Comparison Canyon PB-230 vs XO PB97

The number of USB-A ports available for charging smartphones, headphones, accessories, and other devices. This format is still in demand because USB-A is widely used and fits a large number of existing cables and devices, although it usually falls behind USB-C in terms of relevance and power. A single USB-A output is typically sufficient for basic everyday use, while two, three, four, or more are convenient for connecting multiple gadgets simultaneously.

The power capacity of the main USB-C port, which among USB-C connectors is typically the most powerful. This specification is especially important for smartphones with fast charging, tablets, portable consoles, and laptops that require increased power supply.

Values around 18 – 30 W are usually sufficient for fast charging smartphones, 45 – 65 W are suitable for portable consoles, some ultrabooks, and other more demanding devices, and 100 W and above are even designed for powerful laptops and heavy loads.

Maximum output power of the second USB-C port, which usually lags behind USB-C1, but can still be suitable for fast charging smartphones, portable consoles, and other modern devices.

The power on USB-A1 port shows the maximum output power of the main USB-A port, which among USB-A connectors is usually the most powerful. Values around 10 – 18 W are typically sufficient for regular or fast charging of smartphones, 22.5 – 33 W are already interesting for faster charging of compatible models, while higher values for USB-A are significantly rarer than for USB-C. Compared to USB-A2, USB-A3, or USB-A4, it often makes more sense to connect the most demanding device to USB-A1 if maximum speed from this type of port is needed.

However, the USB-A format itself is already less promising today than USB-C, so such a port is more often used for smartphones, headphones, watches, speakers, and other mobile devices rather than heavy-duty applications like laptops.

The maximum power of the second USB-A output, which is usually slightly less than USB-A1, but is still suitable for charging smartphones, accessories, and other everyday devices.

The power in watts at which the power bank is charged under normal conditions.

The higher the charging power, the less time it takes to charge (given the same battery capacity). For example, fast charging of a power bank typically means a charging power of 30W or more. However, this parameter does not directly affect compatibility with charging devices: modern portable batteries can work with chargers of both higher and lower power. In the first case, the battery controller will automatically limit the charging current, while in the second case, charging will simply take more time.

Types of cables and/or adapters for charging external devices included with the power bank.

The type of these cables is indicated by the plug used to connect to the charging gadget; the connection to the power bank itself is usually through a standard USB-A or USB type C output. It should be emphasized that this refers to removable cables/adapters; types of built-in charging cables are specified separately (if available — see below).

Overall, this parameter allows you to assess the capabilities of the power bank available "out of the box," without purchasing additional accessories. As for specific interfaces, most external batteries these days come with cables/adapters for microUSB, USB type C, and/or Lightning; more specific connectors are extremely rare. Here are the features of the most popular options:

— microUSB. A connector extremely common in modern portable gadgets. It is less convenient than the newer USB type C and has fewer working characteristics, but it still maintains popularity.

— USB type C. A relatively new standard for miniature USB connectors, used for charging both in portable devices and larger ones — particularly some ultra-compact laptops. Physically, it differs from microUSB with slightly larger sizes and a reversible design, allowing the plug to be connected in either direction. In terms of performance, USB...type C is notable for better compatibility with fast-charging technologies: more such technologies can be used with it, and Power Delivery was originally designed for this connector. However, having a USB type C cable does not necessarily mean support for fast charging.

— Lightning. A standard proprietary connector used in compact Apple gadgets; such technology is not found with other manufacturers.

Note that if several types of included cables/adapters are specified in the characteristics, the specific format of such accessories may vary. For example, the "microUSB plus USB type C" option could mean two separate cables, one cable with two plugs, a cable with one connector plus an adapter for another, etc.

The main material used in the the body of a power bank.

In addition to traditional plastic, nowadays, external batteries are produced in cases made of more advanced and/or "prestigious" materials. Of these materials, aluminium is the most widely used; also you can find products made of steel, zinc, leather, fabric and even wood. Here are the main features of each option:

— Plastic. The most popular material for the bodies of modern power banks. Plastic, on the one hand, is inexpensive, on the other hand, it is quite durable and has a small weight, on the third hand, it makes it easy to create cases of any shape and colour, which is especially important for devices with an unusual design. In terms of strength and reliability, ordinary plastic is somewhat inferior to metals; however, in everyday use, this difference is not critical — except that scratches on such a case will appear faster. And for extreme conditions, cases can be produced from special impact-resistant plastic.

— Aluminium. Aluminium alloy housings are highly durable and lightweight; in addition, they look stylish, and the appearance is retained for a long time due to scratch resistance. The main disadvantage of aluminium is that it is more expensive than plastic.

...— Steel. Steel is notable for its high durability and reliability; according to these indicators, it surpasses even aluminium, not to mention plastic. On the other hand, this material has a significant weight, and therefore is used much less frequently.

— Leather. Solid body (plastic or metal) with additional leather cover. Such a coating does not affect the functionality and plays a purely aesthetic role: it gives the device a stylish and eye-catching appearance, allowing you to turn the power bank into a stylish accessory. However, note that in the design of such products (especially inexpensive ones), artificial leather (leatherette) is often used, which is noticeably inferior to natural leather in reliability, durability, and sometimes in appearance. Genuine leather, on the other hand, significantly affects the price — its cost can be more than half of the total price of the entire power bank.

— Fabric. A hard case (usually plastic) with a fabric outer covering. Such a coating not only gives the device a rather original appearance, but also gives some practical advantages: the fabric is pleasant to the touch and does not slip in the hand, which reduces the risk of dropping the power bank. On the other hand, various contaminants are poorly removed from such a surface, it has no fundamental advantages over plastic or metal, but it costs much more. Therefore, fabric cases are not very popular.

— Wood. Another design material used mainly for its original appearance than practical advantages. Nevertheless, wood is not inferior to plastic; and some users also consider the natural origin of this material to be an important advantage. On the other hand, wooden cases do not have noticeable advantages over plastic ones, and they cost much more.

— Zinc. Zinc alloys are similar in most properties to the aluminium alloys described above, however, for a number of reasons (in particular, due to the greater complexity in production), they are used extremely rarely.