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When it comes to purchasing an adapter for your iPhone, it’s understandable to want to choose the cheapest one you can find. After all, you’ve spent a ton of money on your device and all adapters charge batteries, right?
Unfortunately, cutting costs in this area can be a bad idea in the long run. Tech Expert Yasir Shamim at PureVPN spoke with SHEFinds.com about the one portable iPhone charger he recommends avoiding at all costs.
Many smartphone users choose chargers based on price without considering an important factor — voltage.
“Most cell phones require a wall charger or a portable charger that offers an output voltage of around 5V,” Shamim says. “However, if you’ve ever trawled through questionable eBay listings or spent time in a market with goods of dubious quality, you may have encountered knockoff portable chargers. These could potentially deliver a voltage higher or lower than what your phone requires.”
Charging with the wrong voltage can cause damage to your phone’s battery, Shamim says, yet an easy thing to overlook when shopping around for portable adapters. “On the other hand a good quality portable charger from a reputable company, combined with a suitable charging cable, should bring no issues whatsoever, especially if the voltage output matches your phone’s,” Shamim says.
Paying a bit extra for a quality portable battery charger means you are getting a product that is “efficient” and “will protect your device from overcharging, overheating, over-current and over-voltage,” according to Shamim. “While this doesn’t mean you need to leave them plugged in all the time, it does mean that even if your phone is plugged in once charged, these portable chargers aren’t overcharging your device or impacting battery performance,” Shamim says.
Other ways to combat the common problem of battery drainage include keeping your phone away from physical damage and extreme heat or cold, Shamim says.
“Of course you should be wary of using extremely cheap or knockoff models, and always be sure to look at the voltage of a portable battery charger before you buy it,” Shamim says.
When in doubt, keep your eye out for chargers that have Apple MFi certification, which ensures a charger is compatible with your Apple device.
