Forget life, death, and taxes - there’s a new fourth experience uniting all of humanity, and it’s the collective frustration of seeing your phone’s “no battery” screen. It can feel especially hopeless when it fails at a critical juncture, like sending a long-overdue project report, or right before that all-important phone call.

Enter the power bank, also known as the portable charger - as its moniker suggests, it’s a device meant to be carried around with you to charge your devices when a wall charger isn’t easily accessible. First invented in 2001 by a company called Pisen, power banks have since become a crowd favourite due to their universal appeal. Nowadays, the market is dominated by companies like Anker, Xiaomi, and Aukey, and powerbanks have become cheaper and slimmer than ever.

However, powerbanks are still somewhat of a black box (pun intended). Many consumers remain unaware of the many technical terms surrounding this piece of tech. In this article, we inform you all about powerbanks, starting from this very common term…

What is mAh?

Milliamperes per hour, more commonly abbreviated as mAh, is the standard unit of capacity for batteries and power banks. Simply put, the higher the mAh, the more electricity the power bank can store.

Don’t let fancy marketing terms sway you - you don’t need a 40,000 mAh powerbank for your phone, but don’t expect a measly 2000 mAh powerbank to power a laptop! Here, we list out some common mAh ratings, and give you the scoop on how much each can actually charge your devices.

2,000 mAh - The Smallest

Charges: About ⅓ of an iPhone 16

Good for: Emergency power, those who don’t carry purses/backpacks 

Don’t get if: You want to make the most of your money

We’re starting off the list with a somewhat unusual offering: mini power banks. These pint-sized power bricks are usually marketed as free gifts or add-ons to your purchases. Many respectable manufacturers, like Xiaomi or Aukey, don’t even stock power banks this small, and for good reason - their energy capacity is so small that the only thing distinguishing them from a regular old AA battery are charging ports! 

The whole point of a power bank is exactly that - to store and bank power. It’s pretty antithetical to have storage be the weak point of a power bank, yet that’s exactly the issue that plagues power banks at this capacity. Even at full charge, they can only manage to charge most phones up to 40%. Why would you buy a power bank that can’t even fully charge your phone?

To answer that question, we need look no further than the marketing. Many of these brands often tout their power banks’ portability and we have to give it to them: this keychain power bank is the pinnacle of portable. However, for the same $20, you could get a 10,000 mAh powerbank with five times the capacity! 

We can only recommend portable chargers in the 1,000-3,000 mAh range for those who are truly desperate for the most portable and lightweight powerbanks. For all other consumers, however, these purchases are an avoidable financial black hole. 

5,000 mAh - The Usual

Charges: Most phones (Z Flip6, Pixel 9, Redmi Note 13) from zero to full

Good for: Commuters, those charging between home and office, those seeking affordable options

Don’t get if: You can’t remember to charge your powerbank every night!

This should be a far more familiar sight - 5,000 mAh power banks. With the capacity to charge most phones from dead to full, they encompass much of what makes power banks so appealing to many of us: they're portable, cheap, store enough power, and maybe even have a nifty additional feature or two (see our Glossary below!)

At this range, we have an unusual recommendation for you: to avoid many of the more internationally well-known manufacturers, such as Ankers or Belkin. Why, you ask?

These companies tend to target enthusiast consumers who are more likely to buy 10,000 - 50,000 mAh power banks. Thus, there’s little demand for their smaller power banks; furthermore, even their smallest 5,000 mAh usually comes jam-packed with features you usually wouldn’t find at this capacity, like trickle charging or Magsafe!

All this combined means that the price of a name-brand 5,000 mAh power bank can be double or even triple that of the simpler power banks you’ll find in local electronics shops! 

If you’re shopping for a power bank of just 5,000 mAh capacity, chances are you won’t even need the additional features or the branding; you’re just looking for an affordable, easy option to quickly charge your phone on-the-go. For that reason, we simply do not recommend these expensive options. 

If you’re angling for a cheap, reliable 5,000 mAh power bank, we recommend consulting our DayTech Catalogue, where it is available from just S$3.73/pc, especially if you’re buying it as a corporate gift. But if you just need one, we recommend this highly portable mini powerbank on Lazada.

10,000 mAh - The Sweet Spot

Charges: Most phones to full two times; can revive dead laptops comfortably

Good for: Most consumers

Don’t get if: You’re using it as the only power source for laptops, you have limited access to wall chargers

40,000 mAh - The Limit

Charges: Most laptops to full two times; most phones 10+ times

Good for: IT Professionals, frequent travellers

Don’t get if: You just want to charge your phone

Surprise! A 40,000 mAh power bank is the largest capacity power bank you can bring on many international flights, including Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Scoot planes. Confusingly, power banks are considered “rechargeable lithium batteries”, and you won’t find any specific mAh limit on many airline websites. Instead, they use Wh (watts per hours). We’ve included a helpful table below to show you the conversion rates.

Powerbanks of this size usually boast impressive energy storage capabilities. For example, the Anker 347 Power Bank (PowerCore 40K) claims that it can fully recharge a Macbook Air 2020 not once, but twice over! It further boasts an array of features, like four charging ports, a safety system, and even 18 months of warranty. This all sounds too good to be true – and we’d have to say it sadly is because of:

1. The price. You get what you’re paying for, and for top-quality storage, you’ll have to pay some top-quality cash. For example, this Baseus 40,000 mAh powerbank will set you back almost S$200!

2. The weight. Powerbanks of this capacity need larger batteries, which comes at the cost of making the powerbank bigger and bulkier. The Anker, for example, weighs almost 1 kilogram, and is 16cm wide and 8.5 cm long. That’s bigger than two iPhone 16 Pro Max stacked on top of each other!

Glossary of Powerbank Features

USB-C
A charging port commonly found on Android devices.
Why it matters: Compatible with various cables, allowing easy charging for multiple devices.

Lightning
Apple’s proprietary charging port for iPhones, iPads, and more.
Why it matters: Ensures compatibility with Apple devices and accessories.

USB-A
A traditional charging port found on many devices.
Why it matters: Compatible with most older charging cables and accessories.

Lower Power Charging
A feature that reduces power output for smaller devices like earbuds or smartwatches.
Why it matters: Prevents overheating and extends the lifespan of smaller device batteries.

Trickle Charging
A setting that delivers a slow, steady charge to maintain smaller devices without overloading.
Why it matters: Ideal for wearables and earbuds, protecting their batteries.

Low Current Mode
Similar to trickle charging, this reduces power delivery for delicate devices.
Why it matters: Prevents overcharging and extends device battery life.

Fast Charging
Technology that increases charging speeds beyond standard rates.
Why it matters: Saves you time by rapidly powering up your devices.

Quick Charge (QC)
A fast-charging protocol developed by Qualcomm for compatible devices.
Why it matters: Speeds up charging for QC-enabled devices, keeping you ready to go.

MagSafe
Apple-exclusive wireless charging for iPhone 12 and later models.
Why it matters: Snaps securely to your device for effortless wireless charging.

Qi Wireless
A universal wireless charging standard for most non-Apple devices.
Why it matters: Allows seamless wireless charging for a wide range of compatible devices.

Solar Charging
A power bank feature that uses built-in solar panels to harness energy from the sun.
Why it matters: Perfect for outdoor adventures, offering power on the go without an outlet.

Large Capacity
A term often used to describe power banks with over 20,000 mAh capacity.
Why it matters: While these can charge multiple devices, always check the specifications to ensure they meet your needs. Avoid relying on this term alone as it’s often a marketing claim.

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