I’m a big fan of magnetic phone accessories, especially when it’s MagSafe-compatible wireless charging. Portable battery packs are great, but relying on cables is not something I will ever be happy about. Switching to wireless charging, and using magnets to hold everything in place, means that problem is eliminated – although it’s not ideal that these batteries add a bunch of bulk and weight to your phone.
Belkin’s newest magnetic battery pack, UltraCharge Pro Slim Magnetic Power Bank with BoostSolid Cell, helps eliminate this problem. The “Semi Solid State” battery design is significantly thinner and lighter than you might expect, which makes a surprising amount of difference to comfort. However, that also comes at the cost of overall capacity, which may or may not be a deal breaker.
What is a ‘semi-solid-state’ battery?
You may be wondering what Semi-Solid State actually means. The idea of solid-state batteries is nothing new, because they provide power without any of the chemical movements and reactions.
Latest Videos FromTom the guide
According to Belkin, this “semi-solid” design uses a gel-like layer alongside a liquid electrolyte. The company did not go into the specifics of how everything works, but the design enables a slimmer and more compact design, longer life and a much lower risk of overheating. That should help improve the overall safety of using these batteries, and considering the clampdown on airlines in recent months, that’s definitely a good thing.
Speaking of airlines, Belkin says the $70 UltraCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank was built to comply with standard security requirements, including TSA’s carry-on guidance. Although this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re cleared to use this one in the air. Each airline has its own policies, and you need to be aware of them before you travel.
The battery itself is Qi2 certified, offering up to 15W charging speed on compatible phones. Wired USB-C charging is also available if you have a cable, with speeds up to 7.5W. The battery itself charges up to 22.5W. Of course, being magnetic, it clips onto the back of your phone – whether it has built-in magnets or you use a special case.
With material, you have a battery that is a mixture of metal and rubber, which is not exactly unusual in magnetic batteries, although the actual size of the thing is probably where its greatest strength lies.
How does it compare to my existing magnetic power bank?
The magnetic battery pack I use most often is UGreen’s 10,000 mAh magnetic power pack. It’s a fairly cheap option, which means it’s not officially certified as MagSafe or Qi2 – it’s just a regular wireless charger with a MagSafe-compatible connection. That means it’s slow, and it has a habit of getting pretty hot.
UGreen’s model is 0.79 inches thick, which is more than double Belkin’s 0.35 inches. It’s also heavier, weighing 7.9 ounces compared to 4.4 ounces for the Belkin. The UGreen battery is actually heavier and thicker than an iPhone 17 Pro (0.35 inches and 7.27 ounces), and only slightly lighter than the iPhone 17 Pro Max (8.33 ounces).
The UltraCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank will still add thickness and weight to your phone. However, it is much more comfortable and convenient to use compared to the bulky UGreen option I used.
The downside is that the Belkin has half the capacity of the UGreen. 10,000 mAh is enough to charge almost any phone at least once – and often more. 5,000 mAh doesn’t quite go that far, but it’s no small amount of power. It’s enough to fully charge many phones, and enough to add a significant amount of power to others.
Personally, while I like to over-prepare and make sure I have more than enough power to keep me going, I’ll admit that 10,000 mAh is a bit overkill for most situations. As long as you have enough power to get through the day, and get back to a home charger, what does it matter how many reserves you have?
Regarding charging and heat, I decided to test the two batteries on my iPhone 17 Pro Max with 47% charge. The Belkin battery restored 10%, bringing the total to 57% in that time, while the UGreen battery brought the charge to 54% – a 7% increase. It’s not a huge difference, but over the course of many hours that will add up.
In terms of heat, the Belkin battery definitely felt hotter, but a quick check with a thermal camera saw the temperature peak at just under 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The UGreen battery didn’t feel that hot, but thermal imaging revealed that a small portion of the battery had risen to just shy of 97 degrees. That’s not a big difference, but you have to remember that the UGreen charger goes much slower – and I felt the heat start to build up over extended charging sessions.
Wireless charging will always produce some heat if you don’t have some kind of active cooling system. The Belkin UltraCharge gets warm, but it doesn’t get too hot, which is very nice.
Bottom line
I really like the Belkin UltraCharge Pro Magnetic Power Bank. Not specifically because it’s a semi-solid-state battery, but because it manages to do all the things you need from a portable battery pack. It’s slim and light, with the magnetic connection making it incredibly easy to charge your phone. Plus, the 15W Qi2 speed means it’s pretty fast as far as wireless charging goes.
The 5,000 mAh capacity would admittedly be enough to make me hesitate to buy one for myself – especially with a $70 price tag. You can buy cable battery packs that offer four times the capacity for similar prices, if not less. Still, you can’t fault the Belkin for comfort or convenience, and the premium is well worth it if you regularly find yourself needing to unplug your phone on the go.
follow Tom’s Guide to Google News in the add us as a preferred source to get our latest news, analysis and reviews in your feeds. Make sure you click the follow button!