Long time BlackVue user and reviewer Ariel (Vortex Radar) recently made a video titled “Dedicated Dashcam Batteries vs. Portable USB Battery Packs”. And it’s exactly what it sounds – in the video, Ariel makes several well-argued points why it’s better to equip your dashcam with a dedicated battery pack rather than use the portable USB battery packs (the ones we usually use to charge our phones on the go). Here are here his arguments for dedicated battery packs such as theBlackVue Power Magic Ultra Battery B-124.

1. Different technology.
   The portable USB battery packs are made with different material (lithium-ion). It’s important due to safety reasons – lithium-ion batteries tend to “expand” and even explode in extreme cases because of the heat. Dedicated battery packs (B-124 andB-112) are safer to use in extreme temperatures, hence good for longer recording times.
2. Different use.
   This point has to to with how dashcams are used as opposed to how cellphones are used. Dedicated batteries have the advantage of having been design to “work in the background.”
3. Different charging time.
   In the BlackVue Power Magic Ultra Battery’s case, the charging time is as little as 40 minutes. For portable USB batteries, it can be up to overnight charging (depending on the capacity).

Watch the video by clicking the thumbnail above orhere.