Jump Starters
NOCO Boost HD GB70 review
The smallest pack with genuine margin on a cold diesel — and 2.2 lb of dead weight if your engine is a commuter four.
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How we assessed these: this assessment is built from NOCO's published specifications, the current retailer listing and published owner feedback. We have not bench-tested this unit, and we do not publish test figures we did not measure.
Short answer
Buy the GB70 if you drive a diesel up to 6.0 liters or a gas engine up to 8.0 liters, or if you want cold-weather margin on a 5.3 L V8. Skip it if your engine is a four-cylinder commuter — you would carry 4.18 lb to solve a 2.45 lb problem.
The GB70 is the pack that makes a diesel pickup a solved problem. At 2,000 peak amps with a published 6.0-liter diesel rating, it covers the 3.0 L and 6.7 L light-truck diesels that most consumer packs cannot legitimately claim — and it does it while still sitting under the airline carry-on threshold, which is unusual at this capacity.
What NOCO publishes
| Specification | Figure |
|---|---|
| Starting current | 2,000 A peak |
| Internal battery | 56 Wh lithium-ion |
| Gas engine rating | Up to 8.0 liters |
| Diesel engine rating | Up to 6.0 liters |
| Weight | 4.18 lb (1.9 kg) |
| Recharge | 3 hours at 12 V / 3 A fast charge |
| Accessory output | 12 V, 15 A |
| Water resistance | IP65 |
| Flashlight | 400 lumens |
| Warranty | 1-year hassle-free |
All figures from NOCO's GB70 specification page.
The diesel rating is the point
Diesel ratings across this range run at roughly half the gas rating for the same pack, because a diesel ignites by compression and its starter turns the engine against much higher resistance — plus glow plugs or a grid heater draw current before the starter engages at all. The GB70's 6.0 L diesel figure is what puts a 6.7 L Power Stroke or Duramax genuinely within reach rather than optimistically near it.
For context: the GB40 is rated to 3.0 L diesel and the GB50 to 4.5 L. Neither is a serious answer for a full-size diesel pickup. The diesel roundup sets the whole range out.
Two features that matter more than the spec sheet suggests
The 12 V, 15 A accessory output. That is enough to run a 12 V tire inflator directly from the pack, which turns one tool into a partial answer to two problems without the compromises of a combo unit. It is also enough for a 12 V air pump or a work light.
The 400-lumen flashlight. Four times the GB40's output. That sounds like a throwaway spec until you are trying to find a battery terminal behind a fender liner in the dark, which is most of what roadside diesel work actually involves.
The 12 V / 3 A fast-charge input is the third: three hours to recharge a 56 Wh pack is genuinely quick, and it means you can bring it back up from the vehicle's own socket on a long drive rather than waiting for a wall outlet.
When it is the wrong pack
A four-cylinder or V6 car. The GB40 covers that with margin at 2.45 lb. The GB70's extra 1.7 lb buys you headroom your engine will never draw, permanently, in your trunk.
A commercial diesel above 7.0 liters. That is past the GB150's rating, let alone the GB70's, and we will not recommend a consumer pack beyond its published range.
A daily carry item. At 4.18 lb this is a trunk pack, not a door-pocket pack. If you want something to live in a bag, the GBX45 at 2.16 lb is the design point for that.
Verdict
1. Best for diesel and big V8
NOCO Boost HD GB70
NOCO · Best for diesel pickups and big v8s
The one to buy if you drive a diesel: 2,000 peak amps, a 6.0-liter diesel rating and 56 watt-hours, which is the smallest pack with real margin on a cold diesel.
Published specifications
What works
- The 6.0 L diesel rating covers the common 3.0 L and 6.7 L light-truck diesels with margin
- 56 Wh is still comfortably under the 100 Wh carry-on threshold, so it flies as hand luggage
- 12 V 15 A accessory output, and a 400-lumen light that is genuinely usable roadside
- 12 V / 3 A fast charge brings it back in about three hours
What does not
- 4.18 lb — noticeably heavier than the compact packs, and it wants a dedicated spot
- Overkill for a commuter four-cylinder; you are paying for headroom you will not use
Skip it if
Not the one to buy if you only ever start a four-cylinder commuter. Buy diesel headroom when you have a diesel.
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Raw specifications: NOCO’s own page for the NOCO Boost HD GB70.
Key takeaways
- 2,000 peak amps, 56 Wh, 4.18 lb, 6.0 L diesel rating — NOCO's published figures.
- The diesel rating is the reason to buy it; read that column, not the gas one.
- 56 Wh is still under the 100 Wh carry-on limit, so it can fly.
- The 12 V 15 A output will run a tire inflator directly from the pack.
- Overkill, and 1.7 lb heavier than necessary, for a four-cylinder car.
How we sourced this
Every figure on this page came from one of the following. Where a manufacturer or regulator does not publish a number, we say so rather than estimate it.
Common questions
- Will a NOCO GB70 start a 6.7 L diesel?
- Yes — NOCO publishes a diesel rating of up to 6.0 liters for the GB70, and it is the pack the range positions for full-size diesel pickups. Let the glow plugs or grid heater finish their cycle before cranking, because that pre-heat draw is significant on a cold start.
- Can you fly with a NOCO GB70?
- Yes, in carry-on baggage. At 56 Wh it is comfortably under the FAA's 100 Wh threshold for lithium-ion batteries, so no airline approval is required. It must not go in checked baggage, and the terminals need protecting against short circuit.
- Is the GB70 overkill for a car?
- For a four-cylinder or V6 passenger car, yes. The GB40 is rated to 6.0 L gas, weighs 1.7 lb less, and costs less. The GB70 earns its weight on a diesel, on a large gas V8, or where you specifically want cold-weather margin.
- How long does the GB70 take to recharge?
- NOCO specifies three hours using the 12 V, 3 A fast-charge input. That is quick for a 56 Wh pack, and it means you can bring it back up from the vehicle's own 12 V socket while driving rather than needing a wall outlet.
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Found something out of date, or a figure you can source better than we did? Tell us — corrections get read first. Our methodology explains how picks are made, and contact is one click away.