What is a Power Bank?

Battery anxiety is a real thing. How many times have you been caught with zero power? Typically, our devices always die at the most critical of moments. Our lives are dependent on mobile technologies; they have changed the way we work and play beyond all recognition. Whilst battery life has improved over the years, our use of devices has also skyrocketed. Dare anyone check the time spent daily on their smartphone? Despite power-efficient developments most of us find ourselves charging items almost daily to help us stay connected.

We charge at home, at work and in our cars – praying that the dreaded low battery symbol doesn’t pop up. Having spent a fortune on low quality charging devices for every scenario we may find ourselves in and, subsequently, every single one of them breaking or not giving us 100% power, there has got to be a better solution.

Enter, the power bank, sometimes known as a charging bank. These compact bricks of seemingly endless power have the capacity to keep our batteries topped up for days. However, with so many variables across capacity, charging speed, and connectivity it can be hard to decide which power bank is best for your needs.

In this guide, we cover everything there is to know about power banks so you feel confident as a buyer and a user.

Think of a power bank as a rechargeable portable battery. They are designed to facilitate the recharging of your devices on the go when you don’t have access to a mains supply or have your regular wall charger with you. Power banks range in size, from sleek and compact to larger high-capacity units. However, even the super mighty power banks are sophisticated and portable.

Power banks can be used to charge any device that is battery operated. This can include smartphones, tablets, wearable tech, cameras, console controllers, headphones and even laptops. With MAGFAST Extreme, our beast of a powerful portable bank, you can even jump start your car! Yes, really.

You can find out more about how to make your phone charge faster via our guide today.

You can charge your power bank using a USB connection via a mains supply, or wirelessly if enabled. The charge is then stored in the power bank until it is withdrawn when you use it to charge a device. Whilst the capacity of each power bank is different, they eliminate the need to carry a regular, mains-power charger with you because power banks can store enough energy for multiple charges.

Whilst power banks may appear unassuming, there is complex circuit technology stored inside. Besides recharging your devices, they also have safety features to prevent overcharging and short-circuiting, as well as quick charging and wireless technology.

All power banks are different even though, on the surface, many look similar. Typically, when it comes to discussing power bank batteries, units will fall into one of two categories focused on lithium technology. All power banks use rechargeable batteries, but one may use lithium-ion whereas another may use lithium-polymer. The most significant difference between the two types is the chemical electrolyte between their positive and negative electrodes. This boils down to lithium-ion holding a higher power density and a lower cost compared to lithium-polymer. However, lithium-polymer batteries are more robust, flexible, and have a lower chance of suffering with leaking electrolyte.

Both forms of battery work effectively and have their pros and cons. However, it will largely depend on the design and manufacturing of a power bank as to whether it delivers the charge you need.

Below, MAGFAST highlights the most important points to consider when purchasing a new power bank.

How is power bank capacity calculated?

Power bank capacity is measured in milliampere hours (mAh). The higher the number of mAh the more charge the power bank holds for you to withdraw when you use it to charge your devices. Once the power bank capacity has been drained it will need to be charged up again. The general rule of thumb dictates that smaller power banks have a typical capacity of 1,000 mAh and medium units have 3,000 to 5,000 mAh. Larger power banks can reach 10,000 mAh.

What sets MAGFAST apart from other power bank manufacturers is our ability to deliver serious power. MAGFAST Life is our neat, portable power bank that is great for life ‘on the go’. Whilst its counterparts have an average capacity of 1,000 mAh, Life has a capacity of 6,000 mAh. That’s enough power to charge a dead iPhone battery twice.

At the opposite end of the scale is MAGFAST Extreme – the one that can jump-start your car. Extreme is a super-charger with the power to boost your battery life for days due to its staggering 18,500 mAh capacity. It is also the world’s first portable charger with three Qi wireless charger stations – ideal for all your devices or when sharing with family or friends.

Both MAGFAST Life and Extreme have four ways to get power in. Life has five ways to get power out whereas Extreme has six: the added bonus of Extreme is the 12volt 500amp outlet. This means you can use MAGFAST Extreme to jump-start your vehicle over, and over, and over again. Simply invest in MAGFAST’s 12v jumper cables to accompany Extreme and you can rest assured you’ll never be stranded with a dead vehicle battery.

Whilst Extreme has the endurance to provide you with power for days, there are different power banks available with MAGFAST to suit your capacity requirements.

Do I need a phone power bank?

Do you often find yourself running out of phone battery during the day? Are you sick of having to hunt for a mains-power socket when the dreaded warning pops up? Having a charged smartphone is important, particularly when on the go. There are an immense number of scenarios when we need to stay connected, such as for meetings, directions, studying, or socializing. Power banks enable you to charge your device on the go without the need for a mains supply, whether you’re in the car, on the train, at the airport, or even on an airplane.

Can I take my power bank on a flight?

Taking your power bank on a flight is acceptable. However, there are conditions in place for the safety of crew and passengers.

• Power banks must be stored in your hand luggage
• The battery should be 100 Wh or under
• Batteries between 100 Wh and 160 Wh will need a special permit
• The Wh output should be visible on the device

MAGFAST’s super-charger, Extreme, has a 68.45 Wh battery, making it perfectly fine to use on an aircraft as long as it is stored in your carry on. All of MAGFAST’s power banks, including Life, Extreme, Apple watch charger Time and car phone charger MAGFAST Road can be taken onboard.

Wireless charging power bank

Qi is the most popular type of wireless charging and it is the universally agreed global standard. This is why all of MAGFAST’s power banks facilitate Qi wireless charging of your enabled devices. You can find out more about the most popular cell phones in relation to wireless charging via our comprehensive guide.

Qi can provide you with the ability to charge your devices anywhere, any time. Qi devices and Qi chargers are undoubtedly the most celebrated technological advancement of the past decade as people yearned for a more convenient way of charging their device’s batteries that was cable- and clutter-free. Qi wireless charging means you can boost your battery at home, in the office, or car, whilst also providing the ability to power up on the go in coffee shops, at hotels, and airports.

What makes MAGFAST’s products so unique is they offer all the above in terms of Qi wireless charging, whilst also providing unparalleled battery power and complete portability. Simply ensure the power bank of your choice is energized and you’ll be able to charge wirelessly on the go.

USB power bank

Power banks aren’t magic, but they do have technology aboard that is simply miraculous. They need charging to do their job so we can’t simply eliminate the need for a wired power source altogether. Furthermore, at MAGFAST we appreciate that not everyone owns wireless devices, and it’s important that everyone can experience our unique power banks and other charging products.

When shopping for a new power bank you should ensure it has the input and output ports that you need. Today, we are blessed with numerous ways to deliver and withdraw power.

MAGFAST’s power banks are super simple to charge, and you won’t need any extra wires to do so. There is our wireless charging function, as well as the ability to plug in a USB-C cable or micro-USB. Lastly, you could magnetically snap a product – such as MAGFAST Life – to the likes of MAGFAST Road to charge up your portable power supply whilst on the go via the 12v car input.

I need a power bank with outlet

With MAGFAST’s power banks there are a minimum of four ways to charge up your battery source. In terms of using MAGFAST’s portable power banks to charge your devices, there are a minimum of five ways to boost your battery. There’s also an added extra with MAGFAST Extreme and Life – there’s also a hidden built-in mini-cable that comes free with any power bank. This is supplied as a USB-C cable. However, micro-USB and Lightning cables are available as extras directly from MAGFAST.

You might not notice our USB-C mini-cable at first. It’s neatly stored in our beautiful casing and has a magnetic closure so you can simply snap it back into position when not required. It was important for us to include a USB-C connection as it is recognised as one of the most common charging connections for many devices. Should the neat mini-cable attachment not be enough, a longer output cable can be plugged into the MAGFAST USB-C fast charging outlet. There’s also the USB-A output as standard and the 12v hi-intensity supply with Extreme only.

MAGFAST is unlike any other power bank manufacturer. We are dedicated to developing products that not only deliver on style, power and portability, but that also give our customers exactly what they need from a power bank.

Do you need a fast-charging power bank?

Remember the days when it took all night to charge your smartphone? Or when you had to keep your laptop constantly plugged in? Fast charging has changed the game and allowed us to go from zero to a full capacity battery charge in no time at all. It all boils down to voltage and amperage. Manufacturers can tweak either of these elements – subsequently upping the total wattage – to make a device charge quicker. The higher the wattage the quicker the charge.

You may have noticed that some of the chargers accompanying your devices have ‘fast charge’ displayed on them. This is great, but what happens if you need a quick boost of energy whilst out and about? What if you don’t have your fast charger with you? Or a plug socket? This is where MAGFAST’s power banks shine. All MAGFAST’s products are supplied with fast charge technology. This means you can not only use your power bank to charge on the go, but if you have a fast-charge compatible device it will do so super quick.

How do I know if my device can fast charge?

Your device can only withdraw as much energy from a power bank as the charging circuit within it is designed for. If you have a smartphone with a circuit built for 5V/1A, it will not handle the wattage of 5V/2A and won’t charge any quicker than usual. You will be able to check the fast-charging standard of your device by looking at the specifications or user manual.

We are sure that, one day, you’ll be able to charge your devices with your own pulse – or something equally mind-boggling. Until then, power banks are a pivotal solution for delivering power time and time again to keep your devices charged on the go. Gone are the days of battery anxiety. Now, as a true power bank expert, you can make an informed decision on the best solution for you. We don’t mean to be biased, but with MAGFAST changing charging for good, we know our power banks can deliver above and beyond your needs.