Tuesday, October 21, 2014

17 best portable USB chargers 2014 UK: best portable smartphone and tablet chargers, best power banks

We round up the 17 best portable USB chargers for your phone or tablet

By  | PC Advisor | 21 October 14
Best portable USB chargers

If you're going to be away from mains power for a few days or your smartphone or tablet's battery simply won't last a whole working day, a portable USB charger can be your best friend. These gadgets let you top up your battery wherever you are, ensuring that you always stay connected.

17 Best portable USB chargers 2014: Can I use any USB charger with my phone or tablet?

Yes, but with some exceptions.
The input rating refers to how the USB charger draws power from the mains. The higher this figure the quicker it will charge itself up. If the portable USB charger doesn't come with a dedicated mains adaptor in the box you can use the one that came with your phone or tablet.
The output figure, which could be anything from around 0.5A (or 500mA) to 2.1A (or 2100mA), is more important. You could safely plug any USB device into a 2.1A output and it would draw only the power it needs, and it should do so fairly quickly. The same is true of the reverse, and you can safely plug any USB device into a lower-rated output. However, if there is not enough power to make the device happy it may refuse to charge - as is often the case with iPads - or do so very slowly. For best results look for higher-rated outputs for charging tablets, and try to use at least 1A for smartphones.

17 Best portable USB chargers 2014: What capacity do I need?

Battery capacity for portable USB chargers is measured in mAh. Check the rating of your own phone or tablet's battery, then try to find a USB charger with a larger-capacity built-in battery to ensure you'll get at least one full charge. Remember that some energy will be lost during the transfer, so a 2000mAh USB charger will not entirely fill a 2000mAh smartphone battery.
Portable USB chargers designed to fill your phone's battery only once will be smaller, more portable and cheaper than those that can fill it three or four times. However, keep in mind that you'll need to remember to charge the device itself each time you use it.

17 Best portable USB chargers 2014: Does it have to be sunny to use a solar charger?

No. Although solar-powered USB chargers are more efficient at charging their own cells when it is sunny, you don't need blazing hot sunshine to make the most of them. You will also find that solar-powered USB chargers are typically able to be charged up from the mains, so the solar charging can merely act as a failover for when that isn't possible - think extended camping trips or the need to charge multiple devices daily.

17 Best portable USB chargers 2014: What's the advantage of a battery case?

Battery cases are incredibly useful, not only allowing you to charge up your device at the flick of a switch but doubling as tough protective cases. However, they can be expensive, and a battery case will work only with the phone for which it's designed. Once you upgrade you'll need to replace your battery case, whereas a portable USB charger will work with any device that charges over USB.

17 best portable USB chargers 2014

17. Onaji Pawa Card

The Onaji Pawa Card is a credit-card–sized battery pack that promises to recharge your fading smartphone back to a third of its full power. Our tests got an iPhone 5s back to about 25 percent from dead. It boasts the three major phone connector types (micro USB, Lightning, and 30-pin) as well as a USB connector for charging and syncing. It even has a little torch! What’s not to like?

16. BioLite CampStove

With very little if any competition, we're not able to compare the BioLite CampStove with similar products. However, in our tests it came close to meeting the manufacturer's claims and proved itself effective both as a camping stove and a charger for portable electronics gear. Our only concern is its typical UK price of around £130, which compares unfavourably with the $130 price in its native US.

15. Freeplay TUF

If you want to use a phone or a tablet for significant periods of time while you're away from mains power, the TUF isn't for you. This is a device to provide power when you need it in emergencies, a job it does admirably. Given that being able to see in the dark and listen to radio broadcasts also have useful safety connotations, this is a good all-round package.

14. Energi 5K+

Even bearing in mind the extra expense of licensing Apple’s proprietary Lightning cable, the Tylt Energi 5K+ battery pack is overpriced. It's small capacity might be acceptable to some people, but not at this high price. If you can find it significantly cheaper, it could be worth buying, but there are lots of cheaper alternatives available right now.

13. Veho VPP-004-AS Ayrton Senna Pebble Smartstick+ 3000mAh Portable Charger

The Pebble Smartstick+ from Veho is a somewhat pricey but undeniably stylish portable charger for many of your USB-connected devices. Just be warned that it may not play happily with your tablet. What this special collector's edition has to do with Ayrton Senna we're not sure, but we do know that PC Advisor editor and F1 fanatic Jim Martin is now wearing the supplied-in-the-box Ayrton Senna signature pin with pride. (He isn't really.)

12. Powertraveller powermonkey extreme 12V

The battery pack alone can be a major asset if you're away from the mains with power-hungry equipment but when bundled with the solar panel, the powermonkey extreme provides an extra level of convenience. Solar power will always be rather hit and miss in the British climate, so don't expect too much except in bright sunlight but, under those conditions, you'll garner a considerable charge during a day's hiking.

11. Olixar enCharge KP-8000

The Olixar enCharge KP-8000 is a very cool solar-powered portable USB charger for your phone and possibly tablet, depending on the model. It's big and heavy, and more expensive than chargers without the solar component, but this charger offers the luxury of never needing to be plugged into the mains again, which could save you on your electricity bills. In comparison to other solar chargers it's cheap, but we'd like to see more information in the way of how much capacity remains and how quickly is the Olixar charging given the weather conditions at the time.

10. Phonesuit Flex XT Micro battery Pack

The Phonesuit Flex does away with the need to carry a Lightning or Micro USB cable around with your external battery pack. It’s the only wireless portable battery pack available for the iPhone 5/5c/5s, aside from the bulkier iPhone cases from Mophie and PowerSkin. It’s small but not feather-light – around the same weight as the battery cases. I wouldn’t want to carry one around in my trouser or jacket pocket but slip it in your shoulder bag, rucksack, clutch bag or brief case and you can walk away from a power source with the secure knowledge that your phone will keep going until you get to the next power socket.

9. EC Technology 18000mAh External Battery Pack

This stylish EC Technology 18000mAh External Battery Pack offers useful capacity to keep all your devices going for several days, and at £30 it's amazing value. It's not portable enough that you can throw it in a day bag, however, and remember that it will take some time to fill up its own battery.

8. LimeFuel Blast L180X Pro

The LimeFuel Blast L180X Pro shows the way forward for power bank tech, with support for passthrough charging, four fast USB outputs and a decent cable that tethers the Lightning connector to stop it getting lost. However, available in the UK only via LimeFuel's online shop and costing $99 (around £62), it's incredibly expensive compared to its rivals. For better value, if fewer features, turn to Lumsing's £17 10400mAh power bank or EC Technology's £35 24000mAh alternative.

7. LimeFuel Rugged L150XR

The LimeFuel Rugged L150XR is an ideal gadget for outdoors enthusiasts, allowing them to keep their communications and GPS devices going when they're miles away from a power point. This rugged power bank is protected against water, dirt and shock, making it usable in even the toughest terrains. But it is a little pricey in comparison to less durable, higher-capacity power banks, and it's difficult to get hold of in the UK. 

6. Omaker S-X5 10000mAh Power Bank

Very evenly matched to the slightly cheaper Lumsing 10400mAh Power Bank, this Omaker S-X5 portable USB charger swaps a little style for improved performance, offering a torch and two fast-charging 2.1A outputs to the Lumsing's one. If you're looking to quickly and simultaneously charge two devices then this may be the better buy, yet it lacks that premium feel of the Lumsing.

5. EC Technology YN-025 22400mAh High Capacity Power Bank

We can't believe such a huge amount of portable power is on offer at such a low price with the EC Technology High Capacity Power Bank. While it isn't as stylish, nor as portable, as the Lumsing 10400mAh Power Bank, at twice the price it offers more than double the available battery power. Which device you choose will likely come down to how long you'll be away from the mains.

4. Olixar enCharge PC810 2000mAh Portable Power Bank

Olixar's Power Bank isn't as cool-looking as the Pebble SmartStick+, yet it gets our vote for being not only cheaper but working faster. Easily portable, this is the type of device you can carry with you every day and your phone will never run out of power. Look elsewhere if you want to charge multiple devices or tablets, however.

3. Intocircuit PowerMini 3000 Power Bank

If you need a truly portable power bank for daily top ups, you won't find a better deal than this Intocircuit PowerMini 3000 Power Bank. Cheap, well built, easily pocketable and with enough capacity to fill most smartphones once, the only drawback is in remembering to recharge the power bank itself after each use.

2. Lumsing 10400mAh Power Bank

At £17.99 the Lumsing Power Bank is a fantastic buy, able to keep all your devices going several days away from the mains. If you're planning a camping trip or going to a festival, take the Power Bank with you.

1. Zendure A2

Zendure's A2 is the best power bank we've seen, mixing great value, build and portability with useful capacity. This portable phone- and tablet charger just shot straight to the top of our power banks chart.
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