Powerbank

Grumpy_chap

So, I think I might get myself a powerbank.

I have never really needed one much as the Moto phones I always choose generally have quite a good battery that lasts several days between charge with my normal use.

However, recently I have had to do some work that requires full day use of GPS for W3W location records, and taking photos, and recording notes, plus managing to check e-mails and take phone calls. A couple of times I have run to very low and been conscious of managing battery towards the end of the day. One time I even ran out of battery completely and was unable to call my wife on the way home - quite possibly the most important activity of the whole day.

So, I was in TKMAXX and they had a 20,000 mAh powerbank at £20. A quick online search revealed similar at Argos for £15 and Amazon for £11. So, can I just buy this from Amazon and it'll do the job?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/20000mAh-Charging-PowerBank-Portable-Smartphones/dp/B0DPQ84CQT/

Or, is there something far more critical to powerbanks that I am missing?

What are the 20,000 mAh powerbanks at £50, £75, £100 or more doing that the one above won't do?

Is a 20,000 mAh powerbank "big" enough? I am taking the simplistic view that the phone battery is 5,000 mAh so 20,000 mAh is four full charges of the phone. Should I be considering something else?

mebu60

I am making a note on this thread for ease of finding my way back as I too have been mulling getting a powerbank for a while but the choice and options are legion. Interested to see what suggestions get offered by those in the know.

I also stick to Moto handsets. Not that that is relevant!

Ayr_Rage

If you travel by air check the latest limits on capacity, both at airports and your preferred airlines.

elsien

The bigger ones will power laptops as well as phones so need the higher MAH.

Depending on how you plan to use it you might also want to think about how quickly they charge up and the output for the time it takes to charge your phone. Some of the cheap power banks take hours to charge up. Which is fine if you’re at home and just carrying it around sometimes for emergencies.

When I bought mine it was when I was doing a multi day walk staying in hostels and I didn’t know if it’d be a fight for the plugs or not. So I wanted one that was fast charge and was holding enough power for several charges during the day because I was using GPS which was draining the battery quickly.

I do rate Anker for this sort of tech. Mine was similar to this. https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7800935

flaneurs_lobster

Often wondered why Apple, Samsung, Google etc don't market powerbanks as accessories for their own phones.

Maybe seen as some kind of admission that their phone batteries are not sufficiently large on their own?

Anyhow, powerbanks are one thing I'll only buy from a 'reputable' make, so Anker, Belkin etc. 10,000 mAh

seems about right just for a phone.

Grumpy_chap

Depending on how you plan to use it

Well, that is the thing - I don't really know how I plan to use it or even all the things I might wish to use it for that I don't even know.

I just realised that the phone not lasting the whole day for the current type of work I have - and the potential for more of that type of work to come - means I need something that allows me to use the phone in power-hungry way and for longer that the phone battery really allows.

What can I use a powerbank for?

how quickly they charged up and the output for the time it takes to charge your phone.

Presumably, the time to charge the powerbank itself is not a significant factor as I am assuming that all powerbanks will charge from empty to full in one over-night. I may have assumed incorrectly.

The time the powerbank takes to charge the phone might be more significant. How do I know I how this will be? If the powerbank can't charge the phone in a "break" can the phone be used plugged in to the powerbank?

Often wondered why Apple, Samsung, Google etc don't market powerbanks as accessories for their own phones.

Maybe seen as some kind of admission that their phone batteries are not sufficiently large on their own?

I would not necessarily see it that way. I have had various phones with the same size battery since before COVID. The phone itself normally lasts several days between charges at normal use. I am now using the phone for a more demanding activity and it means the phone battery can't quite go the full day. It might be a case of diminishing returns vs cost and weight if the standard phone battery had to meet "every" use case, whereas a battery that can meet "high percent" of use cases is sufficient to be the built-in device.

elsien

Yes, the phone can be used plugged into the power bank.

debitcardmayhem

I bought one of these , small but https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C6XLMQNZ?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_5&th=1 only 5000mah but good for my phone/ipad. Anker do larger ones too , and Ugreen are also Ok.

Barkin

What are the 20,000 mAh powerbanks at £50, £75, £100 or more doing that the one above won't do?

Probably delivering the capacity that they advertise.

The capacity claims of some of some Chinese/unbranded ones can be a bit, erm... optimistic.

Another vote for Anker 👍

Grumpy_chap

Anker seem to be consistently recommended.

I do quite like the one that hangs off the bottom of the phone, but that is expensive for the low capacity.

This seems to be the best-value compromise between size, capacity, speed, price within the Anker brand (£18.50):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-High-Speed-Portable-Charger-Charging/dp/B0CZ9M6X8Q?th=1

(There is an option for twice the capacity at about twice the price).

I also quite like this Belkin option (£15):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Belkin-BoostCharge-10000mAh-portable-integrated/dp/B0DJFGSSST/?th=1

Belkin was also mentioned by one contributor to the thread as an acceptable brand.

The difference seems to be that the Anker one can charge (deliver power) faster.

mebu60

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82126826#Comment_82126826

@debitcardmayhem Thanks for that recommendation. Many reviews indicate that it only gives more of a 'top up' recharge to your phone than fully charges it. Is that your experience?