Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 stars10K versatile Power bank that packs a punch!
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2022
I have used several power banks ranging in charge capacities from 5200mAh, 10000mAh to 20000mAh from brands like Anker, Ravpower, iXCC, and MI, so I have a fairly good idea on how these perform. Now I have been using the Baseus 10000mAh power bank with iPhone 12 Pro Max and 13 Pro Max on a daily basis for well over 2 weeks now, so I can provide some initial hands-on impressions about it’s packaging, materials & finish, handling, mag-safe capability with iPhones, day to day input and output charging capacity & durations, etc.
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Packaging and Build Quality
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The product came nicely packaged in a soft cardboard type of retail box with the actual battery pack, an accompanying USB-A to USB-C cable and warranty card & instructions in a plastic insert to hold the items together. The overall build quality is pretty good being constructed of solid ABS plastic with a Matte-black finish which emphasizes a premium look & feel, but at the same time it is prone to fingerprints and starts to look dirty very soon. It feels dense in your hands and there’s some slight heft to it. The LED screen is a nice touch for easier remaining battery percentage readout and displays a green-colored “fast-charge” indicator when engaged both in wired or wireless charging mode. Also, the notch on this iteration has been adjusted to leave enough room to easily accommodate phones with larger lenses.
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Wired Charging
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(1) Charging other devices via USB:
My preferred method of charging other devices using this power bank is the USB-C wired charging. Hands down the fastest way to charge your devices via USB-C using PD protocol. I was able to individually charge both my iPhone 12 Pro Max and 13 Pro Max from 20% to 80% in under 40 minutes and that’s twice as fast as the Mag-safe option. (Keep in mind, once past 80%, iPhones automatically slow down charging speed to minimize wear & tear on internal battery.) On an average, with my regular schedule of 20% to 80% on both my Pro Max iPhones, I was able to top them up 2 times on a single charge. That’s basically an entire day’s worth of use (and more) for both my wife and I when we’re out and about. Now we don’t have any fear of running out of battery while capturing photos and videos out exploring.
(2) Charging the power bank via USB:
Usually, charging the power banks takes a long time. My other power banks charge via USB-A or Micro-USB and take anywhere from 6 to 8 hours, but this device can be charged via USB-C using a fast-charge capable Power Adapter (like a MacBook Pro charging brick) in roughly 3 hours. This is great news as I don’t have to wait several hours before this power bank is ready for its next excursion and don’t have to carry any additional cables or adapters. USB-C rocks!
Best part is you can charge both your Power-bank and your device at the same time as it offers USB pass through making it more versatile than others.
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Mag-safe Wireless Charging
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The Mag-safe charging and stronger magnets seem to work as advertised. I used this with both iPhone 12 Pro Max and 13 Pro Max with third-party mag-safe cases and they both charged wirelessly at 7.5W. Using it via mag-safe will make the back of your phone minimally warm to touch as to be expected. Just wish all third-party manufacturers had access to Apple’s 15W wireless charging protocol, then this device could have been a full 15W wireless charger too. Overall, it took me roughly 90 minutes to charge either of the 12/13 Pro Max phones from 20% to 80% repeatedly. Note that you do have to manually press the Power button on the side to start Mag-safe charging.
Overall, in my opinion, even though mag-safe offers the convenience of wireless charging, I much prefer the wired usb charging due to its reliable fast-charge option and lack of risk of displacement when carrying during travel, however, when left idle on flat surfaces it works fine.
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Areas of Improvement
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(1) Just wish the Power bank automatically recognized when a Mag-safe compatible phone or device is placed on the magnets to start Mag-safe wireless charging without the need to manually press the Power button.
(2) The plastic insert holding the battery pack as packaging could be replaced with a strong cardboard type material, easier on the hands while unboxing and better for the environment also.
(3) To protect the battery pack from normal wear and tear during travel & storage, it should come with a durable Pouch at the very least. Perhaps, this is a missed opportunity in my opinion.
(4) Since most devices are USB-C these days, it should have included a USB-C to USB-C cable as well for future proofing.
(5) It would have been nice to have a Kick-stand at the back to allow users to consume media while charging at the same time.
Over the years, since the technology has improved significantly - various tangible benefits are being offered in these portable devices that weren’t previously available. Now you can travel light for an outdoor hike or explore the city knowing you can charge your devices quickly & conveniently. Based on my relatively short, albeit practical, hands-on experience I can easily recommend this Power bank to everyone.
