One advantage of this shift to USB-C is that power banks now support USB PD for faster charging. This means your power bank will often recharge faster when connected to a suitable fast charger, at anywhere from 20W to 60W. At those speeds, even a high-capacity charger can recharge fully in three to four hours. The Anker Nano is only 5,000mAh, but that doesn't mean it can fully charge a 5,000mAh phone battery like you'll find in the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Power banks are about 60-70% efficient, depending on the phone's technology, so this power bank is good for charging an iPhone 15 to nearly full, but that big Ultra will only get about 65% charge. Apple has added its clever “MagSafe” tech to every iPhone (other than the SE) since the iPhone 12. It uses magnets to ensure perfect alignment for a range of accessories including wallets, wireless chargers and, of course, power banks.

That means I could twist my phone sideways into landscape mode and use the Baseus power bank as a portable stand for Apple's new StandBy mode, which is one of my favorite features on iOS 17, and certainly the one I use the most often.Ports: Different devices have different charging ports, and your power bank should be compatible with them. Look for power banks with the right ports, such as Lightning or USB-C, to ensure seamless charging for all your devices. Having multiple ports is a bonus, allowing you to charge multiple gadgets simultaneously.

EnergyCell’s portable charger is as basic as power banks get, with just a micro-USB input, a USB-A output and no support for any fast-charging standards. What’s more, it’s slow. The USB-A output is specified as 10W, but in our tests we measured the output at between 7W and 9W depending on the phone. A 15-minute charge only raised the level on our test smartphone by 7%. Use the included Micro-USB cable, your original cable or a third-party certified one (such as MFi); AC adapter not included.Apple doesn't publish its battery capacity, but teardowns have shown that the iPhone 15 has a battery with around 3,350mAh of battery life. That means a 10KmAh battery can charge that phone twice ... almost. You may not get to 100% the second charge, but you'll be in the 90% range. Keep an eye on battery capacity: More might be better, but higher battery capacity also makes portable chargers bigger. You’ll have to figure out the right balance between battery capacity and size. That said, we don’t recommend going under 5,000mAh in most cases and think 10,000mAh is the sweet spot for portability. We wish there wasn't such an easy answer to this question, because competition is better for everybody, but Anker is making the best power banks right now by far. It offers the best power-to-weight ratio, the fastest charging, and the most useful features. Basically, you’re trying to balance four factors: size, speed, capacity and price. The rules are simple enough: the less you spend, the lower the capacity and the slower the power bank will charge. There are plenty of other power bank makers around, and most of them have not caught up to the faster charging speeds available on the iPhone 15 family, let along even faster Android phones. Except for unique form factors or serious bargains, we stayed away from recommending power banks from reputable makers if they couldn't charge at 2023 speeds.

That app is essential because there's a Find My feature built into the battery. It doesn't work like an AirTag over UWB, it's only Bluetooth, but it's useful if you misplace your battery in your office (or you have multiple batteries, like I do).The bottle is actually a nice, insulated affair, and it kept ice in cold water for 12 hours, which is all that we need. It has a good, strong strap to carry the bottle, though we would have liked a lid that was easier for sipping. It’s worth getting a power bank with both ports as USB-C becomes more commonplace, and it’s the port that is faster and gaining popularity. When it comes to the power bank output, you’ll want to look for ones that can output at least 20W via USB-C, as this is the fastest speed to recharge an iPhone. Wireless charging There are plenty of combination power bank and some other device, but the Tylt Bottle 2 actually makes sense because we're usually carrying an insulated water bottle anyway, so we might as well screw a battery onto the bottom. With a 5,700mAh capacity, the Tylt Bottle 2 is just enough to get us through a very busy day, or keep the phone powered while we play games at the cafe. How long does it take to charge the power bank?: This is an important consideration that is often overlooked. A high-capacity charger can take long to charge fully. Plenty of options now come with fast charging capabilities for the portable charger itself.

But, you only need to worry about the basics to make sure you’re getting the right one for your needs. Most importantly, is it the right size and weight for your needs? Does it have enough ports? And is there enough juice to charge up all your devices? Capacity When it comes to purchasing a power bank, there are a few important factors to consider. Let's dive into them: Capacity:Think of capacity as the energy reservoir of your power bank. The higher the mAh (milliampere-hour), the more power it can store. So, choose a power bank with a capacity that suits your charging needs and can juice up multiple devices. While you’ll probably have most of the cords that you’d need, we’d expect a power bank to at least come with a recharge cable and maybe some extra useful wires. It’s also a nice extra when it comes with a decent carrying pouch to keep the battery and cables together. What is the largest power bank allowed on a plane?

The best portable chargers for most users

You have a watch that isn't from Apple: The Otterbox 2-in-1 Power Bank only attaches magnetically to the Apple Watch. Other smartwatches, like the Pixel Watch, won't work with this one, not at all. With a power bank, though, you can always get a recharge – even when you’re far from home. In fact, with bigger power banks, you can get away for a weekend or go camping and still keep your phone juiced up. And it’s not only smartphones that can benefit. Tablets, digital cameras and Bluetooth speakers can often do with a top-up, and a decent power bank is a must-have accessory if you love playing on a Nintendo Switch. Not compatible with the iPod nano, iPod Classic; Not for devices with an input below 50mA (e.g. some Bluetooth headsets and GPS devices).