Flashback: Are the Phones That Weren't, Part 1 – 18,000mAh Big Enough?

Unlimited power! For a brief moment in 2019 there was a smartphone with a huge 18,000mAh battery – yes, that’s 3-4 times bigger than a typical phone battery today. However, it failed to find an audience and the launch was cancelled.

We are talking about the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop, a highly descriptive name for a unique phone. The P18K should be self explanatory. “Pop” refers to the dual popup camera (it housed a 16MP module plus a 2MP depth sensor for face scanning).

The Energizer Power Max P18K Pop was a beast phone with an 18,000mAh battery

This phone was announced alongside the Energizer Ultimate U620S Pop, which was basically the same phone, except with a tiny 3,200mAh battery and measured just 10.3mm thick. Both were shown at MWC in 2019 and we spent some time at the Energizer booth with this curious pair.

The Energizer Power Max P18K Pop next to its battery younger brother, the Energizer Ultimate U620S Pop

The 18,000mAh number wasn’t chosen at random – it runs just under the 100Wh limit for electronics you can take aboard airplanes. The phone has definitely earned the “Max” tag.

According to Energizer, the Power Max P18K Pop could play music for 4 days straight or video for 2 days straight. There have been phones that have tried to use efficient e-Ink screens to extend their endurance. Others had solar panels. The P18K Pop took the brute force approach.

Once the battery ran out, it was time to recharge. That job was handled by the USB-C port with support for USB Power Delivery 2.0 at 18W. That doesn’t sound like much, but you have to remember that this was before the 200+ watt charging craze.

Of course, the P18K could be used as a power bank to recharge other weaker phones. This wasn’t particularly fast either, supporting only a 2.5W output. On the bright side, you could charge many other phones and still have enough juice to get you through the day.

Flashback: Phones That Weren't Part 1: Is 18,000mAh Big Enough?

The price for all that power becomes obvious when you look at the phone from the side. This is one of the toughest phones we’ve ever held in hand. According to the official spec sheet, it measured 18mm thick, its weight remained a mystery.

Flashback: Phones That Weren't Part 1: Is 18,000mAh Big Enough?

Either way, many have called the P18K a “power bank that can make calls.” That’s selling the device short as it was a true Android 9 (Pie) smartphone with a Helio P70 chipset, 6GB of RAM, and 128GB of storage (plus a microSD slot).

Flashback: Phones That Weren't Part 1: Is 18,000mAh Big Enough?

It had a 6.2-inch 1,080 x 2,280 px IPS LCD on the front that was a rounded rectangle free of blemishes. As mentioned at the beginning, the front camera lived on a pop-up module. As for the rear, there was a 12+5+2MP camera setup.

Flashback: Phones That Weren't Part 1: Is 18,000mAh Big Enough?

So what happened to the Energizer Power Max P18K Pop? The manufacturer ran an IndieGoGo campaign as a form of pre-order. Fans could pick up a phone for $550, $150 off the estimated retail price. However, the funding goal was set at $1.2 million and there wasn’t enough interest in the device.

Perhaps 18,000 mAh was too much – it’s a volume you need to carry with you every day. Most people would take a power bank with them when they go out for a long day outdoors.

But maybe you’re one of the few people who can appreciate a phone with an insanely large battery built in. If that’s you, check out the Doogee V Max that was announced earlier this year — that one has a 22,000mAh battery, by FAA rules damn!