Anker Power Bank, 521 Magnetic Portable Charger (PowerCore Magnetic 5K), 5000 mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank with USB-C Cable, for iPhone 14 Series and iPhone 13 Series

Product Information

You need fast power: This is a very slow charger, whether wired or wireless, so it's better for casual charging while you sip your water and read a book.

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. Charging Speed: The higher the watts your power bank can deliver, the faster your phone will charge. A five-watt capacity is pretty standard, but some can go as high as 15. Most power banks now use a USB-C port to recharge, although some models will have a micro-USB port as well to ensure compatibility with older chargers. Don’t worry if you don’t have the required cable, as one will usually be provided in the box. 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.

Easy Magnetic Attachment

This is ideal for iPhone owners who like to use their phone while it's charging and don't mind paying a premium price.

Aside from that, this is a high-capacity magnetic power bank that charged our test iPhone 13 Pro 1.5 times. EnergyCell’s portable charger is as basic as power banks get, with just a micro-USB input, a USB-A output and no support for any fast-charging standards. What’s more, it’s slow. The USB-A output is specified as 10W, but in our tests we measured the output at between 7W and 9W depending on the phone. A 15-minute charge only raised the level on our test smartphone by 7%. However, we prefer the equally capacious Benks MagClap StandGo Power Bank that we tested, which is lighter, smaller and features multiple USB ports.

Uninterrupted Charging, Always

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 Anker Nano is only 5,000mAh, but that doesn't mean it can fully charge a 5,000mAh phone battery like you'll find in the Galaxy S23 Ultra. Power banks are about 60-70% efficient, depending on the phone's technology, so this power bank is good for charging an iPhone 15 to nearly full, but that big Ultra will only get about 65% charge. The most important question to consider when buying a power bank is what will you be charging? If you are charging a small smartphone and that's all, a simple power bank will suffice. If you plan on charging a laptop occasionally as well, or many devices at once, you'll want something with more power and more features. Compatibility: MagSafe is specifically tailored for Apple devices, including iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods, while Qi wireless charging is a universal standard adopted by various brands. Basically, you’re trying to balance four factors: size, speed, capacity and price. The rules are simple enough: the less you spend, the lower the capacity and the slower the power bank will charge.

When we are considering MagSafe chargers, we account for price, how many devices it can charge, charging speed and portability. We also take into account special features like a pivoting charging head that allows you to change your viewing angles, or if the device comes in multiple color options. Are these MagSafe chargers compatible with older iPhones? We expect this competition will heat up next year as more power bank makers catch up and make faster charging batteries. Until then, Anker is the dominant brand, and if you want the best it's an easy choice. How many times can my power bank charge my phone? Ports: Many of these chargers will come with extra ports, so you can charge other devices. Sometimes the ports are so you can charge the bank itself though, so keep this in mind. How We Selected When you’re looking at the different options, you’ll notice a lot of them have very slight differences. When you choose your MagSafe portable charger, you’ll want to keep these things in mind, so you don’t wind up with a charger that isn’t what you want. Here are specs to look out for: The best power banks we have tried have all come from Anker, but that doesn't mean Anker is the only brand you should consider. All of the power banks on this list passed our testing, traveling with us on the road and powering our devices at home. Anker is the best, but these batteries from Baseus and Otterbox performed well.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. 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. Wireless charging has become popular because it allows you to power up compatible devices without a cable. Qi is the dominant standard for compatible Android phones (up to 18W) while Apple iPhones rely on MagSafe charging (up to 15W). iPhones will charge wirelessly on Qi chargers, but only at 7.5W. 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.