Will smartphone batteries ever last as long as we need them to? Perhaps not. That’s why we rely on external batteries to help us stay connected for hours, even days, longer than usual. But in 2018, you don’t want to use just any external battery. Modern Android phones have fast charging — so should your portable charger.
While we’re confident our list below features some great external batteries for your smartphone, it isn’t the be-all and end-all. There are a lot of auxiliary power options for Android users. If you come across a portable charger, whether online or in-store, you should be on the lookout for a few specifications that I’ll outline below.
Capacity (mAh)
Every battery, whether external or internal, will be described by its capacity. This simply is a measure of how much charge the battery can hold. The larger the number (listed in mAh), the larger the charge and the longer the battery can charge your device.
The batteries in our roundup run from 8,000 to 26,800 mAh.
USB-C PD Compliant
It isn’t enough for your external battery to be USB Type-C compliant. Make sure the battery also specifies “PD” (or Power Delivery) on the label. USB-C PD batteries will be able to fast-charge any compatible smartphone. On the flip-side, if the battery only specifies Qualcomm Quick-Charge compatibility, that might not include all fast-charge-enabled devices.
The Best USB-C External Batteries
While USB-C PD external batteries might not be as common as generic portable chargers, there’s still plenty of excellent options to choose from. While some on this list can get a little pricey, you can snag an external battery for as low as $29.99. Take a look at our roundup below and see which portable charger works best for you:
- Anker PowerCore 26,800 mAh 30W — $119.99
- Charmast 26,800 mAh 18W (White or Pink) — $59.99
- Coeuspow 10,000 mAh 18W — $29.99
- Jackery SuperCharge 19,200 mAh 45W — $69.99
- iMuto 20,100 mAh 45W — $59.99
- LJASER 8,000 mAh 18W — $29.99
- Omars 20,000 mAh 45W — $49.99
- RavPower 26,800 mAh 30W — $81.99
- RUPPOLAR 20,000 mAh 45W — $46.99
- Zendure 26,800 mAh 30W (Jet Black or Silver) — $94.99
- ZeroLemon 20,100 mAh 45W — $59.99
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