Welcome to our 2021 power bank test , where we present to you all the powers banks that we have examined in depth. We have put together detailed information for you and have also included a summary of customer feedback from the net.
We want to make your buying decision easier and help you find the best power bank for you. You can also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. We ourselves also provide you with some interesting test videos, if available. In addition, you will also find on this page some important information that you should pay attention to if you want to buy a power bank.
What is a Powerbank?
In short, a Powerbank is an external battery in which a certain amount of energy (mAh) can be stored.
This battery can then be used to transfer the stored energy to any device (for example a smartphone or a tablet) via the various connections, which allows the device’s built-in battery to be recharged.
With a Powerbank, you are even on the road safe from an empty battery.
Do i need an energy bank?
Nowadays, an energy bank is useful in many situations and should not be lacking, especially for commuters and travelers. If you have a smartphone and other tech gadgets that you mainly use on the road, a power bank is just what you need.
With an additional external battery, you can charge your devices at any time and stay online and accessible.
Even if you want to work on the train or on the plane, you’ll never run out of juice with a portable battery. Because you don’t always have a power outlet available, a portable charger is an essential companion for smartphone users.
Which devices can be charged with a Powerbank?
In principle, all small technical devices can be charged with a power bank. After all, only the right cable with a USB connection is needed.
This means that all smartphones from Samsung, Apple, Huawei, One Plus, Microsoft and LG can be charged with a mobile battery.
In addition, tablets of the same brand can also be loaded with larger energy banks. Even mobile recharging of e-book readers such as the Tolino or the Amazon Kindle is no problem.
It is also possible to charge portable game consoles with an external battery, such as the Nintendo Switch or the Playstation Vita. With the right cable, e-cigarettes or small netbooks can also be charged.
What should i consider when purchasing a portable charger?
Before buying a power bank, you should first of all think about the capacity of your cell phone battery, the size and weight that you want to take with you, and the connections that your external battery should have.
Depending on how much benefit you get from it, you have to decide whether you prefer a light syringe for the interval or a more powerful battery, which is then also much heavier.
Also, you need to decide if you can get by with a USB port or if you need a second one.
“To find the right Powerbank for you, you need to know in advance which devices you want to charge with the Powerbank.
If it is rather devices with a high battery power, you should also pay attention to the large capacity of the Powerbank.
How can I properly charge my external battery?
A charging cable is included in the scope of delivery of each Powerbank. Normally this is a cable ranging from Micro-USB to USB. To recharge, you must use the Micro USB connector of the Powerbank and plug the USB cable into a suitable connector.
It is better not to have the Powerbank completely empty when charging it, this will increase the battery life. You should also make sure that the prescribed input voltage is not exceeded or underestimated.
Today, many mobile batteries are no longer equipped with a power supply unit. However, the Powerbank can also be easily used with the power supply of your mobile phone.
Especially if you are on the road for a long time and never stay in one place for long, a power bank is very useful to charge your smartphone battery adequately.
Another possibility is to charge the portable battery on a PC, for this it is also sufficient to plug the cable into the USB socket of the computer.
Here you have to consider that you should not turn off the PC while the Powerbank is charging. This can take a long time, especially at high capacities.
You can find out the exact charging time by consulting the corresponding user manual or by contacting the manufacturer.
Please ensure that you do not charge your Powerbank with a fast charging power supply if it is not designed for this purpose.
Fast charging power adapters are now included in newer cell phones, for example the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S8 or the One Plus 3 (T) and new smartphones from Huawei.
What connections do I need with my Powerbank?
A mobile battery pack of course needs a few connectors to charge a device.
On the one hand, your power bank needs a micro USB port to be able to recharge itself. Some portable chargers are already available with the new USB-C port.
You also need at least one USB port to connect your charging cable to your device. This is also useful if your Powerbank has multiple USB ports so that you can charge multiple devices at the same time.
If you want to connect other devices that do not support a USB charging cable, you must first find out about the mobile battery that provides this connection.
What additional functions does my Powerbank need?
Sometimes it can be helpful when buying from an investment bank to go beyond the capacity and associated size and weight. Some mobile batteries offer additional functionality.
Thus, some models have a small flashlight, which can be very useful in certain situations.
However, this is usually only the case with Powerbanks from 5,000 mAh and above. Also, you need to make sure that a battery level indicator is built into large portable chargers.
Advantages
- Useful features
- Particularly important is the battery level indicator
Disadvantages
- A higher price
- Increase weight and height
So you can see the remaining capacity of the cell phone battery and the number of charges still available. This is not necessary for small batteries, as they have to be recharged after use anyway.
What additional services you expect from your device, you should decide for yourself according to your own requirements and needs. After all, depending on the device and its features, the extras are not always positive:
How much does a Powerbank cost?
Low-power external rechargeable batteries are already available in a price range of ten to 20 $.
- 1,000-5,000 mAh around 10-20 $
- 5,000-12,000 mAh approx. 25-30 $
- 12,000 mAh and more from 30 $.
You won’t get a lot of mAh here, but the capacity should be enough (depending on the device) for a near full charge.
If you want to charge your phone more often or use other devices without having to recharge the Powerbank, you should choose a portable battery in a higher price range.
Batteries from 5,000 to 12,000 mAh earn you between 25 and 50 $.
In an extensive pricing study, we looked at a total of 195 products in the Powerbank category to give you the big picture. You can see the results here in our graph. Use our guide to find out if a product in the higher or lower price range is better for you. (Source: Own representation)
In addition, there are more exclusive power banks in the market, which have very large capacity, multiple connections and other features. They are available from around 65 $.
Where can I buy a Powerbank?
Cell phone chargers can be purchased on the internet as well as at electronics stores.
They are also offered in supermarkets where can I buy a Powerbank for some special offers. Batteries for mobile phones are available, among others, in the following stores:
- amazon.fr
- cdiscount.com
- manomano.fr
- fnac.fr
All of the Powerbanks that we present to you on our site have a link to at least one of these stores, so you can strike right away if you’ve found a suitable power bank for you.
What are the different types of power bank available and which one is right for you?
There are basically two groups of mobile batteries:
- Powerbank with 2,000 to 5,000 mAh
- Powerbank with 5,000 mAh or more
The two types of portable chargers have different advantages and disadvantages, but these mainly depend on the use of the Powerbank.
Depending on the devices you want to charge and the situation in which you want to use your Powerbank, different models of external batteries are suitable.
In the next section, we would like to help you find the type of power bank that’s right for you. We will introduce you to the categories mentioned above and give you a clear overview of the pros and cons of each model.
What makes a 2,000 to 5,000 mAh Powerbank special and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
To choose the right type of portable battery, you need to decide up front which device you want to charge with.
An average smartphone battery requires between 2,500 and 3,000 mAh for a full charge.
You can find the exact specifications of your iphone in the technical specifications of your iphone. For more powerful smartphones you have to choose which iphone charger portable.
which power bank is best ?
A power bank of 2000 to 5000 mAh is sufficient for a full charge of your smartphone.
Advantages
- Low weight
- Small size
- Inexpensive price
Disadvantages
- One full charge
- Few connections
- Almost no additional functions
So your smartphone can easily be used for a whole day. Also, low capacity portable batteries are much lighter and cheaper than more powerful power banks.
By choosing such a model, you therefore get a compact powerbank, which is particularly suitable for your pants or purse for everyday use.
What distinguishes a 5000 mAh or more Powerbank and what are its advantages and disadvantages?
If you have a more powerful smartphone, it usually needs more power to be fully charged.
This is the case with most of the more expensive models from the major manufacturers Samsung, Apple, Huawei and Sony.
So you also need a more powerful power bank. With a mobile charger with a capacity of 5000 mAh or more, you can use multiple charging cycles with the Powerbank without having to recharge it.
With a larger Powerbank, you can also charge tablets and netbooks.
Tablets typically require 6000-8000mAh per full charge. It is also possible to charge game consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch.
With a power bank, which has a greater capacity, tradeoffs have to be made in the areas of size and weight. These mobile batteries are much heavier and larger than the weaker models.
Thus, large power banks are not necessarily suitable for everyday use, but are rather advantageous for long trips, by plane or by train.
With a Powerbank with a capacity of 12,000 mAh, you can easily achieve an autonomy of 3 to 4 days without recharging the Powerbank.
Advantages
- Several imputation procedures possible
- More connections
- Two or more devices at the same time
Disadvantages
- Much heavier
- Relatively large
- A higher price
A more powerful power bank is especially useful when you have to travel long distances without being able to reach a power outlet. Another advantage of more powerful batteries is the availability of connections.
Mobile batteries of this size usually have two charging outputs, allowing two devices to be charged at the same time. But in this case the Powerbank is of course also empty faster.
It is also possible that two different connections are built in, such as a normal USB output and a newer USB-C output.
So there is something for every cell phone model. Another advantage of large power banks is that the charging cables are usually already installed.
Especially if you are on the road for a long time and never stay in one place for long, a power bank is very useful to charge your smartphone battery adequately.
As the small mobile batteries are also small in size, the charging cable should be connected externally. Thus, it sometimes happens that the cable is forgotten.
The larger versions often come with charging cables attached directly to the power bank, which can be stored in the power bank itself when not in use. So the Powerbank is always ready for use and you don’t have to remember to pack the accessories separately.
Purchase criteria to compare power banks and make the best choice
In the following, we would like to show you the factors that you can use to compare and rate mobile chargers. This will make it easier for you to decide whether a particular battery is right for you or not.
In summary, these factors are:
- Weight
- Dimensions
- Color / Design
- Capacity
- Connections
- Input and output current
- Loading time
- Battery Type
- Accessories
- Quality
In the following paragraphs, you can read about the individual purchase criteria and how they can be ranked.