Written by Bob
The capacity of your power bank determines how often you can charge your smartphone, tablet or laptop. Due to energy loss and voltage conversion, the actual capacity of a power bank is approximately 2/3 of the stated capacity. That makes it harder to choose. We help you choose a power bank with the right capacity.
- Overview
- 27.000 mAh
- 20.000mAh
- 10.000 mAh
- 5000mAh
- Duration of charging
- Actual capacity
Choose a power bank with the right capacity
The capacity of a power bank depends on the devices you want to charge. It is also important to think about how you will charge your device. We have listed all power banks for you:
- 27,000 mAh: charge multiple devices
- 20,000 mAh: Charge your tablet or laptop once or twice
- 10,000 mAh: Charge your smartphone once or twice
- 5000mAh: Charge your smartphone once
View all power banks here
Number of times you can charge your device
iPhone | Android-smartphone | Tablet (klein, 7/8 inch) | Laptop or tablet (large, 10+ inches) | |
---|---|---|---|---|
5000mAh | 1 me | Barely once | X | X |
10.000 mAh | 2 to 3 times | 1 to 2 times | 1 me | Barely once |
20.000mAh | 4 to 6 times | 2 to 4 times | 2 times | 1 me |
27.000 mAh | 6 to 8 times | 3 to 5 times | Three times | 1 to 2 times |
Compare the power banks
- Charge your smartphone 3 or 4 times.
- Take it with you in your bag or backpack, but not in your pocket.
- You can also charge your tablet.
48,99
- Charge your smartphone 4 or 6 times.
- Take it with you in your backpack or suitcase, but not in your pocket.
- Also charge your tablet and laptop
104,-
View all portable power banks
- Charge your smartphone once or twice.
- Carry it in your pocket.
- You cannot charge tablets or laptops.
45,99
View all 10,000mAh power banks
- Charge your iPhone once.
- Attach the power bank magnetically to your iPhone and take it with you easily.
- You cannot charge tablets or laptops.
49,99
View all MagSafe power banks
27,000 mAh: more devices
A large 27,000 mAh power bank has an actual capacity of 18,000 mAh, which allows you to charge multiple devices. It is useful if you want to charge your laptop, business smartphone and personal device. These large power banks always have multiple USB ports. This means you can charge your devices at the same time. If you only want to charge your smartphone, you can do this 6 to 8 times. This way you can charge your device every day during a week of camping. Or share the power bank with your friends at a festival.
View all 27,000 mAh power banks
20,000 mAh: Also charges laptops and tablets
For laptops and power banks, it is best to choose a power bank with a capacity of at least 20,000 mAh. Tablet batteries have a capacity of between 6000 mAh (iPad Mini) and 11,000 mAh (iPad Pro). The average is 8000 mAh, which also applies to laptops. A 20,000 mAh power bank has a capacity of 13,300 mAh, which allows you to charge your tablets and laptops at least once. You can even charge small tablets twice. Particularly large laptops such as the 15- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models require at least a 27,000 mAh power bank.
View all 20,000mAh power banks
10,000 mAh: Charge your smartphone 1 to 2 times
A 10,000 mAh power bank has an actual capacity of 6,660 mAh, which can charge most new smartphones approximately 1.5 times. The size of a smartphone battery varies from device to device. While 2-year-old smartphones sometimes still have a 2000 mAh battery, new devices have a 4000 mAh battery. Make sure you check how big your battery is. Do you also want to charge other devices in addition to your smartphone, such as headphones, an e-reader or another smartphone? Choose a power bank with a capacity of at least 15,000 mAh.
View all 10,000mAh power banks
5000mAh: charge your smartphone once
Do you want to know how often you can charge your smartphone with a 5000mAh power bank? Check how high the actual capacity is. That's 2/3 of 5000 mAh, which is about 3330 mAh. Almost all iPhones have a smaller battery, except larger models like the 12 and 13 Pro Max. This means that you can fully charge your iPhone once. Android smartphones such as those from Samsung and OnePlus often have a 4000mAh or even 5000mAh battery or larger. You cannot fully charge these devices.
View all 5000mAh power banks
How long does it take to charge your smartphone?
Does your smartphone support fast charging? Choose a power bank with a fast charging protocol that supports your smartphone. All iPhones from iPhone 8 support Power Delivery. This allows you to charge your smartphone to 55 to 60% within half an hour. New Android smartphones support Power Delivery and Quick Charge. This ensures that your battery is back to 50% within half an hour. Do you have a Samsung S2/S22? Super fast charging is the fastest available. For smartphones that do not have a fast charging protocol, it takes about 2 times longer.
1/3 of the capacity is lost
The technical side of it is complicated, but the rule is simple. The actual capacity of a power bank is approximately 2/3 of the stated capacity. The rest disappears due to voltage conversion or is lost during charging, mainly as heat. This means that power banks with a battery of 10,000 or 20,000 mAh actually only have a capacity of 6660 or 13,330 mAh. This rule only applies to high-quality power banks. Budget power banks from discount companies are even less efficient, meaning they lose even more energy.
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Article by:
Bob Power bank expert.
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