Smartphone users aren't entirely new to battery woes. While the struggle to find the right cable is behind us all with the universal USB Type-C, the days of running out of battery are not entirely over. Power banks have proven to be useful in most cases, but carrying around a bulky brick is not ideal. Xiaomi addresses that very problem with its all-new Ultrathin Magnetic Power Bank.
The super-sleek 5,000mAh Power Bank is built around one idea: a battery that clips to the back of your phone and stays there unnoticed. At Rs 5,599 in India, buyers pay for that convenience. The Radiant Orange version is the one most likely to turn heads, with a shade that sits close to last year's iPhone colourway.
We put the Xiaomi Ultrathin Magnetic Power Bank 5000 15W to test and here are our findings.
Design and build
The design is true to the name, with its body measuring 6mm thick and weighing less than 100g. The outer shell is made of aluminum alloy with a soft-touch finish, and a fibreglass panel on the phone-facing side lets wireless charging through.
In the hand, it feels solid despite the thin profile. It has curved corners that blend perfectly with the iPhones design, and Xiaomi even kept its branding quite subtle so it passes for an Apple accessory at first glance. Three colours are on offer: Radiant Orange, Glacier Silver and Graphite Black.All the colours echo iPhone finishes, which makes them an easy match for Apple owners.
Once properly aligned, the magnets grip firmly, at least in the case of iPhone 17 Pro and the power bank stays put when you lift the phone one-handed.
Charging speeds
Wireless output is rated at up to 15W, but only the Xiaomi 17 series gets that speed. Every other Qi phone, iPhones included, is capped at 7.5W. The power bank isn't MagSafe certified, and Apple limits wireless speeds for uncertified accessories however well they attach. To reach the full 22.5W, you need a USB-C cable. It can charge over wire and wirelessly at the same time.
The 5,000mAh figure is the marketing rating, while the real-world use case is lower. But an iPhone 17, which has a 3,692mAh battery, can go from 20% to 100% once, which would last roughly a day's worth of use. Larger phones would drain the power bank without reaching maximum capacity. Recharging the unit takes between 1.5 and just over two hours.
While charging though, the thin aluminium body gets noticeably warm, but not the point where it gets uncomfortable to hold the phone. But when the heat gets passed on to the phone, especially during summers, the charging would be put on hold. It happened once with the iPhone 17 Pro.
Verdict
Xiaomi's ultra thin power bank isn't a rival to bulkier, cable-first power banks, and it doesn't try to be. If speed or capacity matters, Xiaomi's own range has better value. Its 20,000mAh compact power bank costs Rs 2,249, and the Magnetic Power Bank 10000 45W is Rs 3,999. Slimmer wired Xiaomi options cost less too. None of them offers this form factor, though.
For anyone who wants something that stays on the phone all day, or slips into a pocket without bulk, the UltraThin makes a strong case. The 7.5W limit on iPhones and the heat on the minus side.
