How to choose a power bank - forgive me

In the difficult conditions of our country, when there is unrest outside and darkness reigns all around, a mobile phone and a flashlight are our everything. We want it to work, but there are fewer and fewer electricians. They say that you can buy a power bank and then charge it from it, the mobile phone will work longer. But how to choose a power bank when you don’t even know what it is.

Of course, the store will help you with the choice, but you will have to listen to a bunch of wise words that you don’t understand and nod your head that everything is fine, like that dog. Let’s try to explain a little how to choose power banks so that it is clear even to a housewife who is close to borscht and far from gadgets.

First, we need to decide what needs to be charged. If only a mobile phone, then choose a power bank that says 5000 mAh, if not on it itself, then you will definitely find the inscription on the box. This is the cheapest option, overpaying is not for us. But keep in mind that you can only charge your phone once, and then the power bank itself will want to charge. If you want to charge your mobile phone twice, then look for a power bank with the inscription 10,000 mAh. These numbers mean capacity, almost the same as in a pot for borscht, the larger it is, the more people you can feed.

Do you want to charge other devices besides your smartphone, for example, headphones, an e-reader or a second smartphone? Choose a power bank with a capacity of at least 15,000 mAh. And for laptops and tablets, you need a power bank with a capacity of at least 20,000 mAh. And do you want to charge two laptops? Well, you already know what to choose. Now in stores you can find power banks up to 60,000 mAh, if you have the money.

It is important to know that it is advisable to choose a power bank with a slightly larger capacity than you need, as they say "with a margin". Because these numbers on the box indicating capacity are not always true. It turns out that the real, real capacity of the power bank is only two-thirds of the declared one. A power bank with a capacity of 10,000 mAh has an actual capacity of 6,660 mAh, and a power bank with a capacity of 5,000 mAh has an actual capacity of approximately 3,330 mAh. That's a twist! So it turns out that manufacturers are lying to us by one third? Well... not that they are lying, but they are definitely understating something. The technical side is complicated, let's not get bogged down in it, but the general rule is simple. The actual capacity of the power bank is approximately 2/3 of that stated by the manufacturer. And the rest turns out to disappear due to voltage conversion or is lost during charging, primarily in the form of heat. So power banks with a 10,000 or 20,000 mAh battery will actually give only 6,660 or 13,330 mAh, and not always. And this applies to high-quality power banks, and budget ones are even less efficient, so they lose even more energy. Of course, this complicates the choice.

Does your smartphone support fast charging and do you want to charge it quickly? You will have to choose a power bank that also supports such charging, because not all of them can. All iPhones, starting with the iPhone 8, support Power Delivery (abbreviated as PD). This will allow you to charge your smartphone by 55–60% within half an hour. New Android smartphones support Power Delivery and Quick Charge (abbreviated as QC). There are also several other fast charging standards, for example, Xiaomi mobile phones have their own, but you don’t need to remember them, because these are the two main ones, almost everyone will understand them. This guarantees the restoration of the battery charge to 50% in half an hour. In smartphones that do not have fast charging, it takes about 2 times longer.

Most power banks come with an output of 1 amp (look for 1A on the box) or 2.1A, or both. A 1A output is usually enough for a phone, while 2.1A is more suitable for a tablet. Laptop power banks usually have an output of 3A. And the input range is from 1A to 2.4A. The higher the output, the faster your device will charge from the power bank, and the higher the input, the faster the power bank itself will charge.

Make sure the power bank comes with the necessary cables. At the very least, the cable for charging the power bank itself should be accurate. Ideally, the power bank should also come with USB cables for use with your devices, but this is often not the case. It would be a good idea to find a power bank that charges using the same type of cable as your devices. That way, you only need one cable for both.

Look for a power bank with at least two USB charging ports, so you can charge multiple devices at once. Typically, the charging ports on a power bank will have different charging outputs so that you can charge larger devices at the same speed as smaller ones. Look at the size of the ports, as they come in both larger and smaller sizes. To avoid ending up with a power bank and a wire that you can’t plug in, you’ll also want to check the ports themselves.

An LED indicator for a power bank is a must-have. Make sure the power bank you choose has one. The LED will let you know when charging is complete and when the battery is low. If there isn’t one, you’ll have to rely on your own guesswork to determine when it needs to be charged, which can be a real hassle.

What you shouldn't overpay for, according to experts from the online resource domioffis.com. Protection against moisture adds extra weight to the power bank, if offered in the store - refuse. Solar battery - more of a marketing ploy, it is unlikely to be able to charge the power bank. Aluminum case - very quickly becomes covered with scratches, also refuse.