I've seen these new solar powerbanks that cost around 40-50 euros, and I was wondering if they actually work or if it's just a trend. Would you use them to charge your smartphone when you're out and about? How long does it take to charge them in the sun?
How many days do you actually spend in direct sunlight, not just outdoors? I've had one for a couple of years and the reality is that the solar panel charges really slowly - we're talking hours and hours of direct light just to add maybe 20-30% to your phone's battery. If you're at the beach or in the mountains all day with the sun beating down, it's fine, but if you're walking around the city or often in the shade it's pretty much useless.
The real advantage for me is that I keep it in my backpack as a backup: if your phone's battery dies and you've still got a few hours of daylight left, at least the powerbank charges up a bit while you wait. But don't count on it to charge fast. At 40-50 euros it's one of those gadgets you buy hoping it'll work miracles, and then you end up using it way less than you expected.
It depends on how you use it. If you're out all day in the sun, yeah, it works and saves you when your phone battery is almost dead. The problem is that getting it fully charged in the sun takes hours - like 6-8 hours of decent sunlight - so it's more useful as a backup than as your main charger. For that price range (€40-50) the quality is pretty hit-or-miss, but if you use it consciously (keeping it in the sun while you read or have a picnic) rather than counting on it as a reliable source, it's a sensible purchase.
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