It is very annoying if you end up with an empty smartphone battery during a trip. Especially if there is no power outlet nearby. A power bank can be the solution. But which one do you choose?
A power bank is a device with a large battery inside. You can use it to charge your smartphone or tablet, for example. There are also portable chargers that can even power a laptop.
At first glance, all power banks look alike. But there is still a lot to choose from, says Willem de Moor of the technology sitetweakers to NU.nl. “The first thing to look out for is the capacity of the built-in battery. Usually, the higher the capacity, the better.”
Many power banks have a capacity of 20,000 milliamp hours (mAh). On paper, that is about four times as much as the battery in your smartphone. In practice, you can fully charge your phone two to three times.
There are also power banks with a larger capacity. “But be careful”, warns De Moor. “If your power bank has a capacity of more than 27,000 mAh, you are not allowed to take it on the plane.”
Quickly on again when the battery is empty
If you have an empty smartphone on the go, you want to recharge it as quickly as possible. Many phones offer a fast charging function. But almost every smartphone manufacturer uses its own fast charging technology for this.
“That’s why it’s useful to choose a power bank that supports the fast charging technology in your phone,” says De Moor. “Without that technique, it takes about three hours to charge your phone, with fast charging in some cases as little as thirty minutes.”
Charge with the same cable as for your smartphone
When purchasing a portable charger, you should also pay attention to the port with which you can charge the power bank itself. “The power banks of some manufacturers still only work with an old-fashioned micro-USB connection,” explains De Moor. “Then charging takes six to eight hours. As a back-up method in addition to a modern connection, it can of course do no harm.”
You can therefore, according to the expert of tweakers better opt for portable chargers that you can charge with a USB-C cable. That’s the same cable that’s now used for most phones. In general, power banks can be charged faster this way.
Indicator lights or a display?
Most power banks indicate with lights or a small screen how full it is. “Personally, I find a portable charger with a screen the most convenient,” says De Moor. “It allows you to see more accurately how much energy is left in the battery.”
The 15,000 mAh OtterBox Power Bank and the Realpower PB-20000PD+ offer tweakers the best value for money. The best portable chargers at the moment are the Trust 65W USB-C Laptop Power Bank and the Xiaomi Mi 50W Power Bank 20000.
2023-07-16 11:10:29
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