Now that we know that it’s not the best idea to hang your phone on a public phone charging station, it’s good to take a look at a power bank. Handy for when you’re at a festival, or if you’ve been queuing on social media all the time in an amusement park and therefore have trouble making it to noon. But: what should you pay attention to when purchasing a power bank?
The capacity
One of the most important and obvious things you should pay attention to when buying a power bank is how much mAh the battery is. That says a lot about what it can charge. A power bank of at least 10,000 mAh is recommended, because it allows you to charge the average new, high-end smartphone one and a half times. But there are also variants of 20,000 or 30,000 mAh, which are also a bit bigger, but are useful if you have to bridge a whole weekend.
The connections
Do you still have a phone that charges with a lightning cable, or do you only have USB-C chargers at home? Then it is useful to choose a power bank that also supports that. There is nothing more annoying than buying a power bank and coming to the conclusion that you always have to walk around with a micro-USB cable because you can only charge it with that. In addition, choose what you want to charge with it: some power banks can even charge laptops, although this mainly has to do with the capacity, which then has to be large. In terms of output, most power banks already have the European standard: USB-C.
The feedback
When you put your phone in the charger, you want feedback. You want to feel that vibration with which your phone lets you know that it is properly placed in the charger, or else that lightning bolt on the screen. A power bank has an indicator light not only useful to see if it is being charged, but also to see how long it can last once you charge another device with it. It sounds very dull, but that indicator LED gives you so much more information than if you had to guess. And we all know: when the need is high, you want certainty. That’s why you have the power bank with you, right? Good luck!
The extras
Some power banks can withstand water very well, or can charge with solar energy. Others have the cables behind a cover, so you always carry them with you. It is entirely up to you which power bank suits you. Maybe the form factor is important to you and it needs to fit in your bum bag, or maybe you want a power bank from a good brand. Admittedly, the latter is not a bad idea: cheap power banks often last much less, even if nothing seems to be wrong at first.
Furthermore, a power bank is a fairly straightforward device that can be a real lifesaver. It can give you just the juice to order an Uber home after a long night of dancing and drinking, it can make sure you have just enough power to find where the hospital is, or your hotel on vacation. It’s really not a luxury, so consider a good power bank with the tips above.
Laura Jenny
When she’s not tapping, she’s traveling around the wonderful world of entertainment or some cool place in the real world. Mario is the man of her life,…
