Air offers 50% of the advertised capacity of the NB Plus. Because this is the most important feature for a battery bank, it’ll be our baseline when comparing the two.

The NB Air has a rated energy of 3,300 mAh, 66% of the advertised 5,000 mAh capacity. The NB Plus has only met 56% of the advertised 10,000 mAh capacity, so the NB Air performs better in that regard.

However, the NB Air weighs just 3.14 ounces, or 89 grams, 57.4% of the NB Plus, so you’re getting more capacity per ounce with the NB Plus (1,828 mAh/ounce) than with the NB Air (1,592 mAh/ounce). These figures are based on the advertised capacity of the battery bank.

The NB Air is 3.167 cubic inches, which is 60.78% of the NB Plus’s 5.21 cubic inches, so the little sibling is a better choice if you prioritize portability.

The NB Air only has a USB-C port, and the NB Plus has both a USB-C and a USB-A port. Depending on your usage, this might not be something you need, but it’s handy either way.

Despite outperforming its younger sibling in most categories, it is larger, and that’s not ideal. Still, you’re getting more bang for your buck, and more power isn’t bad in our modern technological age. Both battery banks perform well and offer extraordinary ease of use, making them both solid travel companions. Deciding between the two depends on your budget, how much power you need, and if you care about ports!