The question of the capacity of portable devices, their "endurance" in the work is always relevant. Each tablet or smartphone is charged daily, and sometimes several times a day, depending on the intensity of use. And, you must admit, it is not very pleasant to observe how the device with which you are working quickly discharges and forces you to refuse to work with it. Sometimes it can make you put off everything and just “look at the ceiling”. If you are traveling somewhere on a train, standing in a traffic jam, or even waiting somewhere in your turn, this is important.
In some cases, the need to extend the life of your battery by any means becomes even more acute. For example, this applies to situations when you work with a tablet, discard important documents from it, or create a presentation. The success of your work may depend on whether the gadget will function or simply turn off, reporting a low charge.
Therefore, in this article we will talk about a solution that can make life easier for many mobile device users. This is an external battery for tablets, which allows to increase the life of the device. Thanks to these, the actual time during which your gadget will serve you can increase several times. The main thing is to always carry one at hand.
What is an extra battery?
We begin with a general idea of ​​the device described in the article. So to speak, we simply describe how such a gadget can be useful, what it looks like, by what principle it is designed.
After all, about the internal battery that is installed in all smartphones, we know that this is the power source for our electronic devices. Without it, ensuring the operation of any gadget is simply impossible. It looks like a flat metal container with miniature dimensions (depending on the tablet model). The internal battery is installed under the back cover, thus, without creating problems in operation.
In addition, there is also an external battery for mobile devices. It can be positioned as a separate device, a kind of addition to your phone or tablet. The form in which such an accessory will be expressed can also differ significantly - some of them are sold in the form of key rings, others are delivered to the market in the form of a whole bag. There are also a lot of options for such devices, all of them have different characteristics and technical data.
An external battery for tablets and phones has several advantages. By connecting your device to such a “key fob”, you can additionally charge it, respectively, to extend its operating time. This is the same as having an outlet within reach all the time. As you know, this is very convenient, which is why such batteries for tablets and smartphones are in demand today as never before.
Kinds
There are many classifications of such devices, depending on different criteria. First of all, it is possible to distinguish the capacity of such batteries - it can be both 1000 and 20 000 mAh; we can talk about the types of charging of such devices - using a network adapter (directly from charging) or through a microUSB cable; Another difference is the voltage that the battery gives to the gadget being charged. The last factor, for example, will affect how quickly you can charge the device. This is especially important if you are looking for an external battery for tablets, which, in principle, have more capacious batteries, which means that they must be connected to the network longer.
There are separate lines of batteries that work due to solar energy. On such, for example, miniature solar panels are installed, the power of which is enough to charge a smartphone. You can also subdivide devices into those that do not have any interface (they are organized as simply as possible), as well as those that have a separate control panel where the charge indicators are located.
In the end, such batteries can be distinguished by the materials used to create the case, by color, texture, size and so on.
Cost
If you are looking for an external battery for tablets, you should immediately determine which device from which price segment will be of interest to you first of all. After all, there are different models that can demonstrate completely different charging capabilities. For example, one thing is the simplest Blacksmith model for $ 10, and another is a device with a maximum capacity of $ 50-60 (for example, Incipio Offgrid for Samsung S6).
In this regard, let me immediately identify two facets within which you can make a choice. The cheapest are definitely products released at Chinese auctions. There, a portable charger can be purchased for a couple of dollars, having concluded a fairly profitable deal with the seller. True, one should be careful, as Chinese suppliers often deceive about the actual battery capacity: where 20 thousand mAh is indicated, there may actually be only 1000. Such cases, unfortunately, are not single.
Another way out is to buy the real, original accessory itself. For example, it could be a portable battery for your iPad. Due to the fact that such a product is approved by inspection authorities, its value rises. Not the least role here is also played by the attitude of people towards “apple” technologies.
Capacity
One of the most important factors that characterize a portable charger, as you already understood, is capacity. It indicates how long the service life of a device can last. As you know, the “endurance” of the battery of your smartphone or tablet is also measured in this value. So what does this mean?
Here is a simple example to make it clearer. The phone has a 2500 mAh battery, while the additional battery is as much as 5000. Theoretically, the charge that the portable battery accumulates should be enough for two “recharge” of the phone’s battery. However, in practice, this can only be a “one and a half charge”, since the rest of the energy will disappear taking into account the technical features of the device. Experts say that the older the battery, the shorter the period during which it holds a charge.
It turns out simple logic: the more capacious your external battery for mobile devices is, the more times you can "recharge" the charge of your smartphone.
True, in this case, it will be necessary to seek a balance between two parameters - the size of the battery and its cost. The more capacious the battery, the larger will be its size and final cost. Therefore, today on sale small batteries are more in demand, which is enough to charge a smartphone battery by 60-80 percent. This is enough for the device to work until the end of the working day.
Models
In order not to talk about some abstract categories, I would like to turn to specific devices on the market. Thus, we can characterize them and compare them with other accessories of the same kind using their example.
So, we immediately note that the manufacturers of gadgets from this line are either companies that produce accessories for smartphones (cases and films on the screen), or brands that are directly present in the electronics market. Among the first include, for example, Ozaki with their O! Tool Battery T52, made in the original design; the second belong to Xiaomi Power Bank (10,400 mAh). There are still quite well-known companies that have at least one additional battery in the line. These are: ZenPower (model from Asus), YooBao, Mophie, Bootcase, PowerPlant, Drobak Trust Urban Revolt and many others. Some of the designated brands represent only one or two models, while others specialize in the production of whole lines.
Comparison
It is best to compare different versions of batteries with each other to understand what they are capable of. Here, for example, there are two identical models: Nomi A052 and Xiaomi Power Bank. Both devices have a capacity of 5200 mAh (as an internal battery for the Samsung tablet), and the cost of the first is slightly lower: 10 and 13 dollars, respectively. What about the comparison?
First of all, these are body materials. No wonder the “Chinese” Nomi is cheaper than the same “Chinese” opponents. The second point is reliability. If Mi products are presented in the eyes of the buyer more successfully than Nomi, then the latter is something rather risky (because you do not know how much it will serve you).
Another example of creating such “bundles” of models is OnePlus Power Bank and FrimeCom 6SO. The first device will cost 17, and the second - $ 21, although each capacity is 10 thousand mAh. True, the second one has a small competitive advantage, which in some cases can become really lucky: the presence of a panel for charging the device using sunlight. This battery is suitable for tablets (Samsung Galaxy - including), and you can work with it at home and in the office by placing it on the windowsill.
Among the compact ones, one can note the “keychain” Mophie (capacity 1000 mAh) and Trust Urban Revolt (4400 mAh). Obviously, the second device (made in the form of a “finger-shaped” rectangular accessory) can be called more voluminous. However, the first option will be more unobtrusive in everyday life. In addition, you can use such small batteries to temporarily recharge your gadgets.
Unfortunately, in the framework of this article, it is impossible to compare a large number of models, since it will take too much time. We will only say that the entire market for portable batteries is divided into large batteries that can “keep” your gadget in a state of activity for several days, and into small “key rings” in order to carry them in a bag and apply in the right situation. There are also original solutions, such as batteries built into the case. The latter are especially popular with Apple iPhone owners.
How to choose?
Suppose you have to buy one portable battery for a tablet or smartphone, but you do not know where to start your search for the perfect device. We recommend that you first familiarize yourself with the technical data of your device.
For example, batteries for Chinese tablets are one thing (the battery capacity of which reaches 6-7 thousand mAh), and another is the search for the optimal solution for your iPad mini. Be sure to read the instructions (or description on the Internet), which will indicate the capacity of the batteries. Knowing this information, you can calculate which external battery is best, and how many charges it should be oriented to.
Tests
The second step is the “test”. Carry out a miniature test with the battery that interests you: hold it in your hands, see if it fits into your bag, whether it fits you in weight. This can be done directly in the store. And to find out how quickly it will charge your battery for the tablet (Samsung or some other company doesn’t matter for you), check the characteristics of your charger. It should indicate the voltage output when connected to the network.
It can be from 0.7 to 2 V (average). If the characteristic of the portable charger is higher than noted, this means that the charging process will be faster (and vice versa). This will provide an opportunity to find out how the process of interacting with such a portable battery will differ from working with a familiar network adapter.
Finally, you can read the reviews on the websites of online stores, which describe in more detail the portable battery for your tablet that interests you. Explay, Xiaomi, Lenovo and a number of other manufacturers publish some tests of various gadgets on their technology. Thus, having found the same model, you will be sure of compatibility and excellent interaction in practice.
Advantages and disadvantages
In general, the pros of the gadgets that we describe in this article can be talked about endlessly. This is a real way to increase the operating time of your device, make it non-volatile and truly portable. In addition, such accessories can be your real salvation somewhere on the road or at work, if the tablet had important information or documents.
Of the shortcomings, their “wear” should be noted. It is expressed, of course, not in physical damage to the device, but in the fact that over time the battery holds a weaker charge, which is why its service life is reduced. For this reason, respectively, the ability to charge other electronic devices (tablet or smartphone) is reduced.
Such processes are normal, they occur with absolutely all batteries. The solution may be perhaps the use of some devices with solar panels. Imagine how to charge your tablet’s battery from the sun!
conclusions
The electronics market has a huge number of models of external or portable batteries. According to their purpose, they are positioned as those that serve to work with a smartphone, and chargers for tablets. This characteristic is determined by their capacity and the level of output voltage.
Choosing a device that is suitable for your device is not so difficult. First of all, you should pay attention to its charge and compare with the data from your device. Measure the battery capacity in order to know how long such a battery lasts. Next, determine the current strength (which affects the charging speed).
The rest is entirely a matter of taste. Since external batteries come in different types, have different colors and are made literally in a variety of forms, you can choose an accessory for yourself based on your own wishes. This is done very easily - think in which pocket of the bag you would like to carry it, how often you will need it in everyday life, and so on. Still think about such a question as the possible choice of a device with solar panels in order to be able to recharge the charge on your smartphone or tablet using energy from a natural source.
Where could I buy?
Batteries for charging on the go are sold everywhere: in all electronics stores, in subway crossings, and even in communication stores. We would recommend, of course, to place an order for such a device in some online shop, and there are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, you will have more choices if you buy the right model on the Internet. Secondly, such platforms, as a rule, charge less than the real electronics supermarkets, therefore such a product will cost you less here. Thirdly, you can always place an order from abroad (for example, from Chinese auctions), where the cost is even lower.