Since the launch of the iPhone Air and Apple’s MagSafe battery pack, I’ve been trying to find which MagSafe battery is the best for most people. So I got on Amazon, ordered a bunch of them, and I’ve been testing each one on an iPhone 17. There are five batteries in the competition, all at various price points and marketed as a 5,000mAh battery size. I’m also including the Apple MagSafe battery, but it’s only built with a 3,133mAh battery.
These are the challengers:
I will mention that since I purchased these, UGreen and Kuulaa have both updated their models; however, many of the findings I’ve discovered will still help you in making an informed buying decision. The prices above are what I paid for each battery, but due to the nature of Amazon, I’ve seen them fluctuate wildly.
What makes a good battery
We’re really looking for two things here; how does the batter feel in your hand, and how much does it recharge your phone? A lot of the newer batteries market themselves as having faster speeds, but when it comes down to it, it doesn’t make that much of a difference.
The other thing to be wary of is the extra features. At the end of the day, you’re going to use this a few times a week (or month) to top up your phone at the end of the day, so really, a lot of the extra promises will likely be things most people never use. And why pay more for features you don’t need?
Efficiency is also essential here, but at the end of the day, all the models I tested, except for Apple’s, all performed roughly the same. The more important spec is standby time. How long a battery can live in your bag before it becomes a brick is something that isn’t marketed much, but is crucial for this kind of charger. That said, I haven’t been able to find any stark differences in standby time in my testing, but if anything pops up long-term, I will update.
What I found
I prefer slimmer batteries because I like holding them more, and the Kuulaa battery wins in that regard. It disappeared into my pocket with ease. Be warned that the smaller they are, the hotter they seem to get, though, so I’d try not to wirelessly charge this way while in a small bag.
Magnet quality also mattered a lot. While the Press Play model from Winners was ultimately a fine (but slow) battery, its magnets were so weak that it will probably never get used again after the testing phase.
The final thing that’s nice to have is actual MagSafe support. Most batteries don’t actually interface with your iPhone’s software, but the Kuulaa version did, making it handy to be able to check how much juice is left in the battery using the built-in iOS battery widget. That said, this definitely falls into the nice-to-have category, not the must-have. What’s a must-have is lights somewhere on the back or side to give you a quick battery estimate. All of the models except for Apple’s had this. Apple, on the other hand, has one light that goes green when charged and orange when the battery is low.
While design played a factor, ultimately, there aren’t many good choices, so it doesn’t really matter. The Anker models are likely the best due to their minimal branding, but really nothing comes close to the polish and hand feel of the Apple model. The Iniu model also included a nice kickstand and a wrist strap that doubles as a USB-C cable. However, I think since these batteries are meant to be used in a pinch, most people won’t really use them enough to make those add-ons worth it.
My favourite
At the end of the day, my favourite from my testing was the Kuulaa branded charger. It was slim and sleek and felt nice in my hand while also offering a nice charging speed and top-of-class efficiency.
Right behind that is the Anker model, and all of the others I found a little less attractive. The Iniu was fine, but the overall build quality just didn’t feel as nice as the other two. My UGreen model has been discontinued, but the new one that replaces it still looks to be on the thicker side of things, so I’d probably avoid it.
Beyond all that, I guess I’d also say avoid the tech bin at Winners. Cables are probably fine, but this battery is absolute trash. The Apple version felt the nicest to use (when on the iPhone Air), but its low total charge and high price will make it a deal breaker for most.
