What is mAh for Batteries? Does It Impact Battery Life?

In this highly technologically sophisticated world, you might be hearing or seeing the word mAH or milliampere per hour when you are shopping for a new gadget or watching reviews, or unboxing videos of a newly released device. But have you ever wondered—what is mAh for batteries? Why do they matter? Or what is its importance to you as a consumer? Well, the information might not seem relevant to you, but knowing them can give you a good sense of the value you are getting when you are buying an electronic or handheld device.

In this blog, I will discuss the basic information you need to know about the subject matter of mAh. And then, I will help you with how the amount or level of mAh affects the quality and longevity of your battery. So without any further ado, let’s get right into today’s discussion.

What is mAh?

As we move towards an increasingly digital and connected world, the role of batteries in powering our devices has become more important than ever. The capacity of a battery to hold a charge and provide power for an extended period of time is measured in milliampere-hours (mAh). But what exactly does this measurement mean?

In simple terms, mAh refers to the amount of energy a battery can store and release to power a device. The higher the mAh rating, the more energy the battery can hold and the longer it can power your device before needing to be recharged. Therefore, mAh is an important factor to consider when purchasing a battery for your devices.

mAh vs AH: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to batteries, there are two common units used to express the capacity of the battery. These are mAh and Ah. Both mAh and AH are units of measuring energy, but they differ in their magnitude of measurement.

mAh, or milliampere-hour, is a more commonly used term in the world of batteries, particularly in smartphones, tablets, and other portable electronics. It is a metric that measures battery capacity, which is the amount of charge that a battery can hold. As the name implies, milliampere-hour means one-thousandth of an ampere-hour, so 1 mAh is equivalent to 0.001 AH.

On the other hand, AH, or ampere-hour, is the standard unit for measuring the amount of electric charge that flows in one hour. An ampere is a unit of electric current that represents the rate of flow of electrical charge. Thus, an ampere-hour equals the flow of a charging current of one ampere for one hour.

To put it simply, mAh and AH represent the same concept, but they differ in magnitude. While AH is used for larger applications like vehicles or solar panels, mAh is generally used for measuring the battery capacity of smaller devices.

How Is mAh Calculated?

In simple terms, the formula is mAh = 1000 x Wh/V. That is to ssy, to calculate the milliampere-hours (mAh) of a battery, we need to multiply its watt-hours (Wh) by 1000 and then divide the result by its voltage (V).  For example, if you have a battery with a rating of 2Wh under 5V. The power capability computation is—

mAh = 1000 x 2Wh / 5V

mAh = 2000 / 5V

mAh = 400

Impact of mAh on Battery Life

It's undeniable that battery life is one of the critical parts of our device experience, which can impact our productivity. Therefore, understanding the impact of the milliamp-hour (mAh) rating on battery life is essential.

How mAh Affects Charging Time?

mAh (milliampere-hours) is a measure of battery capacity, which represents the amount of electric charge that a battery can store. The higher the mAh rating of a battery, the more charge it can hold, and thus, the longer it can power a device.

The relationship between mAh and charging time is simple. The higher the mAh rating, the longer it will take to charge a device fully because it has a larger capacity to store electric energy. On the other hand, a lower mAh rating means the device's battery has less capacity to store electric energy and can be charged relatively faster.

However, charging time isn't just dependent on mAh alone. Other factors such as the charging method, cable quality, and device usage during charging also play a role. For instance, using a fast charging adapter for a device with a low mAh rating could lead to the battery overheating and reduce its lifespan.

How Much mAh is Good for a Battery?

A good mAh for a battery depends on the battery and electronics they are embedded into. For example, a power bank is considered to have a good battery capacity if it has 12,000 mAh. On the other hand, smartphones with excellent battery power life are above 4,500 mAh, tablets have batteries have a average capacity about 8,000 mAh, which also goes for laptops.

Does Higher mAh Mean Longer Battery Life?

Yes. A device with a higher milliampere per hour rating means longer battery life. For example, a smartphone with 3000 mAh will only last you about 3 to 5 hours if you use them for an extensive amount of time playing games or watching videos. But a smartphone with a battery rating of 4000 mAh or higher can give you power consumption of over 5 hours of engaging in games or watching movies, for example. However, you also have to bear in mind the higher the battery rating means the longer it charges as well.

But if you need your device to last longer than it should, you can get a power bank or power station battery pack like our Anker 760 Expansion Battery, equipped with our innovative InfiniPower™ technology and LiFePO4 batteries for unmatched endurance and reliability. It features premium electronic components with a lifespan of up to 50,000 hours, ensuring you get the most out of your investment. The battery's secure 3-point protective clasp protects against leakage current during charging, providing peace of mind. Built with durability in mind, the Anker 760 Expansion Battery features a drop-proof unibody design and impact-resistant structural composition to withstand the rigours of everyday use. An ultra-smart temperature control system monitors various temperature levels up to 100 times per second to optimize performance and safety.

We stand behind our product with an impressive 5-year full-device warranty, twice the industry average. With the Anker 760 Portable Power Station Expansion Battery and its unparalleled longevity, you can power your devices with confidence for a decade.

Wrap Up

To wrap things up, the milliampere per hour of the device does not affect battery life directly. But knowing what is mAh for batteries is important to give you a good sense of why they matter to you in shopping for a new electronic that will make your life more comfortable and convenient.

Frequently Asked Questions About What is mAh for Batteries

The following are additional concerns many people have about what is mAh for batteries and their importance to you—

Is Higher mAh better?

A higher mAh battery means more capability in storing and producing power that can last for several hours or even days or so. However, a higher battery rating also means longer battery recharge.

What Does a 5000mAh battery mean?

A 5000mAh battery refers to the capacity of the battery to hold a certain amount of energy. Specifically, the "mAh" stands for milliampere-hour, which is the measurement unit for the energy capacity of batteries. A battery with a capacity of 5000mAh is capable of delivering a continuous current of 1A for 5 hours, or 0.5A for 10 hours, or 5A for 1 hour, and so on.

Which is Better 10000mAh or 20000mAh?

20000mAh battery capacity is better than 10000mAh battery capacity in regards to storing and producing electric current. However, the disadvantage of a 20000mAh battery is that it takes longer to recharge than a 10000mAh battery.