How many times have you had to suffer from the discharge of your smartphone at the most inopportune moment? And if you need to call urgently or wait for an important message? It's good if there is an outlet or a computer nearby, from which you can quickly charge the device. But what if they are not there? The way out is to use an external battery (power bank). The Internet project "Be Mobile" has collected tips to help you choose the best option for you.

First, let's define what an external battery is and what are its advantages. External battery or Power bank is called a portable high-capacity lithium-ion battery from which you can charge a variety of mobile devices: phones, smartphones, tablets or eBooks... This battery is able to store energy within itself for a long time. You can take it with you to work, study, on a business trip or when traveling.

The portable charger can be made in various form factors with a plastic, polycarbonate or metal case. On sale you can find models in the form of boxes, bars, discs, cones and tubes of various colors.

The Power Bank is charged from an electrical outlet or from any device with a USB output (for example, a computer or laptop).

All external batteries are equipped with one or more USB ports. Modern phones, smartphones or tablets can be charged using a USB cable, which in most cases is included with the device.

id = "sub0">

The main parameter when choosing an external battery is energy capacity. Everything is simple and clear here. The larger the capacity, the more energy the device stores, and the more expensive it is. Capacity is measured in mAh - milliampere hours.

On sale now you can find portable chargers with a capacity from several hundred milliampere hours to several tens of thousands. You can estimate the level of charge that you need based on the battery capacity of your smartphone or tablet.

For example, in an average smartphone the battery has a capacity of 2000 mAh, in productive and expensive models - from 2500 to 3000 mAh. This means that a fully charged 5000 mAh external battery will last for 2-2.5 charging cycles. A fully charged 10,000 mAh external battery will last for 4-5 cycles. If portable charging is necessary for a tablet, then you should choose from models with a larger capacity, for example, 20 or 30 thousand mAh.

Portable power supplies currently available use either lithium-ion or lithium-polymer batteries. Depending on the type and design option, the nominal output voltage of the battery can be different (3.7, 4.2 or 7.4 V), while the standard voltage of the USB bus power is 5 V direct current... Obviously, in this case, a 2000 mAh battery with rated voltage 3.7 V, even under ideal conditions, will not work even one and a half hours when powered by an external load connected via USB bus and consuming a current of 1 A. In addition, the amount of electricity that can be stored rechargeable batteries having the same capacitance but different voltages will differ.

Tip 2: look at the amperage, it affects the charging speed

id = "sub1">

Another factor that affects the charging speed is the amperage. The more amperes, the faster the charging speed. For phones and smartphones, this figure should be at least 1 ampere. Otherwise, the process itself will be extremely slow. It will take 3 or 4 times longer to fully charge than from the mains.

For tablets, devices with amperage from 3 A will be preferable. Ideal option is 4 A.

Advice 3: trust, but verify, because the declared capacity does not always coincide with the real one

id = "sub2">

Another important point- the real capacity of the Power Bank. The fact is that many manufacturers embellish the performance of their products. Of the 50 models of portable chargers that came to us for testing over the past year, 46 had a capacity significantly less than stated. On average, the difference was 25%.

For example, the manufacturer indicated that the external battery has a capacity of 10,000 mAh, but in reality - 7,800 mAh. The difference is related both to the dishonesty of the developers and improper storage of the batteries during the transportation and subsequent sale.

id = "sub3">

The real capacity is also influenced by such an indicator as self-discharge.

On average, external batteries with a full charge are discharged by 5% within two weeks. This should be taken into account if you do not use the Power Bank for a long time. To activate electrolytic reactions, you should put the device on recharging before use.

Take into account the fact that the capacity of the battery will decrease over time. Our measurements show that with active use, a high-quality battery loses its capacity by 15% per year, the most cheap models - 35%.

Almost all Power Banks use LED indicators to monitor the charge level. And some external batteries are equipped with LED displays that show the exact state of charge as a percentage.

Tip 5: choose a power bank with multiple USB ports to charge your friends' smartphones at the same time

id = "sub4">

Part of the models portable chargers have several USB ports for connecting two, three or even more at once mobile devices... This option is suitable for simultaneous recharging, for example, when you go on a trip with friends. It's comfortable. All of you can charge your phones, smartphones and even tablets together.

Often you ask us where you can guarantee to buy a cheap high-quality external battery. We cannot give a definite answer. Of course, the reliability of the purchase in a large Russian online store or in retail network higher, but prices are higher there. It is worth remembering that little-known Chinese sellers have a peculiarity: they can cheat. Their external batteries are much cheaper than branded counterparts, they often indicate the volume 2 or 3 times higher than the real one. Too low a price can be a trap. Although branded Power Banks in such stores can be fakes.

Compact

id = "sub5">

If you need compactness, you can pay attention to ergonomic models, for example, Anker Astro E1. Such a battery does not take up much space in your bag or pocket.

Universal

id = "sub6">

The ideal option would be batteries with a capacity of about 10,000 mAh. This is about three times more than the battery of a modern smartphone, which means that even taking into account the loss of energy during recharging, it will be enough to fully restore the gadget's charge several times. A qualitative example of such a power bank is the Anker PowerCore 10400 mAh model.

Another option for a high-quality external battery with universal functionality is the Aukey PB-N42 10000 mAh.

Supports fast and wireless charging

id = "sub7">

If universal options are not your option, then you should pay attention to models with additional functions... For example, a power bank with support fast charging will be able to charge compatible gadgets much faster than usual. If the battery is capable of delivering stably high current(about 2A), then even without fast charging support, your gadgets will charge stably and relatively quickly.

Among the recommended by us is an external battery Baseus Wireless Charge Power Bank for 8000 mAh. Its main feature is the presence of wireless charging of the Qi standard. That is, to charge a smartphone, you do not need to connect a wire to it, just put it on an external battery and that's it. Charging started. In addition to wireless charging with a current of 1A, the device supports a wired USB connection of two compatible devices, while the output current to the USB connectors is 2A.

A good option for iPhone is the Zikko PowerBag 6000 mAh external battery. The main difference from popular external battery Xiaomi is MFI certified, meaning the battery is compatible with all Apple devices. The device supports fast charging - the output current to the USB connectors is 2.4 A. In order to track the battery capacity, there are special LED indicators at the end. A nice bonus - the smartphone is connected to the battery via the included Lightning cable.

Record-breaking capacity

id = "sub8">

If you are looking for a strategic energy reserve, check out the 26,000 mAh HyperJuice AC Battery Pack. This giant can quickly charge absolutely any device, including a tablet, other portable equipment and even a laptop. There are 2 USB downstream connectors here. One provides a maximum charge power of 3A at a voltage of 5W, and the other provides a current of 2.4 A. A pleasant bonus is the ability to provide 220W power to any electrical appliances with a power consumption of up to 100 W. You can connect a laptop, flashlight and even a blender to such a battery.

HyperJuice AC Battery Pack is made of aluminum alloy, which perfectly protects the device from external mechanical influences.

We hope that our tips will help you buy a truly high-quality external battery and charge your phone, smartphone, laptop or e-book without any problems.

What are the criteria to choose a portable "battery", what to look for when ordering and buying? A short and capacious instruction for yourself, a friend, girlfriend, grandfather and neighbor. If you were given a link here, it means that they really want to help you;)

Why do you need an external battery

How often have each of us come across a battery that has run down at the most crucial moment on our beloved smartphone? With the development of technology, this question has become rhetorical. Just ten years ago, few people could be surprised weekly time autonomous work apparatus. Now you will not find this.

As a rescue in a situation "Battery low" and the guests of my today's story were invented - external batteries. What are these things and what are they eaten with?
* they are not eaten

How does an external battery work

External battery- it's like an internal battery, only an external one (your Captain Obvious). Several batteries are soldered to a small controller board, to which, in turn, are attached connectors for charging our gadgets and the battery itself. The reliability of the entire structure depends mainly on the use of high-quality components and adherence to the technological process during production.

The main rule follows from this - don't buy extremely cheap portable batteries... In the overwhelming majority of cases, they will be assembled as "crookedly" as possible, from the most substandard components. I will tell you about the minimum price a high-quality external battery can have a little later.

Main characteristics of a portable battery

Them three, it is them that you should pay attention to when choosing (and only then look at the design).

1. Capacity

The most important characteristic that determines how long the battery can provide energy to a particular device. To put it simply, this is the operating time of the battery without additional recharging. It is measured in ampere-hours, in our case - in milliampere-hours (mAh, mAh).

Basic rule: for comfortable use, the capacity of the external battery should be at least 2 times more than the capacity of the battery in the rechargeable device.

For example, the iPhone 6 has a battery capacity 1,810 mAh... In order not to be afraid of being left without communication for a day with constant use of a smartphone, it is worth choosing a battery for it. 3,500-4,000 mAh... This is guaranteed to be enough for one full battery charge.

Golden mean it is possible to recognize batteries with a capacity of about 6,000 mAh for comfortable use of a smartphone for several days. The capacity of more than 12,000 mAh is as versatile as possible and is suitable for users of smartphones and tablets, including at the same time.

2.Discharge current

A connector with a current of 1 A for charging smartphones and 1.5 - 2 A for charging tablets is considered standard. If we talk in simple words, the current in the battery indirectly affects the charging speed of the connected device.

In this case advice already two. First, watch out matching battery current and the specifications of your smartphone manufacturer. The best indicator for this will be the included charger. For example, with Apple iPhones puts a charge with a current strength of 1A. With iPad - already 2A.

Accordingly, it is advisable to charge the iPhone from port 1A in your battery, and the tablet from 2A.

The second tip concerns primarily tablet owners Apple: you need portable battery with a current strength of 2A. Don't even look at 1A, it just won't have enough power for the huge battery in your iPad. To find out the amperage before buying a battery, just look at the markings next to it. USB port... In 99% of cases, everything is clearly written there.

3. Size and weight

Golden Rule: the higher the capacity and the more ports, the larger there will be a battery.

Again, there are two councils. First - choose a battery for your regime using a smartphone or tablet. It's one thing - a fragile girl who just wants to sit in social networks and chat with a guy for one or two hours. And it is completely different when a stern bearded uncle - a lover of hiking and bardic songs - wants to listen to these songs in the forest, also with clips on YouTube, for two or three days. A small and portable battery is enough for a girl, and a bearded man should immediately take a "tank" for 15 thousand mAh, no less.

Second tip - do not get fooled by the huge capacity battery in a small or surprisingly cheap device. It doesn't and never will. Stay realistic.

All other "goodies", such as the presence of a flashlight, solar battery, shock-resistant case, etc. - are not required for daily use (although sometimes useful), and only add an extra penny to the price of the product. The only really needed option is the battery charge indicator, but almost all models have it, so we will not focus on it.

So, what kind of external battery would be ideal for a modern gadget? To play games and watch a movie, and not be left without communication for several days ...

• Capacity: 6,000 mAh for a smartphone and from 12,000 mAh for a tablet;
• Current strength: one connector for 1A, or two connectors for 1A and 2A;
• Weight is no more than 250 grams (but if you are a stern bearded uncle, then this is not so important);
• Necessary options: charge indicator and power button recessed into the body.

Everything else is at your choice, there are a lot of various design solutions and interesting options.

The minimum price for a quality battery

Let's analyze a high-quality battery from one well-known manufacturer. Capacity - 10 400 mAh. Many consider this battery to be a reference, and it is difficult to argue with them. Its approximate price consists of:

• 4 batteries Samsung ICR18650-26F - $ 20.
• Electronics, assembly and packaging - $ 5-10.
• Logistics and seller's interest - $ 5-10.

Total - $ 30-40 or about 1200-2000 rubles(at the current exchange rate). This figure may fluctuate, but the point is different ...

A battery from eBay for 10,000 mAh for 600 rubles is too much good to be true. Not to mention 20 thousand mAh for the same money - and other nonsense that Russian buyers willingly believe in, flaunting "economy" right and left. Do not be fooled by cheapness, trust the products of well-known brands, read reviews and, first of all, think. It's the most important.

Everyone calls this item differently, but they miss it equally when the battery is low and there is no outlet nearby. The arsenal of gadgets is now not limited to a smartphone, it often comes with wireless headphones, "Smart" watches, fitness bracelets, Bluetooth speakers ... Their owners have a particularly acute question of how to feed this whole menagerie. We will tell you how external batteries differ from each other, how to choose the right one for you and how to use them correctly.

How much do your devices consume?

You need to start by answering exactly this question: after all, an amateur climber to shoot with a GoPro camera and edit video on a tablet in mountain hikes needs more energy than an office manager swimming with a player in a pool. For clarity, we present the average values ​​of the battery capacity for some types of devices:

action camera: 900 mAh;

wireless headphones: 150 mAh;

music player: 1800 mAh;

wireless speaker: 3000 mAh;

smartphone: 3000 mAh.

Taking these numbers as a basis, it is enough to remember which devices you use most often and plan to charge; get something like that: 1800 + 150 + 3000 = 4050mAh.

At first glance, this is the capacity that is needed in wireless charging to replenish the battery of all devices. In fact, it is advisable to multiply this number by another 20 percent in order to compensate for losses from heating, the effect of low temperatures outside and other factors. It turns out 5000 mAh.

The second characteristic that you need to pay attention to is output voltage and amperage. It is not necessary to remember physics, because most chargers have an output current of 1 A or 2.4 A. The more current (A), the better. After all, smart portable technology can limit the current to the desired value, but get more - no.

In general, portable chargers are divided into five conventional categories.

Pocket Assistants

How to calculate: capacity up to 3000 mAh

Such charges are a chic addition to the glove compartment of a car, a bag and a backpack, as well as an inner pocket of a skier's jacket. They are made, and they will help when you need to add a little charge on your smartphone or power up an action camera. You can choose a compact charger according to your liking in design, and it is not at all necessary to study the characteristics of the output current: often the real output current is 1 A, which means that the charging time will be about three hours.

Signature Redline R-2600 at 2600mAh with 1A current

Power bank can be safely charged for future use, so that it lies just in case. The self-discharge of such devices is very slow; your portable battery will drain only 10-15 percent in a year.

Workers for every day

How to calculate: capacity about 5000 mAh

These everyday charges are most often found in the hands of passers-by and in the interior of a car, where it is possible to recharge the battery from the cigarette lighter. Convenient, compact and effective assistants for active smartphone owners who are deprived of the opportunity to change the battery in non-separable device cases. And at the same time lovers of short trips and trips on their own. Such charges should be chosen according to the output current strength of 2.1 A, and also give preference - the coolest battery cells resemble thick batteries in shape.

Signature Huawei CP07 at 6700mAh with 2.4A current

Catering for a large company

How to calculate: capacity from 8,000 to 12,000 mAh

If you are a gadget lover and pay for purchases in a store not even with a smartphone, but with a watch, the collection of equipment can be fed with more powerful chargers. In this capacitive group, they have a strong output current, and even accelerated charging technologies, so the design and the number of ports for simultaneous feeding become the determining factor when choosing. Please note: the second USB output is often weaker than the first, so we recommend that you clarify this parameter in the specifications.

Ttec Powerslim 10,000 mAh with a current of 2.1 A

The accelerated charging technology significantly reduces the time to the cherished 100 percent on the smartphone battery. An hour, maximum one and a half - and the phone is completely ready for use. However, pay attention to what kind of accelerated charging technology your gadget supports. QuickCharge, SuperCharge, Adaptive Fast Charging - it's all different types that do not fit together. Thus, the smartphone can be quickly charged using SuperCharge (if it is Huawei P10), and Power Bank can support QuickCharge. In this case, it will be possible to power the gadget, but the charging time will be normal.

Pocket Power Station

How to calculate: for a capacity of 15,000-20,000 mAh

Many of these are ready to charge even MacBook 12 and other laptop models with a charging connector. USB Type-C... And at the same time, distribute energy to several devices at once without power drops on one of the USB-outputs. These charging stations are good for everyone, but there is nothing to hide their size and weight. Such an ailment limits their scope, but if you need confidence in the operation of all equipment for a few days in advance, there is hardly anything comparable to them in terms of the effectiveness of the return.

InterStep PB16DQ 16,000 mAh @ 2.1 A

Wireless portable chargers

Attach your smartphone and see

More and more new smartphones are equipped with wireless charging modules of the Qi standard and analogues - for example, Samsung Galaxy S7, S8, iPhone 8, X. It is enough to put such smartphones on wireless charging, and battery recharge will start automatically. No wires or confusion, because the technology is based on magnetic induction. Most of the smartphones that support wireless charging work just according to the Qi standard, and recently, fast ones that are suitable for them have begun to appear. When choosing such chargers, it is better to slightly increase the capacity margin in order to compensate for the loss of energy for such an effective transfer process. By the way, such chargers themselves can be charged from stationary sites.

Ferrari 10,000 mAh with wireless charging Qi

Instead of output

Dealing with the variety of portable chargers is easy if you compare the model you like in terms of parameters and know what kind of capacity is required. Taking charge with a margin is impractical, because this will affect the convenience of carrying with you, without bringing much benefit. Having decided on the appearance and capacity, make sure that you have the necessary bonuses - wireless or fast charging, after which you can safely buy a convenient, practical and suitable device for you.

Contrary to popular belief, Power Bank does not damage your smartphone's battery. Just feeling that salvation is always at hand, owners of gadgets begin to use the device more actively, charge it more often, and thus generally increase the number of charging cycles, which is limited for each battery.

Once again, my phone was discharged by lunchtime - a couple of hours in in social networks, downloading new 400MB podcasts using a 3G network, a few photos, and the battery waved at me. Unfortunately, for many people, this scenario becomes a reality on a daily basis. Sometimes, when talking to acquaintances, I hear a squeak, and then the conversation is interrupted. They call back from the second number and say the sacramental: "The phone is dead." The presence of chargers in the car, at the workplace is by no means a panacea. Someone is used to carrying a charger with them and in restaurants chooses places closer to the outlets. As my friend jokes, telephones are wired again, but now we are tied to an electrical outlet.

One of the partial solutions to this problem is the choice of an external charger that you can carry with you in your bag, take on trips and hikes. The cost of such devices varies in a very wide range, the number of manufacturers is large, and often the eyes diverge from the diversity of the offer. This guide will focus on how to choose the right external charger, but before moving on to this question, I will allow myself to dissuade you.

Power consumption in modern smartphones - how to save energy

In the comments to the Buyer's Guide. Choosing a smartphone ”I came across statements in which people argued that the given operating time for certain devices differs from the real one. For example, the article says that the device can easily work a full day, and the commentator sits down by lunchtime. An attempt to understand this issue thoroughly showed that many people do not think that their smartphone already has all the tools in order to reduce power consumption and extend the operating time of the device without sacrificing performance. This point of view was also popular - having bought an expensive phone, I am not going to set it up or use it not one hundred percent, I want it to work out every penny. It is impossible to agree with such a view, since in any technical device there are modes of operation, settings that are superfluous for many consumers, turning them off does not affect the comfort of use in any way. I am sure that for people with such life position buying an external battery is not needed, they still will not have enough of it for a long time. Marketing often replaces common sense - hearing that people do not want to lower the processor frequency in their smartphone, you realize that they do not know and do not even realize that most of the time the processor operates at a very low frequency. High frequencies are needed for "heavy" computational tasks, for example, three-dimensional graphics in games, and in this case the smartphone gives out the maximum frequency automatically, otherwise the applications will not work.

Therefore, it is possible that you do not need an external battery, but you should figure out the power consumption on your smartphone (for tablets this is not so critical and important, although exactly the same rules apply there). And having already exhausted all the possibilities for extending the operating time by regular means, it is worth resorting to an external battery.

In the next two videos, I provide tips on power management for Android as well as iOS. These tips are universal, you can apply them to different devices, but it should be remembered that not all settings and possibilities are present at all.

External battery - what types are there, what to look for

When buying an external battery, they often choose the one that comes to hand, regardless of technical details, which leads to disappointment in the future. I will try to tell you about all the pitfalls and start with the obvious - the size of the device. Unfortunately, there are no miracles in the world, and the larger the battery capacity, the more space it takes up. You need to decide what you need a battery for - just for a smartphone or you still plan to charge a tablet as well. Psychologically, we want to choose universal solutions and very often buy into the fact that on the box we are promised charging not only smartphones, but also tablets. Unfortunately, these promises are very often wrong or misleading. To charge modern tablets, you need a battery that produces a current of 1A, and also has a capacity of 12,000 to 16,000 mAh, which will allow you to charge the tablet at least half. Such a device would weigh about 350-400 grams or even more. It can be called compact with a certain stretch, although simpler external batteries with a capacity of 4000 mAh may not be small.

Size and weight are the first parameters to pay attention to. For myself, I came to the conclusion that I only need an external battery for a smartphone, after all, to put the battery on a tablet, you need a full day of light and continuous play. I honestly admit that I give up faster than the battery in the tablet, I just get tired of playing or watching movies so much. On hikes, where I would have time to work on a tablet in the forest, I also do not go, there are always sockets and time to recharge the tablet. But it is possible that you have a different use case and then you need to look universal device or buy two different external batteries.

For a smartphone, I need an external power supply. Given my lifestyle, I was looking for a device that would charge a smartphone with a 1500-2100mAh battery or so at least twice a day. Since I was going to carry it both in my hands and in clothes, sometimes in a bag, the size of the device became a priority. In Hong Kong I bought a 6000 mAh battery under the name VTank, I was bribed by the size and metal case... Of the minuses, I would like to note the weight of the device, it stretches a pocket (about 250 grams).

I am sure that you will determine the size and weight of the device on the ground, based on how you will carry it. Even a handbag has enough room for such a battery. But there is a little trick to keep in mind - when charging your smartphone, you will most likely want to use it. See how these two devices fit in your hands while charging (or imagine if you can't feel it).

Body materials are another parameter that is not very important, but from an aesthetic point of view, it warms the soul of many. Metal or plastic case - which one to choose? There are no peculiarities here, it is worth remembering only that their reliability is about the same, but the weight of metal is greater.

Battery capacity and amperage are two main parameters that will be important to you. There is no universal rule, but you need to select a battery with a capacity at least twice as large as the capacity of your smartphone battery (for a tablet, this rule is not applicable for obvious reasons, there are record-breaking batteries). Currently, the most common batteries are 4,000 - 6,000 mAh and are standard. There is no point in choosing batteries with a smaller capacity, their cost is not much lower, and there is almost no sense from them.

When choosing Chinese batteries there is a great risk of encountering a discrepancy between the declared parameters and the real ones. For example, you will be told that the battery capacity is 12,000 mAh, but in fact it will be only half. On the other hand, this deception is innocent, since you will not be charged extra money for a “large” capacity. As a rule, the seller wants to please you and talks about the higher capacity to convince you that you made a good deal - you bought such a good battery cheaply.

There is no point in looking for batteries from unknown companies, there are many offers from different manufacturers on the market, prices are approximately the same (I'm not talking about retail, rather about the Internet).

The best choice is a 6,000 mAh battery (this is the golden mean that will suit most people), or the choice of a 12,000 mAh battery or higher. It should be borne in mind that external batteries have a discharge current, depending on the design, manufacturer, it can be very different.

Batteries often use 3.7V batteries inside, while 5V is required at the output.The boost circuit is not ideal and eats up most of the capacity of the external battery, so this parameter should be taken into account when calculating how many times you can charge your phone. Many external batteries with a capacity of 4,000 mAh can only deliver 2,000 mAh, that is, carry out one charge of a phone with a battery of 1,500 - 2,000 mAh.

Another important point is the amperage that the battery delivers. To charge most smartphones, 0.5 A is enough, this is the minimum current strength in such devices. Often, to charge tablets and a number of smartphones, a current of 1 A or more is required, this parameter should be paid close attention to. If the battery has several outputs, then the connected load can vary in the range of 1-3 A. In order to determine what charging current you need, look at the marking of the charger from your tablet or smartphone.

Charging the battery is another non-obvious point that is not paid attention to, but in vain. Generally speaking, all external batteries can be divided into two large classes - those that can be charged only from the USB connector of the computer, and those that can be charged from the AC mains. In the second case, a standard miniUSB, microUSB connector or a charger that is included in the kit is used. It makes no sense to discuss the first type of devices, they have almost disappeared and are of no interest.

The lack of charging from a regular network is a serious disadvantage, since in this case you will have to recharge the battery only from the computer and it will take much longer, and you will not be able to charge it to its full capacity (the USB port gives out insufficient amperage). It is necessary that the external battery be able to charge from a regular USB connector, but also be able to use ordinary sockets.

Device charging indicators - usually there are three, sometimes four LEDs on the case, which show the battery charge. Unfortunately, they give a very rough estimate of how long the battery will last. In the case of a battery that has been used for about a year, you can completely forget about the last division, as a rule, the indicator starts to lie and the charge is no longer enough. There are external batteries with digital indicators, they are much clearer and clearer, but you will have to pay 20-30 percent more for them than for similar batteries without such displays. The supplement is nice, but it's up to you whether it's worth the money.

The number of USB ports on the device is an additional parameter, but it should also be taken into account. Many devices have two, sometimes four, or even five USB ports. This allows you to connect multiple devices to the charger at once. In my opinion, two USB ports are enough for the eyes, and even then, their simultaneous use is a very rare case. In my practice, this is rather an exception, a couple of times I powered the devices of my colleagues in this way, but I did not use it myself.

On / Off button - should be recessed into the case to avoid accidental pressing in pockets and subsequent battery drain. In most models, this parameter is not given any meaning, which is sad.

I hope that by remembering what to look for, you will not be mistaken when choosing an external battery for your smartphone or tablet, although I have doubts about the second use case. But without advice on what to look for and how to buy such batteries, this guide would be incomplete.

Where and how to buy an external battery - prepare the sleigh in the summer

Unfortunately, my work on the selection of the ideal external battery is complicated by the fact that there are so many of them and it is impossible to describe everything. In your city, models of one manufacturer may be presented, and in the neighboring city, completely different ones, there is no universal recipe.

Most of the 4000 mAh batteries sold in Russia cost in the range from 2 to 3 thousand rubles, batteries with a capacity of 8 000 mAh cost from 3,500 rubles and more, sometimes reaching 5-6 thousand rubles. In my opinion, there is no point in buying such expensive batteries, since you overpay at least two or even three times the real cost of such devices. A reasonable purchase is to order a battery from China or from sites selling electronics, then its price with delivery will be much less. We have a separate Buyer's Guide on how to buy abroad.

To search for various models of external batteries, you can use the Focalprices website (follow the link for the search result for such devices). There is a fairly wide selection of similar batteries on eBay. Or you can see such batteries.

If for some reason you do not want to get involved with delivery by mail, then you can look for batteries in Russian online stores, the offer is diverse, but the prices are higher.

I hope that in this article I have described in detail all the pitfalls and principles of choosing external batteries. It is worth remembering that over a year of use, the battery capacity is reduced to 80 percent of the original rating. It is also worth treating batteries (both external and built into phones) as a consumable. They should be replaced every few years; unfortunately, they do not last forever.

If someone from the manufacturers of external batteries wants to have reviews of their devices with us, then write, we will be happy to test them.

P.S. I would like to express special gratitude to Daniel, who left a very capacious comment on the use of external batteries, much of this comment was included in the "Guide".)

Universal external batteries, or power banks, are not such a complicated technique to get confused in them. We will tell you how to choose an external battery for your phone - which one is best able to provide power to your devices even on a long hike.

How to choose an external battery for your smartphone? Main characteristics

Capacity

The main parameter by which to choose an external battery is, of course, its volume. How long it can power your devices depends on it. Modern power banks have a capacity of 2,000 to 50,000 mAh. But the principle “a lot is good” does not work here: as the capacity grows, the size and weight of the battery increases.

The most comfortable for daily wearing will be a battery with a capacity of 5000 - 10,000 mAh - if you want to charge only one device and do not go far from home. If you need a source autonomous power supply for several devices, or you plan to be away from the outlet for a long time, it is better to pay attention to external batteries with a capacity of 20,000 - 30,000 mAh.

Charging current

The second important characteristic is how much current the device is capable of giving at the output. The higher the amperage, the faster the battery will charge. But charging batteries too quickly is not entirely correct: they can overheat and fail faster. For an average smartphone, a device with a charge current of 1-2 A is enough, for tablets and laptops 2-3 A.

The optimal charging current can be "spied" on the charger that comes with the gadget. As a rule, the electronics of the gadget limits the maximum current for safety reasons, so that weak devices from powerful charging are unlikely to burn out -.

Most good option- a power bank with two ports giving different output currents. For example, one port can output 1 A, the other 2 A - we will tell you a couple of external batteries for a smartphone with this capability at the end of the article.

But most often the manufacturer indicates the total current that the device can give out - that is, when two smartphones are connected, each is given 1 A, total 2 A. Keep this in mind!

Ports and cables

Devices connect to the powerbank via USB ports using complete cables and adapters. Take another look at your devices and answer yourself two questions:

• Firstly, how many devices do you want to charge at the same time? Ideally, the same number of ports should be on an external battery.
• Secondly, what devices do you have? If you have an iPhone, the powerbank should have a Lightning connector, if you have an old iPhone, you will need an Apple 30-pin to USB adapter. To connect other devices to an external battery, you may need USB to microUSB, USB Type-C or DC-DC cables (for a laptop).

Cables can be supplied with the powerbank, but if necessary, they can of course be purchased separately. In addition, there are external batteries with the supplied adapter kits, including those for original connectors like the same Apple 30-pin.

Charging type

Important question - how do you intend to charge the powerbank itself... A good external battery has a microUSB connector for own charging... Accordingly, you can even charge it charger from a smartphone (keep in mind that this will take a long time with a low charging current). Any other connector can also be used, such as a computer port, USB socket, or car cigarette lighter.

But there is also alternative options- For example, . Then you can replenish energy reserves by simply leaving it in the sun for a few hours - and then recharging your gadgets from it. For long hikes in nature, such a device will be very useful, and it will come in handy in the country. Plus, it's minus one gadget that will pull energy from your outlet.

Special wishes

The four aforementioned characteristics are common when choosing any power bank. However, in addition to this, there are many interesting additional options that an external battery for a smartphone can have - how to choose the right ones is up to you:

• Charging laptops... Such a power bank can supply enough voltage to recharge your laptop's battery. External batteries with this function are often equipped with DC inputs, as well as voltage switches that allow you to increase and decrease it: after all, a laptop requires a voltage of about 20 V to charge, and a smartphone "eats" only 5 V - the comparison here is clearly not in favor of the "laptop" ... Of course, such devices are large enough.
• Fast charging... Powerbank can support fast charging functions: Qualcomm 2.0, 3.0 or 4.0, as well as proprietary technologies - Samsung FastCharging, Meizu mCharge, Asus BoostMaster. Moreover, both for devices and for yourself - in order to replenish your stocks as quickly as possible.
• Wireless charger... Powerbanks with this feature have a transmitter that is supported by newer smartphones. In order for the phone to start charging, it will be enough to put it on top of such a powerbank - no cables are needed.
• Dust and moisture protection... Some powerbank designs have passed and are rated up to IP68 inclusive. Inquire about this spec if you need a truly rugged external battery (perhaps for your super rugged smartphone).
• Information display... On it you can see the remaining charge in the power bank, current voltage, current and other important information.

In addition, the powerbank can have a nice design and unusual shape, be supplied with accessories - complete cables, adapters, a case or storage case, and some models can even be used as a flashlight.

Remax Floppy Disk 5000 Powerbank

External battery for phone: rating of the best 2018-2019

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 2 10000

Xiaomi's aluminum lithium polymer powerbank is designed to charge one device at a maximum current of 2.4A, while supporting the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 function. Two USB ports allow you to charge the device and the powerbank itself, which will take only 4 hours to replenish the stock. The device weighs only 228 grams and fits easily in your pocket.

Xiaomi Mi Power Bank Pro 10000

Another model from Xiaomi, very similar to the first, but with a USB Type-C connector and a USB-C adapter included. In addition, more than a new version Quick Charge 3.0, thanks to which the powerbank is fully charged in 3 hours. The maximum output current of the device is 2A.

ASUS ZenPower 10050 mAh ABTU005

The multi-colored rubberized powerbank from Asus has a capacity of 10,050 mAh and is equipped with standard USB connectors and microUSB for charging one gadget and the powerbank itself. By the way, it takes about 8 hours to fully charge as the Quick Charge functions are not supported. But the device is very light (215 g) and shock resistant.

Canyon CNE-CPB156