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When Stacia was 21, she was struggling with severe depression. A stranger's simple question gave her safety during a time she needed it the most. Now, it's an example she's tried to follow ever since.

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Ever gotten a text saying you forgot to pay a nonexistent road toll or need to pick up a mystery package? Google's going after the scammers behind those messages.

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A vote in the House expected on Wednesday could end what is now the longest shutdown on record. Democrats are decrying the plan, saying it fails to address expiring health care subsidies.

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The Capital Area Food Bank in Washington D.C., says it's allotted an extra 1 million meals for November, given the uncertainties about whether and when SNAP recipients will get their full benefits.

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Since September, the Trump administration has carried out more than a dozen strikes on boats it claims are run by drug traffickers, killing more than 70 people.

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The Arizona Democrat won her race in September, but Speaker Mike Johnson has waited to swear her in until today. Grijalva has vowed to be the decisive signature in a bid to release the Epstein files.

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Gone are the days of It's A Wonderful Life! and Miracle on 34th Street – it's a given that modern Christmas movies are unironically bad, and the new Netflix film A Merry Little Ex-mas is no exception.

This sounds like a dig, but I don't really mean it as one. Sure, I'd prefer to spend my time watching the best movies creators have to offer, but Christmas films in the 2000s play by their own rules. We're almost willing them to be awful, totally zoning out and thinking about absolutely nothing while we binge them in the cold winter months.

Starring Oliver Hudson and Alicia Silverstone as a couple who are trying to "consciously uncouple" (aka divorce) during the festive period, A Merry Little Ex-mas delivers the no-thoughts goods. It's the same way you have to occasionally read a rubbish book just to feel something again... there are no stakes and nothing important to note. Just you, a cosy blanket, and vibes.

Given I actually get paid to talk about film and TV for a living, and have to earn that responsibility, I need to dig a little deeper into A Merry Little Ex-mas via the standard industry criteria (e.g. saying "it's vibes" doesn't quite cut it). As you might expect, it doesn't score very highly in those areas.

A Merry Little Ex-mas has nuggets of gold amid its seasonal rubbish

First, let's set the scene. Kate (Silverstone) and Everett (Hudson) are getting divorced simply because they seem fatigued by each other. While the entire town knows about it, each is keeping a secret: Everett is dating someone new (Jameela Jamil), while Kate plans to move away to Boston after their youngest goes off to college.

Kate wants the family to have one last Christmas as a unit, adhering to all the traditions they've made over the years. As their secrets spill out, however, a normal Christmas is the last thing that Kate and Everett have, and it's incredibly clear that their feelings for each other haven't gone away either.

From my brief synopsis, you can probably work out exactly how A Merry Little Ex-mas ends, and I can basically guarantee that you are correct. This is one of the many problems the new movie has, if we're really scrutinizing it.

Not only can we see the conclusion coming with our eyes closed, but the overarching storyline and B-plots are all too ridiculous to believe. As an act of rebellion to try and make Everett jealous, Kate immediately dates a young guy called Chet (Pierson Fodé), who is the most stereotypical American muscle man you've ever seen.

The fact this chiseled dude just happens to be working at every business in town and on board with Kate's jealousy plan is as unbelievable as the fact Tess (Jamil) moved her luxurious life to suburban American for a man she's only know for just four weeks.

Every decision everybody makes is a questionable one, including the team's collective decision to make Harry Potter great again (you'll see what I mean, but really? In 2025?) There's nothing believable enough to sink your teeth into, you just have to go off of pure whimsy.

Our cast are putting in solid performances, but there's nothing remarkable. You'd think putting grown-up Cher Horowitz from Clueless and Sabrina the Teenage Witch (Melissa Joan Hart) in a film together as BFFs would be a slam dunk, but Joan Hart isn't included as much as she could be.

It's quite literally all smiles and rainbows. (Image credit: Netflix)

But that doesn't mean everything in A Merry Little Ex-mas should be written off. If you're a Hallmark fan, or live to consume rubbish, the new Netflix movie is literally made for you.

Every frame looks like the quintessential American holiday you want to immerse yourself in, both picture-perfect and wholesome at every turn. Add a level of 'hamming' to proceedings (by which I mean everything that happens borders on being camp) and you've the perfect cocktail of Sunday viewing.

There's also an incredible amount of representation that isn't made into an unnecessarily big deal. Kate has two dads, who own the local hardware store and are responsible for the biggest amount of laughs in this otherwise humorless film.

They shower her in nothing but love, and it's clear they've been an integral part of the grandchildren's childhoods too. It's a beautiful relationship to watch, and a timely reminder of how the 2020s blended family can be easily included onscreen.

My star of the show? Jameela Jamil. She's been so busy being brilliantly herself (her Substack is must-subscribe reading), that I think we've forgotten just how brilliant of an actress she is. Tess is the antithesis of who she really is, but you'd never be able to tell if you didn't know her. I'm aware that's how acting works, but you get my point.

Will I be rushing to press play on A Merry Little Ex-mas again? No, and I doubt I ever will. Was it a nice, mind-numbing way to spend a Sunday evening curled up in bed? You bet.

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Sometimes, being terrible isn't a bad thing, as new Netflix Christmas movie A Merry Little Ex-mas proves.

Another flagship design from ECS Group, the ECS LIVA Z11 Plus is a high-performance system inside a tiny NUC enclosure.

The sun has burped out bursts of energy called coronal mass ejections that could reach Earth Tuesday night. Forecasters said the vibrant displays could be visible across much of the northern U.S.

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A VPN can help privacy-conscious Italians bypass restrictions on age-gated content, and Black Friday VPN deals make it now cheaper than ever.

Lenovo Go USB-C laptop power bank review

I rely on a power bank daily, and only the most powerful options can keep up with the demands of laptop charging or topping up portable gaming devices.

While there are plenty of great options in our guide to the best power banks, most don’t have built-in cables, so you need to carry some extras when on the go.

And that’s where the Lenovo Go slots in, with up to 65W output and a built-in cable that hides away in the power bank itself, so it's ready to go whenever needed.

Aside from the cable, it also has both a USB-C and a USB-A port and can charge three devices at once.

The Lenovo Go features a typical 20,000mAh, 74Wh (though the unit itself says 77Wh) capacity, which makes it ready to take on flights without permission, and capable of topping up a laptop at least once or keeping your phone charged for days. It’s also enough to give the 50Wh battery in the Steam Deck a full charge.

The Lenovo Go power bank includes a built-in 44 cm USB-C cable. (Image credit: Future)

At 170 × 72 × 23 mm (6.69 × 2.83 × 0.91 inches), it’s reasonably compact, and the 390 grams (0.86 lb) weight is fairly typical considering the capacity. The design is slim enough to slip into a bag (including briefcase-style laptop bags) without adding bulk.

The built-in USB-C cable is 44 cm (17.3 in) long and wraps around a recess in the power bank for storage. While secure and easy to deploy, it’s very slightly fiddly to put back into place neatly once you are finished charging.

The USB-C end is slightly bulky, so it may not fit in some USB-C ports with tight access, such as phones with thicker cases.

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(Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 7

The power bank shows the remaining capacity with LEDs – each representing a 25% increment. (Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 7

The power bank includes USB-A and USB-C ports on the end. (Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 7

The built-in USB-C cable has a handy pull tab to help release it. (Image credit: Future)Image 5 of 7

(Image credit: Future)Image 6 of 7

The USB-C connector on the end of the cable has a slightly bulky protective cover, so may not fit in tight ports. (Image credit: Future)Image 7 of 7

The built-in USB-C cable is tough, but does not sit neatly unless firmly pushed back in. (Image credit: Future)

The power bank uses a simple four-LED system to display remaining capacity in 25% steps, which works fine but isn’t quite as nice as a digital readout. The plastic shell feels solid in hand and is quite tough, and despite rattling around in my bag for a few weeks, it shows no signs of undue wear.

The Lenovo power bank does face stiff competition from similar-spec power banks, such as the often slightly cheaper Anker 20,000mAh 87W power bank. The Lenovo is slightly slimmer (but longer) and lighter, but to give comparative value for money, it needs to be picked up when on sale.

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The power bank is about the same horizontal dimensions as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, but of course much thicker. (Image credit: Future)Image 2 of 4

(Image credit: Future)Image 3 of 4

The power bank looks chunky compared to the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i laptop, but it's slim enough to slip into a bag without adding bulk. (Image credit: Future)Image 4 of 4

(Image credit: Future)

The Lenovo Go USB-C laptop power bank outputs USB PD3.0 spec voltages on the USB-C cable and USB-C port – 5V 3A, 9V 3A, 15V 3A and 20V 3.25A. This means it will happily fast charge most phones, laptops and other devices like handheld gaming machines at up to 65W. The USB-A port supports the QC3.0 protocol, with 5V, 9V, 12V or variable from 3.6V to 12V, at up to 18W.

Notably, it doesn’t support PPS (Programmable Power Supply), so it won’t do 45W Samsung Super Fast charging like the Iniu P50 can.

The Lenovo power bank also doesn’t output 12V on the USB-C ports, which isn’t a problem for most users, but it’s still worth mentioning. There aren’t many devices that exclusively need 12V USB-C charging, but, for example, a 12V option is needed to get the fastest charging on DJI Mini drone batteries.

So while the Lenovo doesn’t have the latest protocol support, for normal use it’s still more than capable of fast charging any of your devices.

Lenovo Go USB-C laptop power bank: Price & specs

You can buy the Lenovo power bank directly from Lenovo or various other marketplaces and retailers.

List price is $140.99 / £84 / AU$138, but it's often sold for much less during sale events, so it's well worth waiting for a discount if you don't need it right away.

The power bank has a standard 1-year warranty, and we are a little disappointed that Lenovo didn’t offer at least 2 years.

 

Price

$140.99 / £84 / AU$138

Capacity

20,000mAh / 74Wh

Single Port Output

65W

Number of Ports

3

USB-C

2x in/out

USB-A

1x

Dimensions

170 × 72 × 23 mm (6.69 × 2.83 × 0.91 inches)

Weight (measured)

391 g (0.86 lb)

Phone charges

3 to 4 times

Laptop charges

0.5 to 1 times

Lenovo Go USB-C laptop power bank: Test results

Many power banks make bold claims, but in real-world testing they don't live up to the hype. So to weed out the duds, I do comprehensive testing to verify charge voltages, confirm protocol support and log capacity tests.

Overall, the Lenovo power bank gives solid results considering it is slimmer and lighter than many similar-spec options and has a built-in cable.

Test

Usable Capacity

Efficiency

Score

65W laptop charging

61.5 Wh

83.1%

3.5 / 5

30W laptop charging

62.5 Wh

84.4%

3.5 / 5

20W phone charging

65.3 Wh

88.2%

4 / 5

10W charging

68.1 Wh

92%

4.5 / 5

For 65W laptop charging, the Lenovo Go outputs 61.5Wh of the rated 74Wh available, giving a typical 83.1% efficiency rating. Lenovo also rates the power bank at just 48Wh when outputting 65W (20V 3.25A), so the real-world test results of 61.5Wh are much better.

I will note, though, that after it hits about 45% capacity remaining, it does renegotiate to a slower charge rate to protect the battery cells. This is fairly typical, and when testing it on a laptop that is being used the lower average power draw does not trigger this mode.

At an average 30W output when running a laptop, efficiency is slightly better, at 84.4%.

For phone charging at 20W, the Lenovo power bank hit an excellent 88.2% efficiency, and if charging slowly at 10W, it can output 92% of the rated capacity.

The power bank is rated for 74Wh by Lenovo online, but the actual power bank notes 77Wh. This is a slight over-provisioning of capacity by Lenovo, which is a good thing, and for the efficiency calculations above I used the 74Wh rating.

The Lenovo power bank includes detailed specs on the sticker underneath. (Image credit: Future)

When pushed hard with a sustained maximum output until empty (such as when charging a laptop), the Lenovo power bank reached a warm but not problematic 42°C (108°F), while phone charging only saw it reach 28°C (82°F). While it’s generally best to charge a laptop on a desk, the Lenovo power bank stays cool enough that I would have no problem using it in a bag.

The power bank can charge at up to 100W via the built-in cable or USB-C port and takes about 1.5 hours to top back up.

Rated Output Capacity

2400 mAh / 48Wh at 20V 3.25A

PPS support

No

Included cable

Built-in, 5A

IN1 (USB-C port)

5V⎓3A; 9V⎓3A; 15V⎓3A; 20V⎓5A

IN2 (USB-C cable)

5V⎓3A; 9V⎓3A; 15V⎓3A; 20V⎓5A

OUT1 (USB-C port)

5V⎓3A; 9V⎓3A; 15V⎓3A; 20V⎓3.25A

OUT2 (USB-C cable)

5V⎓3A; 9V⎓3A; 15V⎓3A; 20V⎓3.25A

OUT3 (USB-A port)

5V⎓3A; 9V⎓2A; 12V⎓1.5A

Should I buy the Lenovo Go power bank?Buy it if…

You need laptop charging
The 65W output is ideal for quick top-ups.

You want a power bank with a built-in cable
The 44 cm cable helps cut down clutter in your bag.

Don't buy it if…

You need PPS charging
The Lenovo power bank does not support PPS so it can’t hit the full Samsung Super Fast charge speeds.

You are after a more affordable option
While not too bad when on sale, the Lenovo power bank is expensive at list price.

Also consider

The Lenovo Go laptop power bank is a great option for everyday laptop and phone charging, but below are a few other options if you are looking for something different. For even more recommendations, check out our guide to the best power banks. Or, if you are planning a holiday soon, get a full rundown on the airline rules when traveling with power banks.

Iniu P50 power bank
Need something smaller for charging a phone? With 45W fast-charge capability and a 10,000mAh (37Wh) capacity, the Iniu P50 is a great power bank to slip into your bag when on the go.

Read our full Iniu P50 power bank review

ZMI No.20
This power bank uses premium components, has a large 25,000mAh (90Wh) capacity and is able to fast-charge anything from a phone to a laptop at up to 100W.

Read our full ZMI No.20 review

What's your favorite power bank for everyday carry? Or is there a specific model you think I should test?

Let me know in the comments below.

How I test power banks

I get hands-on with every power bank I test and conduct extensive evaluations in both lab and real-world scenarios. Using tools like the ChargerLab POWER-Z KM003C, I measure charge voltage, check protocol support, and log capacity tests.

Each power bank is also tested with everyday devices, including phones, tablets and laptops, and is connected to a programmable load tester for multiple charge cycles. I carry a selection daily in both pockets and bags to assess their durability and ability to withstand everyday use.

All measurements and weights are personally verified, ensuring accuracy beyond the manufacturer’s listings. It’s worth noting that many power bank reviews don’t do this sort of testing, so they should be taken with a grain of salt.

Want to know more? Read about how we test.

Lenovo power bank review

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