LudacusWhen Apple introduced the MagSafe for iPhone in October 2020, it opened up the floodgate of opportunities for third party accessories maker and even Apple themselves to create Apple-certified MagSafe accessories for iPhone. We have recently reviewed the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack (S$139) and today, we will be reviewing the Anker 5K Battery Pack.
The Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack was announced earlier this year and started shipping early July in Singapore. Priced at S$89.99, it is about 35% cheaper than the official Apple MagSafe Battery Pack. Right out of the box, you will get the Anker 5K Battery Pack and a standard USB-A to USB-C cable for you to charge the power bank. Considering that Apple doesn’t bundle any cable with its battery bank, the Anker 5K is already of better value.
Living up to its name, the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack has a 5,000 mAh cell capacity which the company says will provide 1.2x charge for an iPhone 12 mini, 0.95x charge for the iPhone 12, 0.97x charge for the iPhone 12 Pro and 0.75x charge for the largest iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Like the Apple MagSafe Battery Bank, the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack is also powered by the Qi wireless charging technology. The round circle on the battery bank indicates the area of the MagSafe induction.
At the bottom of the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack, you will find an ON/OFF button, a USB-C charging port and also a five-dot battery indicator.
The main selling point of the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack is the MagSafe charging. This means that you do not require any additional cable or be stuck near a powerpoint while waiting for your phone to be charged. The Anker 5K battery pack simply sticks snuggly onto your iPhone 12 when placed at the back of the phone.
Due to the design of the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack, you will find that the charging surface of the battery bank is not flushed to the iPhone 12 unlike the Apple MagSafe Battery Bank. However, the battery bank still sticks securely to the iPhone.
Due to the curved charging side, the battery bank does seem a little bulky as compared to the Apple Battery Bank when attached to the iPhone 12. As there is no iOS integration between the iPhone and Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack, you can only see the amount of battery life on the battery pack via the battery LED indicator. You would also have to manually turn on the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack to activate the wireless charging.
Like the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack, the Anker 5k also acts as a wireless charger for any compatible Qi devices like the Apple AirPods Pro and most flagship android phones.
Charging Performance
| Charging Time for iPhone 12 Pro Max | % Charged (from 0%) |
| 10 Minutes | 9% |
| 20 Minutes | 13% |
| 30 Minutes | 17% |
| 40 Minutes | 21% |
| 1 Hour | 25% |
| 1 Hour 10 Minutes | 29% |
| 1 Hour 20 Minutes | 33% |
| 1 Hour 30 Minutes | 37% |
| 1 Hour 40 Minutes | 41% |
| 1 Hour 50 Minutes | 44% |
| 2 Hours | 47% |
| 2 Hours 10 Minutes | 51% |
| 2 Hours 20 Minutes | 55% |
| 2 Hours 30 Minutes | 59% |
| 2 Hours 40 Minutes | 62% |
Overall, the charging speed of the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack is slightly slower than the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack but you get more juice from it with a 62% charge before it runs out of battery.
Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack VS Apple Battery Bank
Size-wise, the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack is slightly more bulky and heavier than the Apple Battery Pack. The Apple Battery Pack is slightly wider and it’s only a matter of time before its exterior turns dirty from daily usage.
| Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack | Apple MagSafe Battery Pack | |
| Price | S$89.99 | S$139 |
| Battery Capacity | 5,000mAh | 1,460mAh |
| Color | Black | White |
| Charging Voltage | 5W | 5W |
| Wall Plug Charging | 10W | 15W |
| Charging Type | USB-C | Lightning |
| iOS integration | No | Yes |
There are many reasons to like the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack. Firstly, it’s almost 35% cheaper than the official Apple MagSafe Battery Bank. Secondly, the matt black design is a crowd pleaser and definitely more practical than Apple’s all white design. It also has a larger battery capacity than Apple’s battery pack. Apple die-hard fan would choose the MagSafe Battery Bank any day for its iOS integration and lightning charging convenience. But if you’re not completely invested into the Apple ecosystem, the Anker PowerCore 5K MagSafe Battery Pack is a good choice for an all rounder wireless portable charger.