I Don’t Leave Home Without This Anker Charger, and It’s Almost Half Off for Black Friday

Black Friday deal alert: The Anker 622 MagGo magnetic phone charger has been marked down $20 at Amazon for Black Friday. If you struggle to make it through the day without a recharge or you just need a little more juice for long trips, a portable charger is a game-changer, and Black Friday deals make it a great time to snag a big bargain.

CNET’s key takeaways

Like many people, I take my phone with me everywhere. I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve come to rely on it for just about every aspect of my life — from getting news, weather and navigation help to staying in close contact with friends, family and co-workers. 

That means I live in constant fear that my iPhone‘s battery will die on me right when I need it most. That is, I did until I found the Anker 622 MagGo, which CNET ranked as the best magnetic power bank with an integrated stand. I now take it with me everywhere I go, too.

This charger is a worthwhile buy at its full retail price of $48. But you can currently get every color of the Anker 622 MagGo for 42% off at Amazon. All the colors — interstellar gray, buds green, dolomite white, lilac purple and misty blue — are available for $28. And yes, the deal applies to bundles too. 

Note that Anker also has a slightly newer charger that is smaller, and charges much faster (15 watts as opposed to the 622’s 5 watts), but doesn’t have the handy stand. It’s currently 30% off: $38 at Amazon.

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. (The notable exception is the iPhone 16E, which does not offer MagSafe but does charge wirelessly using Qi technology. The Anker 622 MagGo will charge the iPhone 16E but won’t latch to it magnetically.)

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).

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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 time without checking my watch.

Essential Anker 622 MagGo specs

Here’s what you need to know.

• Battery capacity: 5,000 mAh
• Voltage: 1.55 volts
• Output: 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 by 2.62 by 0.5 inches
• 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 lies 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 unhelpfully 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 $60 Anker 633 packs 10,000 mAh into a thicker brick, includes a USB-A port in addition to USB-C and has a metal kickstand for resting the phone upright.

You can also consider getting 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.

(Note that some Anker power banks were part of a recent recall. Be sure to claim your free replacement or gift card if you own one of the affected devices sold between 2016 and 2022.)

For more smart buys, check out our growing list of Black Friday deals from top brands, including Apple.