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Power banks have grown extremely quickly in the past few years, and the reason for that is because they’re portable. Since these portable chargers have grown in in popularity and demand, there are many companies that have risen to sell power banks. It’s a great thing to have many companies competing against each other, but at the same time, the re’s a downside too. The downside that I’m talking about is how to know what to look for.
With so many different types of power banks on the market, it can be difficult to know what sorts of specifications you’re supposed to be looking for, so the power bank fits your needs. That is why I’ve written up a guide to assist you with choosing the right power bank for yourself.
Know the Portability and Power
The capacity of a power bank is mainly connected to the most important parts of it. The capacity has control over how you’re able to use the power bank, as well as where you’re able to take it. Which is why it’s best to separate portable chargers into two broad categories. Those that have low power capacities and the ones that have high power capabilities.
Low Power Capacities
In general, power banks that have low lower capacities are the ones that are used the most, because a low capacity means that fewer batteries are being used and that ultimately leads to a small power bank. These types of chargers have the most useful form factors as they can be slim and be the same size as your smartphone. To put it simply, these Mini power banks are so small that they can go with you anywhere. However, being small with impressive portability doesn’t mean that a power bank is of high quality.
Read: The Best Powerbanks
This is because a small size means that they use low power capacities and a low power capacity of 3,000mAh or 5,000mAh is mainly meant for charging smartphones to full power only once or twice; then the power bank requires a recharge.
High Capacity
A high capacity power bank is a lot more useful than one that has low power capacity. Since these power banks have power capacities that range into the 20,000mAh zone, which enables them to charge smartphones, tablets and a bunch of other devices to full power and still have power left over to use. So they’re able to last for a couple of days until they need a recharge.
Another reason why these types of high capacity power banks are excellent is that they use multiple USB ports to charge many devices at once. This can be very beneficial if you have multiple devices that need charging at once, and that means you’re able to charge a smartphone, a tablet, and a laptop at the same time with individual power banks.
With all that said, as useful as these types of power banks are, the primary negative side to them is their portability. That’s because having a high power capacity requires the use of more batteries and using multiple USB ports means that a power bank needs to use more circuitry
Other Types
Of course, a power bank having just two categories isn’t where it stops. There are other types of power banks as well. For example, there are ones that have built-in cables and that way you longer have to remember to bring a cable with your power bank. There are ones that are shockproof and waterproof which can survive circumstances that standard chargers cannot. Different types of power banks have unique attributes which are why it’s vital to browse and understand different kinds because they have a lot of useful features.
Also Read: Best iPhone Battery Management Apps 2017
Charging Speeds
There are two speeds that you need to know when it comes to power banks. The Output speed, which is the charging speed that your devices receive while they’re charging. Then the Input speed which is the recharging speed of the power bank.
When it comes to power banks that have multiple USB ports, that’s when charging speeds are best to focus on. That’s because when you’re charging more than a device at once, then you want each of the devices that you’re charging to charge at good speeds so they all charge to full power in a timely manner.
Take a look at this charging rate criteria:
1.0 Amp = Slow
2.0 Amps = Moderate
2.4 Amps = Fastest Standard is charging speed. Perfect for tablets
3.0 Amps = Quick Charge and USB-C charging
You should be getting a power bank that has 2 Amp charging speeds or higher as most devices can charge at their max or near their max at a 2 Amp charging speed. 2.4 Amps can charge tablets such as iPads at their max charging speeds. Then if you’ve got a device that is compatible with Quick Charge or USB-C, then it’s vital to get a power bank that uses those charging technologies for fast charging speeds.
Brand that you’re purchasing from
Since power banks have been growing consistently, it means that there are lots of companies on the market that are selling them. This has resulted in companies that innovate and one that sells low-quality power banks. In order to avoid the brands that sell low-quality products, you have to take a close look at the specifications of a product.
A company may say that their power banks offer the fastest charging speeds around, and yet they have 1 Amp charging speeds. Another useful resource for choosing the right brand is to read power bank reviews and that way you’re able to get a better understanding of what a power bank has to offer. Most of all, if the company does not have a warranty or a very short warranty, then that shows that they don’t believe in their product enough.
Conclusion:
There you have it. Power banks may be popular and very useful but that’s what makes it very important to know what you’re supposed to look out for when you’re going to purchase one. By understanding these key points you’re going to be able to buy a power bank that better fits your needs.
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