The peak season for overseas travel during the summer vacation is here again. With the number of Taiwanese people going abroad reaching record highs, in order to solve the anxiety of device battery life during travel itineraries, power bank (Power Bank), travel charger (Travel Charger), and Universal Adapter (Travel Adapter) are hailed by travel experts as the three essential charging treasures for traveling abroad. One of them is indispensable.
What are the differences between power banks, travel chargers, and universal adapters? What are the purchase instructions for each of the three charging treasures? The following is a summary and explanation:
The number of Taiwanese people going abroad will reach 18.94 million in 2025, hitting record highs. In response to travel needs, tourists often carry various mobile devices that need to be charged, such as mobile phones, Bluetooth headsets, smart watches, portable charging fans, cameras, etc. In order to meet the charging needs of equipment and adapt to different charging standards in different countries, mobile power supplies, travel chargers, and universal adapters have become the three necessary charging treasures for traveling abroad. The following is a summary video and detailed description of the purchase instructions for three necessary charging batteries for traveling abroad:
1. What are the differences between power banks, travel chargers and universal adapters?
The power bank is used for emergency recharging of mobile devices when going out. The travel charger can support 100V-240V international voltage charging (output), and the universal plug adapts to the socket shapes of different countries (American, European, British, Australian). The two can be matched with each other to recharge all devices when returning to a hotel or in a place that provides indoor charging sockets. The biggest difference from traveling domestically is that there are more [universal adapters] to adapt to the charging voltage and socket specifications of various countries.
2. Key points for purchasing essential power banks, travel chargers, and universal adapters for traveling abroad:
A.Power Bank:
The mobile power supply is used by passengers to provide emergency power for mobile devices anytime and anywhere. Airlines from all over the world have formulated new regulations in compliance with ICAO regulations. From April 8, 2026, new regulations will be added: each passenger can only carry a maximum of 2, the use of mobile power supplies in the cabin is prohibited, and the use of seat USB sockets to charge mobile power supplies is prohibited… and other regulations.
Note: Each airline has different regulations, please refer to the announcement on the airline’s official website!
For people who plan to go abroad, we have the following suggestions when purchasing a power bank:
a. Products must have a Wh mark, and China tourism must have ccc certification:
At present, most airlines require that mobile power supplies must be clearly marked with Wh on the fuselage, and are usually limited to less than 100Wh. In addition, if you want to travel to mainland China and take its domestic airlines, the product fuselage must also pass the China CCCC certification to avoid being asked to discard it.
b. The recommended capacity is 10,000~20,000mAh:
Since each person is currently limited to two portable power banks on the plane, the battery capacity is 10,000mAh. It is lightweight and can be used for 1 to 2 days of travel, making it the most suitable capacity for traveling abroad. If you are carrying a tablet or laptop, you may consider bringing a 20,000mAh power bank (which must support 65W output).
c. Must comply with the latest airline boarding regulations:
Carrying a mobile power bank on board must comply with the latest regulations announced by various airlines starting in April 2026, including that it can only be placed in carry-on luggage, not checked, each person is limited to 2, the fuselage must have a capacity (Wh or mAh) mark, cannot be charged and used on the plane, the capacity should preferably be less than 100Wh, avoid appearance damage or expansion, etc.
d.Support PD fast input/output:
When traveling abroad, the electronic devices used can easily run out of power. It is very important for the power bank to support PD fast charging. It not only allows the power bank to be fully charged as soon as possible, but also provides the maximum and fastest charging speed to help restore power to electronic devices.
e. Comes with cable or supports magnetic suction:
Carrying a bunch of charging cables when traveling abroad is cumbersome and takes up space. If your phone supports wireless magnetic charging, you can give priority to purchasing a power bank that supports magnetic charging. If your phone does not support wireless charging, you can give priority to a power bank that comes with its own charging cable.
f. If you pay attention to safety, you can consider solid-state/semi-solid battery power bank:
Since solid-state/semi-solid-state battery power banks are safer than traditional lithium-ion batteries when faced with high temperatures or squeezed environments during travel, they can be given priority to travelers who frequently go abroad or use complex environments.
B. Travel fast charger(Travel Charger):
Currently, the charging voltages in most countries around the world are 110V~220V, which is different from the 110V used in Taiwan. When traveling abroad, you must bring a travel charger that can support 110v~220v input. Since the sockets at bedside or desks in foreign hotels are usually very limited, when traveling with many people or carrying multiple electronic devices, it is definitely not enough to just bring the travel charger that comes with your mobile phone. The travel fast chargers recommended for traveling abroad have the following suggestions:
a. Choose one with multiple USB-C holes:
In order to meet the needs of using multiple electronic devices or traveling with many people, it is best for a fast charger for overseas travel to have multiple USB-C holes, especially one that supports 1A2C (USB-A*1+USB-C*2)!
b. Supports PD fast charging and uses “Gallium Nitride (GaN)” technology:
When traveling abroad, it is easy to run out of power when using electronic devices. Travel chargers support PD fast charging so that devices can be fully charged quickly. Fast chargers using “Gallium Nitride (GaN)” technology are small in size, have fast heat dissipation, high output power, and have many wattages to choose from, making them the best choice. When purchasing a GaN fast travel charger, it is recommended that the output should be at least 45W. If you need to charge mobile phones and laptops at the same time, it is recommended to choose a specification above 65W to ensure that the charging speed is not compromised. Special reminder: When purchasing travel chargers in the country, you must have BSMI certification to ensure safety during charging and use!
c. Bring your own cable or support universal adapter:
In order to reduce the need to carry multiple charging cables or extra charging adapters when going abroad, some fast-charging travel chargers come with a charging cable or support universal adapter design. It is recommended that you purchase a spare according to your needs to save some trouble of carrying.
C.Travel Adapter:
Since different countries use different voltages and socket shapes, in terms of plug form, it can be subdivided into 15 types (see “This article“. Most of the universal plugs (Travel Adapter) in the market are only divided into four types, including European standard double round plug (UG-A), American standard parallel flat plug (UG-B), Australian standard eight-shaped flat plug (UG-C), and British standard triangular plug (UG-D).
Image source:Statista
If the voltage and plug type used when traveling abroad are different from those in Taiwan, you must purchase an IWC adapter and use it with a suitable transformer or travel charger. Here are some suggestions for purchasing universal adapters:
a. The universal adapter does not convert voltage and needs to be used with a suitable transformer or travel charger:
Since the IWC adapter “only converts the plug shape, not the voltage,” if you go to a country that uses 220V voltage, in addition to purchasing an IWC adapter, you need to use it with a transformer or travel charger that can support 100V-240V international voltage. In particular, when bringing Taiwanese electrical appliances (such as hair dryers, electric curlers, hair straighteners, electric spoons…) to countries with a voltage of 220V, be sure to confirm whether the appliance supports the 100V-240V international voltage, otherwise it will burn out instantly when plugged into a 220V outlet.In addition to universal adapters, this type of Taiwanese electrical equipment also requires an additional “transformer”, or directly purchase a travel-specific model that supports dual-voltage switching.
b. All-in-one universal adapter can be installed in one piece:
If you frequently travel to different countries, it is recommended to purchase an “all-in-one/universal adapter” or a “travel charger/transformer that supports universal adapters”. You only need one to switch between multiple pins and easily cope with sockets in different countries.
However, the unit price of the “all-in-one/universal adapter” is higher. If you have to use multiple electrical devices, you can still buy a single plug adapter with a lower unit price. You just need to figure out the correct plug type. If you want to carry high-energy-consuming electrical appliances such as hair dryers, electric curlers, hair straighteners, electric spoons, etc., you need to carry a dual-voltage switching transformer.
Source: KOCPC Chinese