Being charged up has become as much a need as being watered up—if you’re always on the move, that is. Whether you’re on the go on a road trip, on your way to work, or stuck in a long line somewhere, having a reliable standby for your smartphone or other devices is a complete lifesaver. This is where power banks and portable chargers come in handy. While people use the two terms interchangeably, the two are not the same thing. Let’s make it simple for you so that you can pick the best that suits you.
Understanding Power Banks and Portable Chargers
Power Banks: Your Power Reserve
Your power bank is your storehouse of electricity. It’s a battery that you can charge with power for use in the future. Charge it, and you can carry it with you and use it to power your phone, tablet, or other USB-charged device.
Also Read: 3 Ways to Choose a Power Bank
These come in various capacities, ranging from those that fit in your jeans pocket to the larger ones that will charge your phone four or five times. Some even come with multiple ports, so you can charge more than one thing at the same time.
Portable Chargers: The Faster Solution with a Catch
Now, we come to where it gets a bit complicated. Portable chargers might be named the same, but technically, they’re not necessarily self-sustaining. Most portable chargers need to be plugged into an external power source—a wall outlet, car adapter, or solar panel—to power your device.
In reality, they work more as a “middleman” for power and less as a storage unit. Useful when you’re on the go or near a plug point, but not so useful when hiking or in a power-free location.
Charge speed and battery capacity
Power banks typically have a higher storage capacity. You may see ratings on them that are labelled as 10,000mAh or 20,000mAh. That’s the power bank’s storage capacity.
Portable chargers, on the other hand, are as quick as the source that you are plugging it into. So, if you’re plugging it into a slow car charger or a low power solar panel, you might not get the speed that you’re hoping for.
The Bottom Line
The next time you shop for a charging solution, take your lifestyle and the number of times you’re away from a plug point into consideration. That little difference could be the one that saves you a lot of inconvenience when your battery runs on red.
