Battery and charging
What does mAh mean on a battery?
mAh stands for milliampere-hours and measures a battery's capacity: how much electrical charge it can store. More mAh means more runtime, as long as you compare devices with similar power draw. It does not measure power or charging speed.
Why more mAh is not always more runtime
Runtime depends on both capacity and consumption. A watch with a small battery can last for days because it draws very little; a phone with ten times the mAh may last one. That is why mAh only works for comparing devices of the same kind.
To compare batteries of different voltage, watt-hours (Wh) are used, obtained by multiplying mAh by volts and dividing by 1000.
On a power bank
The mAh figure refers to the internal cells. When charging another device, part of that energy is lost converting the voltage and as heat, so the charge it actually delivers is lower than the label says. That is normal and happens with every power bank.
What to check before you buy
- Compare mAh only between devices of the same type.
- On power banks, also check the output power in watts: it defines how fast it charges.
- For air travel, airlines limit capacity in Wh: check the label.
Products with mAh in our store
This is how it appears on their spec sheet. Open each one to see all its specifications.
Guides to help you choose
Frequently asked questions
Milliampere-hours: the amount of charge the battery can deliver. A 2000 mAh battery can, in theory, supply 2000 milliamps for one hour.