The panic over the "recall scandal" continues. How to choose a power bank? Here comes the most honest guide across the entire web.

On June 28th, to effectively ensure aviation operation safety, the Civil Aviation Administration issued an urgent notice, prohibiting passengers from carrying any power banks without a 3C logo, with an unclear 3C logo, or of recalled models or batches on domestic flights.

This news was like a bolt from the blue for Xiao Lei, who often travels on business by plane. Besides power banks, I almost always bring a mirrorless camera and an action camera on business trips. As far as Lei Technology knows, the vast majority of camera batteries do not have a 3C logo. Will such a strict policy affect the travel of many relevant staff? How should we choose a power bank? Today, Lei Technology will popularize knowledge and make recommendations for everyone.

(Image source: ANKER)

Can't all batteries without 3C certification board the plane? It depends on the situation.

First, let's answer whether all batteries without a 3C logo cannot pass the security check. When this policy was introduced, I happened to be on my way back from Beijing to Guangzhou. After asking the security check and relevant airport staff, the answer I got was: The requirement for the 3C logo currently only applies to power banks. Products such as camera batteries and rechargeable batteries can pass as long as they meet the quantity limit and the batteries themselves are not damaged.

Secondly, can power banks without a 3C logo be used normally on a daily basis? Of course, but the premise is that the service life of your power bank does not exceed three years. Because the internal components and cells of the power bank will also age over time and with the number of uses, and the probability of subsequent thermal runaway, bulging, and spontaneous combustion will become higher and higher. If you have a power bank that you've used for several years, it is recommended to discard it as soon as possible.

(Image source: Kutaike official)

However, if your power bank was just purchased recently, does not have a 3C agreement, and is a non-recalled model of a well-known brand, it can also be used normally and even taken on public transportation such as high-speed trains and buses. However, Lei Technology still recommends that if you use a power bank frequently, it is better to buy a new power bank with 3C certification. Compared with safety, price is really not a big issue.

I believe that many readers will think that this operation is a bit excessive and even a bit of a tempest in a teapot. The spontaneous combustion of a power bank is not really a particularly dangerous thing, but what if it happens in an enclosed space like an airplane? Once the flame cannot be extinguished in time, the lives of all passengers on the flight may be threatened.

Incidentally, the latest 3C certification requires that the non-metallic materials in direct contact with the battery, the electrical circuit, and key components all need to have V-0 level flame retardancy, that is, "after two 10-second burns, the flame goes out within 30 seconds, and no burning objects drip", while the outer shell needs to meet V-1 level flame retardancy, that is, "after two 10-second burns, the flame goes out within 60 seconds, and no burning objects drip".

As long as the flame-retardant material is qualified, even if the power bank spontaneously combusts, the flame it produces will go out on its own within 1 minute. As long as there are no flammable objects around the power bank, no serious fire will occur.

It can be said that the most important thing in the mandatory 3C standard is the compliance of the flame-retardant material. Therefore, most power bank brands will not cut costs in this regard. After all, everyone is well aware of the difference in public opinion pressure between burning a power bank and burning a house.

In other words, the 3C certification does not force users to buy a new power bank. Instead, it hopes that users can have a safe and reliable product. Even if it is a bit more expensive, it is worth it. After all, safety always comes first.

How to choose a power bank? Besides 3C, these are also important.

After talking so much, it's time to start the focus of today. Although the 3C logo does help us filter out a large number of non-compliant power banks, it still takes a lot of time to choose a power bank that is suitable for oneself and cost-effective. Therefore, Lei Technology will recommend several power banks from well-known brands today. They are reasonably priced and practical (Special note: The following content does not involve any form of "promotion for profit", so you can rest assured to read):

1. UGREEN EnergyPai Pro 130W High-Power Version (20000mAh): Wide protocol coverage and high cost-performance ratio.

Nowadays, when choosing a power bank, we don't just look at its capacity. More importantly, we consider the output/input power, the number of output ports, and the supported protocols. Finally, we look at the price. In other words, practicality is the primary parameter when buying a power bank.

(Image source: UGREEN official)

This UGREEN EnergyPai Pro provides two USB-C ports and one USB-A port. The USB-C1 port can output 100W at full power when outputting through a single port. The output power of the single USB-A port is 22.5W, which can also meet the charging needs of some low-power products. When all three ports are outputting simultaneously, the total power of the USB-C2 port and the USB-A port is 15W, while the output power of the remaining USB-C1 port remains at 100W.

This design is far better than those power banks that evenly distribute 100W among three output ports. After all, most users need to fully charge one device (such as a mobile phone or a computer) first when using a power bank. Keeping a port with high-power output when all three ports are outputting simultaneously is the most in line with users' daily charging habits.

(Image source: UGREEN official)

Secondly, regarding the charging protocols, for users like me who need to bring a Xiaomi phone, a vivo phone, and a MacBook on each business trip, we will attach great importance to whether the power bank/charger supports high-power fast-charging protocols such as UFCS, PD, and PPS when choosing a power bank/charger. These three protocols basically cover the daily charging needs of most users.

According to the data chart provided by the official, the UGREEN EnergyPai Pro can trigger the highest 27W PD of the iPhone, the 22.5W UFCS protocol of Huawei, and the 80W PPS protocol. Although it does not support the proprietary protocols of various mobile phones, its protocol coverage is considered to be at the T1 level in the power bank market.

Here is a brief list of other configurations: 65W input power (the 20000mA version can be fully charged in two hours), a small-sized TFT color screen that can display the remaining power, output/input power, and support for 13 protection measures such as high temperature, low temperature, overcharging, over-discharging, short-circuiting, and under-voltage.

(Image source: UGREEN official)

Finally, regarding the price, the starting price of the UGREEN EnergyPai Pro after the national subsidy is 193.68 yuan. If you need a higher power or a built-in cable, you can pay an additional fee.

2. Baseus Super Charger Tri-in-One (67W Flash Charge Version 10000mAh): Self-sufficient and comes with a cable.

There has always been a special category in the power bank market: those with built-in plugs. They can not only be used as power banks but also be charged by plugging into a power source using the plugs. They can even be turned into a charger with high-power fast charging and multiple interfaces. It can be said to be "one device with three uses". The only drawback is that the price is about 20% higher than that of ordinary power banks.

Different from traditional tri-in-one power banks, this Baseus Super Charger Tri-in-One has an additional freely stretchable braided high-power charging cable at the bottom of the power bank. Baseus has even thoughtfully designed a magnetic attraction feature at the bottom of the power bank and the head of the charging cable to further facilitate users' storage.

(Image source: Baseus official)

In terms of charging ports, the Baseus Super Charger Tri-in-One provides one USB-C port, one USB-A port, and a retractable USB-C charging cable. The power of both the USB-C port and the cable can reach 67W when outputting through a single port, and the USB-A port has a classic 22.5W output. When all three ports are outputting simultaneously, most of the power will be provided to the USB-C charging cable, with a power of 45W. Although it is not high, it is enough for an emergency charge.

(Image source: Baseus official)

Regarding the charging protocols, Baseus customer service said that it supports mainstream protocols such as PD3.0, QC3.0, PPS, AFC, FCP, and SCP. However, they did not disclose the specific maximum power. However, it is certain that in terms of the PD protocol, it can easily charge products that rely on the PD protocol, such as iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads.

Of course, the Baseus Super Charger Tri-in-One can also automatically identify the charging device. For example, when it detects a smart watch, an electric toothbrush, a Bluetooth headset, or other products, it will automatically adjust the output current to avoid damaging the device's battery due to a large current.

(Image source: Baseus official)

Regarding the price, the price of the Baseus Super Charger Tri-in-One (67W Flash Charge Version) after the national subsidy is 240.18 yuan. In addition, there is also a 35W fast-charging tri-in-one version, but its price is 200 yuan, which is not much cheaper than the 67W version. Lei Technology recommends buying the 67W version.

3. ANKER Tri-in-One Energy Stick (30W Fast Charge 5000mAh): The first choice for Apple ecosystem users.

Good designs often share similarities. ANKER also has a tri-in-one energy stick that supports three usage modes. However, its overall size is much smaller than the previously mentioned Baseus one. It only weighs 200g and can be carried in a pocket, making it more suitable for some female users to carry around.

However, a smaller size means that its battery capacity and power will be reduced. Its capacity is 5000mAh, and the maximum charging power is 30W. Although it is not very high at this price point, considering its more portable size and good appearance, this is still acceptable.

(Image source: ANKER official)

In terms of charging interfaces, the ANKER Tri-in-One Energy Stick provides one USB-C interface and a retractable USB-C charging cable. The maximum power of both when used separately is 22.5W, and in charger mode, it can output a maximum of 30W through a single port, which is very suitable for Apple ecosystem users.

Although ANKER does not state which charging protocols it supports on the product page, according to the customer service's introduction, it supports mainstream protocols such as C1.2/Apple5V2.1A/Apple5V2.4A/PD3.0/QC3.0/SCP/PPS. However, judging from the product page, it should mainly promote the PD 3.0 protocol, as this protocol can meet the charging needs of almost the entire Apple ecosystem.