If you own a mobile device then you’ve probably thought long and hard about hard to charge it. There are many options available for charging your mobile device, each offering a unique and distinct promise of a great charge. However, there are several considerations to make before you purchase a charging unit, as the type, make, and model of your phone or other device will make a large difference when choosing a power bank.
To choose a power bank which works for you and your device, you should consider several of the characteristics and qualities of the power bank you’re buying. For example, the most important element of any power bank is the amplitude or capacity of the bank. This should be your first and most important source of information, though there are several others as well. Here’s a brief guide to help you choose a power bank that works for you.
Choosing a Power Bank
The first and most important consideration you should make is capacity. You should know the capacity of the power bank and how it relates to the device you want to charge. The capacity of any power bank is denoted in mAh, and it’s absolutely crucial to know to buy a product that works for you. The mAh of a power bank is used to describe the amount of power the bank will hold and how much you’ll have available during any single charge.
For example, a power bank with an mAh of ten thousand or even twenty thousand is available online and in other brick and mortar retail stores. Most smartphones need only around ten thousand mAh or so, though if you’re charging a larger device, such as a laptop, you’ll need more power. For example, a Nintendo Switch is charged with a charger of about twenty thousand mAh. As a general rule of thumb, however, if your power bank will only be used to power your mobile device, you should be fine with only ten thousand mAh.
Other Important Factors
Although the capacity of the power bank you choose is one of the most important factors when considering which bank to buy, there are other factors to consider as well. For example, you’ll need to know how many ports you want in your charger. Power banks come with a number of different available ports; some units have up to four or five ports, while most come with just one.
If you’re buying this power bank in the hopes of charging more than one device at a time, you’ll want a power bank to accommodate those needs. Generally, the more ports a power bank has, the more mAh it will have, though there are some exceptions if you still need or want a unit with lower mAh. Other considerations to make are charging speed and size and weight.
Different power banks will be able to charge your mobile device and other electronic devices at variable rates of speed. If you want a device that can charge your phone from empty to full in a matter of minutes, you’ll have to pay a small premium for such a device.
More lightweight and larger devices will also be slightly pricier than devices which are heavy or fit into the palm of your hand. The type of device you buy is entirely dependent on your needs but there are many options and customizable factors to choose from once you’ve moved past the initial question of capacity.
Optional Considerations
In order to fight the competition and stand out in the crowd, many brands will offer you completely unique features which you may or may not feel are necessary for your needs. For example, you can find power banks with anti-slip coating, which helps you ensure you never drop the power bank and cost yourself hundreds of dollars at a moment’s notice.
You can also buy power banks that come with the necessary cables included, and some power banks now are even sold with the warranty already bought and paid for. Finally, one of the cooler options today for power banks are LED light indicators. These indicators remove the guesswork from the process and tell you exactly when your mobile device is ready to be unplugged.
A Variety of Options
As you can see, there are a variety of options to choose from and no set path on how or why to make the decision you do. You can choose from a plethora of unique and valuable power banks without feeling ripped off or scammed, but you should always trust a reputable source. There are power banks being sold online for pennies on the dollar, but these devices have severe drawbacks.
Their capacities will usually be miniscule, and their charging times are unendurable marathons. In addition, they could also damage your devices because they’re made from shoddy material and don’t work as properly intended, or as advertised. To avoid these scams and other power banks which won’t work like they’re supposed to, you should only trust sources that you know to be reputable, and which have a number of positive reviews. Always be wary when buying anything technological online.
A Few More Details
The considerations above are the most important and prominent that you’ll make, but there are other details which you can view if you feel like you need more information about the product you’re buying. For example, you should look at the manufacturer of the device you’re buying, first to ensure you’re not being scammed or buying a shoddy product, and second to read reviews related to the company and the customer experience they offer.
You can also check the input and output power to make sure the device has the power you need and the convenience at the price you’re buying it for. Price itself is another consideration to make, as not all power banks will be priced the same and will most likely reflect the quality of the product you’re buying. Finally, you can consider the safety options the devices comes installed with and make your choice based on these options.
The Bottom Line
You should always check the reviews of the purchase you make, as others will have undoubtably already used the product and will be itching to share their opinion online. These reviews will both ensure you’re not being scammed and could give you some crucial details about the power bank you eventually end up choosing. Just make sure the capacity matches the device you’re using the power bank for and go from there. There are many options to choose from but research and due diligence will quickly narrow your options, for the better.
