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Portable power banks that charge your phone are popular, but wireless battery packs using Apple’s MagSafe technology offer a simpler and smarter cable-free solution for iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 users. air duster electric cordless
Phone batteries are prone to run dry just when you’re heading away from a power source, so having a portable charging source is one of today’s necessities. Annoyingly, most power banks require you to carry around a cable, too.
Wireless power banks do away with cables but come with their own major limitation–the inefficiency of wireless charging means you need a high-capacity power bank to fully charge a drained iPhone.
I use one as a quick bedside iPhone charger so I can charge and use the phone at the same time without having to worry about cable length. And of course I carry one around with me in my bag for on-the-move recharging.
MagSafe is a technology that’s compatible with all iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models, from the mini to the Pro Max. It allows accessories to connect magnetically to the back of the iPhone. For more information read our Complete guide to Apple MagSafe: What is MagSafe?
The MagSafe connection is precise enough to make wireless charging more efficient as around 20% of Qi power loss is from poor placement of a phone and the wireless charging pad. Standard Qi wireless charging can lose as much as 50% of the portable battery’s power, MagSafe wireless charging loses ‘just’ 30%. There is a new Qi standard coming, read: What is Qi2? Is Qi2 iPhone wireless charging better than MagSafe?
While it’s not as efficient as using a cable to charge a phone, MagSafe is a tech that brings true wireless charging a step closer to doing away with cables altogether.
We have tested the best MagSafe chargers to find which is the right one for you and your iPhone. Here we have tested the best MagSafe battery packs.
Also check out our tests of the best iPhone chargers for wired charging solutions, and of course to refill your iPhone power bank.
Not all are officially “Certified MagSafe” by Apple but we’ve included only those MagSafe-compatible battery packs that work as efficiently as the “Made for MagSafe” models. Official certification is more important for wired MagSafe chargers as the 15W charging power of MagSafe-certified chargers beats the 7.5W maximum for mere MagSafe-compatible accessories.
In comparison, the portable battery packs tested here can’t reach 15W, except those that can be charged simultaneously by wire and wireless. Watch out for Qi2 chargers in 2024, which will offer 15W wireless charging for compatible iPhone 13/14/15 even if not certified MagSafe; read Qi2 vs MagSafe.
We have listed the speeds at which each portable power bank can be charged itself (Input charger) and charge the iPhone (Output charger). Some power banks can charge a phone faster if you connect a cable, and we have highlighted those below.
We’ve also included a few alternative non-magnetic options, including standard power banks and battery cases. MagSafe is cool but it isn’t always the best option.
After the list of our favorites, you’ll find more details on how MagSafe works and why you should be looking at a power bank’s capacity in Watt Hours rather than the mostly quoted Milliamp Hours.
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W) & USB-C (30W)
Dimensions: 4.3-x-2.7-x-0.8 inches (10.9-x-6.9-x-2cm)
Colors: White, Black, Green, Yellow
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
This iPhone power bank has a huge capacity, refilling a faded iPhone 15 Pro twice over in our tests—the best we’ve seen. Only the OtterBox 2-in-1 Power Bank comes close. We run the iPhone down to 10%, recharge using the power bank, and keep doing this until the power bank is empty.
It is MagSafe compatible and can wirelessly charge an iPhone at 7.5W, or a super speedy 30W when connected via USB-C—again, the best we’ve yet seen. What makes this power bank even more special is its short built-in USB-C cable that can be used for fast-charging an iPhone 15 or refilling the power bank itself. The 5.5-inch cable can be neatly hooked into the battery pack’s USB-C port for easy carrying.
Wirelessly it will work with any MagSafe iPhone (12/13/14/15). iPhone 15 users can connect via the integrated USB-C cable or a separate longer cable if required. Owners of earlier iPhones can use a USB-C to Lightning cable instead for 30W wired charging from the power bank.
It’s reasonably chunky—twice as thick as the old Apple Battery Pack—but around the same as any other 10000mAh MagSafe power banks we’ve tested.
This power bank is clearly built for the iPhone 15 family—with its neat integrated USB-C cable—but it works as well as any other wireless power bank tested here with the other MagSafe iPhones, and that built-in cable can be used to charge the power bank itself.
At present it’s available in the U.S. only.
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W), USB-C (20W), USB-A (18W)
Dimensions: 4.1-x-2.7-x-0.75 inches (10.5-x-6.9-x-1.9cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
The battle to be the best MagSafe-compatible power bank that also boasts a kickstand has been blown apart by the performance of the oddly named Benks MagClap StandGo Power Bank.
While a little bigger and 25% heavier than the Belkin BoostCharge and Anker MagGo 622, its battery capacity is twice that of its rivals. Where the Belkin recharged a faded iPhone 13 Pro by 90%, the Benks boosted it by a whopping 160%.
It also boasts two USB ports. You recharge the battery pack itself via the USB-C port at 20W, and you can also use this port for faster-than-wireless cable charging, also at 20W when you’re in a hurry for power. The bonus USB-A port can charge at 18W, so you could charge three devices simultaneously at decent speeds.
At the time of writing, the choice of colors is quite arbitrary. U.S. buyers can choose from all three, while the U.K. gets black only, and some other countries, just blue.
Either way, this magnetic battery pack is our overall winner for charging capacity and flexibility, with the kickstand an added bonus.
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W) & USB-C (10W)
Dimensions: 3.7-x-2.5-x-0.55 inches (9.4-x-6.4-x-1.4cm)
Colors: Black, White, Lavender Purple (US), Blush Pink (US)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
While the Benks 10000mAh MagClap StandGo Power Bank boasts the best re-charging capacity we’ve seen, if you want a slightly smaller and lighter battery pack with a stand, we recommend you choose between the Belkin BoostCharge and the Anker MagGo 622. Both have 5000mAh batteries but the Belkin won in our head-to-head tests, recharging a faded iPhone 13 Pro by 90%, compared to Anker’s 80%.
The Belkin’s kickstand is easier to use and feels more robust, and the battery pack itself is marginally smaller. We still love the Anker 622 but the Belkin wins the battle of the MagSafe kickstand power banks.
It also beats Apple’s 5W wireless charging with 7.5W when clamped to the back of an iPhone, and while it doesn’t hit 15W on simultaneous wired and wireless charging like the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack, it can be charged with a cable at a chippy 10W.
The Pink and Purple colors are available in the U.S. only. Everyone else gets either Black or White models to choose from.
Dimensions: 3-x-2-x-0.24 inches (7.6-x-5.1-x-0.6cm)
Colors: Multiple colors and patterns
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
The Power Pod from phone-case supremo Casely builds on the company’s bright and patterned phone cases range to make this the MagSafe-compatible battery pack the most varied in range.
It is also the lightest and smallest magnetic battery pack, which is a big plus in portability.
The Power Pod might not have charged as some of the other 5000mAh portable magnetic power banks here, but it does beat Apple’s own MagSafe Battery Pack, although it’s not quite as smart. The 78% battery boost we got should be enough to keep your phone going until you reach a charging station.
It comes with a separate magnetic adhesive ring that you can attach to a non-magnetic phone and enjoy the benefits of a battery pack.
At present, this product is available in the U.S. only.
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W) & USB-C (18W)
Dimensions: 4.25-x-2.7-x-0.95 inches (10.8-x-6.8-x-2.4cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
We have tested a lot of great portable MagSafe wireless chargers but this is the smallest iPhone and Apple Watch charger that doubles up as a power bank. The OtterBox 2-in-1 Power Bank with MagSafe, reviewed below, is a faster-charging but larger alternative, while the Alogic Lift power bank is a more compact solution.
Yes, it’s a little larger and certainly heavier than most of the wireless power banks reviewed here, but it’s a neat solution if you are away from a power source when either—or both—your Apple devices pings you that terrifying Low Power Mode suggestion.
The Apple Watch charging module flips up from the back of the power bank’s pull-out stand and feels robust enough to survive in-bag travel. It chargers at 3W rather than 5W so doesn’t support Apple Watch Fast Charge but it will inject the juice that your Watch requires when you need it—no Move calorie counting or Exercise minutes need be missed.
There are two USB ports: one USB-C for input or faster wired iPhone charging (18W); and a USB-A port for older charging cables. You could use either port to charge your AirPods or another iPhone. While you can use both at the same time, simultaneous USB charging does drop power pace to just 5W.
In our tests, using an iPhone 15 Pro, the power bank wirelessly charged close to 150%. There are 10K battery packs that offer greater charging power: the Baseus Magnetic Power Bank (187%) and Benks MagClap StandGo (160%) both offer better performance but lack the extra USB ports and Apple Watch charger.
Dimensions: 4.1-x-2.6-x-0.5 inches (10.5-x-6.6-x-1.3cm)
Colors: White, Gray, Purple, Green, Blue
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14, 15, except mini
The Anker MagGo 622 Magnetic Battery is cheaper than the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack, has a larger battery capacity and is available in multiple muted colours: white, purple, green, blue and gray.
It works with all MagSafe iPhone, but sits a little over the smaller iPhone mini when magnetically attached.
We love that the Anker 622 comes with its own built-in fold-out stand, which with MagSafe’s pulling power will hold your iPhone securely in either portrait/vertical or landscape/horizontal mode. The Belkin BoostCharge 5K, reviewed above, has a tougher metal pull-out stand, and also offer another 10% of charge on the better-looking Anker 622.
if you want ultra-charging power, consider the Benks MagClap StandGo Power Bank (also reviewed above) with its powerful 10000mAh battery.
The stand folds away so that it can be popped in a pocket to be magnetically clamped to the phone when you need it most – and operates just like the Apple battery pack.
In our battery tests, the 622 managed to charge a drained iPhone to 80% of full power, which is a significant jump on Apple’s MagSafe Battery Case and the UAG Lucent Charger (also with kickstand) that both powered the iPhone to just 60%.
The Anker battery is rated at 19.13Wh (5000mAh) but, like all the other wireless chargers loses a decent chunk of that power to environmental factors. As its battery is larger than Apple’s, it actually loses a little more but has plenty in reserve to make up for this.
The Anker battery charges wirelessly at 7.5W–faster than Apple’s 5W charge, although the Apple battery can use the wireless Qi and cabled USB-C power simultaneously to speed charging at up to 15W.
It ships with a 60cm USB-C cable.
Dimensions: 4.1-x-2.6-x-0.5 inches (10.5-x-6.6-x-1.3cm)
Colors: Black, Deep Ocean, Marshmallow, Orchid
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
A third-party alternative to Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack is Urban Armor Gear’s Lucent Wireless Portable Charger. Like the Apple Battery Pack, it’s not the highest capacity battery on test here, but it is dinky—just a little larger and heavier than Apple’s.
The battery capacity appears a lot larger in the specs, but Apple’s smart magic means they both tested in real life around the same–raising a dead iPhone to just over 60% charge.
This UAG portable magnetic charger beats Apple on having a handy built-in kickstand and a choice of colors, as well as faster charging at 7.5W. And it’s also a decent amount cheaper.
It ships with a 1m USB-C cable, although it’s old-school USB-A on the wall-plug end.
Dimensions: 3.9-x-2.6-x-0.47 inches (9.9-x-6.6-x-1.2cm)
Colors: Black, Blue, Brown, Purple
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
The Moft Snap Stand Power Set is a clever combination of magnetic battery pack with a detachable stand that also holds up to three travel or credit cards.
The faux leather stand took me a few goes to work out how it works, but once you’ve mastered it, it’s easy. Previously, I haven’t seen a stand that can hold cards at the same time, so this is smarter than most MagSafe stands.
The supplied USB-C cable also links magnetically to the battery pack, which will charge a connected iPhone first before the power bank itself. While the battery pack offers only a 50% charge, that will likely be enough for most trips away from a fixed power source. If you need more portable battery capacity, look at an alternative such as the Anker MagGo 622 (80% charge).
It is MagSafe-compatible but curiously boasts a usually only-MagSafe-certified feature, where there’s a visual representation of available charge on the iPhone itself.
Dimensions: 4.2-x-2.6-x-0.47 inches (10.6-x-6.6-x-1.2cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15, except mini
The Anker MacGo 633 Wireless Charger is more than just a MagSafe charger. It’s also an adjustable stand that charges the iPhone when in place, and also keeps the 633 battery charged for when you need to slip it out of its holster for portable use.
And the base of the stand is also Qi-enabled so can wirelessly charge an AirPods case or similarly sized Qi-ready device.
As a portable battery charger that magnetically attaches to the iPhone it is similar to its non-charge-stand sibling, the Anker MagGo 622. And it has the same 19.13Wh (5000mAh) battery that offers a greater charge potential than Apple’s own MagSafe Battery Pack.
In our tests, it charged an empty iPhone 13 Pro up to 84%, beating the 622’s 80% and Apple’s 60%.
It charges the iPhone at a decent 7.5W–the same as the 622 and 1.5x better than the Apple–and comes with a 25W wall charger and 1.5m USB-C cable.
The Anker MagGo 633 is great value as it offers so many functions: desktop charger, portable power bank, AirPods charger, and adjustable viewing stand, and is doesn’t compromise on any of those roles.
Input charger: USB-C (18W)
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W), Wired (20W)
Charged drained iPhone to: 149%
Dimensions: 4.1-x-2.7-x-0.79 inches (10.4-x-6.9-x-2cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
The ESR Halolock Kickstand Wireless Power Bank might not mention its magnetism in its name, but it is a worthy alternative to Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack.
It’s MagSafe compatible rather than certified, so charges at 7.5W instead of 15W, but its 10000mAh battery capacity is significantly greater.
It also boasts a robust metal kickstand that can be used in both portrait and landscape modes.
That and its giant capacity positions it as a competitor to the SWIO/CAVN Magnetic Wireless Portable Charger (reviewed above). While it’s more expensive, it did power our faded iPhone for longer and has a tougher kickstand. It’s also a little smaller, but a tiny bit heavier.
Passthrough charging lets you charge your phone and power bank at the same time.
Output charger: Wireless (15W) & USB-C (20W)
Dimensions: 6-x-3.15-x-1.3 inches (15.3-x-8-x-3.4cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
This is the largest and heaviest MagSafe power bank we’ve tested. It measures 6-x-3.2-x-1.3 inches (15.3-x-8-x-3.4cm), and weighs a hefty (12oz (340g).
It’s certainly not one to slip easily into a pocket, although it can do if you take everything else out!
It’s great, though, if you use it as a standard wireless charging stand for most of the time but need it occasionally to take away and charge your phone on the go, and it will also charge your Apple Watch when it’s laid flat.
Fully Apple certified, it wirelessly charges an iPhone at 15W and fast-charges an Apple Watch. It’s big but it recharges more iPhone than any other battery pack tested here.
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W), USB-C (18W)
Dimensions: 4.1-x-2.56-x-0.71 inches (10.3-x-6.5-x-1.8cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
The iWalk Magnetic Wireless Power Bank has a couple of features not found on other magnetic battery packs.
The most obvious is the finger ring, which is meant to mean safer holding but we prefer to grip our phone using a whole hand. But it does double-up as a kickstand for the iPhone so you can place it in a horizontal/landscape viewing position–horizontal feels more stable.
Even more useful is the LED battery-charge indicator that shows you exactly how much charge is in the power bank. This is way more helpful than the usual array of four tiny LEDs that most battery packs come with and especially more informative than Apple’s single Orange (not full) or Green (full) LED that lights up only when cable- connected to a power source.
The iWalk power bank also boasts a sizeable battery, with 2.2Wh (6000mAh) capacity. It recharged our test iPhone 13 Pro to 100% and then another 5% above that, so, in reality, a full charge with a little over for expected battery drain if left sitting in your bag for a few days. And it will charge a non-Pro 12, 13, 14 or 15 even further.
As such, it’s heavier and fatter (including the pull-out ring) than most other magnetic power banks tested here.
It can charge while magnetically clamped to the iPhone and also (but not simultaneously) by USB cable at an impressive 18W, although you’ll need a USB-C-to-Lightning cable for wired charging.
it comes with a USB-C-to-USB-C cable for charging the pack itself, and also a Magsticker to attach to non-MagSafe phones for the same battery-pack functionality.
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W), USB-C (20W)
Dimensions: 5.7-x-2.9-x-0.67 inches (14.4-x-7.3-x-1.7cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
If you like to see how much charge is left in your power bank, this battery pack will both appeal and disappoint.
The good news is that the LED charge percentage indicator lets you know the remaining juice left in the charger. The bad news is that it is placed on the same side as the magnetic connection so that your phone covers up the display while attached.
This doesn’t matter greatly as you can just take the phone off, check, and replace but it seems an odd design decision nonetheless.
Aside from that, this is a high-capacity magnetic power bank that charged our test iPhone 13 Pro 1.5 times.
One of its other benefits is its ability to 20W fast-charge an iPhone when connected with a USB-C-to-Lightning cable (not included).
It is long and wide but not overly heavy and will slip into a pocket easily enough.
Input charger: USB-C (20W)
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W), Wired (12W)
Charged drained iPhone to: 149%
Dimensions: 3.8-x-2.6-x-0.79 inches (9.6-x-6.6-x-2cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15, except mini
Like its sibling battery pack with a kickstand, the Benks MagClap On-Go Power Bank has a funny name but performed well in our tests, with one of the best results in charging an iPhone 13 Pro 1.5 times.
It’s compatible rather than MagSafe certified, so charges at 7.5W instead of 15W.
The casing is matte and silicone smooth, which can show dirt easier but is less likely to slip from your grip than shinier battery packs.
The Benks 10000mAh battery pack is a little smaller and lighter than the similarly powered Benks MagClap StandGo power bank but lacks the handy kickstand and multiple USB ports.
Input charger: USB-C (18W)
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W), Wired (20W)
Charged drained iPhone to: 92%
Dimensions: 3.8-x-2.5-x-0.6 inches (9.7-x-6.4-x-1.5cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
This 6000mAh magnetic wireless power bank performed well in our tests, recharging a fading iPhone 13 Pro battery by over 90%.
It’s average sized and pretty light, and its greatest feature is the ability to fast-charge the iPhone by 20W when wired, although, of course, the whole point of MagSafe here is wireless charging. So fast-charge when you can with a cable but take it on the road as a standard 7.5W magnetic power bank.
Dimensions: 5.6-x-2.8-x-0.83 inches (14.3-x-7.1-x-2.1cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
Larger and weightier (2x the nearest rival) than alternatives, the Belkin Magnetic Portable Wireless Charger 10K is more of a wireless charging pad that can also be carried around as a power bank.
This isn’t a bad thing as many users will have a less frequent need of it as a power bank and will charge their phone at their bedside or on their desk while working.
But when you do need it, the Belkin 10K really delivers with a massive 38Wh (10,000mAh) battery capacity. Its 7.5W charging speed is also impressive.
However, we prefer the equally capacious Benks MagClap StandGo Power Bank that we tested, which is lighter, smaller and features multiple USB ports.
It’s available in old-school black and white models.
(We haven’t tested this product yet and will update here with its battery score as soon as we have.)
Charged drained iPhone to: In testing
Dimensions: 6.3-x-3.4-x-1.14 inches (15.9-x-8.7-x-2.9cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
Too bulky to attach to your iPhone and stay on while the phone is carried about, the Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus is not a proper battery pack like the others we have tested but is still portable and MagSafe compatible.
What it does offer is a massive battery capacity of 92.5Wh (25,000mAh), which should be enough to get you through a weekend festival.
It also can be recharged to go again, incredibly quickly. This power bank has graphene-composite technology inside, and so can be charged at much lower temperatures than lithium-polymer, which means it can also charge significantly faster.
Instead of taking three or four hours to recharge, with its 100W USB-C Power Delivery 3.0 inputs, in our tests this got from zero to 100% in 50 minutes, or to 80% in 45 mins.
Boasting five lithium-polymer graphene-composite battery cells that have been designed in partnership with Tesla and Panasonic, the Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus is priced accordingly, which isn’t surprising for gadgets based on the latest technologies. Graphene-composite batteries have a lifespan four times longer than lithium-polymer, rated for 2,000 cycles, which means they could keep going at full-pelt for five years or more.
It can charge a MagSafe iPhone at 7.5W and an Apple Watch at 5W, and has a large array of OLED percentage displays. With an array of outputs, it can charge up to six devices at the same time.
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W), Wired (10W)
Dimensions: 3.7-x-2.5-x-0.55 inches (9.4-x-6.4-x-1.4cm)
Colors: Red, Blue, Pink, Yellow, Green, White, Black
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15, except mini
The RapidX Boosta Magnetic Wireless Charger scores around the same recharge power as other 5,000mAh magnetic battery packs, and is similar in most other respects, too.
Wireless charging speed is 7.5W, or you can connect with a USB-C to Lightning cable (not included) for 10W wired charging. The Boosta comes with a white USB-C cable for charging the power pack itself.
While you can’t charge a phone simultaneously with a wired and the wireless connections, it does charge the phone and power bank together while plugged to power.
It’s available in seven shades. None exactly matches the iPhone but it’s a better than just black or white.
RapidX also sells a compatible charging stand for the Boosta battery pack, although in black and for the US only. This can charge the battery and the phone at the same time, and also features a side USB-A port that can be used via cable to charge another device. It ships with a 30W USB-C charger and cable.
Output charger: Wireless (7.5W), Wired (12W)
Dimensions: 3.8-x-2.5-x-0.63 inches (9.7-x-6.3-x-1.6cm)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
The HyperJuice Magnetic Wireless Battery Pack comes from one of our favorite Apple accessory makers, Hyper.
It looks smart and charges up quickly, with a 12W input.
However, it underperformed in our charging tests, scoring just 74%.
Wireless and USB-C connectivity allows you to quick-charge two devices at the same time, but not the same device at a faster speed.
It’s decent value in the US but Hyper’s high shipping charges make it an expensive product internationally.
Input charger: Lightning and Qi (7.5W)
Output charger: Lightning or USB-C for iPhone (5W)
Compatibility: All iPhone 12, 13, 14 and 15 models
A battery case offers both robust protection and the opportunity to recharge a fading iPhone battery on the go. We loved the old Apple Smart Battery Case for iPhone but there isn’t a version for any iPhone after version 11, with Apple going down the MagSafe-only route—although Apple has now discontinued even its Smart Battery Case (see review above).
The Newdery Battery Case offers full protection and nearly a full battery recharge, and this dual function makes it a cheaper alternative to a MagSafe case and MagSafe battery pack. However, some may find the bulky design too chunky, although the case itself weighs just 134g.
The Newdery Battery Case scored 96% in our test, showing that it will supply very close to a 100% recharge—better than any MagSafe power bank that we have tested so far.
It charges like an iPhone via a Lightning or USB-C cable (not included), but it is also wireless compatible so can be charged itself on most Qi charging pads.
If you desire protection as well as longer battery life, the Newdery Battery Case offers both in an affordable package.
Newdery iPhone Battery Cases on Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA.
MagSafe charger testing was conducted using an iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro, subscribed to a 5G network and WiFi, with screen off and all default settings.
Our test is a simple battery recharge shootout. We let our test-unit iPhone Pro (3,095mAh battery capacity) drain to just 10% and then set the Battery Pack to work recharging the phone.
We then assigned the charger a score of whatever percentage it managed to charge the iPhone to and subtract the 10%; we test each model at least twice.
It’s not a real-world test of day-to-day use where you’ll likely be using your phone for various tasks (of varying battery usage) and in different environmental conditions and network configurations.
But it does give us a common score format that we can use to compare different battery-pack models.
Phone batteries are generally rated in Milliamp Hours (mAh) but this is a measure of electrical charge, while a Watt Hour is equal to one watt of energy consumed for one hour of time.
When comparing battery capacities and how much a power pack will boost a phone’s internal battery, energy is more important than electrical charge.
And mAh ignores a battery voltage, which determines the wattage (power) of a battery.
If the mAh is the same, the higher the voltage, the greater the actual stored power.
For example, Apple’s MagSafe Battery Pack is rated at just 1,460mAh but it has a higher voltage potential (7.62V) than the iPhone (3.81V) or other battery packs, meaning that it can provide more power to an iPhone than its mAh suggests; in fact, it is actually 2,920mAh.
To go into further depth about this read our feature iPhone battery capacities compared that also lists all iPhones battery life in mAh and Wh.
Simon was Editor of Macworld from the dark days of 1995 to the triumphant return of Steve Jobs and the launch of the iPhone. His desk is a test bench for tech accessories, from USB-C and Thunderbolt docks to chargers, batteries, Powerline adaptors and Fitbits.
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