It wasn’t that long ago that USB Type-C was a pretty uncommon port. A lot has changed in 2015. This year we’ve seen the LG G5, HTC 10, OnePlus 3, Huawei P9, Samsung Galaxy Note 7, and countless other phones jump into the USB-C fray. That’s in addition to 2015 adopters like the OnePlus 2, Nexus 5X, and Nexus 6P.
Needless to say, USB-C is here to stay. One of the biggest downsides to the new standard however, is that you have to either buy a ton of adapters so you can keep using your chargers, portable batteries, and other microUSB accessories — or you have to start over again from scratch. If you already have invested heavily into power packs and other accessories, going the former route might make the most sense. That said, a portable battery charger designed for USB Type-C has its advantages over using an adapter with one designed for microUSB. First, charging speed will be much faster with a Type-C connection. Second, less adapters and other cables to bring along with you.
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3 weeks ago
It’ still early days for USB Type-C portable battery chargers, but a quick look at Amazon turns up a growing number of options. Below we listed just a handful that we felt were worth highlighting due to their brand recognition, as well as their positive ratings and reviews.
Best USB Type-C cables
Anker PowerCore+ 20100 mAh
The Anker PowerCore+ packs 20100 mAh and is comes in at $50.99 on Amazon. Along with the 10 LED capacity indicator, the PowerCore+ has 2 USB ports outputting power at 2.4A each, and a USB Type-C port. Included in the box is the power bank, a USB to USB Type-C cable which is used to quickly charge the power bank, a travel pouch, and a micro USB cable. Keep in mind that you don’t just charge the power bank using type-C, there’s also Type-C output, meaning you can charge your Nexus 6P (or whatever have you) from the battery charger as well.
The Anker PowerCore+ is also utilizes a number of special technologies to help ensure the best experience possible, such as PowerIQ, a proprietary technology used to replicate the charging protocol of each device to ensure safe and efficient charging. VoltageBoost is another proprietary technology that detects cable resistance in order to provide a steady charge. It is worth noting that Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 is not supported with this one however.
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RAVPower 20100 mAh
The RAVPower 20100 mAh External Battery pack is offered for $59.99 on Amazon. The battery pack is a simple black box with a four dot LED battery indicator. The battery pack has a micro USB port used to charge the battery pack, a USB 3A Type-C port, a USB port capable of supporting Qualcomm’s Quick Charge 2.0 and 3.0 technologies, and an iSmart USB port.
The iSmart port is used for devices that have been identified by RAVPower, and is optimised on a device by device basis. There’s certainly plenty of juice here too, as 20100 mAh is enough juice to power a Galaxy S6 close to 5 times, and an iPhone 6S nearly 8 times. The pack has overcharge and circuit protection to protect your devices from the very thing that keeps them running.
While the RAVPower is the more expensive than the first two options, it’s big battery combined with Quick Charge 2 and 3 support make it a pretty compelling option.
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Talentcell 10400 mAh
The Talentcell 10400 mAh power bank the least expensive device on the list, at just $26.99 on Amazon. The power bank is charged via micro USB 2.0 and has a USB Type-C port, a full sized USB port, and an LED flashlight. Included in the box is the power bank and a male to male USB Type-C. This power bank supports a variety of Type-C devices other than the 12 inch Macbook, and can charge up to two devices simultaneously.
If you are looking for the cheapest option out there, the Talentcell fits the bill, and is still relatively well reviewed. Of course, there’s something to be said for brand recognition and trust, so if that’s a factor for you — you may be better off considering one of the previous power banks.
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iVoler 10000mAh
Once again, a lesser known brand name but the ivoler is aggressively priced at $31.99, making it a tad more expensive than the Talentcell. The ivoer 10000 mAh offers one standard USB port and one Type C that supports up to 5v 3a. While the iVoler doesn’t have Qualcomm quick charge support, it does claim to offer rapid recharge capabilities that lets it top off many devices from 0% to 100% in around 3.5 hours or less using Type-C.
Personally, we’d probably pick the TalentCell over this one, but it never hurts to have a few more options.
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ORICO 10000mAh Portable Battery
Orico isn’t exactly a hot brand in the battery pack market, but this is a pretty solid looking offering. There’s input and output support for Type-C and the pack intelligently detects the ideal furrent from 0.5 to its max of 2.4A. You’ll also find 1 USB type-A slot for your traditional devices that need powering up, and a microUSB in for charging up the battery (though you can also use the Type-C port for this if you prefer).
The 10,000 mAh size is similar to what we’re seeing from many of the other packs on this list, and the pricing is just right at $28.99.
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AUKEY 30000mAh Portable Charger
Aukey is a pretty well known entity, building quality batteries at fair prices and this 30,000 mAh powerhouse is no exception. This battery pack sports two standard USB ports and one USB-C. The USB-C port not only can be used to charge your devices, but can also charge up the battery pack as well. This huge battery pack also features support for Quick Charge 3.0 and offers AiPower Charging Technology to bring you the safest maximum recharge rate for all your USB powered mobile devices.
At $49.99 it’s a bit on the expensive side, but if you need a high-capacity option that also happens to support USB-C, there’s few that compare to this one.
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AUKEY Portable Charger
Looking for something a bit more compact than the 10000 to 30000 mAh options presented? Aukey has your back with the new USB-C version of its portable charger. With a 5,000 mAh battery capacity and a size that fits nicely in your pocket, this charger is capable of rapid charging at 5V 3A and has enough capacity to charge just about any phone on the market at least once. The charger also features special tech that prevents your device from receiving excessive current or overcharging, and the included USB-C cable even has a special adapter end that allows you to use it on iPads or iPhones in addition to your Android USB-C devices.
At $20 this is a highly affordable power bank and perfect for those looking for something small that they can take with them just about anywhere they go.
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Related products we recommend:
4 Port Quick USB-C Car Charger
4 ports charge all your devices at the fastest speeds possible. Let's face it we all want our phone charges as fast as possible. Well you need not to worry. Our car charger has the BEST and LATEST technology. Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 & 2.0 means you can charge your devices up to four times faster than conventional charging. The USB Type C charging port is perfect for all the new upcoming tech that is launching with USB Type C.
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USB Type C Quick Charge 6 Port Wall Charger
We recommend the Charged 6 Port USB Wall Charger. Why? It has a USB Type C Port and a Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0 port alongside 4 other fast charging ports. What this means is that it will charge all your devices at the fastest speeds possible . Currently priced at $29.99 at Amazon.
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Any other solid options you are aware of that didn’t make it onto our list? Give us a shout in the comments and we’ll be sure to take a look.