The Courant Carry is a lightweight and sleek phone powerbank that holds 8,000mAh. Even better, it’s wrapped in pebble-grain Italian leather so it looks outstanding, which is very important for an accessory intended to be carried everywhere.
It can wirelessly charge every iPhone released since 2017. And the Carry itself can be charged without cables.
Does the functionality of this external battery live up the the appearance? Read on to find out.
Courant Carry review
Courant is a luxury brand, and the Carry reflects that reputation. It seems like the powerbank a Kardashian would use to keep her phone going.
It’s pleasantly portable. At 5.5 inches by 2.9 in. by 0.7 in. and just a hair over half a pound, it’s smaller than many phones, and the curved corners and edges make it feel even smaller.
Pebble-grain Italian leather covers all the top half and most of the bottom. Our sample is Ash, but the Courant Carry also comes in Black, Bone, Dusky Rose and Pacific Blue.
Place an iPhone 11 or any model going back to the iPhone 8 on top of the Courant Carry, then press and hold the powerbank’s side button to begin wireless charging. Android devices that support the Qi standard can be used as well.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
To replenish it, put this accessory on a wireless charger, like the Courant Catch:2. You can even stack them: Set this accessory on a wireless charger, and then place an iPhone on top of that. Both will charge at the same time.
On one end is a USB-C port that can also be used to recharge this battery. The Carry comes with a USB-A-to-USB-C cable just for this purpose. That cable is color-coordinated to the leather exterior.
If you don’t want to go wireless, that USB-C port can power up a phone via a Lightning-to-USB-C cable (sold separately).
Powerbank performance: Wireless vs. wired
The battery inside the Courant Carry holds 8,000mAh/29.6Wh. And it can wirelessly transmit power at up to 10W, though iPhones top out at 7.5W.
We tested this powerbank with an iPhone 11, wirelessly recharging it multiple times until the Carry’s battery was empty. In total, it was able to give the handset 118% of a full charge.
Wireless charging is very convenient, but not especially quick. Courant’s accessory gave our handset about a 15% charge every 30 minutes. That’s standard for all wireless chargers, both mobile and desktop.
If you’re willing to carry around a Lightning-to-USB-C cable, Cournant’s offering puts out 18W through its USB-C port, so it can bump up the iPhone 11 battery 30% to 45% in 30 minutes. Just be aware the charging process always slows down as the handset nears 100%.
A cable also nets you more power. Our tests showed that it was able to give increase the iPhone’s battery level 147% over multiple charges.
This powerbank itself wirelessly receives power at 5V, so give it a full night to recharge when it’s down near empty. If it’s recharged via cable, it takes in 18W.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Courant Carry review: Final thoughts
A powerbank is a must-have for anyone who really depends on their phone, and the Courant Carry is the best-looking one we’ve seen.
And it’s not just pretty — it can more than fully recharge an iPhone 11, and doesn’t need any cables to do so. And while its combination of sending and receiving wireless power isn’t unique, it’s rare.
Pricing
The Courant Carry is $150 on its designer’s website.
Buy from: Courant — $150
Comparable products
There are competing wireless powerbanks for less money, but none look as good.
The Mophie Powerstation Hub holds 6,000mAh and offers wireless charging. It also has built-in electrical prongs for easier charges. It’s $99.95.
The Uniq HydeAir is a wireless powerbank with a built-in phone stand and a 10,000 mAh capacity. It’s $49.95.
Courant provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.
