With huge quad-HD screens and powerful 8-core processors, our smartphones and tablets are getting bigger, better and faster, but also decreasing their battery life. This is why portable batteries and portable chargers are gaining in popularity.
Despite technical innovations such as turbo charging, battery life is still an issue. For those who find cases with a built-in battery too bulky, a portable charger is the best solution.
The essence of the portable charger is already revealed in its name. A small box, slightly larger in size than a modern smartphone, but in fact it is one large battery. They usually have a USB port for use with the cable that came with your phone, and some also have built-in cables for added convenience.
The best example of the need for such a device is the popular new Samsung Galaxy S6. It has a beautiful Quad-HD display, a powerful 8-core processor, but only 2550 mAh of battery capacity, which, moreover, cannot be removed and replaced. As a result, many users drain the battery before the end of the day and may not always have access to a power outlet.
If you have a portable charger, then you simply connect your Galaxy S6, Moto X, LG G4, Galaxy Note 4 (underline as appropriate) to it, or any other device with a micro-USB input and reanimate your battery. Some devices even have a high-speed 2.4A output, which allows you to charge your smartphone as quickly as with a regular wall outlet and faster than using a car charger. All this makes them invaluable for smartphone owners.
Below is a list of the best portable chargers for smartphones and tablets that will surely please Android device owners (however, iPhone users will not be offended either).
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The TYLT charger is equipped with two built-in cables and a 5,200 mAh battery, which is enough to fully charge almost any flagship smartphone at least one and a half times.
TYLT Energi 5k + has a micro-USB cable for Android devices on one side and a lightning cable for iPhone on the other.
After the charge is used up, the LED indicator turns red and then the device can be recharged using any charging cable with a micro-USB connector. The device also has its own USB 2.0 port for those who prefer to use a longer cable.
The price for a new device is around $ 90.
Perhaps the best value for money is offered by Anker, with a 10,000 mAh battery and a cost in the region of $ 20. This device offers almost twice as much as TYLT, and for a much more reasonable price. Despite the abundance of inexpensive chargers, only a few really live up to the stated battery capacity - and this is definitely one of them.
Moreover, Anker can be considered the best of them. Thanks to its long-lasting cells, the battery has a long service life and holds a charge well. The declared capacity of 10,000 mAh is also justified in practical use - Anker can fully charge the Nexus 9 twice, and the Samsung Galaxy S6 almost four times. The device has two ports for connecting multiple devices at the same time and is slightly smaller than the average Android smartphone.
MyCharge is a popular brand offering high quality, rugged and durable portable chargers. They are somewhat more expensive than those of competitors, but they have a waterproof design, built-in cables, an additional USB port and, importantly, recharge directly from the outlet.
That is, instead of recharging the 9,000 mAh batteries with the usual micro-USB cable, which is used to charge the phone, which can take up to 5 hours or more, you can simply plug myCharge into a wall outlet using the retractable plug. Thus, the user can recharge the battery much faster and then take the device with him. The battery is enough to charge the LG G4 three times.
This device uses Qualcomm's latest Quick Charge 2.0 technology. It allows you to raise the battery level from zero to fifty percent 65% faster than normal charging. In practice, we can say that Aukey gives 50% charge in just half an hour. This is quite enough to hold out the rest of the evening or hold out until the end of the working day.
Unfortunately, this model has only one port, which is somewhat offset by the charging speed. The price for a new device will be around $ 50.
Aukey also offers a more traditional model. The portable charger has a 20,000 mAh battery, but does not have a quick charge function (like most devices on the market, by the way). Although this charger cannot be included in the leaderboard, the price-to-capacity ratio of the battery makes it a very profitable purchase.
IOGEAR is not a very well-known brand, but the portable chargers it offers are of excellent quality. The 12,000 mAh charger from this company is a great example of the sweet spot. Not too big, not too small, with enough power and two USB ports to charge more than one device. Like most similar devices, this one has an LED indication of the charge level and a simple "on / off" key, and also charges slowly via a standard cable.
IOGEAR is slightly larger than other devices in the 10,000mAh class, but still not enough to leave the category of "portable" devices.
This device can hardly be called thin or light, but it can charge three smartphones at once. A 10,400 mAh battery is enough to fully charge a couple of tablets and a phone. Or to charge your smartphone several times during the day while traveling, for example.
This charger from TYLT does not have the usual built-in cables for the company, but comes with a 1.5 meter micro-USB cable and has three USB ports that allow you to use whatever cables you have.
Limefuel Lite LP15ox has a 15,000 mAh battery on board, can charge two devices at the same time, has a small LCD display showing the percentage of charge remaining, which is more accurate than LED indication, and a small built-in flashlight.
The device has high-quality "long-playing" battery cells, has two outputs (one for 2.4 A), and the flashlight is very convenient, for example, on a hike. Charging starts at the touch of a button and ends automatically when your device is fully charged. There is also a version with a more capacious 20,000 mAh battery, but it loses a little in convenience due to its size and weight.
While many buyers are in need of portable charging, some are emphasizing "portability." Most of the devices mentioned above are still larger and heavier than an ordinary smartphone. Amazon Basics offers chargers no larger than a credit card, with capacities of 2,000, 3,000, 5,600 mAh and even a 10,000 mAh variant, which is one of the thinnest on the market. These devices are lightweight, strong and durable and can charge two devices at the same time. They're also wallet-friendly, with prices ranging from $ 10 to $ 30.
The Anker Astro Mini is another great option for those looking for a truly portable device. It has the dimensions of a lipstick tube and a 3,200 mAh battery.
This charging is really very small and convenient. An indispensable device that can be recharged in a few hours and then stowed in your pocket or bag to quickly refresh your Galaxy S6 when needed. The battery is reportedly not enough to fully charge the S5 with its 2,800mAh battery. It is unclear whether the losses during charging are so high, or whether the manufacturer is lying a little. However, for those looking for a smaller and cheaper option, this is a great choice.
Similar in size to the previous model, this little one carries a cylindrical 3000 mAh battery and an LED flashlight. You can fully charge your LG G4 or Galaxy S6, and light yourself up if you need to. A long press on the power button lights the flashlight, a short press, respectively, starts charging.
One of the largest and most powerful portable chargers closes our list. It is already more difficult to call it portable, but this monster supports up to four devices simultaneously, and even three of them can be tablets.
Two regular and two high-speed (2.4A) charging ports allow you to charge four devices simultaneously using a 20,800 mAh battery. Equipped with a simple on / off switch, four LEDs showing the remaining charge, it has one of the longest lifespans on our list.
