The new MagSafe battery pack is an external battery solution launched by Apple for wireless charging its iPhone 12 by using the MagSafe for wireless charging solution. It is the company’s third attempt at designing a battery pack for the iPhone, and early indications are that it may have finally got it to an acceptable level. However, even if you are inclined to spend $99 on a battery pack, you will need to remember that despite its best intentions, the laws of physics apply to the company, and a battery capable of fully wireless charging iPhone 12 would be too bulky, and conversely, anything that would not seem too oddly large would not have the power to charge the phone fully. However, with the MagSafe, Apple seems to have finally achieved a balance with aggressive management of the battery wireless charging process. However, the tight integration of software means, at best, it is a device specifically focused on the iPhone without having enough power to fully charge using wireless charging an iPhone Mini. The good thing is that when plugged in, it can serve as a fast-charging wireless puck.
Initial Testing Finds It Somewhat Short on Performance
Starting from zero percent, an iPhone Mini charged to 83% before running out of juice in 130 minutes. However, for this test, it was not plugged in, which meant that it charged a relatively slow speed of 5W. It is ideal for minimizing heat generation and maximizing the longevity of the battery. If you are using the phone while wireless charging, it will extend the period significantly. When used on the larger iPhone models, the battery will not get charged to that level so it is best for topping up the charge of your iPhone, not fully wireless charging it. Even though MagSafe has only a 1,460mAh battery, you can’t compare it easily with other competing battery packs because it pushes out a healthy 11.13Wh. For the budget-conscious, taking a look at a 5000mAh model by Anker at less than half the price may make sense because of its 18.5Wh rating.
Small and Compact Form Factor
Despite the tradeoffs, the MagSafe has made, you can’t overlook that it is small and fits the iPhone Mini back perfectly. It is easy to carry in your pockets, and you can overlook its capacity limitations in favor of its small and handy size. It is best used to top off your battery and not look at it as something that you can use to spend days away from a charger. Those who are looking at the Anker battery pack will find it to be larger to accommodate the bigger battery.
Great Software Integration
As may be expected from Apple, the software tightly integrates the MagSafe and the iPhone. You can see large animations showing the charge status of both the iPhone and the battery pack immediately on connecting them. The charge level also shows up on the widget. Interestingly, when the battery is connected to the phone for the first time, a notice pops up on the phone saying that the phone will not charge beyond 90% by design to prevent stressing out the battery. However, if you do require that last bit of charge, you can visit the Control Center to long-press the battery icon to instruct it to charge beyond 90%.
