The answer to this question ultimately depends on your needs. Let's walk through it. A power bank can technically have MagSafe capabilities, and some MagSafe battery packs offer dual charging, but not all offerings are the same. Traditionally, a power bank refers to products without MagSafe capabilities, ones that rely on a lightning or USB-C cord to charge your iPhone and that cannot be affixed to your phone with a magnetic grip. These are great options for road trips, emergency charging situations such as power outages, or to store as a "just-in-case" item in your car, work bag, or home. On

If you've recently bought a MagSafe battery pack for your iPhone, you shouldn't have any issues with fit or compatibility when you decide to upgrade to the new iPhone 16. However, if you have a first-generation MagSafe accessory, it may not fit perfectly due to design changes since the technology was first introduced.

ZDNET went hands-on with all of the MagSafe battery packs on this list. We affixed these packs to our own smartphones during our daily lives to test out recharge rate, magnetic strength, pass-through capabilities, comfort, and more. We used them over the course of a few weeks to really get a feel for a product's add-in value. That is, can you "add-in" this product into your life and benefit from its presence, or is it just another fad product that's too good to be true or collects dust after the buzz wears off? If we think another product is worth your money, we'll update this list or write up