Electrical energy is to a smartphone what pepperoni pizza and Mountain Dew are to us. It is what makes our gadgets work. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to look up recipes for nacho dips or ask Siri how tall LeBron James is whenever we please. That is why providing our handsets with power whenever they need it is kind of important. Alas, today’s smartphone batteries are very limited in how much charge they can hold. Even the top models out there go from full to zero after a day or two of regular use.
Power banks – those handy dandy portable battery packs – aim to solve the problem of smartphones’ unsatisfactory battery life. They do so by storing extra charge inside of an external battery, which you may connect a phone to using its USB or Lightning charging cable. And power banks come in various shapes and sizes. Some are big, heavy, and bulky, but hold enough power to recharge a smartphone multiple times. Others are built with portability in mind. They can’t hold quite as much power, but compensate for this by being extremely light and pocket-friendly.
This post is about the latter type of power banks. The models we have here are all designed to make your life easier by occupying very little space in your pocket or carry-on luggage. Yet they can bring a dead phone back to life in a jiffy. Check them out in the slideshow below!
Small, light, portable power banks and battery packs
Small, light, portable power banks and battery packs
1. RAVPower Luster power bank with flashlight
Capacity: 3200mAh
Price: $39.99
Output: single USB port, 1A
Weight: 3.1 oz (88 grams)
This isn’t the first power bank to come with a built-in flashlight. However, it is one of the few to have a flashlight that’s actually bright, which makes it very useful while camping or if the power goes out. Inside the gizmo, power is stored in a high-quality battery cell, and clever circuitry ensures that power is transferred efficiently. This power bank can be had in black, blue, pink, gold, or silver.
2. Antec Lifebar 3
Capacity: 3600mAh
Price: $39.99
Output: dual USB port, 1A/2A
Dimensions : 4.37″ x 2.5″ x 0.31″ (111 x 61 x 8 mm)
The Lifebar 3 is barely thicker than a full-sized USB port, but is fully capable of recharging an iPhone from zero to 100%. It is light and slim, designed to be carried easily inside a purse or pocket. And the advantage of having 2 amps of output is that compatible devices charge really fast.
3. Mophie power reserve 1X
Capacity: 2600mAh
Price: $34.95
Output: single USB port, 1.8A
Dimensions: 1.10″ x 0.84″ x 3.35″ (27.9 x 21.3 x 85.1 mm)
Weight 2.30 oz (65.2 g)
One of the cooler features about this power bank is its high output current capability, meaning that it can recharge a compatible smartphone or tablet really, really fast. At the same time, it is very light and easily fits inside a bag or pocket. You may have it in black, white, blue, purple, or pink.
4. Nomad Battery Wallet for iPhone
Capacity: 2400mAh
Price: $99.95
Output: 1.5A integrated Lightning cable
This accessory might be pricey, but you do get quite a lot in exchange. The Nomad Battery Wallet is, as the name implies, a 2-in-1 product – a wallet with a built-in power bank. The wallet itself is made of black saffiano leather and has compartments for plenty of cash and cards. As for the power bank, it is held inside a high crush strength aluminum casing. One limitation you should be aware of is that the Nomad Battery Wallet is only compatible with iOS devices, such as the iPhone, as it has an integrated lightning cable and no other outputs.
5. Incipio offGRID
Capacity: 1500mAh
Price: $29.99 for microUSB, $39.99 for Lightning cable
Output: single microUSB or Lightning cable
Weight: 2.08 oz (59 grams)
Sleek, lightweight, and with an aluminum casing, the Incipio offGRID is one of the most portable power banks around. It conveniently integrates a microUSB or Lightning cable, sparing you from the need to carry your phone’s own cable.
6. LithiumCard
Capacity: 1200mAh
Price: $35~$50
Output: 2A, integrated microUSB or Lightning cable
This power bank is only as big as five credit cards stacked together and features an integrated cable of your choice – Lightning or microUSB. But it is more exciting to know that the accessory has high power output capabilities, meaning that compatible devices charge faster.
7. CulCharge
Capacity: 1000mAh
Price: $32.99 ~ $39.99
Weight: 1.41 oz (40 grams)
Output: 1A, single integrated Lightning or USB connector
Amazingly, this power bank is so small that it can be used as a keychain. And it doubles as a data cable, too. On the downside, it can’t recharge a modern smartphone fully because of its limited power reserve. Still, the CulCharge should be able to recharge a depleted iPhone battery to about 50%.
8. Jump Cable by Native Union
Capacity: 800mAh
Price: $49.99
This power bank also doubles as a pretty microUSB or Lightning cable for your smartphone. When not in need, the cable can be conveniently wrapped around the bank itself. The weak link here, however, is that the bank holds very little charge, especially given the price of the whole kit.