Anker Nano vs. iPhone Air MagSafe: Which Ultraslim Phone Charger Should I Get?
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It wasn’t that long ago thatportable power bankswere bigger and heavier than the phones they were meant to charge. But thanks to improvements in battery efficiency andwireless charging, the latest models are no bigger than a card-holder and weigh only a few ounces. Apple and Anker both recently released their own versions — and on paper, the more affordable and powerful Anker Nano seems like the obvious winner. But after testing them side by side over the past week, I was surprised to learn that even with a simple phone charger, performance isn’t everything. The Anker is the better value, but some people — specificallyiPhone Airowners — would actually get their money’s worth from Apple’s more expensive, less powerful, slightly bigger battery.
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The Anker Nano Power Bank and Apple iPhone Air MagSafe Battery are both MagSafe-compatible battery packs that are designed to stick to the back of an iPhone as it recharges. Of all the form factors of battery packs I’ve used over the years, these are by far the most convenient versions. There are no cables to fuss with — integrated or otherwise — and they’re small and light enough that they feel like part of the phone rather than a separate device. In practice, they work the same, but some minor differences set them apart.
The Anker looks far better on paper
The Anker has a total capacity of 5,000 mAh compared to the Apple’s 3,149 mAh. The former can fully recharge an iPhone Air from dead, whereas the latter adds only an extra 65 percent. The Anker can maintain a wireless charging rate of 15 watts, whereas the Apple tops out at 12 watts. It’s nearly an inch shorter than the Apple battery and is a marginal (and unnoticeable) 7 grams lighter. The Anker comes in four colors, whereas the Apple is available only in white. The only advantage the Apple battery has on paper is that it’s 0.30 inches thick compared to the Anker’s 0.34 inches.
The Anker is faster but hotter
In practice, however, the Anker’s faster charging turned out to be more of a liability than a benefit in some cases because the faster a device charges, the hotter it gets. This isn’t an issue when it’s resting on a nightstand, but it quickly became a problem when I attached the Anker to my nearly dead phone and slid them both into my pocket. True to Anker’s claims, the battery itself stayed only warm to the touch, but the phone became unbearably hot within a few minutes. I took it out to let it continue charging to full, and by the time it hit 80 percent, my phone displayed a message on my lock screen that it had paused charging and would resume only after it had a chance to cool down.
The overheating seemed to occur only when recharging from a low battery level. Topping up from 70 percent felt totally fine. Still, I wouldn’t recommend it to someone looking for a pocketable charger to extend their phone’s battery life on a continuing basis — although this may not be as big of a deal for people who carry their phone in a bag.
The iPhone Air battery is better (for iPhone Air owners)
Although the Apple battery gets warm in use, it never gets hot. Apple says it’s designed to be used as a semi-permanent extension of the iPhone Air’s internal battery for those who need it, and it behaves accordingly. Its magnet is a lot stronger than Anker’s, so it really feels as though it’s part of the phone when it’s on there. It also has a slightly more gradually rounded bevel that fits a bit more comfortably in my hand than the Anker. While this battery technically works with other MagSafe-compatible iPhones, it is specifically designed to fit the Air, and its edges won’t align as neatly with other iPhones of different sizes.
The Anker is still a great charger
Despite the Anker’s heat issues, it is still a more capable charger if you’re looking for a portable battery for your iPhone in case of emergencies. It’s almost half the price of the Apple battery yet smaller and more powerful. If you have a regular iPhone or a Pro, it’s a great buy. Just keep it out of your pockets while using it.
iPhone Air owners face a tougher decision. Is it worth an extra $45 to end up with a weaker, heavier battery? There are instances when the “Apple tax” represents an unjustified premium over a cheaper, similar alternative (such as Apple’ssilicone iPhone cases), but this isn’t one of them. Never having to wonderHow hot is too hot?about a device that rests directly on your thigh is difficult to price, but $45 feels like a decent bid. The satisfyingly superior fit only sweetens the deal.
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