My new favorite iPhone portable charger has a magnetic superpower – and it's cheap

I have to admit that I like big power banks. Why take a 5,000mAh pack when I can have a 10,000mAh unit? And if I’m grabbing the 10,000mAh pack, I might as well take the 20,000mAh one, just in case.

But not everyone is like me. Some people are happier with a small power bank that they can chuck into a pocket or bag and have ready to turn to when they need a quick emergency recharge. And the smaller it is, the better.

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And it’s a bonus if they don’t have to carry cables and such. This is where the Statik Snap-n-Charge comes into play. A tiny charger that’s ready to change whatever needs a recharge.

The Snap-n-Charge is small as power banks go, and only 3,200 mAh/16 Wh. This is good enough for a quick top-up of a smartphone or headphones. And a top-up is what you get — the capacity is enough for about a 50% top-up for a smartphone or portable speaker, or about three or four recharges of earbuds or headphones. 

The power bank is housed in a polymer shell that shrugs off impacts and damage from being rattled around pockets and bags with things like keys.

There’s a tiny button to turn the unit on and off, and an even tinier array of LEDs to show the charge level.

A cool feature of the Snap-n-Charge is that it doesn’t rely on the user having a charge cable. Instead, it features a magnetic connector that can take three different adapters — Apple Lightning, USB-C, or micro USB connector. 

Also: I finally found a 3-in-1 USB-C charging cable that I can recommend

These snap onto the power bank quite solidly and hold on with enough force to keep everything together while it’s doing its job. You can shake the power bank off the connector if you try, but that’s the way with magnetic connectors. 

And another nice touch is that the tips are long enough to accommodate chunky phone cases, so you can top up without having to take the phone out of its case.

You might think that those little connectors will get lost in no time — well, that’s how I think; maybe that says something about me –but Statik has thought of everything and offered a polymer holder for the magnetic connectors. It’s a neat idea.

The power bank is recharged via a micro USB port using a cable that’s provided — I’m not really a fan of this legacy port and much prefer devices that use USB-C, and if I have a gripe about this power bank, it’s this, but I can live with it. 

ZDNET’s buying advice

Overall, the Statik Snap-n-Charge is a great portable power bank for those times when you’re staring at a dead phone or earbuds. It’s small enough to carry with you without getting in the way, but big enough to offer a meaningful charge. It’s solid enough to survive being shaken about in a pocket or bag for extended periods and holds its charge for extended periods.

The price is also very fair at $30, and if you want more USB-C connector tips, you can buy a different pack that includes the Snap-n-Charge power bank, Lightning, microUSB, and four USB-C tips for less than a dollar more.