Seven months after launching its first semi-solid state battery, which used a safe and long-lasting solid-liquid mixed electrolyte, Kuxiu is introducing a new version with some welcome upgrades. The S3 has double the capacity of the S2 at 10,000mAh – 5,000mAh at 7.7V (38.5Wh) – the company says this is enough to almost double the iPhone’s battery life, but this will vary depending on the model.
The Kuxiu S3 is also Qi2.2-compatible so it can charge compatible devices wirelessly at up to 25W. Its larger battery means it’s 100g heavier than the 145g S2, but Kuxiu has increased the number of N52 magnets from 16 to 18 to help reduce the risk of accidentally missing the power bank from your phone. There’s now an integrated kickstand on the back, a small display that shows its remaining capacity and charging status, and a built-in cable for charging other devices with up to 35W of power delivery via the USB-C port.
Like previous models, the S3 is more expensive than traditional wireless power banks offering similar capacity, charging rates and features, but the cost of the technology should come down over time as manufacturing improves and increases. It’s now available for $149.98, but is temporarily discounted to $68.99. If that sounds hard to digest, remember that while most power banks will start losing capacity after 300 to 500 cycles, the S3 should only see a drop to about 80 percent capacity after 1,000 charging cycles. It will have a much longer lifespan, and less risk of problems like fire and thermal runaway if you accidentally drop it.
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