Best Overall
SmallRig VB99 SE
Key details
- Ports
- 6, incl. D-tap and DC 12V
- Weight
- 21 oz
- Capacity
- 99Wh / 6,800mAh
- USB-C Output
- 65W PD
Ninety-nine watt-hours is the number that settles it. That's the largest lithium pack most airlines let you bring into the cabin, and SmallRig fits it into a body you can close a hand around — 4.4 by 2.8 by 2.1 inches, a bit over a pound. On a rig it means you can start the day with one battery and finish it with the same one, which is the entire point of carrying a pack instead of a pocketful of spares.
The port array is why it beats a phone power bank for camera work. There's a 65W USB-C that charges and is charged at that rate, a D-tap, 8V and 12V DC barrels, a BP connector and a USB-A. It will run a camera and a monitor together and still leave the USB-C free for a phone, and the 1.12-inch OLED tells you which port is drawing what before you start blaming a cable. That readout sounds like a small thing until something stops charging on location and you have one place to look.
Build is the other half of the argument: a sealed shell, an internal management board that cuts the pack off rather than cooking it, and a two-year warranty. We treat a battery that just works, shoot after shoot, as the highest praise available in this category.
Two things to know before you commit. At 596g it's the heaviest sort of pack in this guide, and it wants a V-mount plate or the right cable to earn its keep — if you shoot handheld with a small body and never use a cage, a 20,000mAh USB-C pack is the lighter answer. There's also no charger in the box, so budget for a 65W GaN brick or the fast input goes to waste.
Pros
- 99Wh sits right at the airline ceiling
- 65W PD plus D-tap, 8V and 12V DC, BP
- OLED shows per-port voltage and output
- Two-year warranty on the cell
Cons
- No charger in the box
Buy this one if your kit has a V-mount plate or a D-tap cable: it runs a rig all day, charges a laptop afterward, and still clears airline rules.