Popular accessory maker Anker recently came out with a new "Nano" line of products, and I've been testing them out for the last few weeks. All of the products are great, and Anker's ultra slim power bank in particular is appealing for those who are planning to pick up the iPhone Air.
Nano Power Bank
Anker's MagGo Nano Power Bank is a 5,000mAh Qi2 power bank that attaches to the back of your iPhone, providing up to 15W charging while on the go. That's pretty typical for magnetic Qi-based chargers, but Anker's stands out because of how thin it is.
It's 8.6mm thick, or 0.34 inches, and it's the slimmest power bank I've seen. I've been using it constantly since Anker sent it to me for testing, and I'm a fan. It's the best power bank I've used because it doesn't add too much bulk to my iPhone.
I have an iPhone 17 Pro Max that's 8.75mm thick, so it does double the thickness, but it's still thinner than any other power bank that I've tried. Apple's dedicated charger for the iPhone Air is thinner, but that is limited to the iPhone Air and lacks the versatility of Anker's version.
Other magnetic power banks either add a lot of weight or make the iPhone super bulky to hold and use while it's charging, but the MagGo isn't big enough to bother me. I can use my phone as normal and I barely mind it, plus it's slim enough that my iPhone is still easily pocketable. The magnets in the MagGo are strong, so I don't have to worry about it coming off.
Since this is a 5,000mAh power bank, it's not enough for a full charge for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, but it's enough to get me through the day. All wireless chargers suffer from energy loss, so 5,000mAh is closer to 3,000mAh in terms of actual power transfer. This is not the most efficient or fast power bank option for wireless charging, and at 15W maximum, it's slower than MagSafe 2 chargers from Apple. It does, however, have a USB-C port, and it can be used with a USB-C cable when you need faster charging.
If you attach it to your iPhone magnetically, plug in a USB-C cable, and then hold the button for a few seconds, you can turn off the wireless charging and charge over USB-C while the MagGo is still attached to your iPhone. It also charges over USB-C, and supports passthrough charging.
There are times when the MagGo gets warm while charging my iPhone wirelessly, but I tend to get the same thing from any magnetic charger. The heat can impact charging efficiency and slow the wireless charging speeds, but in day to day use, I haven't felt like I'm not getting enough power out of it or that it's not charging quick enough. If I need a lot of power fast, there is no scenario where I am choosing any kind of wireless charging option.
If you're looking for a charger that works well while you're using your iPhone, the MagGo is a good option. I think this is a product that sets a new standard for on-device battery packs, because everything else feels bulky and outdated in comparison.
Nano Power Bank With Retractable Cable
For an option that offers more power and faster power delivery, Anker has the 10,000mAh 45W Nano Power Bank with an included retractable USB-C cable.
The Nano Power Bank is priced at $60, and it's basically a little palm-sized brick. It's about three inches long, two inches wide, and 1.5 inches thick, so it's not exactly pocketable, but it's slim enough to pop into a purse or backpack. It has an attached lanyard so you can loop it around a hand while your iPhone chargers if you want to use your iPhone.
It comes in black or white, and it has an attractive design. The top is a smooth, metallic-looking plastic, and there's ribbing on the sides to improve grip. A button at the side activates an LED that shows how much battery life is remaining, and it's a neat design because the LED is under the top plastic.
If you press the side button, you can cycle through other information too, including battery temperature, health of the power bank, how many devices are connected, and the power being delivered to each product.
The main feature of the Nano Power Bank is its retractable cable, which seems to be a hot new thing accessory makers are adding to products. The cable pulls out 2.3 feet, which is long enough to be able to use the iPhone while the power bank sits on a table.
I have doubts about the durability of the retractable cable. I did try to pull it out further than it retracts, which did not break it. It feels well attached and has continued to retract despite my efforts to thwart it, but it is the kind of thing that would fail over time rather than immediately. Anker says that it was tested for over 20,000 retractions and is designed to last more than 10 years.
What's nice about the retractable cable is that you can pull out just a little or the entire thing. To get it to retract, you just give it a tug and let it go.
Along with the included cable, there's also a USB-C port and a USB-A port, so you can charge multiple devices at one time if you want. Anker says the power bank offers up to 45W, but if you're charging more than one device at a time, that drops significantly. With the USB-C cable and the USB-C port in use, the cable is limited to 15W, and the port is limited to 7.5W. With all three ports, each one only gets 7.5W.
Passthrough charging is supported, so you can charge the power bank while also charging up an iPhone.
Nano Charging Station
Anker's $90 Nano Charging Station is a desktop charger that combines plugs, USB-C and USB-A ports, and retractable charging cables into one small rectangular charger.
You can get the Nano Charging Station in black or white, and with the integrated LED at the front, it looks a lot like an alarm clock. The LED display shows charging information like current charge, amount of power going to devices that are plugged in, and temperature, but I kept wanting it to display the time when it wasn't in use. There's a button at the top that looks like a snooze button, but it is... Click here to read rest of article
Article Link: Review: Anker's New Nano Line is Worth Checking Out
