Apple’s introduction of MagSafe charging in the iPhone 12 line has enabled some clever accessories, but none as useful as portable chargers that stick to the back of your phone while juicing it up. Realising that portable chargers actually have two sides, Zens has put back-t0-back wireless charging coils on each side of its new battery, so you can charge up two devices at the same time.
The Zens Magnetic Dual Powerbank is definitely quite a bit thicker than portable charger offerings from companies like Anker, which already added a lot of bulk to the back of your iPhone. While it offers less charging capacity than the Anker PowerCore Magnetic — 4,000 mAh compared to 5,000 mAh, respectively — the Zens option makes up for it with a Qi wireless charging coil on both sides.
Only one side of the Zens Magnetic Dual Powerbank features MagSafe compatibility, however; the other side only works when devices are placed on top. But the non-MagSafe side does incorporate a pop-out kickstand, so when the powerbank is attached to an iPhone, it can prop the device up in portrait or landscape orientations.
Being able to charge both your iPhone and your AirPods at the same time is certainly a useful selling point, but there are some usability trade-offs. Your iPhone will have to lay face down in order to charge another device on the Zens Magnetic Dual Powerbank’s other Qi pad, putting your primary time-waster out of commission in the interim. That makes its $110 price tag (€70) a tough sell when you can get a pair of Anker’s PowerCore Magnetic portable wireless chargers — and continue to use your iPhone while it charges — for just $100.