I recently tested eight 26650 cells. This is a “shootout” (a contest) between them to find the best performers at lower and at higher power levels.
To compare performance I am using the puff counts I recently started adding to each test report. The table shows how each cell performed at up to 90W, depending on their current rating.
Don’t get caught up in small differences between cells. If one cell delivers a certain number of puffs and another one delivers a few more puffs it would seem like the higher puff count cell is the better choice. But there is enough cell-to-cell performance inconsistency in these that they will average out to about the same puff count or even reverse which is better depending on the cells you happen to get.
If one cell delivers a decent number of puffs more than another then you will probably see it perform better no matter which cells from a batch you get.
Four cells are all identical in appearance, and essentially the same in performance, to the Yong De Li New Energy Co. (YDL) 26650D. buy the ones that you have acces to, are the least expensive, or which are sold by the company you want to give your money to.
Like any cell not made and wrapped by Samsung, Sony, Murata, LG, Molicel, Sanyo, or Panasonic these 26650’s can change at ANY time and might already have. These test results and recommendations are only for the particular cells I tested.
Here is a quick summary of each cell...
Aspire 4300mAh
Looks the same and performs essentially the same as the YDL cell. Aspire has a financial arrangement with the YDL factory (IIRC, partial or full ownership) and has been using their cells for a while. A good performer that Aspire rates at up to 20A continuous. This is about 60W per cell.
Golisi 30A 4300mA
Also looks the same and performs essentially the same as the YDL cell. Use at up to 90W but performance is much better at 60W or less.
Hohm Grown V2 30.3A 4244mAh
Also looks the same and performs essentially the same as the YDL cell. This was a big surprise as Hohm Tech says that all of their cells are made by “Indonesia Chemistry”. I am unable to explain what’s going on. Use at up to 90W but performance is much better at 60W or less.
Vapcell Purple 32A 4200mAh
Also looks the same and performs essentially the same as the YDL cell. Use at up to 90W but performance is much better at 60W or less.
YDL 26650D
Appears to be used by Aspire and other companies. The samples I have are from a source I trust. Since the Aspires I tested look identical to them, and Aspire uses YDL cells, I am confident of their authenticity.
Efest Purple 35A/50A 4200mAh
At up to about 30W it performs about the same as the other 4200mAh-4300mAh cells. Above that its performance is poor. It is preposterously overrated and there’s no reason to buy this cell if any of the others are available.
Vapcell Purple 20A 5000mAh
For up to about 30W this is a better performer than the 4200mAh-4300mAh cells. Above that its voltage sag is too big.
Vapcell Red 20A 5500mAh
A fantastic performer and is clearly the best choice out of the 26650’s I tested for use at up to about 50W. At about 60W it still equals the performance of the 4200mAh-4300mAh cells that look like the YDL cell (not the Efest!). Stay at 60W or lower.
These are all of the 26650’s I recently tested and posted the test reports for. I do not yet know when I will be testing more or which ones I will be testing.
To compare performance I am using the puff counts I recently started adding to each test report. The table shows how each cell performed at up to 90W, depending on their current rating.
Don’t get caught up in small differences between cells. If one cell delivers a certain number of puffs and another one delivers a few more puffs it would seem like the higher puff count cell is the better choice. But there is enough cell-to-cell performance inconsistency in these that they will average out to about the same puff count or even reverse which is better depending on the cells you happen to get.
If one cell delivers a decent number of puffs more than another then you will probably see it perform better no matter which cells from a batch you get.
Four cells are all identical in appearance, and essentially the same in performance, to the Yong De Li New Energy Co. (YDL) 26650D. buy the ones that you have acces to, are the least expensive, or which are sold by the company you want to give your money to.
Like any cell not made and wrapped by Samsung, Sony, Murata, LG, Molicel, Sanyo, or Panasonic these 26650’s can change at ANY time and might already have. These test results and recommendations are only for the particular cells I tested.
Here is a quick summary of each cell...
Aspire 4300mAh
Looks the same and performs essentially the same as the YDL cell. Aspire has a financial arrangement with the YDL factory (IIRC, partial or full ownership) and has been using their cells for a while. A good performer that Aspire rates at up to 20A continuous. This is about 60W per cell.
Golisi 30A 4300mA
Also looks the same and performs essentially the same as the YDL cell. Use at up to 90W but performance is much better at 60W or less.
Hohm Grown V2 30.3A 4244mAh
Also looks the same and performs essentially the same as the YDL cell. This was a big surprise as Hohm Tech says that all of their cells are made by “Indonesia Chemistry”. I am unable to explain what’s going on. Use at up to 90W but performance is much better at 60W or less.
Vapcell Purple 32A 4200mAh
Also looks the same and performs essentially the same as the YDL cell. Use at up to 90W but performance is much better at 60W or less.
YDL 26650D
Appears to be used by Aspire and other companies. The samples I have are from a source I trust. Since the Aspires I tested look identical to them, and Aspire uses YDL cells, I am confident of their authenticity.
Efest Purple 35A/50A 4200mAh
At up to about 30W it performs about the same as the other 4200mAh-4300mAh cells. Above that its performance is poor. It is preposterously overrated and there’s no reason to buy this cell if any of the others are available.
Vapcell Purple 20A 5000mAh
For up to about 30W this is a better performer than the 4200mAh-4300mAh cells. Above that its voltage sag is too big.
Vapcell Red 20A 5500mAh
A fantastic performer and is clearly the best choice out of the 26650’s I tested for use at up to about 50W. At about 60W it still equals the performance of the 4200mAh-4300mAh cells that look like the YDL cell (not the Efest!). Stay at 60W or lower.
These are all of the 26650’s I recently tested and posted the test reports for. I do not yet know when I will be testing more or which ones I will be testing.
