GeekDad Review: Mophie Powerstation Wireless XL

Mophie is one of the better-known brands in smartphone and mobile device charging, and the company has an impressive lineup of mobile power solutions. So many, in fact, that it can actually get confusing keeping the different options straight. I just wrapped up testing on one of the company’s latest offerings, the Mophie Powerstation Wireless XL.

To be clear, this is not the Mophie Charge Stream Powerstation Wireless, nor is it the Mophie Powerstation XL. It does share some similarities with those—in addition to chunks of their names—but the Powerstation Wireless XL is the latest and greatest.

At first glance, the Mophie Powerstation Wireless XL is an unassuming mobile power bank. At 3/4 of an inch thick and 0.66 pounds, it’s a bit heftier than some, but still small enough to tuck in a backpack, glove box, or coat pocket. And there’s good reason for that size. Its 10,000mAh battery has the capacity to fully charge most smartphones several times over. You can also use it to charge other mobile devices, including earbuds, headphones, tablets, and cameras.

The XL battery capacity is one thing, but the Powerstation Wireless XL also stands out for its flexibility in charging options. The top is a Qi wireless charger—push the charge button, and you can set down any Qi-compatible device. The front of the charger has a high-speed 18W USB-C PD charge port. Plug in any mobile device for a fast-charge. You can charge two devices simultaneously, one on the Qi pad and one using the USB-C port.

The Powerstation Wireless XL also stands out in the flexibility to recharge its own battery. Mophie included a Lightning port so you can charge it using any of Apple’s chargers. Or you can plug into that USB-C port (which took about three hours from empty to full). In addition, the bottom half of the Powerstation Wireless XL is itself Qi-compatible, so you can set it on another wireless charger to get powered up (although with a 10,000mAh capacity that option may take a while). Four white LEDs on the side show the current battery charge level.

If the Powerstation Wireless XL is itself charging and a device is connected, it supports pass-through charging so the attached device battery gets topped up first.

Although it performed as advertised, there are a few things that aren’t quite perfect about this power station. The non-slip ring that keeps devices on its Qi pad is an absolute magnet for dust. And once on, the dust adheres pretty firmly. The Lightning port can only be used to charge the battery. It’s not a two-way port that can also charge your Apple device—you’ll need a USB-C to Lightning cable if you want to charge faster than Qi wireless can deliver. And speaking of cables, there are none included in the box. Not the end of the world, especially given that wireless is its selling point, but not everyone has my drawer full of extra cables—especially USB-C.

The Mophie Powerstation Wireless XL is priced at $99.95, which is a pretty reasonable price for everything you get—including the XL capacity and full wireless charging/re-charging treatment. With one of these on hand, you’ll be able to keep your smartphone going for several days of use, and if it’s Qi-compatible, you can bring the Mophie power bank along for a long weekend and not even worry about remembering cables.

Disclosure: Mophie provided a Powerstation Wireless XL for evaluation but had no input into this review. As an Amazon Associate, I earn affiliate fees from qualifying purchases.