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Nov 02, 2024

Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank review: slim, moderately priced – but not all that sturdy | TechRadar

The Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank is a neat and simple wireless power bank, with admirable wired and wireless charging performance. Its light and slender form also makes it easy to carry

The Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank is a neat and simple wireless power bank, with admirable wired and wireless charging performance. Its light and slender form also makes it easy to carry around. However, it isn’t quite up to the same standards as offerings from its main rival, Anker.

Light and thin

Easy to use

Smart looks

Limited capacity and ports

No display

Charging pad material not durable

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Ugreen is a relative newcomer in the charging scene, offering similar products and designs to those of Anker. Anyone who’s familiar with that brand’s magnetic power banks will notice the similarities here, with the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank being one example.

It sports a minimal and sleek design, with smooth edges and a smart-looking off-white color (it’s also available in black). As for the interface, there’s a single button and no display – the only readout you get comes in the form of five LEDs that indicate battery level and charging status.

Similar to many of the best power banks for portability, the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank has a slim profile, which it’s able to achieve thanks to its 5,000mAh capacity. This also means it’s light, tipping the scales at just 5.11oz (145g) – although its chief rival, the Anker 621, is slightly leaner at 4.56oz (129g).

The MagSafe charging area is designed to wirelessly charge the best iPhones. It uses the Qi standard and has an output of 7.5W. During my tests, it managed to charge an iPhone 13 Pro from 50% to 100% in about an hour and forty-five minutes, losing about half of its own battery charge in the process. This puts it on a par with the aforementioned Anker 621.

However, what fails to impress is the silicone pad, as it already began showing signs of wear during my time with it. This occurred in just over a week, so this rate of deterioration doesn’t bode well. It could be argued that any rubberized pad will be susceptible to damage like this, but all I can say is that I didn’t experience the same with the PU leather material on the Anker 621. It also picks up dust and debris very easily – again, not something I witnessed with the 621.

There’s only one USB-C port on the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank, which delivers 15W of power. This managed to charge a half-full Google Pixel 7a in just over an hour, depleting about half of its battery once more. Charging the bank itself from empty to full took just over two hours, which is reasonable.

The Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank costs $29 / £29 / $AU49, making it cheaper than the Anker 621, which costs $39 / £44 (about $AU57). However, the 621 comes in multiple colorways, whereas the Ugreen only comes in black or white, and the overall build quality does seem to be better, which is why we prefer the Anker model over Ugreen’s.

You want something simpleSimply place your MagSafe iPhone on the pad, or plug in any other device via the USB-C port, and you’re away.

You want something cheapUgreen undercuts its nearest rival, Anker, by a decent amount, making it a more tempting purchase.

You want something durableEven during my limited time with the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank, it began to show signs of wear, which isn’t promising for its long-term prospects.

You have an AndroidWhile MagSafe-compatible Android cases may allow you to use the wireless charging function, it’s not guaranteed to work.

Anker 621 Magnetic Battery (MagGo)The Anker 621 is very similar to the Ugreen 5000mAh Magnetic Wireless Power Bank, with a near-identical design and feature set. Even though it’s slightly more expensive, we do think the extra cost is worth it, as it proved more durable during our tests, with the PU leather pad maintaining its pristine condition throughout.

Lewis Maddison is a Reviews Writer for TechRadar. He previously worked as a Staff Writer for our business section, TechRadar Pro, where he had experience with productivity-enhancing hardware, ranging from keyboards to standing desks. His area of expertise lies in computer peripherals and audio hardware, having spent over a decade exploring the murky depths of both PC building and music production. He also revels in picking up on the finest details and niggles that ultimately make a big difference to the user experience.

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