If you are a smartphone user, most probably you would have experienced shortage of power somewhere along the line. And amidst that, you might have invested in a good power bank, or so you thought…until it stops charging your smartphone after a couple of months down the road. And then you drop by the shop and grab another power bank, with all the rosy promises from your shop owner. After all, his brand is better than others. Or is it really?
Welcome to Malaysia. Where 3rd party brands seldom heard out of Malaysia are sold by the dozens. And many have been confused and tired of buying power banks (or better known as battery packs out of Malaysia). Personally, I’ve encounter friends who keep telling me that their Power Banks just failed them, some after a few months.
Power Bank Failed : Prevent this
1) Do not rush when buying
- If you are in an urgent need of a power bank, never rush to places like Digital Mall, or even the friendly shop down the road. After all, they might be selling you a re-branded third party Power Bank that stops working. We wrote much on dishonest shops who sell low quality power banks or imitation ones. Read up about it here.
2) Always do your homework
- Even if you are short of time, Googling some Power Bank name only takes a couple of minutes. If its not heard of at all, either you got a very new batch of Power Bank, or they’re selling you a dud
3) Understand the Warranty and Terms and Conditions
- While Power Banks are slightly on the pricey side, being expensive doesn’t mean its water-proof, drop-proof and various other things you see on the stunt show. In fact, warranty is often limited to the terms and conditions as specified by the official brand page / distributor. Never assume you’ll get a one to one exchange unless stated.
4) Make sure you buy original
- It’s easy to say, isn’t it? However, with this time and age, any factory can produce a copy that looks similar on the outside. However, do they have the same materials inside? In our desperation to buy a Power Bank, we ourselves bought products that seems too good to be true. If its too good to be true, most often it is indeed too good to be true.
Instead if you are looking towards buying a Power Bank, here is some of the reasons why you should get one which is reliable and of good quality. Best if it comes from a reputable brand.
- If you need that one last phone call before your battery dies out …
- If you are on Waze, looking for directions on some unknown road … (imagine if you are on some dark and lonely road!)
- If you are waiting for an urgent message or email … (could be even from your Boss!)