Mophie's new $150 Powerstation USB-C XXL joins the ranks of other high-capacity batteries that can charge the latest MacBooks, other USB-C laptops and smartphones and the Nintendo Switch.
Although this battery leads with USB-C, it also has a USB-A output charge port that accepts standard USB cables. The USB-C port goes both ways -- it's an input and an output featuring USB-PD technology that allows it to charge USB-C laptops at rapid charging rates of up to 30 watts. When connected to USB-PD chargers, it charges more quickly.
This 19,500mAh battery is capable of fully charging a 12-inch MacBook but will only partially charge a MacBook Pro.
The Powerstation USB-C XXL faces competition from such products as Anker's PowerCore+ 26800 PD, which costs around $110 in a bundle with a 27W PD Portable Charger.
I've tried both batteries and the Mophie is the nicer of the two from a design standpoint -- it has a fabric-wrapped housing that gives it a grippy feel and keeps it from sliding around. It's also lighter, as it is a smaller battery (19,500mAh versus 26,800mAh).
Features, according to Mophie:
- 19,500mAh battery – provides more than 1 full charge to a MacBook
- Cypress CCG2 chipset
- USB-C output/input port (30 watts max) with additional USB-A output port 5V/2.4A
- LEDs show direction of charge, confirming status switch position
- Fabric-wrapped housing
- Pass-through charging USB-C to USB-A
- Provided cables: USB-A to USB-C & USB-C to USB- C
- Price: $150
Correction, 1:15 p.m. PT: The capacity was originally listed incorrectly. Mophie has since confirmed that it's actually 19,500mAh.
