mophie Powerstation Wireless XL review: Sleek, convenient, and functional

As we carry more and more devices with us, keeping everything charged up can be a hassle. That's why power banks and portable batteries are always handy to have around, and the market is packed to the brim with them. Among them, mophie is a well-known brand for mobile power accessories, and they have just released the new Powerstation Wireless XL. This is not to be confused with the two other mophie battery packs that I reviewed earlier this year: the Powerstation with PD and Powerstation Plus XL Wireless (mophie really should come up with better names).

So how does the Powerstation Wireless XL stack up to the company's other offerings? Let's find out.

Fast Power Delivery and wireless charging in one

mophie Powerstation Wireless XL: Features

The Powerstation Wireless XL has a sleek and portable design, featuring a glossy top surface with rubber edges to keep your phone in place, brushed metallic perimeter edges, and soft-touch rubber bottom. Along the longer edge is a Power button, along with four LED lights to indicate battery status. Along the shorter side is where you'll find the Lightning (input-only) and USB-C PD port.

You get 10000mAh of power with the Powerstation Wireless XL, which is larger than both the Powerstation with PD (6000mAh) and Powerstation Plus XL Wireless (8000mAh) that I previously reviewed. With this capacity, mophie estimates about an additional 55 hours (depending on your usage of course) that you'll be able to squeeze out of your iPhone before having to plug it in to your wall charger.

Since the Powerstation Wireless XL comes with both a USB-C PD port and Qi-compatible wireless charging, it's not specifically designed to cater to just Apple devices, unlike the other models I've tried. You can use this battery pack to charge other devices like your Nintendo Switch, USB-C smartphones and tablets, and even laptops with USB-C (yes, including MacBooks and iPad Pros). The USB-C PD port has a maximum output of 18W though, so while it's enough to fast-charge iPhones and other smartphones, it may not charge bigger devices as quickly.

mophie's Powerstation Wireless XL is also capable of charging up to two devices simultaneously, as you can plug one in via the USB-C port, and then wirelessly charge the other. For example, you could charge your iPhone quickly with USB-C-to-Lightning and set your AirPods Pro charging case on top to juice up wirelessly. Thanks to the 18W output of the USB-C PD port, you can get a 50% charge in around 30 minutes on an iPhone.

There is also passthrough charging, which is handy if you need to charge up the battery pack and other devices at the same time. Passthrough charging lets the battery prioritize charging up the devices before it recharges itself, so this is nice if you're working with limited wall outlets.

The Powerstation Wireless XL itself can charge three ways: wirelessly on a Qi-compatible charging mat (slower than plugging in), via Lightning cable, or by USB-C. So no matter what you have available, you can still charge the Powerstation Wireless XL with what you have on-hand at the time.

It's mostly all you need from a battery pack

mophie Powerstation Wireless XL: What I Like

In my review of the Powerstation Plus XL Wireless, I pointed out that while it had convenient wireless charging, it only had a USB-A port for charging other devices (unlike the 6000mAh Powerstation with PD), and it only had 8000mAh capacity. The Powerstation Wireless XL is basically giving me the best of those two, because now I have 18W fast-charge USB-C output, wireless charging capabilities, and a slight capacity bump to 10000mAh.

This means that the Powerstation Wireless XL is a better universal battery pack for all devices. I enjoy the fact that I can fast-charge my iPhone with USB-C-to-Lightning, and even charge up my AirPods Pro at the same time. Or wirelessly charge my iPhone while also charging my iPad Pro or even MacBook Air. I can even use it for charging up my MacBook Air or iPad Pro, though the 18W output may be a bit slower for the former.

The size is also rather nice, as it is slightly smaller than the Powerstation Plus XL Wireless. This is probably due to the fact that it doesn't have an integrated Lightning cable. So the Powerstation Wireless XL is even more compact — it's a little smaller than my iPhone 11 Pro, just thicker, so I can still stash it away in my purse.

BYOC - Bring Your Own Cable

mophie Powerstation Wireless XL: What I Don't Like

While the Powerstation Wireless XL is like an almost-perfect mashup of the Powerstation with PD and Powerstation Plus XL Wireless, it is missing the integrated Lightning cable that I love from the latter so much. I know it's a minor thing, but I had been carrying the Powerstation Plus XL Wireless everywhere because of the convenience of not having to bring my own cable. Unfortunately, you'll have to go back to supplying your own cables with the Powerstation Wireless XL, and if you don't already have a USB-C-to-Lightning cable for your iPhone, you may have to upgrade your cables too.

Another thing I noticed is that the rubber material surrounding the perimeter of the glossy surface is incredibly prone to collecting lint and dust, and it all sticks there. I kept the plastic cover on it for a while and took it off for the photos here — the moment I tried to wipe fingerprint smudges off the glossy surface, the rubber edges were covered in lint from my cleaning cloth. The soft-touch bottom is also prone to getting some lint, dust, and scuff marks. None of this impacts the functionality of the battery pack, but if you're a perfectionist, it may be hard to keep it pristine.

And unlike the other battery packs that I've tried out from mophie in recent weeks, the Powerstation Wireless XL only comes in one color: black. So you won't be able to add some color to your portable battery life with this one. And again, it's a little pricey for only being 10000mAh, but I suppose the features make up for it.

Convenient and (mostly) fast, what more could you ask for?

mophie Powerstation Wireless XL: The Bottom Line

I have so many battery packs around the house (so very many), but the mophie Powerstation Wireless XL is going to be one that I'm adding to my daily rotation. It's just too convenient — it can charge up three ways, including just dropping it on a wireless charging pad and walking away. It may charge slower, but it's a super easy way to make sure it's always topped off. And adding the 18W USB-C PD port means my iPhone can go from zero to 100% in about an hour, which isn't bad at all. And being able to charge up something else wirelessly at the same time is just icing on the cake.

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