iMore Verdict
The U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand is a convenient and compact MagSafe charger that you can easily pop into a bag or pocket. It just snaps onto the back of your iPhone 12 or newer, but you can also use it as a wireless charging pad for older iPhone models or charge via cable. The handy kickstand lets you prop up your iPhone vertically or horizontally and can also be used as a phone grip. It's good-looking and comes in several fun colors.
Pros
- +
Secure MagSafe connection and phone grip
- +
Can also charge via cable or wirelessly
- +
Kickstand for landscape or portrait mode
Cons
- -
Only offers about a 60% charge on iPhone 14 Pro
- -
Fairly pricey
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Urban Armor Gear, or UAG, makes some fantastic accessories for Apple products. UAG is an iMore favorite brand — I reviewed the U by UAG Silicone Strap for Apple Watch, UAG Civilian Series iPhone case, UAG Plasma iPhone Case, UAG Monarch iPhone Case, UAG Plyo iPhone Case, and we've included UAG products in countless accessory roundups.
The U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand is going with me on my next vacation. Not only does it top off a low battery on your best iPhone, but it works as a kickstand in both landscape a portrait mode. It has a strong MagSafe connection, but if your iPhone doesn't have MagSafe, you can use it as a wireless charging pad or charge the phone via cable. Plus, it's darn cute, and comes in both neutral and fun colors.
U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand: Price and Availability
The UAG battery is pretty easy to find at your typical big box stores and websites. You can go to UAG's own site or get it on Amazon, Walmart, or NewEgg. It sells for about $60 everywhere, though you may find it on sale at times for less. You can choose from four colorways: Deep Ocean (blue), Marshmallow (white), Orchid, and black.
U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand: What I like
First of all, I like the look and feel. I've tested a number of portable battery packs and very few of them come in colors other than black and white. The plastic exterior is smooth to the touch and the metal kickstand adds a classy look. But we don't buy battery packs just for their looks. This one works, and while it does get a little bit warm to the touch while charging up my iPhone 14 Pro, it doesn't get hot like some others that I've tried do. It's lightweight and compact, which makes it easy to slip into a bag or pocket. The U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand weighs half a pound and measures 4.13 x 2.62 x 0.5 inches.
The 4000mAh power pack is also easy to use. Charge it up via its in/out USB-C port. You'll see all four battery indicator lights light up to let you know when it's fully charged and ready to go. Turn it on with a touch of the button and snap it onto the back of your MagSafe-compatible iPhone (from the iPhone 12 lineup or newer.) Be sure that if you use a case, you're using a MagSafe compatible case.
If you have a non-MagSafe device (or case,) you can still use the battery pack as a wireless charging pad or use a USB-C to Lightning cable instead.
You'll know the battery's power status based on how many of the battery indicator lights are on. In my testing, it took about 2 hours to get my iPhone 14 Pro from 30% power to 90%. In the first 30 minutes, I got a 26% increase in my iPhone's battery.
The kickstand is a nice touch. It's quite sturdy and can be used three ways: as a phone grip (perfect for taking selfies,) a horizontal kickstand for watching videos, or a vertical kickstand for FaceTime, surfing the web, and other activities. It can be opened to and used at a number of angles, all the way up to 180 degrees (completely flat.) Because of the kickstand, it makes a great MagSafe charging stand while traveling. You'll be able to take advantage of StandBy mode in iOS 17.
U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand: What I don't like
Since this is just a moderately-powered 4000mAh battery, you're not going to get multiple charge-ups out of it. I was able to get just over 60% of my iPhone 14 Pro's battery charged up before the battery pack ran out of juice. Depending on which model iPhone you have, you may be able to get a little more or a little less.
A little quirk I noticed: the battery pack turned off when my iPhone got to about 80%, even though the charger hadn't yet run out of power. A press of the power button turned the charger back on and it continued charging my iPhone again until it ran out of juice. It happens consistently. I'm not sure if that's a flaw or a feature (possibly a side effect of iPhone's smart charging feature suite, intelligently holding power delivery back until it's needed), as I didn't see it mentioned in the literature. I do believe that the intension is to protect your iPhone's long-term battery health. The charger does get warm (not hot) with use, which is an indication that using it frequently is not great for your iPhone battery's health.
U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand: Competition
The obvious competitor is the Apple MagSafe Battery Pack. As mentioned in our review, it's also compact and lightweight but not as powerful as some larger chargers. Apple's MagSafe battery is even smaller than UAG's, physically, and offers even less power (about 1500mAh.) Apple's battery is more expensive than UAG's.
You can go larger, for example with the Anker PowerCore Magnetic 5K Wireless MagSafe Battery, which offers 5000mAh of power and is cheaper than UAG's battery pack. The Ampere Jetpack is a good affordable option, too. It's a matter of whether you want a more portable or a more powerful option. Keep in mind that neither of these competitors have a kickstand, nor do they come in fun colors.
U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand: Should you buy it?
You should buy this if ...
- You want a battery pack that charges wirelessly, via cable, or MagSafe
- You want your battery pack to have a kickstand/grip
- You want fun colors
You shouldn't buy this if ...
- You want a high-power battery pack
- You need to charge multiple iPhones (or one iPhone multiple times)
- You want the slimmest possible option
U by UAG Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand: Verdict
In terms of sheer power, the best portable battery packs for iPhone that you can buy will be larger standalone chargers. The MagSafe battery options are more for convenience and topping off an iPhone that's getting a bit low in power. The U by UAG Lucent Power Battery is great for what it is: a compact and portable battery pack with a bonus. It snaps onto the back of your MagSafe compatible iPhone and has a kickstand/grip so you can use your iPhone in multiple ways while it charges. Even if you don't have a MagSafe compatible phone, you can still charge it wirelessly or even plug in a USB-C to Lightning cable. It's a great-looking little battery that will give you just the juice you need to get through even the busiest day.
Travel companion
Top off your iPhone's battery with this handy little MagSafe charger that doubles as a two-way kickstand and phone grip.
