While the likes of Zens and Anker have been quick to make use of Apple’s latest wireless charging tech, the Cupertino company is yet to release a MagSafe battery pack of its own.
GOUI
We suggest pairing it with devices that support Power Delivery function for maximum charging performance.
Best Power Bank 2021: Top Portable Chargers
We want multiple ports for charging additional gadgets, and more efficient use of power outlets to free up sockets. Aside from those from big names such as Anker, power banks also tend to go on- and offsale pretty quickly. There was a time when power banks with LCDs were rather expensive, and as prices started to come down they began to flood the market. When you’re dealing with relatively large amounts of power, it’s significantly more useful than trying to guess whether one or two lit LEDs worth of juice is going to get you through the day. There are two full-size USBs, plus a USB-C PD port that can act as both input and output, and all three support 18W Quick Charge – although only one at a time. Charmast supplies a soft mesh carry case and a short USB-A to USB-C cable in the box, a nice touch.
While it’s something of a throwback to power banks from a couple of years back, with its built-in LED flash (certainly useful for camping trips) and durable but plasticky design, it also takes us back to the days where you didn’t have to sacrifice ports for portability. The JIGA has USB-C, Micro-USB and Lightning inputs, allowing you to fill its battery using whatever cable you have to hand. Hailing from Anker, a respected brand in the power bank market, this 20,000mAh portable charger represents very good value at this capacity.
We’re pleased to find support for Power Delivery, but do note that it’s only up to 18W, and therefore not likely to be sufficient to charge a USB-C laptop. On top is a power button with four integrated LEDs that reveal remaining capacity, and you can use this to enter a trickle-charging mode suitable for smartwatches and earbuds. You can use it at home or work plugged in, and carry it around with you for wired or wireless charging when you are away from a power socket.
As the name suggests, the PowerCore III 10K has a decent sized 10,000mAh battery, which should offer at least three charges from the power bank before it needs recharging itself. The power bank is nicely designed, with a rectangular body and rounded corners, plus a soft-touch black casing. Not that it’s going to take an age to recharge, thanks to a 10W Micro-USB input, but note that the power bank itself does not charge wirelessly. It’s lacking, for example, Quick Charge support, USB-C and an LCD display (none of which is yet standard in the power bank market).
These days that is a single charge for most phones, but with older iPhones and budget Androids you should expect to find a small amount of juice left over for emergencies. Almost identical in design to the IonGo 5K before it, but here with both USB-C and Lightning cables built-in (hence the name Duo), the Moshi is an undeniably cool-looking power bank that comes tucked away inside a vegan-friendly soft leather case with a magnetic clasp and an anodised aluminium faceplate.
The additional cable means it’s now suited to Android as well as iPhone users, although as before this is Made For iPhone-certified. Use Lightning and USB-C together and you’ll see slightly slower charging speeds, with a max total output of 3.4A (17W).
You don’t need to understand what mAh means, only that if your phone spec says it has a 4,000mAh battery you are going to need at least a 4,000mAh bank in order to get a full charge.
As a rule of thumb, 5,000mAh is a single-use power bank that will be easily portable; 10,000mAh hits the sweet spot, both portable and offering around two charges; 20,000mAh is high-capacity, most useful for those who are going to be away from mains power for extended periods or will be charging multiple gadgets.
Do note that if you’re travelling on a plane your portable charger must be in your hand luggage, and anything over 27,000mAh (100Wh) needs approval from the airline (over 43,000mAh/160Wh, forget it). Second, with most devices offering a row of four LEDs to denote how much power remains inside the bank, working out how much you’ve actually got left can be impossible.
An LCD screen will give you an exact readout of remaining capacity, though these are rarely found on low-capacity and cheap banks. These days even 10W, though marketed as ‘fast charging’, barely scratches the surface of what recent smartphones are capable of.
That seems pretty straightforward, although power manufacturers rarely provide the speed of their outputs measured in watts. We’ve put together a range of articles to help you choose the best charging tech for the mobile devices you carry everywhere.
Be First to Comment