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FEATURE TECH

A wall charger. Depending on the smartphone brand, it’s not always a guarantee that the purchase will include a wall charger. Traditional wall chargers are inexpensive, but the buzzword in tech circles now is fast charging. Fast charging can drastically cut the time it takes to charge a smartphone. Different technologies are used in fast charging, which is branded differently depending on the company, but essentially, the aim is to power up a smartphone battery in as little time as possible. GaN chargers, for example, can charge a smartphone battery three times faster than a conventional charger. Fast charging also extends to wireless charging. Qi (pronounced chee) is the industry wide charging technology, and it’s as easy as dropping your compatible smartphone onto a mat or stand to

initiate the process. But before you hand over your dollars, it’s crucial to ascertain which fast charger is suitable for your smartphone to avoid any potential compatibility issues. And not all smartphones will charge with Qi technology.

Belkin BoostUp Charge Pro 3-in-1

OtterBox 50W USB-C Fast Charge Dual PortWall Charger

Cygnett PowerBase III 15WWireless Charger

Belkin USB-C 65W GaN Charger

A portable power bank. We’ve all been there. You’re out and about anxiously watching the battery life on your smartphone deplete and, like petrol in a car, it always goes faster toward the end. Playing videos or games chew up power at an alarming rate, and it doesn’t take long to hit critical levels. This is when you need a portable power bank. They can be as small as a credit card and can vary in charging speed (power bank storage is measured in milliampere-hour (mAh), and the higher the mAh number, the larger the capacity), but a power bank will restore battery life when you need it most, giving you a worry-free day.

Belkin BoostUp Charge 15W Power Bank

Cygnett ChargeUp Maxx Digital 30k Power Bank

A car charger. If you spend a lot of time on the road, it makes sense to put a phone charger in the car. It slots into the car’s 12V power outlet, with some models capable of charging two devices simultaneously.

Belkin Dual USB-A 24W Charger

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