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I’m picky when it comes to portable chargers. There are plenty of power banks out there with built-in cables and wall plugs, but in a crowded market, it takes a lot more than a 10,000-mAh capacity to catch my eye. That's why I was shocked that Raycon’s Magic Power Bank not only did everything I ever wanted but also some things I didn’t know I could want from a portable battery. And then I discovered the built-in phone stand.
This power bank's 10,000-mAh capacity is enough to charge your phone around two times. It also has two charging cables built in—one USB-C and one Lightning cable for older iPhones and Apple devices. Additionally, it has two USB ports (one USB-A and one USB-C) on the front where you can connect additional cables.
Raycon calls this a 5-in-1 power bank, but you might’ve noticed those cables and ports only account for four charging options. The fifth sits atop the power bank: a MagSafe-compatible 15-watt wireless charging pad. While only certain iPhones support Apple's magnetic accessory system, the wireless charger will work for any phone that supports the Qi standard. It's worth noting that since this is not Made-for-iPhone-certified, MagSafe iPhones will only be able to take advantage of 7.5-watt charging speeds from the magnetic interface, which essentially means it'll charge slowly.
Still, the battery can use all five charging methods simultaneously. (You might need to press the button beneath the digital display to activate the wireless charging for some phones.) If that was all this power bank did, it would be enough to be my new everyday carry battery. But there's more.
Recharging the Magic Power Bank is super simple. It has a two-prong wall plug you can plug directly into any typical wall socket (in North America). It can also be recharged via the USB-C port on the front if you don’t have a convenient wall outlet nearby.
A rubber loop sits in one corner of the power bank, which makes it easy to latch onto a bag or belt. I often find myself at conventions or festivals where I expect my phone to die more often than usual, and carrying a giant battery in my pocket is cumbersome. This loop is a welcome addition. Even if I don’t want to carry around a bag, I can use a carabiner to latch it to one of my belt loops.
On the front of the battery, a digital readout shows the power bank’s current charge. This feature is mercifully becoming more standard on power banks, but it still feels like a nice-to-have. I’ve owned dozens of portable batteries, but only a few that can show me how full they are with this level of accuracy. Once you’ve had that convenience, it’s hard to go back.
With the wireless charger, digital readout, and built-in cables/wall plug, I was ready to call this my new favorite portable battery. But I noticed an odd little plastic slider on the bottom. It has a couple of ridges; when I slid it out, it clicked into place. I hadn’t read everything about this battery before I started fiddling with it, so the surprise I felt when I realized what it was for brought me the kind of joy that gadget nerds live for.
It was a phone stand. A phone stand! I set the battery on my desk, laid my phone on it sideways, and it rested, tilted up at a slight angle to make it easy to watch a video. I could also prop the phone up in portrait mode to keep an eye on my notifications while my phone was on my desk (or for watching vertical videos).
Raycon The Magic Power Bank 5-In-1
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Raycon didn’t have to add this. I don’t think anyone was clamoring for a portable battery that doubled as a phone stand. But I’m delighted it’s here. I’ve been an advocate for phones with kickstands ever since the HTC Evo 4G, but since most don’t come with one, I’ve had to settle for a phone case with one. I couldn’t be happier that this battery serves this need.
I only have two minor annoyances with this power bank. First, the power output isn’t high. The USB-C port dishes out 20 watts, whereas the USB-A outputs 22.5 watts. That's enough to charge most phones or tablets, and while it can technically charge laptops, it’s possible your laptop can use up power faster than this battery can provide it. Raycon advises using it as “an emergency backup” for laptops, but there are more powerful options if you need a battery primarily for PCs.
The other minor issue is that it’s not easy to use the phone stand and the included charging cables at the same time. The base of the cable connects to the battery right next to the phone stand, so I could only plug in my phone while resting it in the stand if I slid the phone super far to the side, essentially nestling the corner of my phone in the plastic stand. It’s workable, but a little awkward.
But I can accept a little awkwardness in exchange for the most decked-out portable battery I’ve ever used. With two included cables, two more USB charging ports, a MagSafe wireless charging pad, a built-in wall plug, a digital display, and even a phone stand, I can’t think of much more I could ask from a portable battery. Oh, and it’s $80 when it’s not on sale. That makes it cheaper than half of our favorite portable chargers. Hard to get much better than that.
Raycon The Magic Power Bank 5-In-1
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