Unless you are some kind of Luddite, you are probably using your phone for the major part of your day. Now, we are not judging you for doing so. For all we know, you could be a stock market genius or a mobile video logger. However, something that is common with all kinds of heavy users is battery drainage.

Though most mobile phones today last for about a day on light usage, they can only do so much if you push them to the limits by playing games or streaming videos. Also, considering the time we live in, both of those activities are quite common. So, how should you deal with your phone dying quickly every time you wish to use it heavily? Well, you invest in a high capacity power bank.

What Is A Power Bank?

A power bank is a portable charging device that can charge your electronic items such as mobile phones, Bluetooth headset, etc. For doing so, it uses USB technology wherein the data cable's end connected to the power bank is standard USB while the one connected to your electronic item is the one that it uses for charging. It is quite convenient to use a power bank since most brands (like Xiaomi, Ambrane, etc) provide a USB to chargeable type data cable within the product itself.

Similar to your chargeable devices, power bank also has a battery capacity that is defined using milliamp Hour (mAh). The higher the mAH of your power bank, the longer it can last on a single charge.

Types of Power Banks

Now we know what exactly a power bank is. But there's more to it. Though power banks are simple charging devices that do not provide a lot to differentiate among products, they can be classified through their capacity (mAh). Here is how:

1. Small capacity power banks

As their name suggests, small capacity power banks are the smallest in capacity. Their mAh ranges from 3,000 to 5,000 which is ideal for charging most mobile devices for at least a single time. As for light-duty products such as Bluetooth headsets, MP3 player, one can expect numerous amounts of recharges. They are also the smallest in size out of other types of power banks. This makes them the most portable as well.

2. Medium capacity power banks

Medium capacity power banks are the most commonly bought power banks at the moment. That is because they come with a capacity of 6,000mAh, 13000mAh and up to 15,000mAh. These figures are ideal for most users as it allows them to charge their mobile phones two to five times on a single power bank charge. Additionally, they are also not the bulkiest to carry as they can easily fit in large jeans pockets and the smallest of backpack sleeves.

3. Large capacity power banks

This is the final and also the largest type of power bank. In terms of capacity range, they have a range upwards of 15000 mAh. These are probably overkill for most users. However, if you wish to connect multiple devices at once and/or are a traveler who is unable to access charging points, these are just the product you need for your endeavors. It is worth noting that these are on the bulky side of the spectrum. Therefore, you must have a carrying case or a backpack of some kind to carry these.

How To Choose A Power Bank?

We classified top power banks by their capacity above. However, it is still up in the air what exactly is a good mAh figure for a power bank. Well, the simple answer is that nothing really can be considered “good” for a power bank. It all depends on the user that is using them. However, a quick rule of thumb is that you should look for a product that has 4X the capacity as your chargeable device. This will not only provide leeway in power bank charging frequency but also keep you on the safe side in case of emergencies. So, just go for a cheap power bank that is also rated highly and you should be good to go.

A Final Word

Despite having such a less range in terms of choices, power banks can be a tricky product to buy. That is because there really isn't a parameter apart from capacity to judge them by. Even then most people are confused about what mAh figures will fit them. In this article, we thoroughly discussed on that matter. So, hopefully it will help you narrow down your choices.