To keep a computer running in a power outage, match the battery to the computer. A computer that charges over USB-C can run straight from a power station's USB-C port. A desktop needs a station with AC outlets and enough watt-hours behind them. Below are the stations and solar kits we carry for this, what each one is good for, and how to work out which one fits your setup.
Every spec here comes from that product's page on our store. If a page doesn't list a figure, we leave it out.
Why does power matter more than anything else in an outage?
When the grid goes down, the first thing you lose is the ability to charge. Your computer's battery lasts until it runs out, and after that you can't use the computer at all.
That matters if your computer is how you look things up. Off-Grid AI Core is offline survival AI on a USB drive. It runs on your own Windows or Mac computer and needs no internet. The knowledge is already offline, so in an outage the limit is power. A power station, plus a solar panel to refill it, is what keeps the computer running.
How much power does a computer actually need?
A computer answering questions draws tens of watts. That is why we split our gear into two groups on the Power & Gear page:
- "Powers USB-C computers" means the product can deliver that load over USB-C. If your computer charges from a USB-C cable, you can plug it straight in.
- "Powers desktops & laptops" means the product has AC outlets with real capacity behind them. A desktop has no battery and needs AC, so it needs this group.
Everything else in the store is for phones, radios and lights. Those products are useful, but they won't keep a computer going.
Which power stations can run a computer during a power outage?
These are the stations and battery packs from our solar kits, compared using only what their product pages state. "Not listed" means the product page doesn't give that figure.
| Station | Capacity (Wh) | USB-C (W) | AC (W) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Energy Poseidon XL | Not listed (27,000mAh) | 100 | None | Smallest setup: one USB-C computer, carried in a bag |
| Dark Energy Recon 300 | 270 | 60 (PD port) | 300 (600 peak) | A USB-C computer plus lights and phones |
| EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus / RIVER 3 Max | 286 (572 as RIVER 3 Max) | 100 | 600 (1,200 X-Boost) | A carry-sized station with UPS switchover |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus | 1,024 | 140 max (2 ports) | 1,800 (3,600 surge) | A desktop computer at home, with a UPS function |
| Dark Energy Recon 2000 | 2,016 | 200 total (2 ports) | 2,400 (4,000 peak) | A rugged, wheeled base camp for a desktop setup |
| EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus | 2,048 | Not listed | 3,000 (6,000 surge) | A computer plus home essentials such as the fridge |
What is the best USB-C power station for a computer?
If your computer charges over USB-C, you don't need an inverter. Running it straight from a USB-C port is the simplest setup.
The Dark Energy Recon 300 is a compact all-rounder. It has a 270Wh lithium NMC battery, a 60W USB-C PD port and two 120V AC outlets on a 300W pure sine wave inverter. You can run your computer from USB-C or from its own charger. Its kit pairs it with the Spectre 56W panel through the XT60 input.
The EcoFlow RIVER 3 Plus uses LiFePO4 cells, has one 100W USB-C port and puts out 600W of AC across three outlets. We sell it as the RIVER 3 Max, which is the RIVER 3 Plus with a 286Wh Extra Battery 300, for 572Wh in total. Its product page lists a <10 ms UPS auto-switch and PC compatibility for outage alerts. If the computer is plugged into it when the grid drops, it switches over without a hard shutdown. The kit adds a 160W panel.
The Dark Energy Poseidon XL is a battery bank, not a power station. It has 100W USB-C input and output (20V/5A) and an XT60 solar input, but no AC outlets. Its page states capacity as 27,000mAh rather than watt-hours, so we haven't converted it. Choose it if you want the lightest option and only need to power one USB-C computer.
What is the best portable power station for a desktop computer?
A desktop needs AC power, and it has no internal battery to cover a gap. Look for plenty of AC output, plenty of watt-hours and, ideally, a UPS switchover.
The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Plus is the entry point for desktops among what we carry. It has 1,024Wh of LFP storage, 1,800W of AC across six outlets, two USB-C ports at 140W max, and a built-in UPS with <10 ms switchover. Its capacity can be expanded to 5kWh with compatible EcoFlow Extra Batteries. The kit adds a 220W bifacial panel.
The Dark Energy Recon 2000 is built for rough conditions. It has a 2,016Wh LiFePO4 battery, a 2,400W pure sine wave inverter, 200W of total USB-C output, an aluminum shell and oversized wheels. It accepts up to 650W of solar, and its page says it can be recharged by up to three Spectre 200W panels.
The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus is the one to pick if the computer shares the battery with the rest of the house. It has 2,048Wh of LFP storage, 3,000W of output and a 10 ms auto-switch, which its page describes as fast enough for NAS systems and servers. Its capacity can be expanded from 2 to 10kWh. Its kit adds a 400W panel.
How long will a power station run a computer?
That depends on your computer and what it is doing. None of the product pages above give a measured runtime on a computer, so we won't give you one either. Here is how to estimate it yourself:
Runtime (hours) ≈ capacity (Wh) ÷ your computer's draw (W) × 0.85
The 0.85 is a rough allowance for inverter and conversion losses.
Worked example (an estimate, not a measurement): assume your computer draws 50 W. A 270Wh Recon 300 gives 270 ÷ 50 × 0.85 ≈ 4.6 hours. A 1,024Wh DELTA 3 Plus gives 1,024 ÷ 50 × 0.85 ≈ 17 hours. If a desktop draws 150 W instead, the same DELTA 3 Plus gives about 5.8 hours.
Those 50 W and 150 W figures are assumptions. Measure your own draw with a plug-in watt meter while the computer is doing real work, then put that number into the formula.
Do I need a solar panel, or is the battery enough?
A battery covers a short outage. A solar panel turns a battery into something you can rely on for days, because it refills the battery during the day. That is why each station above is sold in a solar kit. You will also see the phrase "solar generator for offline AI" used for this pairing of a battery and a panel.
Sizing the panel to your daily use takes more arithmetic than fits here. Our guide to building an off-grid AI server with solar power and storage covers solar sizing in depth.
How do I choose?
- Check how your computer charges. If it charges over USB-C, compare its charger's wattage with the station's USB-C port. If it's a desktop, you need AC.
- Measure the draw. Use a watt meter during real use, not at idle.
- Estimate runtime. Use Wh ÷ W × 0.85, and decide how many hours you need before you can recharge.
- Want no interruption? The RIVER 3 Plus, DELTA 3 Plus and DELTA 3 Max Plus pages list a UPS or auto-switch function.
- Plan the recharge. Pick the kit with the panel, so the battery refills without the grid.
- Consider weight. The Recon 300 is 6.39 lbs, while the Recon 2000 is 70 lbs on wheels.
You can browse everything in one place on the Power & Gear page, or by brand under EcoFlow and Dark Energy. Off-Grid AI is an authorized seller of both brands.
Frequently asked questions
Can a power station run a computer during a power outage?
Yes, if it matches the computer. A computer that charges over USB-C can run from a USB-C port with enough wattage. A desktop needs AC outlets with real capacity behind them, such as the DELTA 3 Plus, Recon 2000 or DELTA 3 Max Plus.
What size power station do I need for a desktop computer?
Measure your desktop's draw, then work out runtime with Wh ÷ W × 0.85. Among what we carry, the 1,024Wh DELTA 3 Plus is the smallest station we recommend for a desktop. The Recon 2000 and DELTA 3 Max Plus each hold about twice as much.
Is USB-C or AC better for running a computer?
If your computer charges over USB-C, using the USB-C port directly avoids converting power to AC and back again. Desktops, and computers that only use a barrel-plug charger, need AC.
Will my computer shut off when the power cuts out?
A computer with its own battery will keep running. A desktop will shut off unless it's already plugged into something with a UPS switchover. The RIVER 3 Plus and DELTA 3 Plus list a <10 ms UPS switchover, and the DELTA 3 Max Plus lists a 10 ms auto-switch.
Can I run offline AI from a solar generator?
Yes. Off-Grid AI runs on your own computer with no internet, so it needs only enough power for that computer. Pair a station with a panel from one of our kits and you can recharge the battery during the day.
