Almost two years ago, Apple released the MagSafe Battery Pack, a small device that attaches to the back of any iPhone that supports MagSafe to provide a battery boost. I thought about buying the device during the entire first year that the product was for sale, and then I finally made the plunge almost exactly one year ago. After using the product for six weeks, I wrote this review. Today, I am checking in on this device after one year of use.
The reason that I hesitated before buying the device for almost a year was that the device costs $99.99 (although you can sometimes find it on sale) and I wasn't sure that it would be worth it. If you, too, have been on the fence about this product, I love this product and have zero regrets purchasing it.
First, it is a fantastic security blanket for your iPhone's battery. I keep my MagSafe Battery Pack in the bag that I take to work every day, so it is always nearby. My iPhone 14 Pro does a decent job with battery life and I often charge it during the day, but you never know when you are going to have one of those times when you grab the iPhone, often near the end of the day, and you realize that the battery is quite low. Perhaps you are going out with friends and you want to be able to take lots of pictures and videos. Or for me, it often happens when I am heading out to watch my daughter play basketball, where I often take lots of 4K videos. Whenever I grab my iPhone and realize that it wasn't charged close to 100% like it should have been, I simply grab the MagSafe Battery Pack and go. Thanks to this device, I virtually always have a few more hours of use, which is what I need. How often does this happen to me? Maybe once a month or so, but I love that I never have to worry about it.
Second, it is a great device to keep with you even if your iPhone already has a good charge when you start. You never know when something might happen to make your iPhone battery drain more quickly than normal when you are using it. Maybe you are in an area with poor cell tower coverage and your iPhone has to work harder than normal to get a signal. Maybe you are taking lots of 4K videos with your iPhone, which can run down the battery quickly. Or maybe you are traveling, when you may be so busy that you don't think to take the time to charge your iPhone even though you are using your iPhone more than normal.
Third, I love that the device is so small and light. And this is really key because otherwise I would think twice about putting it in my pocket.
Fourth, I love that the device is so easy to use. Just attach it to the back of the iPhone, and the magnets put it in the right orientation. It is easy to see how much power you have both on the iPhone and in the MagSafe Battery Pack just by looking at a widget.
I've made plenty of purchases over the years that turned out to be unnecessary splurges, and I was afraid that this would be one too. To the contrary, I've found this product to be incredibly useful and I love having it. In retrospect, I wish that I had purchased it when it first came out, but I'm certainly glad that I purchased it last year. If you are on the fence about this one, I encourage you to get it. It's a great product, and if you are like me, you will frequently find that you are happy to have it.
Click here to get the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack from Amazon ($99.99, but currently on sale for $94.00).
