USB-A
The total number of
USB-A ports for charging connected gadgets. This type is gradually being replaced by USB type C, however, most models still use USB-A as the main output. This is also indicated by the number of corresponding ports. Classic are
2 USB-A outputs. However, there are also compact
models for 1 output, and more impressive ones with
3 and
4 USB-A(even more).
Max. power (per 1 port)
The maximum power that the power bank, theoretically, is capable of delivering to one rechargeable device. Usually, this power is achieved under the condition that no other device is connected to the battery (although exceptions to this rule are possible). And if you have ports with different charging currents or support multiple fast charging technologies, this information is given for the most powerful output or technology.
For modern power banks, a power of
10 watts or less is considered quite low; among other things, it usually means that the device does not support fast charging. Nevertheless, such devices are inexpensive and often turn out to be quite sufficient for simple tasks; Therefore, there are many models with similar specs on the market. The power of
12 – 15 W is also relatively small,
18 W can be called the average level,
20 – 25 W and
30 – 50 W is already considered an advanced level and in some solutions this parameter may
exceed 60 W.
In general, higher power output has a positive effect on charging speed, but in fact there are a number of nuances associated with this parameter. Firstly, not only the power bank, but also the gadget being charged should support the appropriate power — otherwise the speed of the process will be limited
...by the specs of the gadget. Secondly, in order to use the full capabilities of the power bank, it may be necessary for it to be compatible with certain fast charging technologies (see "Fast Charging").USB A
A standard
USB A port is characterized by the rated power supplied by the power bank when a load is connected to the first or only USB A output and the current strength. If there are several connectors of this type, the first one is considered to be capable of delivering more power.
The speed of the charging process directly depends on this indicator. Power is traditionally calculated by multiplying current by voltage; However, the standard voltage for USB power is 5 V, so current is considered to be the main indicator of power.
The charging power and, accordingly, the speed of the process depend on the current strength. Nowadays, on USB ports, a current of
2 A or
2.1 A is considered basic and quite modest,
2.4 A and
2.5 A are average,
3 A and
more are noticeably above average, and certain fast charging technologies allow you to achieve values of
4 A. 4.5 A and
5 A. However, it is worth considering that to operate at high current, such an opportunity must be provided not only in the power bank, but also in the gadget being charged. So when purchasing a model, it doesn’t hurt to check whether the devices being charged suppo
...rt high charge currents.
It is also worth noting two nuances associated with the presence of multiple USB charging ports. Firstly, they may differ in the current they produce. This allows you to select the optimal connector for each device: for example, to quickly charge a tablet with a capacious battery, it is desirable to have a higher current, and a device with a low charging current can be connected to a “weaker” port, so as not to create unnecessary load on the battery and controller. The second caveat is that if all USB connectors are used simultaneously, the current supplied by each of these connectors may be lower than the maximum; in other words, not all power banks allow you to simultaneously use USB ports at the maximum possible power. You can understand whether such a possibility exists by looking at the charge power (see below); if the charge power is not indicated, you should refer to detailed documentation from the manufacturer.Power bank charge power
The power in watts at which the power bank is charged under normal conditions.
The higher the charging power, the less time it takes to charge (given the same battery capacity). For example,
fast charging of a power bank typically means a charging power of 30W or more. However, this parameter does not directly affect compatibility with charging devices: modern portable batteries can work with chargers of both higher and lower power. In the first case, the battery controller will automatically limit the charging current, while in the second case, charging will simply take more time.
Full charge time
The time required to fully charge a battery discharged “to zero”. Features of the charging process in different models may be different, respectively, and the time required for this may differ markedly even with the same capacity.
Fast-charging batteries tend to be more expensive. Therefore, choosing this option makes sense if you do not have much time to replenish your energy supply — for example, for hiking. However, keep in mind that charging at full speed may require a charger that supports certain fast charging technologies (see below).
It must also be said that in most modern batteries, the charging speed is uneven — it is highest at the several first percent from zero, then gradually decreases. Therefore, the time required to replenish the energy supply by a certain percentage will not be strictly proportional to the total claimed charge time; moreover, this time will depend on how much the battery is already charged at the time the procedure starts. For example, charging from 0 to 50% will take less time than from 50 to 100%, although both there and there we are talking about half the capacity.
Fast charge
Fast charging technologies supported by the power bank. This is primarily about charging external gadgets, but the same technology can also be used when replenishing the power bank itself.
The fast charging feature, hence the name, can significantly reduce the time spent on the procedure. This is achieved through increased current and/or voltage, as well as smart process control (at each stage, the current and voltage correspond to the optimal parameters).
Fast charging is especially important for devices with high-capacity batteries that take a long time to charge normally. However, to fully use this feature, the power source and the gadget being charged must support the same charging technology; at the same time, different technologies are not compatible with each other, although occasionally there are exceptions. The most popular fast charging formats these days are
QuickCharge (versions
3.0,
4.0 and
4.0+),
Power Delivery (
Power Delivery 3.0 and
Power Delivery 3.1),
Pump Express,
Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging,
Huawei Fast Charge Protocol,
Huawei SuperCharge Protocol..., OPPO VOOC, OnePlus Dash Charge ; Here are the specific features of these, as well as some other options:
— Quick Charge (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0). Technology created by Qualcomm and used in gadgets with Qualcomm CPUs. The later the version, the more advanced the technology: for example, Quick Charge 2.0 has 3 fixed voltage options, and version 3.0 has a smooth adjustment in the range from 3.6 to 20 V. Most often, gadgets with a newer version of Quick Charge are also compatible with older devices for charging, but for full use, an exact match in versions is desirable.
Also note that certain versions of Quick Charge have become the basis for some other technologies. However, again, the mutual compatibility of chargers/power banks and gadgets supporting these technologies needs to be clarified separately.
— Pump Express. Own development of MediaTek, used in portable devices with CPUs of this brand. Also available in several versions, with improvements and additions as it develops.
— Power delivery. Native fast charging technology for the USB type C connector. Used by many brands, found mainly in chargers (including power banks) and gadgets using this type of connector. Presented in several versions.
— Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging. Samsung's proprietary fast charging technology. It has been used without any changes since 2015, in light of which it looks quite modest compared to newer standards. Nevertheless, it is able to provide good speed, especially in the first 50% of the charge.
— Huawei FastCharge Protocol. One of Huawei's proprietary technologies. Formally similar to Quick Charge 2.0, but used with both Qualcomm and other brands of mobile processors, so compatibility is not guaranteed. In general, it is considered obsolete, gradually being replaced by more advanced standards like the SuperCharge Protocol.
— Huawei SuperCharge Protocol. Another proprietary technology from Huawei introduced in 2016; for 2021 is available in several versions. In some devices, the power of such charging exceeds 60 V — not a record, but quite an indicator.
— Oppo VOOC. OPPO technology, used both in branded smartphones and in equipment from other brands. Available in several versions; The latest (for 2021) version of SuperVOOC is for 2-cell batteries and is sometimes listed as a separate technology called Oppo SuperVOOC Flash Charge.
— OnePlus Dash Charge. A relatively old proprietary standard from OnePlus. An interesting feature is that in some gadgets, the effectiveness of Dash Charge is practically independent of the use of the screen: when the display is on, the battery charges at almost the same rate as when it is off. Technically a licensed version of OPPO's VOOC, however, these technologies are not compatible. Since 2018, Dash Charge has been phased out by Warp Charge, but this newer technology is still rare in separately sold chargers and power banks.
— PowerIQ. Technology developed by the Anker brand. The key feature of PowerIQ is that it is not a standalone standard, but a combined format of operation that combines a wide range of popular fast charging formats. In particular, version 3.0 claims the ability to work with Quick Charge, Power Delivery, Apple Fast Charging, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging and others. Bundled cables (adapters)
Types of cables and/or adapters for charging external devices included in the power bank set.
The type of such cables is indicated by the plug used to connect to the gadget being charged; connection with the power bank itself is usually carried out through a standard USB A or USB type C output. We emphasize that in this case, we are talking about detachable cables/adapters; types of built-in charging cables are specified separately (if any — see below).
In general, this parameter allows you to evaluate the possibilities of a power bank available out of the box, without purchasing additional accessories. As for specific interfaces, most often external batteries nowadays are equipped with
microUSB,
USB type C and/or
Lightning cables/adapters; more specific connectors are extremely rare. Here are the features of the most popular options:
— microUSB. A connector that is extremely common in modern portable gadgets. It is inferior to the newer USB type-C in terms of convenience and several performance specs, but still has not lost popularity.
— USB type C. A relatively new standard for miniature USB connectors, used for charging both portable equipment and larger devices — in particular, some ultra-compact laptops. Physically, it differs from microUSB in a slightly larger size and a two-sided design that allows you to connect the plug b
...oth ways. In terms of performance, USB type C is notable for better compatibility with fast charging technologies (see above): more fast charging technologies can be used with it, and Power Delivery was created based on this connector. At the same time, the presence of a USB type C cable does not mean support for fast charging.
— Lightning. Standard original connector for Apple gadgets; other manufacturers do not have such a port.
Note that if several types of bundled cables/adapters are claimed in the specs, the specific format of such accessories may be different. For example, "microUSB plus USB type C" could mean two separate cables, one cable with two plugs, a cable with one plug plus an adapter to another, etc.
