Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000 Portable Charger Review

As some readers may know, the Anker PowerCore 10000 has been our number two pick for best power bank for quite some time, and holds the number one spot for best pocket power bank. Anker’s Fusion series, while in many aspects similar to the PowerCore series, adds a little twist to the mix: combining a wall charger and power bank into one device. Let’s see how the Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000 holds up in this review.

Design and Portability

The PowerCore Fusion boasts Anker’s signature black rugged casing which makes it look and feel like a solid unit. As the material used to make these shells is not the cheap plastic we normally see but a sturdy, robust ABS-type plastic, making the device very resistant to scratching. One small downside to this is the smoothness of the shell. The power bank can easily slide out of your hands or slip from your desk. This problem however, can easily be avoided by keeping it in the mesh carry pouch which is included with the power bank, or by just paying closer attention in handling the device with care.

Although it is technically smaller than the Anker PowerCore 10000, measuring 2.76 by 2.83 inches, it’s quite a bit thicker at 1.22 inch. It’s not uncomfortable to fit in your jeans pocket, but doesn’t quite have the comfort of some other devices, like for example the above named PowerCore 10000 and the Anker PowerCore Slim 2 have. Which are both bigger power banks, but have a different footprint and a more portable slimmer design. Now, that doesn’t mean the Anker PowerCore Fusion isn’t easy to carry with you, it certainly still is. It slides in a bag, purse or jacket pocket easily, and comes with a nice carry pouch.

Features

On the front cover of the device we find a power button followed by three blue LED battery indicators, showing the battery status in 33.3% increments. Normally, a few more LED’s would’ve been ideal, but for a 5000mAh power bank it definitely suffices.

On top of the power bank we find two smart charging USB ports equipped with PowerIQ functionality. Which means that every device you charge with the power bank will be sent a tailored output with the ideal amperage for your device, resulting in very efficient and very decent charging times (not to be confused with Quick Charge functionality, which it does not have)

Next to the two USB output ports sits a micro-USB input port which can be used to charge the power bank through a USB port if there’s no outlet in your proximity.

The biggest appeal of the PowerCore Fusion is of course, its ability to function as a wall charger as well. It has a foldable AC plug which can be used to charge the power bank, making charging much more convenient than a regular power bank. But it doesn’t end there, the foldable plug also allows for pass-through charging. This means you can plug the power bank in an outlet, and also plug devices into the PowerCore so they will all be charged simultaneously. This saves a lot of time and this is actually the first time we’ve come across an Anker device that supports pass-through charging.

It should be noted however that—unlike other pass through charging power banks—the PowerCore Fusion will not charge itself until the plugged in devices are all fully charged. Which is a small inconvenience, but certainly no dealbreaker.

Power

A 5000mAh capacity, while not massive, is enough for most smartphones to be charged at least once. It charges an iPhone 7 almost twice on one full charge. A Samsung Galaxy S8 is charged once and the power bank still has some juice left in it.

Both charging ports are rated at a maximum of 3A, which makes for very impressive charging times similar to the Anker PowerCore 13000, charging an iPhone 7 in one hour and fifteen minutes, and a Samsung Galaxy S8 in one hour and thirty minutes. It’s not exactly Qualcomm Quick Charge type speeds, but still very decent nonetheless. It should be mentioned that the power bank can only output 3A when not plugged in an AC outlet. When plugged, it can only output a maximum of 2.1A per port. However, this is still more than enough to charge phones at the above mentioned rates.

Recharging the power bank only takes roughly two hours when directly plugged into an AC outlet. If you’re recharging the power bank with a micro-USB cable in a USB port, it’ll take a bit longer: about eight hours.

Conclusion

The Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000 is a great buy and incredibly convenient for everyday carry, but if you actually really need it is entirely up to you. For those who are always on the move and away from outlets the foldable plug might not provide any extra value, and a regular Anker PowerCore 10000 or PowerCore Slim 2 will simply suffice. If however you find yourself having a shortage of wall chargers and like to have a portable power bank and wall charger combined into one device, the Anker PowerCore Fusion 5000 is certainly one of the best picks out there.

Technical Specifications