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Tested: Hands-on with the new Baseus PicoGo Air – Wildly thin MagSafe power bank for iPhone at just 0.27 inches [Deal]

A lot of brands have launched slim power banks recently, but Baseus may have just unleashed one of the thinnest MagSafe power banks yet for iPhones at just 0.27 inches. I was pleasantly surprised to see just how thin the PicoGo Air is in real life, and it still packs a 5,000mAh battery, unlike some competing models that top out at 3,000mAh. It can also deliver up to 22.5W over USB-C, which is great. Baseus’ official Amazon storefront is offering it for $39.99 shipped right now with promo code EHYGXRMR as part of a launch deal – 42% off the usual $70 price. Head below for some of my hands-on thoughts.

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Hands-on with the new Baseus PicogGo Air power bank

This new power bank is part of the brand’s PicoGo series, which also has plenty of other power banks, chargers, and so on. The PicoGo Air 5,000mAh MagSafe power bank is available for $39.99 shipped with promo code EHYGXRMR during checkout. You can get this in battery pack in black and white finishes, and they’re both down to the $40 mark right now.

Features at a glance:

  • Ultra-slim design: Measures just 0.27 inches thick while still packing a 5,000mAh battery for everyday top-ups.
  • Built-in safety protections: CCC certification and safeguards against overcharging, over-discharging, short circuits, and overheating.
  • NFC app support: Tap your phone against the power bank to check its remaining charge and monitor charging status through the companion app.
A hand holding a device

9to5Toys’ Take

Having used plenty of slim and compact power banks from brands like Anker, LISEN, and Baseus itself, I expected the PicoGo Air to feel similar to the models I had already tried. Those units already seemed impressively thin compared to older power banks, but the PicoGo Air still caught me by surprise the first time I unboxed it. It is easily the thinnest power bank I have held or used, and its slim profile is something you really have to see in person to appreciate. At just 0.2 inches thick, you barely notice it when it is attached to the back of your phone. It adds some weight, as expected, but the phone still slips comfortably into a pocket and remains easy to hold and use. The power bank is only slightly thicker than the iPhone Air and noticeably thinner than the iPhone 16 Pro I have been testing it with.

The entire unit has a matte finish, with a smooth outer surface and a ridged inner side that sits against your phone. Those ridges should help slightly with heat dissipation by giving warm air some marginal room to escape. You also get a power button that lets you stop charging without removing the battery pack, along with a set of LED indicators showing the remaining charge. Baseus has also built in an NFC tag for its Smart NFC PowerSense feature. Tapping the power bank with an NFC-enabled phone opens the companion app, where you can check details like the remaining battery level and temperature. It is not as advanced as Anker’s app-connected battery packs, which let you schedule charging and adjust the output, but it is still a handy way to quickly check a few useful details.

It is worth noting that this is not a Qi2-certified power bank, so MagSafe wireless charging is limited to 7.5W. You can, however, connect a USB-C cable to get up to 22.5W for much quicker top-ups. In my testing, the PicoGo Air took roughly two hours to charge my iPhone 16 Pro from 20% to 100% wirelessly while I continued using the phone. That time would likely be slightly shorter with the phone left idle. Using a USB-C cable under similar conditions cut the charging time down to around one hour and 15 minutes, which is relatively better. It’s true that you are not getting the fastest wireless charging speeds here, but that is not really the main selling point of this power bank, anyway. You are better off looking at the latest Qi2 15W or even the faster Qi2.2 25W models if you’re the fastest charging units out there.

The appeal of this power bank is pretty straightforward, in my opinion – you will either love it for its incredibly slim design and everyday convenience, or find its slower charging speeds hard to overlook. The PicoGo Air is not the power bank to buy if charging speed is your top priority, as that is not really the point of it. Its biggest strength is how easy it is to carry and use every day without adding much bulk to your phone or pocket. You still get a useful 5,000mAh backup in a body that is noticeably slimmer than most competing options, and that makes it a great fit for commutes, travel, or nights out. There are not many power banks this thin, so at $39.99 shipped as part of its launch deal, the PicoGo Air is an easy recommendation in the slim and compact battery pack space.

Buy the Baseus PicoGo Air 5,000mAh MagSafe Power Bank

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Avatar for Karthik Iyer Karthik Iyer

Karthik Iyer is a writer at 9to5Toys, serving recommendations and deals on PC, games, computing parts, and other gaming accessories.


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