is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid.
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A 10,000mAh battery is typically a better investment for traveling as it guarantees you can fully recharge a dead smartphone with enough power left over to share with other devices like wireless earbuds. But the advantage of Xiaomi’s latest 5,000mAh offering (with a rated capacity of 3,000mAh) is that it doesn’t add an overwhelming amount of thickness to your smartphone for day-to-day use. You can still easily slip the two into a pocket, while the power bank only adds an extra 98 grams of weight.
Xiaomi says its new UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank will be available in orange, silver, and black color options. Image: Xiaomi
The power bank’s wireless charging rate is limited to 15W so your phone won’t charge as fast as it would with a 25W, Qi2.2-compatible charger. But it can simultaneously charge a second device through its USB-C port at rates up to 22.5W. Global pricing isn’t known, but Xiaomi’s Australian site lists the power bank for $129, discounted to $69.50, which is around $91/$49 when converted to US currency.