Love it or hate it, we live in a world where it's difficult to escape your phone and other daily devices. Whether it's checking Google Maps, browsing social media, or hitting snooze on your morning alarm for the seventh time in a row, power guzzling devices have now almost become extensions of our body. Can you remember how it felt the last time you didn't have your smartphone near you? I can. *Shudders*.
Despite this increased reliance on technology, and despite the leaps and bounds made in battery efficiency, devices are now so powerful that such optimisations often aren't cutting it. And for those of us who need a device in arm's reach at all times, whether out of sheer social media addiction or for somewhat important reasons like, y'know, work, having one die on you can be a real worry. A reliable power bank can eliminate this worry.
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What is it?
A power bank is a portable charging port, often pocket-sized, that stores energy for when you need it to charge your devices. (The power bank itself needs to be charged in advance before it can be used to charge other devices.) There are many different brands and capacities to choose from, but there’s one that stands out that we’ll recommend here. Anker’s products are the go-to for high-quality, no-nonsense power banks. They have a track record of excellent reliability, efficiency, and durability.
Why should you buy it?
If you’re always right next to a plug socket then a power bank probably isn’t for you. On the other hand, if you can see yourself being out and about and wanting the security of not having to worry about your phone or other devices dying, then a power bank is exactly what you need. Whether you’re going on a three-day camping trip or simply spending the day at the end of your garden, having a quality power bank nearby can remove that ‘what if’ worry that comes with using high-performance, power guzzling modern gadgets.
What options do you have?
There are many more options than the two power banks I’m about to list, but I’ve found both of these to strike a great balance between affordability and quality. Quality for a power bank is measured in its durability, efficiency (how quickly it charges, recharges, and transfers ‘power in’ to ‘power out’), and reliability. These two power banks score highly on all these fronts.
Anker’s PowerCore 5000 is the best option for those of you that want a slim, pocket-sized device, and that won’t need to charge your devices over and over again on one full bank of power. With 5000mAh of power, this bank stores enough power to fully charge a phone once or twice (depending on the phone and battery). This is a perfect option for those of you that want something to cure your ‘what if my phone runs out of battery’ worries, but that won’t be needing enough power for a three-day hike through the wilderness.
Anker’s PowerCore II 20000 is the best option for those of you that want something with a little more ‘oomph’. At 20100mAh of power, this rectangular power bank can recharge most modern smartphones five or six times on one full bank of power. This model is perfect for those of you that expect to be out and about without access to a plug socket for more than two full charges of your personal device – think camping, travelling around a new city, multi-day conventions, etc.