What’s the Best Capacity for a Power Bank?

(Last Updated On: May 8, 2021)

What's the best capacity for power bank IMAGE COM

So you notice that you use your phone a lot, and the truth is that you need your phone nearly all the time to complete either your professional or personal goals daily. Too many people think that we need to limit ourselves from phones, but the reality is that we rely on them to make life easier. Since the use of them rises, the battery life decreases, and at this point, you may want to consider getting a Power Bank to optimize better the way you function daily.

A Power bank is simply a device that holds energy, and it’s used to charge devices like your smartphone while on the go. You can learn more about power banks here.

Getting a power bank should be well thought out because the power bank you get should match your needs. Are you looking for a power bank to take to the office throughout the week and want to be known as the charging king at work? Or maybe you want a personal power bank that you only use.

Whatever the circumstance, getting the power bank that serves your needs will greatly impact you by serving you. One of the most vital things about a power bank is the capacity of the power bank. Do you want to spend money on a 20,000mAh power bank? Or perhaps just a 3,000mAh power bank?

What are the Best Lowest Capacity Power Banks?

Let’s think small first. Mini power banks were the beginning of portable chargers, and they’re what made the charging solution so popular as you take this charging device wherever you go. As mini power banks would be able to fit into your pocket, and some in form factors that made it easier to place into your pocket. Of course, the equivalent exchange with mini power banks is the low power capacity they would have, with mini portable chargers having 3,000mAh to 5,000mAh power capacities.

Today, there are much fewer mini power banks on the market than there were a few years ago, and that’s because the portable devices that we use now have larger batteries and require more charging power than what mini power banks have to offer. That said, portable chargers with 3,000mAh or 5,000mAh capacities still have their place for charging certain devices, albeit a slim category.

We did pick out a few mini power banks to show what they feature and what charging is like for them. There are mainly two types of mini power banks you’ll find, though, and what would be standard ones that only make use of slower charging because they only use standard USB-A ports; on the other hand, you’ll find mini chargers that have slightly higher capacities and use fast charging.

PowerAdd 5,000mAh Mini Power Bank

This PowerAdd portable charger is a perfect example of a modern-day standard mini power bank done right. The charger has a 5,000mAh power capacity that can charge some phones to full power at least once; however, if we’re talking about modern smartphones such as the Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra that has a 5,000mAh battery, you can get close to charging the phone. This close to full power charging will be common with most phones these days as many of them are using much larger batteries than a few years ago. As a result, you can’t expect to use this power bank for a few days, and it’s almost always going to require recharging after being used for a single day.

This power bank is simple on the charging side because it only has a single USB-A port with a 5V/2.4A (12W) charge rate, so this power bank does not use fast charging such as Quick Charge, and that can be another downside of mini power banks. Recharging from this power bank is done via a Micro-USB input port with a 5V/2.0A (10W) speed.

Of course, one of the main reasons to get a mini power bank is its size, and the size of this PowerAdd portable charger is tiny with a length of 4 inches and a thickness of 1.1 inches. It has a cylindrical shape that makes it easy to hold or to place into your pocket.

Read Review for PowerAdd 5,000mAh Mini Power Bank

PowerAdd 5,000mAh Mini Power Bank Specs
Power Capacity5,000mAh
USB-A Port5V/2.4A (12W)
Micro-USB Input5V/2.0A (10W)
Size4.3 x 1.1 x 1.1 inches
Weight3 Ounces

Xcentz 5,000mAh Mini USB-C Power Delivery Power Bank

Xcentz 5,000mAh Power Bank with PD and Quick Charge

This Xcentz portable charger is definitely a min power bank for a new generation of charging, and the slim amount of other mini portable chargers should follow in its footsteps. This Xcentz power bank has a 5,000mAh power capacity, the same as the PowerAdd charger. However, this one makes use of two fast charging ports, with the power bank featuring an 18W USB-C Power Delivery port and a USB-A Quick Charge port.

Mini power banks, in general, don’t use fast charging as they’re too small and meant to be a more budget type of power bank. This Xcentz power bank can fast charge most phones on the market because of its use of Power Delivery and Quick Charge, two of the most used fast charging technologies.  You can even recharge this power bank at 18W via a PD wall charger.

The other great part is that this power bank comes with a USB-C to USB-C and a USB-C to USB-A cable included in the box. Most mini power banks use a Micro-USB input port for charging and include a Micro-USB cable; however, that tech is obsolete and slow charging, so we’re glad that this Xcentz power bank takes the more modern approach.

Read Review for Xcentz 5,000mAh USB-C Mini Power Bank

Xcentz 5,000mAh Power Bank with PD and Quick Charge Specs
Power Capacity5,000mAh
USB-C Power Delivery Port5V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
Quick Charge 3.0 USB-A Port5V/2.1A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
USB-C PD Input Port5V/2.1A | 9V/1.4A | 12V/1.0A
Size3 x 1.4 x 1.1 inches
Weight3.6 Ounces

What’s the Best Medium Capacity Power Bank?

Medium or mid-range capacity power banks are more in part with the type of chargers that you should likely rely on, and that’s because they feature powerful charging tech that you can likely take advantage of. They have enough power capacity that lets you charge your smartphone and a few other devices to full power at least once, more times. Mid-range power banks usually tend to have 10,000mAh or 15,000mAh power capacities. This capacity range enables them to be more useful for a longer time and use more powerful charging when it comes to Power Delivery.

CHOETECH 10,000mAh Power Bank with Built-in USB-C and Lightning Cable

As we mentioned before, mid-range power banks are more reliable, and this CHOETECH portable charger has clear proof of that because it uses two built-in cables. The power bank has a USB-C and a Lightning built-in cable; these are the two most used cables for charging, with the USB-C cable being used for charging Android smartphones, and many other devices such as tablets, earbud cases that use USB-C ports to recharge from or basically any other portable device that can charge via the USB-C. The Lightning cable is for charging iPhones that are still using Apple’s Lightning port.

On top of always having ready-to-use cables with this power bank, both the cables use an 18W Power Delivery charging speed. So you can fast charge most Android smartphones, and you can fast charge iPhones that are also Power Delivery compatible; being able to fast charge with a power bank is great because you can stop relying on the power bank faster. Design-wise, once you’re done charging with the cables, they fit directly into the power bank and are fully concealed. The slim form factor of the power bank enables you to place it into your pocket easily.

This CHOETECH power bank has a USB-C PD port that can only recharge the power bank.

Read Review for CHOETECH 10,000mAh Power Bank with Built-in USB-C and Lightning

CHOETECH 10,000 B688 Power Delivery USB-C / Lightning Built-in Cable Power Bank Specs
Power Capacity10,000mAh
Built-in USB-C Cable5V 3A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A
Built-in Lightning Cable5V 3A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A
USB-C (Input)5V/3A | 9V/2A
Size5.75 x 2.72 x 0.67 inches
Weight8 Ounces

Excitrus 45W 9,600mAh 45W USB-C Power Delivery Power Bank

Where mid-range portable chargers excel even more is the charging power that they’re able to feature, especially with this Excitrus portable charger. Most medium capacity power banks do feature Power Delivery at this point, but the most common PD charge rate that you’ll find is either 18W and 20W; this Excitrus power bank has a 45W Power Delivery port, and that’s why it’s one of our most favorite mid-range portable chargers on the market.

The power capacity of Excitrus portable charger is 9,600mAh, and as we mentioned, most power banks with this capacity don’t feature such high PD charging. With a 45W Power Delivery port, you’re able to charge most USB-C chargeable laptops, and in our case, we were able to charge a Lenovo Flex 5 laptop with the power bank, as well as charge a Microsoft Surface Go tablet at its max charging speed. You may also use this power bank to charge a USB-C Macbook.

Along with the USB-C PD port, the power bank has two USB-A ports, with one featuring Quick Charge 3.0 and the other port has a standard 12W charging speed. The power bank can be recharged via the USB-C PD port, and included in the box is a USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cable that lets you start using the power bank right out of the box.

Design-wise, this portable charger is straightforward to take anywhere thanks to its low capacity, as it has a 4-inch length and only a 0.9-inch thickness. Instead of having LED power lights, the charger has an LCD screen that shows the remaining power capacity.

Read Review for Excitrus 9,600mAh 45W Power Delivery Power Bank

Excitrus 9,600mAh 45W Power Delivery Power Bank Specs
USB-C Power Delivery Port20V/2.25A | 15V/3A | 12V/3A | 9V/3A | 5V/3.0A (45W)
USB-A Quick Charge Port3.6V-6.0V/3A | 6.0V-9.0V/2A | 9.0V-12.0V/1.5A (18W)
USB-A Standard Port5V/2.1A (10.5W)
Max OutputUSB-C Power Delivery Port Alone: 45W
When Charging Multiple Devices: 25W
USB-C PD Input20V/2.25A | 15V/3A | 12V/3A | 9V/3A | 5V/3.0A (45W)
Size4.3 x 2.5 x 0.9 inches
Weight7 Ounces

Aukey 10,000mAh Wireless Power Delivery Power Bank

Medium capacity power banks also tend to feature charging tech that you wouldn’t expect them to have; in this case, we’re talking about wireless charging. This Aukey portable charger, with its 10,000mAh power capacity, can charge three devices at the same time, with one of the charging methods being wireless at the top of the power bank. To activate wireless charging, you press the power button and place your wireless charging compatible smartphone on top of the power bank.

You may think that the wireless charging speed from a power bank is rather weak. Still, surprisingly, the wireless changing rate ranges from 10W for Samsung smartphones to 7.5W for iPhones and 5W for any other wireless charging compatible phones. Additionally, the Aukey power bank has an 18W Power Delivery port and a USB-A Quick Charge 3.0 port. The power bank also has two input ports that you can recharge from, with a Micro-USB port or a USB-C PD port.

Read Review for Aukey 10,000mAh Wireless Charging Power Bank

Quick Charge Port5V/3A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
USB-C PD Port5V/3A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
Samsung Phones Wireless Charging10W
iPhone Wireless Charging7.5W
Other Wireless Charging Smartphones5W
USB-C Input5V/3A | 9V/2A
Micro-USB Input5V/2A | 9V/2A
LED Power IndicatorFour White Power Capacity Indicators | Orange Indicator for Wireless Charging
Size5.6 x 2.6 x 0.6 inches
Weight8 Ounces

UGREEN PB172 10,000mAh 18W Power Delivery Power Bank with Built-in USB-C Cable

This UGREEN portable charger is similar to the first CHOETECH mid-range power bank that we mentioned. This one also features a built-in cable; however, you only get a single USB-C built-in cable with this power bank. The built-in cable does use an 18W Power Delivery charging speed, so you get the same fast charging speed that you would get from a USB-C PD port.

In addition to the built-in cable, this UGREEN portable charger also has two ports, which basically lets you charge three devices simultaneously with the power bank if you want. It has an 18W USB-C Power Delivery port and a USB-A Quick Charge 3.0 port, so you’re getting fast charging no matter what port you’re using. So with mid-range power banks, you get to have built-in cables and fast charging ports, and it all comes into a small form factor that can fit point your pocket as this UGREEN portable charger is nearly the same size as a mini power bank such as the Xcentz mini portable charger that we recommended.

Read Review for UGREEN PB172 10,000mAh 18W Power Delivery Power Bank

UGREEN PB172 10,000mAh PD Power Bank with Built-in USB-C Cable Specs
Power Capacity10,000mAh
Built-in USB-C Cable5V/3A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A
Quick Charge USB-A Port5V/3A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A
USB-C Power Delivery Port5V/3A | 9V/2.22A | 12V/1.5A
Max Output when charging Multiple Devices5V/3.0A
USB-C PD Input5V/3A | 9V/2A
Size4 x 2 x 0.8 inches
Weight6 Ounces

Buy on UGREEN.com

What are the Best High Capacity Power Banks?

High-capacity power banks are the most useful types of portable chargers because they feature the best charging experience that portable chargers have to offer. High-capacity power banks are exactly what it sounds like. These chargers have 20,000mAh power capacities or higher; these higher capacities enable you to charge devices to full power multiple times before needing to recharge the power bank.

In addition to having a power capacity that you can use for days, high-capacity power banks also use some very powerful charging that lets you charge most USB-C laptops. Some use AC outlets; However, that gets into portable power station territory.

The trade-off with having more charging power and a larger-sized power bank is worth it in most cases because even a high-capacity power bank is not too large or heavy.

RAVPower 20,000mAh 18W Power Delivery Tri Output and Tri Input Power Bank

This RAVPower portable charger is a great example of why high-capacity power banks are one of the best to own. The charger has a 20,000mAh power capacity that can charge most phones to full power about two times or more. A high capacity such as this can also be useful for charging tablets to full power at least once.

The power bank also does a great job with its charging power because it has three output ports and input ports. There are two USB-A ports and one USB-C Power Delivery port; one of the USB-A ports features Quick Charge, while the other one has a standard 12W charging rate USB-C Power Delivery port has an 18W charging speed.

You also have three ways to recharge this power bank, with one being the USB-C PD port that is the fastest way to recharge the power bank. You also get the choice of using the Lightning or Micro-USB input port for recharging, but those are slower than the USB-C PD port. With all this charging power, you also get an LCD that shows that the remaining power capacity and if you’re using fast charging from the Quick Charge 3.0 port.

Read Review for RAVPower 20,000mAh 18W Tri Output and Input Power Bank

RAVPower 20,000mAh USB-C PD - Quick Charge Lightning Tri Input Power Bank Specs
Power Capacity20,000mAh
USB-C Power Delivery Port5V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
Quick Charge 3.0 USB-A Port5V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
Standard USB-A Port5V/2.4A (12W)
USB-C PD Input5V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
Micro-USB Input5V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
Lightning Input5V/2.1A
Size6.2 x 2.9 x 0.6 inches
Weight1 Pound

JIGA 30,000mAh 3 Output Power Bank

Not all high-capacity power banks use fast charging, such as Power Delivery or Quick Charge, and that can be a good thing if you’re looking for a portable charger that is on the lower price side. This JIGA power bank has a 30,000mAh power capacity, a very high one that can be useful if you want a charger that you can use for days without worrying about recharging for possibly a week. However, as we mentioned before, this power bank does have a trade-off, and that’s because it does feature any fast charging.

Instead, this JIGA power bank has three USB-A ports and three input ports. Each of the USB-A output ports has a 5V/2.0A (10W) charging speed. Recharging the power bank is impressive because you can use one of the three input ports for recharging; one of the input ports is a USB-C port, and the other two are a Micro-USB and Lightning input port.

Overall, this JIGA power bank is reliable for Android and iPhone smartphone users because of its various input ports to recharge the power bank.

Read Review for JIGA 30,000mAh 3 Output and 3 Input Power Bank

JIGA 30,000mAh 3 Output - 3 Input Power Bank Specs
Power Capacity30,000mAh
USB-A Ports (Output)5V/2.0A
Micro-USB (Input)5V/2.0A
Lightning (Input)5V/2.0A
USB-C (Input)5V/2.0A
Size6.1 x 3 x 1.3 inches
Weight1.1 Pounds

RAVPower 30,000mAh 90 USB-C Power Delivery Power Bank

Going back to high-capacity power banks that do make use of fast charging, this is RAVPower’s 30,000mAh portable charger that uses Power Delivery and Quick Charge. This RAVPower charger is perhaps the best example of why you should have a high-capacity power bank. It has a 90W USB-C Power Delivery port; a 90W USB-C PD port can charge most USB-C chargeable laptops, and such a PD charging speed is mainly only found on wall chargers.

On top of the PD port, if you’re charging from the Power Delivery port and the USB-A Quick Charge port at the same time, then the USB-C PD port lowers its power output to 65W. A 65W PD charge rate is still tons of power, and in our tests, we were still able to charge a Lenovo Flex 5 laptop at its max charging speed even when we were charging two devices simultaneously.

One of the main setbacks for a high-capacity power bank is recharging them, as you always want to make sure that you’re recharging it at its max speed. If you’re not, then it can take a long time to recharge the power bank; thankfully, this one recharges at 60W, but you have to provide your own PD wall charger to recharge it at 60W. This power bank does come with a USB-C to USB-C cable, though.

Read Review for RAVPower 30,000mAh 90W USB-C Power Delivery Power Bank

RAVPower 30,000mAh 90W Power Delivery Power Bank PB232 Specs
Power Capacity30,000mAh
USB-C Power Delivery Port5V/3A | 9V/3A | 12V/3A | 15V/3A | 20V/4.5A, 90W Max
USB-A Quick Charge Port5V/3A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A, 18W Max
Max Output when using Both PortsPD 65W + iSmart 18W, Total 83W Max
USB-C (Input)5V/3A | 9V/3A | 12V/3A | 15V/3A | 20V/3A, 60W Max
Size5.9 x 3.4 x 1 inches
Weight1.1 Pounds

Crave PowerPack 50,000mAh 60W Dual USB-C Power Delivery Power Bank

This Crave PowerPack portable charger is definitely the real deal for high-capacity power banks because it has a massive 50,000mAh power capacity. This is tons of power that can last a week or more, depending on how much you’re using it. The charging power from this power bank matches the high capacity with the power bank using two USB-C Power Delivery ports and two Quick Charge 3.0 USB-A ports.

One of the PD ports has a 60W output, and the other one has an 18W output. The 60W port is more useful for charging laptops, and the 18W port is best for charging fast charging smartphones. This power bank also comes with a 45W PD wall charger and a USB-C to USB-C cable that you can use to recharge the power bank at its max speed.

You get tons of power with this Crave power bank, but it’s huge and heavy, you can still take it anywhere you want, but it’s definitely not going to fit into your pocket.

Read Review for Crave PowerPack 50,000mAh 60W USB-C Power Delivery Power Bank

Crave Powerpack 50,000mAh 60W Power Delivery Quick Charge Power Bank Specs
Power Capacity50,000mAh
USB-C Power Delivery Port 15V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A | 15V/1.2A (18W)
USB-C Power Delivery Port 25V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A | 15V/1.2A (60W)
Both USB-A Ports5V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
USB-C PD Input 15V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/1.5A | 15V/1.2A (18W)
USB-C Input 25V/3.0A | 9V/2.0A | 12V/3.0A | 15V/3.0A | 20V/2.25A (45W)
Size8.2 x 5.4 x 1.3 inches
Weight3 Pounds

MAXOAK 99Wh 45W Power Delivery and AC Outlet Power Bank

This MAXOAK portable charger is more on the edge of being a power bank and a portable power station because it uses an AC outlet. The charger has a 99Wh (26,756mAh) power capacity, not the highest in the guide, but it’s a lot of power to use. However, more notable than the power capacity, this power bank has an AC outlet with a 100W power output; this means that you can power small appliances or plug in a separate wall charger and charge your laptop from there.

That said, plugging in another charger may not be necessary as this MAXOAK portable charger has two USB-A Quick Charge 3.0 ports and a single 45W USB-C Power Delivery port.

Included in the box is a USB-C to USB-C cable and a 30W PD wall charger that you can use to recharge teh power bank at its max charging speed.

Read Review for MAXOAK 45W PD Power Bank with AC Outlet

MAXOAK 99Wh 100W AC10 Portable Power Bank Specs
Power Capacity99Wh | 26,756mAh
USB-C Power Delivery Port5V/3.0A | 9V/3.0A | 12V/3A | 15V/3A | 20V/2.25A (45W)
Both USB-A Ports5V/2.1A | 9V/2A | 12V/1.5A (18W)
AC Outlet100W | 140W Peak Power
USB-C Input30W
Size7.1 x 3.9 x 2.3 inches
Weight2.7 Pounds

So what is the Best Capacity for a Power Bank?

It’s gonna depend on which one you get.

Small capacity Power Bank: Focus on sizes in the 3,000mAh to 5,000mAh range because these kinds of power banks are small, powerful, feature a good capacity of power, and are extremely portable to be taken nearly everywhere.

Medium capacity Power Bank: Capacities about 6,000mAh to 15,000mAh are good because they can provide sufficient power to charge your device a few times over. They may also have two ports or maybe more to charge more devices at the same. This is where specialized tech comes in to take advantage of technology like Quick Charge and Power Delivery.

Large Power Bank: Large power banks are in the 20,000mAh or larger range. These power banks can last on one charge for quite a long time, and the anxiety of your power bank running out of a charge is nearly nonexistent because of the absurd large capacity of the power bank. Power banks of this capacity are bigger, and because of that, they will most likely feature 2 or more charging ports and maybe even more than 1 port to recharge the power bank itself. These power banks can charge many devices at the same time and are great for sharing. They will feature the latest in charging tech because the size of the power bank will allow for more innovation.

Conclusion: Power bank capacity will ultimately depend on what you need.

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