Take wireless charging on the go with the Powerstation Hub [Review]

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Mophie Powerstation Hub review
The Mophie Powerstation Hub can charge a Mac, iPhone and iPad all at once.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Powerstation Hub is a powerbank with an extra trick: wireless charging. There’s no reason to leave the convenience of wireless power at home when you can take it with you anywhere. This accessory also sports USB-C and dual USB-A ports, plus there are built-in AC power prongs for easy recharging.

We kicked the tires on this mobile battery. Come see how it performed in our tests.

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Mophie Powerstation Hub review

The Powerstation Hub favors functionality over appearance. It’s a basic black plastic square with sharp edges and corners. There’s not a curve to be seen. Actually, it looks like the Sith version of a MacBook Pro charger.

But this device does much more than Apple’s offering. On the front edge are a USB-C port above two USB-A ones. One side has the Mophie logo to indicate it’s a wireless charger when this accessory is laid flat. All together, the powerbank can replenish four devices at the same time.

There are four white LEDs to approximately indicate the remaining battery level.

The AC prongs are on the back edge, so the USB ports can be used while this power adapter is plugged in, making it your regular charger at home or work. The prongs are removable, but our test version came with only the North American set.

The Powerstation Hub is 3.3 inches by 3.3 in. by 1.16 in., and 9 oz. It’s not pocketable, but takes up relatively little room in a backpack, gear bag or purse. It’s small enough that it can share a wall socket with another plug.

If there’s not room to plug in this accessory directly into a powerstrip, it can be recharged through its USB-C port.

Mophie Powerstation Hub charging iPhone XS Max
The Powerstation Hub doesn’t need wires to power an iPhone XS Max.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Mophie Powerstation Hub performance

At the heart of this charger is, of course, the 6000 mAh battery. To test it’s efficiency, we had it repeatedly recharge an iPhone XS Max. The Powerstation Hub was able to give this device a 98% charge.

It sure would be great if a 6000 mAh powerbank could recharge that 3174 mAh iPhone almost twice, but batteries aren‘t that efficient. In this case, Mophie’s battery is about 52% efficient, which is a bit low. The average is about 60% efficiency.

And don’t expect to get this much power out of the Powerstation Hub when using wireless charging. While very convenient, Qi inductive charging in inherently inefficient. About half the stored power will be wasted. This is true of every wireless charger, not just Mophie’s.

Each port on this accessory provides a different amount of current. The USB-C one can send up to 18W. That brought the battery level in our test iPhone up 33% in 20 minutes.

There are two USB Type-A ports, but remember that not all USB-A ports are created equally. One of the Powerstation Hub’s ports offers Quick Charge 3.0 and 15W, while the other is a simple 5W port. The first pushed the battery in our test XS Max up 23% in 20 minutes. The second raised it 10% in 20 minutes.

The wireless charger runs at 5W, while Apple products can receive power at up to 7.5W. In our Qi test, the iPhone went up 10% in 20 minutes.

Recharging Mophie’s powerbank through its built-in AC prongs took us roughly 3 hours.

Mophie Powerstation Hub
Mophie’s Powerstation Hub has a USB-C port and two USB-A ones. And notice the AC prongs on the back.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Mophie Powerstation Hub final thoughts

Everyone who travels frequently should have a second charger that stays in a suitcase or other travel bag where it can’t be accidentally left behind. The Powerstation Hub is well suited for this role, as it can charge a MacBook, iPhone and iPad all at once. And it can do this while plugged into a wall socket or working on its own.

That said, because the AC prongs and the wireless charging coils take up room, the 6000 mAh capacity is a bit on the small size for a mobile battery. Mophie and others have powerbanks that can hold much more, but without these extras.

Pricing

Mophie charges $99.95 for the Powerstation Hub. That’s slightly high, but this could be considered a premium for a product made by a company with an extremely good reputation.

Buy from: Amazon

Comparable products

The Powerstation Hub has some strong competition. Despite a silly name, the Fuse Chicken Universal has all the features of Mophie’s offering, plus it comes with plugs for the EU, UK, and AU. It’s $84.95.

The Uniq HydeAir doesn’t have built-in AC plugs, but it does include wireless charging and a 10,000mAh battery for $49.95.

Mophie/Zagg provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more stuff we recommend.

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