Aukey Power Banks – Part 2

Yesterday we introduced you to the Aukey PB-Y32 (read our review here).  With its built-in wireless charging pad, the PB-Y32 make recharging your iPhone while on the go, easier than ever. But what can you do if you need to recharge your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro while on the go?  Aukey has the answer for that too with the Aukey PB-Y24 Power Bank.

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Aukey PB-Y24 Power Bank

At 26800mAh, the Aukey PB-Y24 is the largest power bank we have tested to date.

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Aukey PB-Y24 – Unboxing

The PB-Y24 is a 26800mAh power bank with a maximum power output of 65W.  It is clearly all about the power and the packaging kind of makes that point.  In the box is the PB-Y24, a woven nylon pouch to store and carry it, a multi-language User Guide and the Aukey 24-month warranty card.  That’s it.

The PB-Y24 is also one of the largest power banks we have tested.  It measures 6.46” x 3.4” (164mm x 86mm), which is actually smaller than the Aukey PB-Y14, 20000mAh Universal Power bank we previously reviewed (read our review here).

But the PB-Y24 is twice as thick, measuring 1.18” (30mm) vs. the PB-Y14 at a mere 0.55” (14mm).

There is also a significant difference in weight, with the PB-Y24 weighing  20.99oz (595g) compared to the PB-Y14 at 15.34oz (435g).  While that may not sound like a big difference, you will notice it as soon as you hold the PB-Y24 in your hand. It may not be fair to compare these two power banks as they have very different use applications. The 65W output of the PB-Y24 allows you to charge the latest MacBook Air or MacBook Pro. The PB-Y14 has a maximum output of 18W so it is limited to the more common devices like your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

Aukey PB-Y24 – Ports and Connections

The PB-Y24 has all of the ports you would expect to see on a current model power bank.

On the top edge is a single USB-A port and two (2) USB-C ports.  There is also four (4) white LEDs to provide a visual representation of the available power and next to that, the power button.  The ports have the following power options.

When use to only charge your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro, the Aukey PB-Y24 Power Bank delivers the full 65W output.  You can also charge multiple devices at once in which case the power to the laptop is reduced to a maximum of 45W to allow sufficient power to charge your iPhone, iPad or other connected device.

The PB-Y24 also supports Low-Current charging for devices that  require less than 60mA.  To engage the Low-Current mode, press and hold the power button for 2 seconds.  You will see the LED closest to the power button turn orange, while the remaining LEDs remain white.

The PB-Y24 will remain in Low-Current mode for 2-hours at which time it will automatically return to full power. You can also switch back to full power at any time by again holding the power button for 2 seconds, until the orange LED turns back to white.

Aukey PB-Y24 – Test Results

Like all of the other Aukey power banks we have looked at, the PB-Y24 performed well.  We used it to charge our 13” MacBook Pro and iPhone XS both individually and together and it did not disappoint.

Size wise, there is no getting away from the fact that this unit is big.  The height and width is slightly larger than the iPhone 11 Max and the PB-Y24 being almost 3 times as thick, and more than double the weight. But again, for anyone that has been stuck in an airport or a long flight with no AC outlet available, the increased size and weight is a small price to pay for the convenience of being able to recharge your laptop.

Recharging time of the PB-Y24 is dependent on the charger being used.  According to Aukey, the PB-Y24 will completely recharge in 7.5 hours when using a 45W power supply.  Charging time increases to 12.5 hours with an 18W charger and 20.5 hours with a 12W charger. That means that if you use the power adapter that came with your MacBook Air (30W) or MacBook Pro (61W) you do not need to pack an extra power supply and can still get a full recharge of the PB-Y24 overnight.

The included nylon case is a nice added touch and while it probably won’t protect the unit from a severe fall, it should provide added protection when stored in your backpack of bag.  There is also an extra pocket on the front to store the USB-C cable. Speaking of the USB-C cable, we do wish that Aukey had included a longer cable in the box.  At 12” long, it does fine to connect the PB-Y24 to your Mac, provided you have some extra space on your desk or table, but makes it difficult to connect the power bank to the charger, if all that is available is a wall outlet.  If you don’t want to take your original Apple USB-C cable or need an extra, check out our review of the Aukey USB-C to USB-C cable here.

The Aukey PB-Y24 Power Bank and many other fine products are available from the AUKEY web site.

The Bottom Line

It’s important to choose wisely when dealing with third-party items that deal with power and charging since a poorly made product can severely damage your expensive Apple products.  We have looked at many chargers, cables and power banks by Aukey and feel confident that you are getting top quality products at reasonable process.  The two latest power banks, PB-Y32 and PB-Y24 are no exception.

Whether it’s the convenience of the wireless charging pad integrated into PB-Y32 or the high power of the PB-Y24 that lets you charge you Mac laptop and iPhone on the go, you can be confident that you have the power you need to stay productive and keep your Apple products fully charged.

We would like to thank the folks at Aukey for providing the PB-Y32 and PB-Y24 for our testing and review.

How do you power up when you’re on the go?  Why not join the conversation and leave a comment below.

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