Until there is a leap forward in battery technology lithium ion must suffice in devices and cars alike. Given that we’re spending on average nearly five hours a day on our phones, smartphone batteries are often exhausted daily.
If you’re traveling in a modern car, you can simply get a USB cable and plug in. Although, you might have to fight with fellow passengers for the plug. Then you might also want to keep charging your phone after you’ve left the car. Thus, you may find yourself in strife when your phone battery gets in the red.
Power banks are life savers here. They’re also handy and affordable these days, even small ones have quite decent battery capacity. We’ve been testing one of ESR’s HaloLock Mini power banks: the 5,000mAh kickstand version.
There are non-kickstand versions too, and both can be had with 10,000mAh capacity as well. Apple iPhone owners, this power bank is for you. Sorry everyone else but the ESR HaloLock power banks are wireless MagSafe power banks.
Throughout our weeks of testing we’ve been impressed by this power bank and come to the conclusion 5,000mAh is plenty for most of us.
Verdict: A handy wireless magnetic power bank that is ideal for everyday use.
Score: 4/5
Pros:
Wireless
Strong magnetic grip
Kickstand
Cons:
Corded options are much cheaper
Specs:
Capacity: 5,000mAh (tested), 10,000mAh
Dimensions: 9.9 x 6.4 x 1.7cm
Wireless charging: Yes
Input/output: USB-C
What’s good?
The wireless attachment is super convenient and easy. Whip the power bank out of your pocket, slap it onto the back of the iPhone and away you go. Plugging in a USB cable was never arduous by any means, but going with magnets is easier still.
The magnetic grip adds another dimension of versatility with the ESR power bank too, because in conjunction with the kickstand, it becomes a phone holder. It’s great for watching Netflix or whatever you’re doing while travelling on the train, for example.
Although the ESR HaloLock doesn’t have any ingress protection (IP rating), it is well put together. Provided you don’t throw it about, it should last for a long time. The kickstand is metal and has a firm hinge.
What’s okay?
Wireless power banks that attach via magnetism aren’t as compact as some corded power banks. This is a two-fold issue. If you want a power bank that’s as small as possible, you’ll go for a corded option. However, this slightly larger ESR power bank means that it can double as a phone holder.
If it was tiny, it wouldn't be able to. So it depends what you want here. The ESR HaloLock Mini power bank is hardly bulky, and easily fits in your pocket.
Wireless charging power is 7.5W. Therefore, it’s certainly not a fast charger. If you’ve got the ESR power bank plugged in, charging power jumps up to 12W. We found that in most cases, where you want a top up, 7.5W is fine. If you've got a power socket close by and need a fast charge, you’ll use that.
Does the 5,000mAh version have enough capacity? It will give almost a full recharge to an iPhone 13 and that was more than enough for a day. If, somehow, that isn’t enough for you, there is the 10,000mAh version too.
Any negatives?
The wireless charging is very convenient, but it doesn’t compare well against corded models in terms of value. The ESR power bank isn’t alone, all wireless power banks cost more than corded equivalents.
It depends how much wireless charging really means to you. If it’s worth the £20 or so difference, that’s fine. But you may want to save that money instead.
More items to consider
How the ESR HaloLock Mini Kickstand Wireless Power Bank was tested
Over the course of several weeks, the power bank was used in primarily everyday life. In addition, we also used it while travelling and hiking. Collectively, this range of scenarios tested how well the ESR power banks performed in the real world and how well it is made.