

Design: We considered not only how well the power bank was built, how it looked, and how big it was (all things being equal, we prefer smaller, more compact chargers), but also how effectively its surface or magnets held a phone in place.That’s the only functional difference, and we recommend a number of accessories that don’t have Apple’s endorsement but are still great options. Our testing shows that MagSafe is faster than the fastest Qi charging, though not twice as fast.

There’s a small but meaningful distinction between Apple-approved, MagSafe-branded accessories and those made by other companies that simply take advantage of the iPhone’s magnets: True MagSafe supports wireless charging speeds up to 15 watts, which is the fastest wireless charging speed that iPhones can achieve, while non-MagSafe magnetic charging accessories are limited to 7.5 watts (the same maximum speed as standard Qi chargers provide). And unlike most regular Qi wireless power banks, MagSafe power banks securely attach to the back of your phone, so you can walk around and use the phone while it’s charging. Introduced as part of the iPhone 12 lineup in late 2020, MagSafe uses hidden magnets embedded in the phone to align it with compatible wireless chargers, stands, and other accessories.
