Anker is hands-down one of the most well-known tech accessory brands with an extensive lineup of consumer electronics, and its SOLIX sub-brand has been solidifying itself in the portable backup power solution space for some time now. Its C1000 power station made big waves when it first hit the market in 2023, quickly becoming a popular charging solution for camping and other outdoor activities, in particular. Now, two years later, the Anker has introduced its SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station, which I was lucky enough to snag and test out, and which I believe will outshine its predecessor in the long run. Head below to get my hands-on impressions of this all-new solar generator.
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The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station comes in a single colorway at the moment and carries a normal $799 MSRP, with regular discounts often dropping costs lower across multiple marketplaces. There are also a small number of bundle options when purchasing that can add-on accessories like solar panels (with up to 400W input options currently), or a water-resistant protective bag.
Features at a glance:
- 1,024 watt-hour (Wh) capacity
- Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) battery cells
- 2,000W output (surges up to 3,000W)
- Features 10 output ports:
- 5x AC outlets (2,000W)
- 2x USB-C ports (140W)
- 1x USB-C port (15W)
- 1x USB-A port (12W)
- 1x car port (120W)
- Power station can recharge via AC outlet, gas generator, solar panel (sold separately), dual AC and solar, and a car auxiliary port
- 49-minute ultrafast AC recharging mode
- 1.5-hour standard AC recharging
- 1.8-hour solar recharging
- 0.8-hour AC + solar recharging
- 0.8-hour generator recharging
- 12.3-hour 100W car port recharging
- Rated for a minimum 4,000 charging cycles with an approximate lifespan of 10+ years
- Each purchase comes with a 5-year warranty
gadgetnewsonline’ take
The Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 station houses LiFePO4 battery cells that provide a 1,024Wh capacity to cover devices and appliances while away from home doing some temporary off-grid living or during short-term power failures and blackouts. Unlike its first-generation predecessor, Anker has traded in any expandable capabilities to achieve the new Gen 2 model’s smaller and lighter size (weighing in at 24.9 pounds).
When using it to run appliances or top off personal devices, you’ll be getting a steady output of up to 2,000W, with it able to surge as high as 3,000W for hungrier tech needs. It covers most of the bases you’d need – especially when camping, which is what it was primarily designed for – with 10 versatile port options. These include five AC ports, two 140W Type-C ports, a single 15W Type-C port, a 12W Type-A port, and a 120W car auxiliary port.
While you could certainly use the 1,200W standard AC input to recharge this station, you’ll get 1,600W speeds after activating its ultrafast charging mode via the in-app smart controls (only when plugged in and in the process of charging) – which cuts charging times down from its base 1.5-hour rate to an even faster 49-minute rate. There’s even passthrough charging when using it in conjunction with a gas generator that allows for its maximum 1,800W input, which is especially nice during blackouts, as the system does not tread close to overloading as it would without this feature.
There are also the options to use up to a max 600W solar input to recharge the battery, with even faster speeds available when utilizing both the max solar input and an AC outlet together. Lastly, there’s the option to connect the station to your car’s auxiliary/cigarette lighter port for on-the-go charging as you drive, though keep in mind this is the longest way to top off the battery, unless you utilize an alternator charger of some sort.
The station arrived in a well-padded, double-boxed packaging that seemed to protect it quite well during the more-than-likely bumpy journey through a U.S. (and NYC) delivery. Along with the station itself, the package contained the appropriate cables for charging via an AC outlet or my car’s auxiliary port, as well as the start-up guide booklet with a UR code.
The station came pre-charged with a 23% battery already, giving it the juice needed for a quick app setup and syncing, which very much followed the same general steps that were taken to pair the Anker SOLIX EverFrost 2 portable cooler to my phone back in April. From there, it was just a matter of plugging it in and getting it to 100% before incorporating it into some of my daily and occasional recreations.
I’m happy to say that the improved recharging times haven’t been exaggerated, as it not only got back to full with its faster charging mode activated (around 20 to 30 minutes with the pre-charged battery), but has consistently been able to maintain a near-49-minute rate in all the subsequent charging periods that have since followed. Unfortunately, I do not have any compatible solar panels at my NYC apartment, so I wasn’t able to test out how effective it was there, as well as its dual charging potential.
The design is nothing short of sleek and stylish, as most of the brand’s latest models have been, with a beautiful onboard color display located on its front side next to the power button and the four USB-C/A ports. Operation by way of the display is fairly straightforward, giving you basic readouts, while there is a button specifically for cutting power to and from the AC outlets. The more advanced settings, though, will need the in-app controls on your smartphone or tablet.
As was the case with the EverFrost 2 cooler’s controls, the C1000 Gen 2 controls are also well organized, easy to find, and easy to comprehend, even to those completely new to this kind of tech – as long as you understand electrical basics, but even then, the app provides output and input time estimates so you’ll never be caught off guard when the battery runs low, for example.
My partner and I have mostly been using it in my at-home art studio (aka the main bedroom of my apartment that I use as such) to power my LG smart TV (usually lasting 8-9 hours of nonstop use), as well as power various electrical tools, like foam cutters and wood burners (lasting 50+ hours), which are generally 15 to 20W devices, while the TV used 84W+ depending on whether I was using it just to stream music or have Netflix playing in the background as I work. Let me mention now that this has been quite the lifesaver for that room in particular, as my apartment is older and the outlets regularly die and need replacing, but as is usually the case, my landlord drags his feet for weeks to months before properly fixing things. As such, this has been a convenient and welcome companion.
I really put this thing to the test when taking it to the beach right after receiving it a few weeks ago, when some friends wanted to have an impromptu end-of-summer bash and beach bonfire. There was a solid party of 10 of us regularly keeping to our makeshift camp, with other folks coming and going over the course of the day (10 a.m. to 9-ish p.m.), and this thing covered all our electrical needs without once failing or falling short of expectations. Numerous smartphones, and speakers were plugged in for recharging and temporary power over that 11-hour period, which could have continued for a day or two at best, according to the app’s estimates at times.
Overall, I am surprised by just how much I’ve honestly been using this thing since it arrived. Whether it’s for short-term events outside where I need portable power, charging up tools while working away from any nearby outlets (also usually outside), or when covering certain appliances in my home for an hour or two while my neighborhood’s electrical system is being maintained/fixed and power needs to be cut for short periods – Anker’s SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 has supported me through it all. I’m especially looking forward to some fall camping trips on my horizon, where I’ll be taking advantage of this thing even further.
As I mentioned, the Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 power station carries a $799 MSRP, but I don’t expect most people to ever pay full price, as the brand regularly discounts it down into the $400-$500 range either on its direct website or through its official Amazon storefront.
Buy Anker’s SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station
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