Anker 767 Portable Power Station Review: Ready for Anything Heavy Hit

We have practically become slaves to our electronic devices, as evidenced by the panic that occurs when we are deprived of the electricity needed to power our phones, laptops, and devices. That’s why the market for power banks and power stations continues to grow rapidly, churning out large batteries that come in all sizes and cater to all needs. Just as different people have different strength needs, there is no one size fits all. Choosing a portable powerhouse also involves choosing between power and, of course, portability. There may be a certain sweet spot between these two where you don’t have to compromise too much. That’s the promise of Anker’s latest 767 PowerHouse, and we’re giving it a good push and pull to see if it can actually deliver.

Designer: Anker

Aesthetic

If most portable power plants have one thing in common, it’s that they’re pretty much variations on the ice cooler design, especially larger ones. These usually come as large rectangular boxes with handles protruding from the sides which should make carrying easier. Given their weight, this has almost never been the case, and it looks like Anker finally got the message.

The new Anker 767 PowerHouse Portable Power Station deviates from the norm in a very significant way. It now has two wheels on one side that make it significantly easier to move it. But to this Anker has added a telescopic arm that you can remove to help pull the power station behind you. In other words, the Anker 767 is designed more like a suitcase, even though it sleeps on its back. It’s a marked step away from the relatively young Anker 757 PowerHouse we reviewed recently, but considering how heavy it is now, it’s a very welcome improvement.

It’s not just the shape that has changed. The Anker 767 also removes the dual color scheme of its predecessor, another distinguishing feature of the cooler design. It still has silver pieces, but now it mostly emphasizes a predominantly black box with a touch of light blue here and there. The overall design also looks a bit more refined now, just as the LED bar light button is now embedded in the strip and looks almost invisible. The LCD screen now displays colors as well, thankfully it only takes a few sips of battery power. If you’re not a fan, you can always turn it off using the button on the front of the power station.

In many other cases, the Anker 767’s design remains similar and familiar, which is actually a plus. All output ports are on the front for easy access, while the charging ports are hidden behind a cover on the back. There are grilles on both sides for ventilation and these now have a sleeker diagonal design. All these elements work together to give the power station a more mature look, which hopefully instills more confidence in Anker’s product line.

ergonomics

Anker calls the 767 PowerHouse its most powerful yet heaviest as well. While it’s not the largest on the market, its weight of 67 pounds is no joke. Fortunately, it doesn’t expect you to carry it with just muscle strength, but you can definitely do it with the two handles on the sides anyway. But this time, Anker uses one of humanity’s greatest inventions to lighten that burden.

Two wheels on one side and an extendable handle on the other finally give your back a much-needed break before you really break it from lifting such a heavy object. You’ll still have to lift one side to really roll, but this is a much more ergonomic design than simple levers. It would probably be better if you could pull or push the power station without lifting it, but that would require a serious redesign of the four wheels and the product.

The same features that made the Anker 757 easy to use, thankfully, have not changed here. All the most commonly used ports and buttons are on the front and there are no rubber caps except for the two car sockets (yes, there are two!). This gives you easy and unrestricted access to the ports you need most, instead of fiddling with the covers and forgetting to reattach them.

Yield

The Anker 767 PowerHouse’s claim to fame is, of course, its big battery, which is the biggest battery the brand has ever offered. This is a massive 2,048 Wh battery with a power output of 2,400 W. Whether it’s a power outage or a weekend camping trip, that power is enough to handle any situation for days on end. It has enough power to power even a portable refrigerator for about three days, let alone charging phones and laptops several times. With the proper neutral grounding plug, Anker says you can even charge an electric car using this powerhouse!

This battery is of course made using the now standard LiFePO4 material, the same one used in electric vehicles for reliability and longevity. But new to Anker 767 is GaNPrime, Anker’s brand of Gallium Nitride technology. Without going into technical details, this means that the PowerHouse can charge not only faster but also more efficiently while reducing energy loss during use. The Anker 767 charges from zero to full in about two hours when plugged into an AC outlet. Using five 200 W solar panels for a total input of 1,000 W, the battery can be fully charged in two and a half hours. Unfortunately, Anker has yet to figure out how to combine AC and solar charging for faster charging speeds.

As for the output, Anker has really outdone himself this time. Admittedly there are fewer AC ports, now just four instead of six as on the Anker 757 PowerHouse, and the USB-A ports have been halved to just two. This is more in response to changing times when there are more devices that can be charged or powered via USB-C and there are three of them in the Anker 767, each independently delivering 100W. Strangely enough, there are also two car ports, one of which can probably be converted into a USB port with the right accessory. There’s still no wireless charging, which is unfortunate given how clean and flat the top of the power station is.

The Anker 767 finally embraces a feature that has become a staple among other portable powerhouses these days. Finally, the powerhouse has a mobile app that lets you monitor its stats and press a few buttons remotely. What’s slightly different with Anker’s app is that the connection between the 767 PowerHouse and your phone is Bluetooth only. This is a huge advantage when using the portable battery outdoors, as you don’t have to deal with temporary Wi-Fi settings and the like. Anker is a little late to the party on this one, but as they say, better late than never.

Sustainability

Despite the design change, the Anker 767 PowerHouse has the same weaknesses as previous models when it comes to sustainability. The power station itself is built using traditional materials with lots of plastic. Whatever the environmental gains, they are mostly indirectly due to their properties rather than their nature.

Anker still makes the recommendation to use green energy to meet your power needs, assuming you’re charging with solar power. Of course, using batteries instead of fuel is already a huge sustainability gain, but I hope the company doesn’t stop there. Unfortunately, it will likely take some time before Anker and its competitors begin to move towards using more sustainable materials and processes, as that may not be their priority this early in the game.

However, it portrays power efficiency and power savings as gains for the environment. For example, GaNPrime can help save energy over time by reducing the overall carbon footprint. The Anker 767 also automatically turns off the AC output after 15 minutes of no connection, or turns off any output port when a connected device is fully charged. These certainly help conserve power in the long run, but still mostly it depends on how people use the device rather than something inherent in the device.

Value

It probably shouldn’t come as a surprise that the Anker 767 PowerHouse is a bit pricey, given the larger battery inside and its new design and features, but that price tag might still shock you. With an SRP of $2,199, it’s definitely one of the more expensive options with this battery capacity. And since it is not in a bubble, it will be difficult not to compare it with its closest competitors.

The EcoFlow Delta MAX 2000, for example, has the same 2,048 Wh/2,400 W LiFePO4 battery and although it does not use GaN technology, it has dual charging capabilities using both AC and solar power simultaneously. It’s only slightly cheaper at $2,099 but is currently discounted to $1,599. The Bluetti AC200MAX has a lower output of 2,200W and fewer output ports, but it also has dual charging capability and a significantly lower starting price of $1,899. However, neither EcoFlow’s nor Bluetti’s competitors have wheels to make it easy to move around.

There’s no denying that the Anker 767 PowerHouse lives up to its name, but that price tag could instantly smash the deal for many. Fortunately, Anker holds numerous sales events with huge discounts, so you may just need to take the time to unfold.

Decision

When it comes to emergency power, the ideal solution is a rechargeable solution that checks for all the right P’s regarding power, portability and price. But given current technologies and the economy, this is not an easy balance to strike. The Anker 767 PowerHouse offers one-shot efficiency and fast charging speeds by easily controlling the power box with its 2,048Wh battery and GaNPrime technology. Fortunately, its new design also meets the need for portability by adding wheels to the package. Price is a sensitive issue, at least for the full standard price tag. It’s certainly a pretty big investment, but one that can easily pay for itself if you find yourself spending a lot more time outdoors or always stressed about power outages. In these situations, the Anker 767 PowerHouse Portable Power Station is truly up for anything to help you live a more comfortable life in any situation.