How to choose a battery for your smartphone

When selecting a battery for your smartphone, you should first pay attention to the model of this component.

How to choose a battery for your smartphone: what is desirable to consider

The main criteria for choosing a smartphone battery are:

1. Type (external, internal removable, internal non-removable);
2. Capacity (for internal);
3. Characteristics of external batteries (capacity, body material, output current, the number and types of connectors, support for fast charging technology).

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The type of battery itself can be ignored, because in the vast majority of cases smartphones use lithium polymer batteries.

Types of batteries

The concept of “battery” in relation to smartphones is quite a stretch. This term can refer to both built-in battery, and external, designed to recharge your device away from the outlet. In English-language online stores devices of the first type are called batteries, and the second – the power bank.

External battery (portable, power bank, “powerbank”)

The external battery is a simple device designed to recharge your smartphone or some other device away from the “outlet. Structurally it is a battery connected to the power controller. Once charged, it is capable of storing stored energy for some (relatively long) time and then sharing it with a connected smartphone.

External batteries are not capable of replacing a damaged smartphone battery or just a charger. They are designed to store a certain amount of energy “in reserve” in case of a sudden discharge of your favorite device.

Internal removable battery

Removable internal batteries are installed directly into the smartphone, usually under the back panel, and are designed to power the mobile device. The removable design means that such a battery can be removed if necessary – to replace it with another or to completely disconnect the device.

Internal non-removable battery

Internal removable batteries are structurally similar to removable batteries, except for a few “buts”. Firstly, they are located behind the non-dismountable casing, so without special knowledge and equipment it is almost impossible to extract them. Secondly, the connection of such batteries with the motherboard is more compact. And finally, the lack of connectors with high resistance allows you to use fast charging technology.

Which battery should I choose??

When choosing a battery, you should consider several parameters depending on the planned use:

1. Check whether your smartphone has a removable or nonremovable battery. A removable one can be replaced by yourself, while removing a non-removable one and installing a new one will require carrying the device to a service center;
2. What do you need the battery for?? If your smartphone battery starts to run down quickly and it has been more than a year since you bought the device, gets very hot or discharges almost instantly in the cold, you need to replace the internal battery. If you just want to extend the battery life, you need an external one;
3. In order to extend the battery life of a smartphone with a removable internal battery, you can buy several internal batteries and change them as they run out. But it is not as practical as using a power bank.

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It is worth remembering that the rapid discharge of the battery in normal conditions, as well as heating it, can signal not only damage to the battery. Often such “symptoms” are caused by problems with the firmware. So before you buy an internal battery, it is worth contacting a service center.

Parameters for choosing a battery for your smartphone

The parameters for selecting internal and external batteries are different.

Internal Battery

When choosing an internal battery, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:

1. Model;
2. Compatibility;
3. Capacity;
4. Manufacturer.

The model is especially important for internal non-removable batteries. It directly determines the possibility of installing the battery in the existing smartphone – both in terms of design features and electrical parameters. You can find out the specific model both from the sticker on the existing battery and from the specifications of the device.

For internal removable batteries, the model is important, but not predominant.

Compatibility determines, as the name implies, the compatibility of the battery with the existing smartphone. It can be both constructive and electrotechnical. Compatibility of the first type implies that the battery can be installed in a smartphone – it must have the same size and location of contacts as the original. Electrical means that the amperage and voltage will be the same as those that should be used in the device.

The compatibility is usually indicated on the packaging and in the description of the battery.

Capacity determines the autonomy time of the smartphone from the battery in use. The higher it is, the longer the device will “live” without recharging. However, in most cases the capacity of the new battery corresponds to the same parameter of the old one.

Portable batteries

When choosing a portable battery, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:

1. Capacity;
2. Charging current;
3. Case material;
4. Number and types of connectors;
5. Support for fast charging technology.

CapacityDetermines the battery life. More precisely, it depends on it, how many times the “powerbank” can charge a smartphone connected to it. Most modern mobile devices are equipped with a battery for 2000-3000 mAh, so the external charger should be at least 5000 mAh, because there is self-discharge, drops during current transfer and other factors that reduce the actual capacity.

Charging currentdetermines the charging speed of the connected smartphone. For older devices, the optimal value of this parameter is 500 mA. For new smartphones, it makes no sense to buy external batteries designed for less than 1A. They will discharge faster than they charge.

Case MaterialDetermines the practicality of the powerbank. Plastic – cheap, but easily scratched and cracked if dropped. Metal is slightly more expensive, but more practical.

Number of connectorsdetermines the number of devices that can be charged from a single “powerbank” at the same time. If the external battery is planned to be used only with a smartphone, then one connector will be enough. If still with a laptop, tablet, headphones, smart watch or similar device, you will need at least two connectors.

Connectors typeDetermines cable compatibility. The most common standard is USB Type-A – or “regular” USB. Modern USB Type-C is still quite rare. Even the smartphones that come with it usually come with a USB Type-A cable on one side and Type-C on the other.

Support for fast charging technology will restore the energy reserve in the battery of the connected smartphone (which also supports it) much faster than usual. However, it leads to intense wear and tear of the powerbank batteries.

How to choose an external battery for your smartphone

When choosing an external battery, it is worth deciding on a few questions:

1. Capacity. The minimum required – 5000 mAh. Taking into account external factors, it will charge your smartphone from 0 to 100% once. Better, of course, 10000 mAh or even higher;
2. Number of jacks. On external batteries designed for less than 10000 mAh, it makes no sense to install more than one port;
3. Charging current. For new smartphones, it should be at least 1A;
4. The material. You should choose based on your own preferences.
5. Support for fast charging is not particularly necessary.

The best battery manufacturers for smartphones

The best internal battery manufacturers are:

1. LG;
2. Craftmann;
3. TF1;
4. Manufacturers of smartphones themselves – Samsung, Sony, etc.d.

The best powerbank manufacturers:

1. Xiaomi;
2. Inter-Step;
3. Hiper;
4. Canyon.
5. Rombica products are also interesting.

In the following articles our experts tell you how to choose a phone for the Internet.