Hi, Giktayms! At the present time, when it is difficult to imagine a person without at least one portable gadget, the question of charging it always rises very sharply. Staying with a discharged “to zero” phone is very unpleasant and in many cases can be fraught with far-reaching consequences. If we talk about the younger generation, then adolescents and children have long been unable to imagine life without a smartphone, which serves as a camera, and means of communication, and player. And then external batteries come to the rescue, or as they are called powerbank. The device is as simple as two kopecks - there are several batteries inside that charge the gadget connected to them. What could be easier. Since children are our everything, it’s very difficult to refuse to buy such a device that is necessary for them, so after experiments and unsuccessful purchases of various external batteries, we had to choose a more reliable model.

Immediately make a reservation, the choice fell on two well-known companies -
HIPER and
Xiaomi , the first is quite well known among people associated with computers, and the second is now
widely known, thanks to the successful sales of smartphones. As a result, two Xiaomi models were ordered from China, two more models were purchased from the online store, and two HIPER models were purchased in Russia. The experiment with China was needed to satisfy its own interest — suddenly a battery filled with sand or with an emptiness in the body, that is, customer fraud, which was mentioned many times on the forums, would come across. Speaking about prices, in this review, data from the Yandex.Market commodity aggregator will be given, since the cost strongly depends on the current situation in the foreign exchange market.
')
First look

Before testing, and even more so, “to kill” the devices, several photos were taken. More detailed reviews of devices can be found on the network, so as a small preface I will note several features of the models that fell into my hands.
HIPER POWER BANK RP10000
Official page of the model:
hiper-power.com/products/hiper-power-bank-rp10000Declared capacity: 10,000 mAh
The average price according to Yandex.Market -
1260 rubles
The appearance of this model is quite standard for such devices. Black square box made of thick plastic. At one end there are two USB type A connectors for connecting powered devices. There is also a microUSB connector for charging the most external battery, a set of four blue indicators and a large power button.

At the opposite end there is a brief technical description of the model, its full name and badges of certificates. On the top cover there is a positive sticker “Be charged”. Everything is quite concise, nothing superfluous.


Connectors for gadgets are divided into two groups, the first with one "lightning" is intended to charge devices with a maximum current of 1A, and the second (two "lightning") - a current of 2.1A. By connecting two devices at once, each of them will be charged with 1A current, which is quite logical.
It is worth noting not very large weight of the model - only 261 g. On the other hand, the edge of the case is not very convenient when shifting the device from hand to hand. Although it is convenient to carry it in your hand, since the case is somewhat rough and confidently rests on the palm of your hand. By the way, this is the cheapest model among the participants of this review. In general, HIPER has a lot of external batteries, and everyone can choose to their own taste. Alas, as is usually the case, not all models can be bought, and some are already discontinued.
Additional photos:


HIPER POWER BANK SP20000
Official page of the model
hiper-power.com/products/hiper-power-bank-sp20000Declared capacity: 20000 mAh
The average price according to Yandex.Market -
4590 rubles
The design of this model is somewhat different from the RP10000 - the body is made of plastic with embossed leather. It looks very good, and rounding the edges is very practical. To carry such a device in a bag is convenient, and to hold it in your hand, too, since it doesn’t slip out of your hands due to rough edges. Since this model is the most capacious, it has an appropriate weight - almost half a kilo (457 g.). USB connectors for connecting charging devices placed on one of the ends, but a small microUSB is located on the side. This is not very convenient and not very practical, as when carrying there dirt and other garbage gets clogged.

Along the edges of the case, you can see subtle grooves, under them are mounting screws. Therefore, unlike the RP10000, this model can be disassembled and reassembled.


In addition to the two groups of output connectors, a square power button is placed on the end of the device. Four green LEDs are on the edge of the case, so when you work they can be seen from afar. On one of the upper covers is present, similar to the model RP10000, a brief technical note - the name of the model and characteristics.
In general, this model liked more. First of all, due to a convenient case, large capacity and correct, from my point of view, location of indicators. It upsets only the cost of the model, after all for such a price you can buy as many as three RP10000.
Additional photos:



Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400
Official page of the model
www.mi.com/en/pb10400Declared capacity: 10400 mAh
The average price according to Yandex.Market -
1850 rubles


The model is now discontinued, which, however, can still be bought in online or online stores.

This external battery appeared on the market two years ago and became popular due to its relatively large capacity and reasonable prices at that time. Like all models of Xiaomi, it has the same type of body design made of anodized aluminum with powder coating. Because of this paint, the body looks slightly rough, although in fact it is quite smooth, but not slippery. The company's website states that the models in this series are able to withstand up to 50 kg of weight, and this can even be believed. The edges of the case have a strong rounding for easy grip, and this design looks very beautiful.


On one of the ends of the model is a sticker with the technical characteristics. Because of the white background and very light letters, this inscription can be seen only at a certain viewing angle. On the other side is a standard USB connector for connecting the load, a large round power button, four lights and a charging connector.

All models of the company Xiaomi have a significant, in my opinion, a disadvantage, namely - their body is scratched. And as a source of "scratches" can only be metal objects. By the way, the aluminum edging of my smartphone Zuk Z1 became the main creator of marks on all models of Xiaomi external batteries while carrying these in a bag from work to home. The truth is to make a small remark that, unlike the Chinese fake, discussed below, in most cases, these scratches can be wiped off with a hand or a napkin.
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10000 RM59
Official page of the model
www.mi.com/my/pb16000Declared capacity: 10,000 mAh
The average price according to Yandex.Market -
2300 rubles

This model replaced the Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400. By reducing the number of batteries, the case has already become, but all the characteristics remain the same.


At one end there is a brief technical description, all with the same hard-to-distinguish letters. By reducing the housing, the location of the connectors has changed somewhat, but all the elements have remained the same. Here, as in the model Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400, there is one connector for connecting a charging device, one connector for charging the battery, a power button and four LEDs.

By reducing the number of batteries from 4 to 3, the weight of the model also decreased by 50 g (208 vs. 253). In general, the new model, with the exact same characteristics, looks more practical. The cost has increased slightly, but for the sake of compactness, this fact can be neglected. In general, Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10000 external battery is a very stylish, and at the same time, convenient model for permanent use on the way home from work.
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 RM89 (original)
Official page of the model
www.mi.com/my/pb16000Declared capacity: 16000 mAh
The average price according to Yandex.Market -
2300 rubles

Among the models Xiaomi, this model is not the oldest. Recently, this company has a more capacious one - Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 20000. Since my goals did not include a direct comparison of models, the choice fell on this, I thought, interesting version.


Unlike the above models, Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 has an oblong design, due to the number of installed batteries. The design of the case is almost identical, except for its color and changing the panel with connectors. This model offers the buyer two output USB connectors, each of which provides 2.1A. When connected simultaneously, the total charge current will be 3.6A.

It should be noted that the weight of the model is 342 g, that is, only 100 g more than Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400. In general, this model has left pleasant impressions, although more compact models are more in demand on the market.
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 (fake)
Official page of the original model
www.mi.com/my/pb16000Declared capacity: 16000 mAh
The average price according to Yandex.Market -
2300 rubles

And here is the real fake. Its packaging is practically no different from the original. There is even a special security code. However, by entering this code on the official website (http://www.mi.com/verify/) we learn that it does not fit. Alas, it will be possible to find out only after receiving the parcel, so there is little sense from this.



What is the difference from the original version of Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000? The first thing that strikes this cover body. The original battery is matte, and in this version it is brilliant. The second is the inscription with the technical characteristics - it is read with the naked eye. It is possible with Xiaomi, to make the inscription difficult to read is a special protection against fakes, however, it is not very convenient for the user. Another point is a round sticker with a "guarantee". Such stickers can often be seen on Chinese products and this is one of the signs that the product may be of poor quality.

If you compare the batteries, putting them close, you can see that the thickness of the case at the fake (located on the left) is less, and its edges are more sharp. In addition, upon closer inspection, you can see a cheaper type of plastic, curved USB connectors and low-quality holes for LEDs.

Another feature of this option is the excessive marzime of the case. Unlike the original battery, wipe problem areas will not work, and the paint even remains on the hands in the form of silver pollen. Of course, the most interesting was inside, but first a few words about the tests.
In work
To assess the capabilities of these models, two “typical” gadgets were taken - a smartphone and a tablet. The smartphone was a little-known model Digma Linx 4.5. This choice is due to the fact that the battery installed in it was just purchased (its capacity is 1800 mAh), and it was very difficult to remain without a favorite phone during the tests. The “typical” tablet served as the ASUS MeMO Pad FHD10 (ME302KL) with a non-removable battery with a capacity of 6760 mAh. He was also practically new, as no one in the family used it. In the process of testing, the tablet and smartphone were transferred to the “On the plane” mode.
Each of the gadgets before connecting to an external battery was completely discharged. My idea was to understand how many times, each of the batteries will be able to fully charge the tablet and smartphone. Accordingly, the devices are connected to the batteries in turn. In order to at least somehow reduce the error to a minimum, each of their models was tested in this way three times. Before starting, the batteries went through three discharge / charge cycles to reset the inhibitor action. This preservative is added to rechargeable lithium-ion batteries for long-term storage after production without loss of capacity.
The result is the following table:
Results | Full charge tablet (6760 mAh) | How much has time to charge (average) | Average charge time | Full charges of the smartphone (1800 mAh) | How much has time to charge (average) | Average charge time |
---|
HIPER POWER BANK RP10000 | one | 25% | 3h 55m | five | 45% | 2h |
HIPER POWER BANK SP20000 | 2 | 40% | 4 hours | eleven | five% | 2h |
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400 | one | 0% | 3 h 55m | four | five% | 3h |
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10000 | one | five% | 3 h 55m | four | 0% | 2h 40m |
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 (original) | 3 | 80% | 3h 45m | 6 | 0% | 2h 20m |
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 (fake) | 0 | 90% | 5h | one | 75% | 4h |
Silver non-original Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 could not charge the tablet even once. Moreover, after several iterations, it simply turned off and did not turn on in principle. In addition, the charge time indicated that there was clearly something wrong with its batteries.
But the original Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 showed itself from the best side. Despite the smaller capacity, he was able to fully charge the tablet almost four times. While its main rival, in the face of HIPER POWER BANK SP20000, having a large declared capacity, was able to charge the tablet only 2 times. However, there is a significant nuance, if you look at the smartphone charging cycles, then here, HIPER POWER BANK SP20000 is knocked forward. Apparently, Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 is more suitable for charging tablets, while smartphones with small capacity batteries are suitable for HIPER POWER BANK SP20000.
If we talk about less capacious models, HIPER POWER BANK RP10000, Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10000 and Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400, then there is no particular difference between them. Two external batteries Xiaomi 10400 and Xiaomi 10000 show about the same result, but if we consider that the new model is more compact, the benefit from its acquisition is obvious. On the other hand, HIPER POWER BANK RP10000, although it does not have a compact size, shows the best result if you look at the cost of the device.
These are interesting and at the same time somewhat contradictory results. In this case, it’s very naive to pretend to any objectivity, but if we approach it from the point of view of an ordinary, average user of this type of devices, these results are quite obvious. Now, after this express testing, we turn to the stuffing of the considered models.
HIPER POWER BANK RP10000

This model, apparently, does not imply disassembling the case at all. In the process of opening it, it turned out that the batteries are firmly glued to both parts of the case, and the case itself consists of two halves, which are mounted on easily broken clips.


The batteries are interconnected using thin plates, to which two wires are soldered to a small printed circuit board. There are no additional vibration pads here, everything rests only on two-sided scotch. The quality of the soldering on the printed circuit board can be called satisfactory, but it's hard to say how long the wires will last. Frequent falls of such a device are likely to lead to their separation from the sites. The board has a “standard” set of components for such devices.

Four batteries with MG31615 18650 marking are installed here. Most likely, they have typical characteristics - 2600 mAh 3.7V. In any case, the search in the network did not give any satisfactory results and who produces these batteries for me remained a mystery.
HIPER POWER BANK SP20000


Unlike the younger brother, this model involves disassembling the housing at home. To do this, unscrew the screws hidden under the decorative lining on the edges of the case. It is true that it is very difficult to open the case from the first time, since two third-party adhesive tape is also present here.



The circuit board is almost exactly the same as the previous model. Batteries are kept on tape, so throwing this model is not recommended. However, between the blocks and under them, there are several shock-absorbing pads.

In HIPER POWER BANK SP20000 installed eight batteries + ICR18650 produced by the Chinese company Great Power. They have the characteristics of 2600 mAh 3.7V, in any case, such data are given on the official website of this company.
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400

Xiaomi approaches the design of its external batteries somewhat differently. Each of the models can be disassembled and then assembled without damaging the device itself. To do this, remove the top plastic cover, which is glued to the inner case, and then unscrew the four screws.


The internal structure is tight enough to the body, and the body itself is made of a fairly thick material. In addition, the housing has stiffeners, which simultaneously serve as holes for fastening screws.

This model has four LGABB41865 LG batteries. Batteries, according to the marking have characteristics of 2600 mAh 3.7V. It should be noted that at Xiaomi, not wires are used, but insulated plates, which continue the connections between banks. A PCB is distinguished by high quality soldering and the use of other types of components. In addition, you can see a small temperature sensor, hidden under the sticker.
Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10000 RM59

The body of this model is disassembled in the same way.

A set of electronic components remained the same. A temperature sensor is also present.

Unlike the previous version, the Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10000 RM59 uses a different type of battery - Panasonic NCR18650B (3400 mAh 3.6V). Their capacity is greater, and the voltage is slightly lower.
According to the sticker, batteries are made in Japan, so it can be hoped that they will last a long time.Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 RM89 (original)

Still, uniform standardization is a great thing.
Unlike younger Xiaomi models, Power Bank 16000 RM89 has a more spacious case. The printed circuit board is made in the form of the letter "G".
This model has five Panasonic NCR18650BE batteries (3100 mAh 3.6V). They have a slightly lower capacity, but at the same time, it is higher than those installed in the version of Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 10400 and external batteries HIPER. The build quality is also no complaints.Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 (fake)
This non-original model is completely different from Xiaomi Power Bank 16000 RM89. Despite the fact that the case is similar, the principle of fixing the board with batteries here is different. There are no screws, everything is mounted on the glue and snaps, which break almost immediately.
In the metal case there are no stiffeners, and the case itself is noticeably thinner. In addition, the weight of this model is less than 70 g. The
insides are easily removed on both sides of the case. Thus, if you once opened such a model, you can only fix it back using adhesive tape.
But most surprising is the filling. The printed circuit board is half the size of the original device. The cables are soldered to the board, and the free space is not occupied by anything. Moreover, the one who collected this model, was too lazy to tear off the top protective layer from the pasted adhesive tape. Thus, it serves only as a battery holder.
In this model, five batteries GM18650BB (2600 mAh 3.7V) manufactured by Green Motion are installed. Like batteries from a fairly well-known manufacturer, but most likely they are also fake. Trying to understand why this model practically could not charge anything, it was revealed that only two out of five banks are working normally. The remaining three are for beauty - after a full charge, the voltage on them ranges from 2-2.5V, which is unacceptable for this type of battery.We can say that this fake is made with a bias on the maximum reduction in the cost of production. The use of other, and apparently poor-quality components, as well as an illiterate collector, is the calling card of bad Chinese devices.Brief conclusions
If we talk about the conclusions that were made after this small test, I personally noted several facts for myself. Do not order from China "branded" electronic gadgets, even the simplest. Some kind of watering can for the shower - please, but everything that carries electronic components in itself is better to buy in a normal online store. Let it be a little more expensive, but still the risk of getting the cat in a bag, or even completely empty bag, is much lower. Xiaomi devices are notable for good and high-quality stuffing, but, alas, because of the desire to be similar to Apple, design and design are often higher than some consumer qualities.External batteries HIPER inferior in quality toppings, but on the other hand, in my opinion, the most practical to use. As a result, the external battery HIPER POWER BANK SP20000 was given to the daughter. Capacity here, of course, decides the key role, but since there are always many small things in the handbag, the case protection here is also an important criterion. In any case, the full capacity of the battery is enough to charge its iPhone 5S for 8 times. For personal use and charging, the Zuk Z1 was chosen as a good model HIPER POWER BANK RP10000, and my wife got the original Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 16000 RM89 battery, match for Xiaomi Mi4c.