Xiaomi 10,000mAh Power Bank review: Brilliantly designed, extraordinary value, and perfectly balancing portability with capacity - the number-one power bank for your phone or tablet
Xiaomi's 10,000mAh Power Bank is one of the best we've seen, and not just in a long time - ever. Oozing style with an elegant and highly portable aluminium-alloy design, the Xiaomi packs useful capacity and still represents extraordinary value. Find out more in our Xiaomi power bank review.
Price when reviewed
£16 inc VAT
Xiaomi 10,000mAh Power Bank review
Xiaomi's
10,000mAh Power Bank is one of the best we've seen, and not just in a
long time - ever. Oozing style with an elegant and highly portable
aluminium-alloy design, the Xiaomi packs useful capacity and still
represents extraordinary value. Find out more in our Xiaomi power bank review. Also see: Best power banks 2015.
When we first took the Xiaomi power bank out of its box we
were confused. As is standard with Xiaomi products, all the writing on
the box and in the supplied quick setup guide was in Chinese. We thought
we were getting a 10,000mAh power bank, yet this thing is closer in
size to the 6,000mAh Zendure A2 that previously topped our best power banks group test.
And, indeed, the specs mentioned something about 6250mAh.
But we hadn't been duped. Unlike many other power bank manufacturers
we've encountered, Xiaomi is completely transparent with the fact that
the entire 10,000mAh capacity will not be available to power your phone or tablet.
Most power banks will lose between 30- and 35 percent of their battery
capacity through heat generated and voltage conversion, so we wouldn't
expect to get any more than 7,000mAh from a 10,000mAh bank.
We think Xiaomi has been somewhat over-cautious with this
6250mAh rating in any case. The hardware inside has been optimised for
increased efficiency and durability, which Xiaomi claims is up to 93
percent. We saw two full charges for our Samsung Galaxy S6 (2550mAh battery), and were still able to get a Ulefone BeTouch (also 2550mAh battery) to 75 percent. Also see: How to improve smartphone battery life.
This isn't the only thing Xiaomi has taken extra care over
in designing its Xiaomi power bank. The fact that it has managed to
squeeze so much power into such a compact 91x60x22mm design (725Wh/L)
means this is the first 10,000mAh power bank we've seen that we'd
happily slip into a pocket rather than a bag. No power bank makes a
better compromise between portability and capacity.
We can't fault the design and build quality either, and if
it weren't for the Micro-USB- rather than Lightning input and supplied
flat white cable, the Xiaomi would look right at home in an Apple
factory. Also see: Xiaomi Mi Band review and Xiaomi Wireless GamePad review.
Available in silver, gold or rose anodised aluminium alloy, the Xiaomi power bank is CNC-milled with what the company claims is MacBook Pro-standard
surface processing. This elegantly curved chassis features a sweatproof
and anti-corrosion surface and although no carry case is provided
(we've found silicone cases available to buy on Amazon for £5.79), you're unlikely to need one - the Xiaomi power bank is shatterproof and resistant to collision. Also see: Best desktop chargers 2015.
The safeguards extends to the Texas
Instruments/MPS-designed circuitry inside, and the smart-control chips
feature nine layers of protection, covering everything from temperature
resistance and short-circuit protection to input- and output
overvoltage. The indented power button at one end can also act as a
reset button when required, for the power bank itself will automatically
begin charging when you attach a phone or tablet. Also see: Best MiFi 2016.
With a single USB output you'll be able to charge your
phone or tablet, rather than both at once, but this helps to keep down
size. Plus we like the fact the Xiaomi supports passthrough charging,
which means you can charge both it and an attached device at once. Also
see: How to charge your phone or tablet faster.
With a 10W Micro-USB input, using a similarly specified
mains adaptor you should be able to refill the Xiaomi in roughly 5.5
hours. The USB output is also well specified, fast at 10.5W and offering
automatic power adjustment to suit the attached device.
In terms of value, the Xiaomi power bank is unbeatable,
and you'll pay twice the price for most 10,000mAh power banks. Xiaomi
power banks are available to buy in the UK, for example through Amazon for £14.66, but Geekbuying offers a much cheaper deal at £11.56 with free shipping. Also see: Grey market tech buying advice.
(Other Xiaomi products aren't as easy to get hold of in the UK - see How to buy Xiaomi products in the UK.)
