Aukey 3,600mAh Portable Power Bank
Pros
- Very small size that can fit into your pocket and it's also really easy to hold.
- Fast Enough charging rate that is great for smartphones.
- Easy to use and doesn't even have a power button. Charging automatically starts.
Cons
- Power Capacity system is only a single dot that change into 3 colors depending on power capacity.
If you want a very portable charging solution, then you’re going to have to use a small power bank. These types of portable chargers offer a charging experience that very few other power banks can.
This is because once a power bank leaves the “Small” category of portables chargers, then the design and overall way that you can carry it just become the same whether it’s 10,000mAh of 20,000mAh. Although there are some exceptions like the Aukey 10,000mAh power bank with its small size.
This is the Aukey 3,600mAh power bank that is quite slim and very portable. Read on to know whether or not this small charger is deserving of being considered portable and powerful as the rest.
Similar Mini Power Banks:
Anker PowerCore+ Mini Power Bank
Power
Power Capacity
Okay, so the power capacity is that of Anker’s PowerCore and Tylt’s chargers. It’s to be expected with its size and the initial capacity of this charger is 3,600mAh.
Of course, there’s the conversion rate, and the output capacity of this charger isn’t too bad with it only having one charging port and the speed of the port is 1.5A. As a result, you’ll be able to get 3,000mAh of Output power capacity.
Like many other portable chargers like this, the power capacity isn’t going to last days and is meant to charge a device to full only once and then this power bank needs to recharge.
Unless you’re recharging an iPhone 5 which has a very low battery capacity, then the power bank may very well have some power left in it.
However, for everything else, the charger is going to last for at least one charge for most smartphones and we think that the 3,600mAh Initial power capacity was trying to be able to charge a Galaxy S7 Edge with its 3,600mAh battery capacity but in this case, you’re at least going to get close to a full charge.
As for higher battery capacity devices to charge with this power bank; it isn’t the best idea, because if you’re charging something like a tablet with this power bank, then you’re only going to be able to charge a Quarter of the way through.
| Devices | Aukey 3600mAh Portable Charger (Output Capacity = 3,000mAh) | Phone Capacity | Aukey 3600mAh Left Over Capacity after One Charge # of Full Charges for the Device |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone SE | 3,000mAh | 1,624mAh | 1,376mAh 1.8 Full Charges |
| iPhone 6 | 3,000mAh | 1,810mAh | 1,190mAh 1.6 Full Charges |
| iPhone 6 Plus | 3,000mAh | 2,915mAh | 85mAh 1.0 Full Charge |
| iPhone 6s | 3,000mAh | 1,715mAh | 1,285mAh 1.7 Full Charges |
| iPhone 6s Plus | 3,000mAh | 2,750mAh | 250mAh 1.0 Full Charge |
| Samsung Galaxy S6 | 3,000mAh | 2,550mAh | 450mAh 1.1 Full Charges |
| Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge | 3,000mAh | 2,600mAh | 400mAh 1.1 Full Charges |
| Samsung Galaxy S7 | 3,000mAh | 3,000mAh | 0mAh 1.0 Full Charges |
| Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge | 3,000mAh | 3,600mAh | 0mAh 0.8 Near Full Charge (You would need 600mAh more power capacity) |
Output Charging: 5V/1.5A
Charging for your devices is going to be quite good, as long as you’re charging small devices that have lower Amperage needs when it comes to charging. This means that charging smartphones with this power bank is going to provide the ideal charging experience because most smartphones have a max charging speed of 1.5 Amps.
Other smartphones can even take higher Amperage speeds, like Quick Charge smartphones but this power bank doesn’t offer that. With that said, we think that Aukey made it a point to provide enough charging power to smartphones and other small devices.
Just like the case with power capacity along with tablets, this power bank will not be able to charge tablets at their max charging speed, because a tablet’s max charging speed is usually 2.4 Amps.
Input charging:
So the Input charging could be higher with it at 5V/1.0A but it’s a recharge rate that’s acceptable with a power capacity as low as it has. It doesn’t matter what wall charger you’re using since it’s going to recharge at 1 Amp and as a result, you can expect this power bank to be recharged within 2-3 hours.
Even though the recharge rate is “Slow” for this power bank, it isn’t that slow because of its low capacity and you may be able to use it on the same day you used it up.
Design
Size and Weight
This is a very portable charger with its small size and lightweight.
Basically like a Slim Power Bank
The length is 4.9 inches, the width is 1.8 inches and the thickness is 0.5 inches. So it’s about the size of smartphones as long as you’re not counting the thickness but even then for a power bank, it’s also very thin.
The weight of the charger is 2.9 ounces, so it’s a light portable charger that you can easily place into your pocket because it’s small and doesn’t weigh much. Holding it in your hand is also another option and probably the most used option that you’ll be using because this power bank can easily be held in a single hand while you’re using your smartphone.
However, fitting it into your pocket along with your smartphone isn’t the best experience because this power bank is still quite thick. So we can’t rank it as a Slim power bank but it’s nearly there.
Functional Components
There are only 3 functional components on this power bank and they’re all on the same side.
You can find the USB Output port, Lightning Input, and LED power indicator all on the same side panel. So the first thing that needs to be stated is that this power bank doesn’t have a power button because the power bank automatically begins charging once a device is connected to it and turns off automatically when there are no devices connected to it.
Even so, it’s really strange that this charger doesn’t have a power button to at least check power capacity when you’re not charging a device. It’s almost like Apple removing the headphone jack on the iPhone 7. Such a basic feature is gone and even other power banks like the Lumina 15,000mAh have the same design.
Instead of using 4 LED power capacity indicators or even fewer than that, it uses only a single light to indicate the power capacity and the light changes colors.
0%-20% : Red
20%-60% : Green
60%-100% : White
Although this kind of system for reading power capacity is helpful, it isn’t nearly as helpful as having multiple lights for telling the power capacity.
Lastly, there’s the Lightning Input and it’s really strange to say that this power bank is recharged through a Lightning Input that uses a Lightning charging cable. So iPhone users can rejoice because they can recharge this power bank with their charging cable or the one that’s included with this power bank.
It’s still really strange because nearly every power bank on the market is recharged using a Micro-USB Input.
Build
Structure and Material
The power bank is made of plastic with a light varnish that makes it very easy to hold. The charger is separated into 3 pieces with a centerpiece and 2 side panels, so it holds quite strong with the few pieces it has. Overall, the structure of the power bank is good but it isn’t anything special and we highly recommend not dropping it.
Tech
The tech of the power bank could be better. Sure, it takes advantage of safety techs like Current-Control, Over-Heating, and Over-Charging Protection.
However, the main question to ask here is: “Does that all work?”. This is because the power bank uses Lithium Polymer batteries and with that, during charging the power bank can heat up which can cause the batteries to expand. When that happens, the structure of the power bank can expand as well and this can end up breaking the charger.
We do like that the power bank is slim but it’s slim at the price of it not performing optimally. Of course, the power bank is capable of doing that and damaging itself, but most models can perform accordingly.
Reliability
It’s a reliable power bank if you know what you’re getting. You have to know what you’re purchasing a power bank that a low capacity and will be reliable for only a single charge and be able to charge a single device at any one time. Then again, this charger is also very portable and you can take it nearly anywhere you go.
If the build doesn’t hold up and the Lithium Polymer batteries aren’t performing well, then you’re not going to be getting a reliable experience. With that said, you can always depend on Aukey’s 24 Month Warranty to save you.
Summary:
Power:
The power capacity is rightly aligned with the portability of the power bank and the 3,000mAh Output power capacity is going to be able to offer a single charge to most smartphones, as it’s expected to.
The Output charging speed is acceptable as it can charge most smartphones at their max charging speed and the Input charger is strange to have a Lightning as an Input but it’s cool.
Design:
It’s a small power bank, but not yet slim or at least it’s not slim enough to place into your pocket along with the smartphone. But you can place it into your pocket alone or you can simply carry it because it’s light.
Build:
The Structure and material don’t have any problems but it’s what’s on the inside that could use some work. The power bank uses Lithium Polymer batteries that can have problems with expanding when too much heat is generated, although this isn’t prevalent with every one of these it’s still possible that it can happen.
Reliability:
For the most part, this power bank is reliable with its power and design. If you get a poorly performing one with its safety tech, then it could prove otherwise. If that happens then take advantage of Aukey’s 24 Month Warranty.
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Specs of the Aukey 3,600mAh Portable Power Bank:
- Power Capacity: 3,600mAh
- Output: 5V/1.5A
- Input: 5V/1.0A Via Micro-USB Input
- LED Power Indicators: Single Light Power Capacity Indicator
0%-20% : Red
20%-60% : Green
60%-100% : White
- Size: 4.9 x 1.8 x 0.5 inches
- Weight: 2.9 Ounces
Conclusion:
Small power banks are meant to be simple to use and not have much to them.
That case is very true with this Aukey 3,600mAh power bank as it doesn’t even have a power button and only 3 functional parts on the same side. There’s nothing too special about it, other than all the awesome aspects of a small and thin charger.
Since 2016, Usman has flourished as an independent tech journalist, reveling in the evaluation of diverse tech gadgets, with a particular fondness for charging technology to ascertain product performance. Besides his journalistic endeavors, he helms the Charger Harbor YouTube channel, where he extends his tech insights to a broader audience.