External batteries are an excellent complement to our smartphone. Although manufacturers have been increasing the capacity of the battery and fast charging is faster and faster, no one likes that the mobile is turned off due to lack of charge. For that reason, external batteries are still the best option to avoid this.
Powerbanks or external batteries are cheap and easy to transport. For this reason and precisely because they can prevent us from being cut off at the worst moment, they are tremendously popular. But like any gadget, it is important to take into account some aspects before buying a powerbank, since not all of them can do us equally well, depending on our needs and the type of smartphone we have.
What to consider before buying a powerbank?
Current consumption
The current or amperage consumption tells us how fast is the load transferred by the powerbank to our phone. There are generally two options available: 5V-9V-12V, which already allow you to take advantage of part of the fast charging of current mobiles. Although they are more rare and expensive, we also find external batteries capable of supplying charge to the terminals compatible with 30W, 60W and even more fast charging capacity.
USB ports
The powerbank will have at least one charging port or place to connect our device. However, we will have options with several USB ports to charge more devices simultaneously. In this sense, we will have to choose the best possible combination, since if ours has charge via USB-C, a direct bank with USB-C would be the best option and the one that will charge faster.
Your power bank will have at least one port, or a place where you can connect your phone. You may want to search for multiple USB ports if you want to charge multiple devices simultaneously . And you’ll need to make sure you can connect your phone in the best possible way, so if you have a USB-C charging phone, a power bank with a direct USB-C port will be a better option than one that has just one port. Normal USB (you will get faster charging with direct USB-C, however both types of port will charge your phone).
The cables
There are external batteries that have their own charging cable, built into the chassis, although they can also include an external cable inside the box. Most offer the possibility of exchanging the cables, something very useful if we want to use the one of our own mobile to improve the effectiveness of the charge.
Cell type
When buying a powerbank, we will also find two types of cells to store the charge. ). Lithium ion (or Li-ion) is very common and generally cheaper. At the other extreme we have lithium polymer (Li-poly) technology, which is much more expensive but offers more carrying capacity in less weight. The second option is more difficult to find and more expensive , but we will have more capacity in less weight, something that may be worth it if we use this accessory frequently.
Other aspects to consider when choosing the external battery
Apart from the technical sections, there are other important aspects to take into account when buying an external battery:
The size
The larger the powerbank, the more uncomfortable it will be to transport. Knowing that the lighter the better, everything will depend on our needs. Not always a larger size means greater capacity, there may be external batteries (more expensive) but somewhat smaller.
Loading lights
Some external batteries have LED lights, which allow you to see how much charge is left in real time. This load is generally represented by four or five small lights that shine when the bank is full, and they go off as the power is consumed. This is usually very useful, especially in large capacity power banks, where it is often more difficult to predict the remaining charge without having this reference.
Price / quality ratio
Taking into account the above, there is enough supply in the market to find a good powerbank, adapted to our needs and with a good quality / price ratio. If the use of the external battery is going to be very sporadic, we should not go too crazy, as long as we choose one with a good reputation. If the use is going to be daily, we should not skimp, since quality powerbanks can last for years with us.
