We live in a time of constant connection to electronics. While this technological age certainly adds plenty of convenience, the downside is that everything runs on batteries . More and more products are rechargeable, which is better for the planet, but that also means you need the means to recharge those devices.

Power outages, emergency situations, and just being off the grid make charging electronics challenging, though. Living in Florida, hurricane preparedness is always on my mind, especially when the forecast calls for a rough hurricane season. Part of that requires having backup power banks on hand to charge up phones , weather radios, rechargeable flashlights, and more.

In an effort to up my preparedness, when I was asked to check out the Ugreen 300W 48000mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display, I eagerly jumped on board. Luckily, I haven’t had any emergency situations that have required me to rely on this Ugreen power bank. But after a few weeks of using it to charge my computer and other small devices, I’ve found that even though it doesn’t quite live up to its promises, its versatility still makes me glad to have it on hand.

Price, availability, and specs

The Ugreen 300W 48000mAh Power Bank with Smart Digital Display is available for $200 on Ugreen’s website, though it’s listed as out of stock at the time of writing. Likewise, it’s typically available for purchase through Amazon but is currently listed as unavailable.

What I liked about the Ugreen 300W 48000mAh Power Bank

Plenty of versatility and useful features

One of the things I love most about this Ugreen power bank is its versatility. Instead of needing a separate power bank for USB-A and USB-C devices, I can just have this one since it provides two USB-A ports and three USB-C. Both USB-A ports promise 22.5 watts of power, while the USB-C ports offer 100 watts for two and up to 140 watts for the third.

Although I haven’t needed to use it yet (thankfully), I really appreciate the built-in LED light. The high mode is very bright, and Ugreen promises 115 hours of run time on high or 150 hours on low. It also offers an SOS light mode. The integrated light makes it a fantastic tool for car camping or emergency situations and would make me bring this one along instead of other power banks. Of course, as a larger battery, it has some heft (3.7lbs), so I wouldn’t recommend it for hiking or backpacking.

As the name of the device explains, the power bank has a total capacity of 48000mAh. Ugreen says it will provide 10 days of power, or 10.8 charges for the iPhone 15 Pro and 1.1 charges for the 15-inch M2 MacBook Air M2. In theory, that means instead of needing multiple little power banks, you can just have this one in most situations, but more on that later. The device also supports Super Fast Charging for my Samsung Galaxy S22, which is very nice and gets my phone powered up in a short amount of time.

All of that power is stored in a relatively compact package. It’s small enough to keep tucked in the closet when I don’t need it or to pack in the car for camping trips. The built-in handle also makes it easier to carry. It can stand upright, much like a mini desktop computer, or there are slim rubber feet on the back as well, allowing you to tip it over for better use of the built-in light.

Finally, though a simple feature, the display is one of my favorite parts of the Ugreen power bank. Instead of using blinking lights to gauge how much battery is left, the display tells me an exact percentage along with how many watts of output or input are being used. With the watts displayed, it takes some of the guesswork out of how much life it may have left while charging something. It’s very easy to read in sunny or dark conditions as well.

What I didn’t like about the Ugreen 300W 48000mAh Power Bank

It doesn’t quite live up to the promises

While the Ugreen power bank promises a lot of power and fast charging times, I found that it doesn’t really meet those promised numbers. The first issue is related to charging the power bank. Ugreen says this power bank will fully recharge in 1.5 hours. The kicker is that that speed requires a 140-watt wall charger, but it doesn’t come with one.

I don’t have a wall charger that comes close to 140 watts, so I’ve been using my MacBook’s 61-watt wall charger. With the MacBook’s charger, it took 3.5 hours to charge up the power bank from zero to 100%. It’s possible that the 1.5-hour recharge time is accurate with the right gear. However, it is disappointing that the device doesn’t come with a wall charger to get the promised times, especially given the $200 price tag.

Charging up my devices left me wanting a bit more, as well. Ugreen says it will power a MacBook Air M2 15 slightly more than one full charge. I have an older MacBook Pro from 2019 and was only able to get about 56% charge before I drained the Ugreen power bank. That’s better than nothing, to be sure, but it isn’t the promised amount, and I wouldn’t want to rely on it for work situations. According to the display, I didn’t get more than 94 watts during that charging session, which also isn’t the 140-watt potential.

Charging smaller devices like my Garmin watch, phone, or earbuds seemed slightly closer to the promised amounts, though still not there. That said, it is compatible with super-fast charging for my Galaxy S22, which is very nice to have.

Should you buy the Ugreen 300W 48000mAh Power Bank?

If you need a high-capacity power bank for camping or to keep in your emergency preparedness kit, then yes, you should buy the Ugreen 300W power bank. The display makes it easy to keep an eye on the power levels, and the ability to charge up to five devices at once is quite handy in a pinch. Plus, the light adds a nice versatility to the device.

The capacity and recharge time were slight letdowns, but it’s still better than smaller power banks that are meant for a single phone charge and nothing more. If you do need epic capacity, though, you may want to look for even larger power banks, solar charging panels, or small generators. But for short camping trips and emergencies, the Ugreen 300W charger is a great choice to have on hand.