My Favorite iPhone Charger Hits the Sweet Spot of Power, Price and Portability. And It's On Sale

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Battery anxiety is no joke. You don't want to be caught underpowered because you don't have a portable way to charge your phone when its battery goes into the red. And you definitely don't want to be like I was once, stuck with a dead phone because I didn't want to carry my older, heavy power bank. This quandary is easily -- and inexpensively -- solved using my favorite lightweight charger that now goes everywhere with me.

The Anker 622 MagGo is a small slab of battery with a few features that make it an ideal on-the-go accessory. It's currently on sale as part of Amazon's October Prime Day. Amazon also often drops prices on specific colors, so be sure to click through each model to find the best deal.

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The discount depends on which color option you opt for. For me, it's more about power than color, but if you don't want to be caught with battery pack that doesn't match your phone, they break down like this for Prime Deal Days:

Buds Green for $34.99 (was $49.99) 22% off

Dolomite White for $34.99 (was $41.99) 17% off

Interstellar Gray for $44.99 (was $69.99) 36% off

Lilac Purple for $34.99 (was $49.99) 30% off

Misty Blue for $34.99 (was $44.99) 22% off

Here's why I've stuck with this little charger for so long

Have you seen people walk around with a loop of cable hanging from their pocket to their phone? I've been there and hooked that loop on too many chairs and table corners. Never again. The ring of magnets in the Anker 622 MagGo aligns with the MagSafe magnets in every iPhone since the iPhone 12, latching securely and charging without wires.

It's also compact -- a little backpack feeding power to the phone while you're holding it or have it stashed in a pocket, even a jeans pocket if your fit isn't too tight.

Those features alone would have convinced me, but the Anker 622 also includes a fold-out back flap that props up my iPhone and can also hold the phone in its wide orientation for StandBy mode. With a power adapter such as the Anker Nano Pro (not included) and a charging cable, I've taught long classes with the phone angled to help me keep track of the time without checking my watch.

Essential Anker 622 MagGo specs

Here's what you need to know.

• Battery capacity: 5,000 Milliamp Hours
• Voltage: 1.55 volts
• Output: 7.5-watt Magnetic (compatible with MagSafe-equipped devices, iPhone 12 and later) or 20-watt USB-C port. Can charge only one device at a time.
• Input: The same single USB-C is also how you recharge the device.
• Size: 4.13-inch by 2.61 inches by 0.5 inch
• Weight: 5 ounces
• Included: Magnetic battery, 60cm (23.6 inch) USB-C to USB-C cable
• Warranty: 24 months

MagSafe-compatible charging

I've owned several battery chargers, and each one has some sort of compromise. They're bulky. They require a cable. They charge wirelessly but don't include a magnet to keep the phone in place, so it's hard to maintain that connection. There's always something.

The Anker 622 is half an inch thick and snaps onto the back of my iPhone using the MagSafe-aligned magnets. I don't have to turn it on to start charging -- power flows as soon as the connection is made.

Now, this isn't the highest-capacity (5,000 mAh) or fastest portable charger. That's fine. What I usually need is a way to eke out a few more hours of battery life on my iPhone. I can typically get a full top-off of my iPhone 15 Pro.

Making a stand

The other appealing feature of the Anker 622 MagGo for me is its built-in stand. Honestly, it doesn't look like it should work well: It's a fabric-covered set of plastic pieces that lie flush against the case, folds in two places and attaches to the back of the unit with a magnetic strip when extended. Yet I've had no problems with the stability of my iPhone 15 Pro or even the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max size.

This also lets me use StandBy mode by turning the iPhone to landscape orientation (the magnets are strong enough to hold the phone in place) when it's on a table or desk.

Smart port placement matters

The charger gets its juice from a single USB-C port, which is positioned on the edge of the case, not the bottom. That means you can replenish it while the stand is open -- many chargers' ports are stuck on the bottom.

That USB-C port also acts as a charger for other devices when you plug in a cable, such as when your Apple Watch needs a boost.

How the Anker 622 MagGo compares to similar power banks

Before getting the Anker 622 MagGo, I carried an Anker PowerCore III 10K Wireless, which doubles the battery capacity, includes a USB-A port and charges wirelessly but without magnets to hold the phone in place. That meant if I didn't use a cable, the phone and charger needed to be stable and level; too often I'd find the iPhone slid off its wireless perch and not charged. It's also larger and heavier. I still use it, but it's the power bank that goes into my carry-on suitcase as a backup charger.

Since I've owned this Anker 622 MagGo, the company has released a few updated models. The Anker 633 packs 10,000 mAh into a slightly thicker brick, includes a USB-A port in addition to USB-C and has a metal kickstand for resting the phone upright.

For $70 you can get the chunkier Anker MagGo Power Bank that delivers 10,000 mAh and follows the same idea of compact magnetic charging and a convenient kickstand. Its main appeals are faster 15-watt magnetic charging and Qi2 compatibility, plus a small display on the side that reports the battery capacity and an estimate of the remaining battery in hours.

For more smart buys, check out this amazing multitool and a portable mini lantern that can go anywhere.