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Baseus Blade HD.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

The Baseus Blade HD portable power bank is available on Amazon for $70 thanks to the nearly 38% off lightning deal, plus a 10% off coupon.
It’s thin, yet powerful, so it fits perfectly into a laptop bag, and has a clear, easy-to-read display.
Because it’s big and flat, it takes up a fair bit of desk space.

I get so much new stuff to test that I sometimes like revisiting gadgets that I’ve been using consistently for some time to see how they are holding up. After all, new stuff is cool, but if you’re spending your cold, hard-earned cash on something, you want it to last.

The other day a reader asked if I was still using the Baseus Blade HD power bank, a product that I’d initially reviewed close to a year ago. Indeed I am. In fact, not only am I using the HD version of this power bank, but I’m also still using the original Blade model , which is now two years old, and both are going strong.

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So what does HD stand for? High density. Put simply, Baseus used a different battery technology to allow the same charge capacity to be crammed into a smaller space.

ZDNET RECOMMENDS Baseus Blade HD The Baseus Blade HD is an upgraded version of the Blade, and makes use of silicon-carbon lithium polymer battery technology, making it 18% lighter and 20% smaller than the previous version. View at Amazon

Baseus Blade HD tech specs

Capacity: 20,000mAh silicon-carbon lithium polymer battery
Ports: 2 x USB-C, 2 x USB-A
USB-C Output: 5V/3A | 9V/3A | 12V/3A | 15V/3A | 20V/5A (max 100W)
USB-C Input: 5V/3.0A | 9V/3.0A | 12V/3.0A | 15V/3.0A | 20V/3.0A (max 60W)
USB-A Output: 4.5V/5A | 5V/4.5A | 5V/3A | 9V/3A | 12V/2.5A (30W)
Supported charging protocols: PD 3.0, QC 4+, QC 3.0, SCP, FCP, Samsung AFC
Size: 5.27 x 5.27 x 0.7 inches
Weight: 0.98 pounds

First off, I really like the shape. The flat square design with rounded corners, texturized soft coating and soft silicone feet is perfect for throwing into a laptop bag.

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If you want to make sure your laptop is protected, the Blade HD comes with a soft storage bag.

Rounded corners mean there are no points to smash into your laptop.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

On the front is an easy-to-read display that shows the unit’s runtime, along with power input/output and how long until the unit is charged or discharged. I appreciate that the display is subtle, so that I’m not being blinded when using the device in low-light or nighttime conditions.

Subtle, yet easy-to-read display.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

On the front is an on/off button and four ports – two USB-A and two USB-C. Simple.

Four ports – 2 x USB-A and 2 x USB-C – and an on/off button

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The Baseus Blade HD uses silicon-carbon lithium polymer battery technology, making it 18% lighter and 20% smaller than the previous version. The capacity remains the same at 20,000mAh, but I’m OK with this as it offers ample power to recharge devices.

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In fact, I’m glad Baseus focused on making the device smaller and not packing more power into it.

Here’s the Blade HD (which is now a year old), next to the original Blade (which is two years old and suffered some cosmetic damage when I dripped some nasty solvent on it accidentally), and both are going strong and like new.

Old and new. On the left is the Blade HD after a year of use, on the right is the two-year-old Blade. Both working as good as the day I took them out of the box!

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The USB ports can be used in single, dual, triple, or quadruple configurations. When used singly, a USB-A port can output up to 30W, while a USB-C port can push out 100W.

Recharge times are also very acceptable, at 1.2 hours when using the included USB-C to-C cable and a 65W USB-C PD wall charger (currently available for $30, which is a steal).

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One thing that hasn’t changed from the previous incarnation is that every surface of the Blade HD, just like the Blade before it, is a dust magnet, and will pick up and show every bit of dirt that gets on it. But the textured finish is nice in that the power bank isn’t slippery like a lot of them are, so it’s less likely to fall on the floor or into your laptop’s keyboard!

ZDNET’s buying advice

That aside, the Baseus Blade HD is a fantastic power bank for laptop users, and while the form factor means that this is never going to fit in your pocket, it’s perfect for slipping into a laptop bag. And right now you can pick it up for $70 (remember to click the 10% off coupon). If you want the original Baseus Blade , that’s also currently available for only $70 (click the 30% off coupon to get this deal).