I switched to a solid-state portable battery for a week - now lithium-ion feels outdated

BMX SolidSafe 5K powerfulness bank

ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• This is simply a 5,000mAh wireless powerfulness slope powered by a solid-state cells
• Solid-state cells are acold little apt to drawback connected occurrence than lithium-ion batteries
• At $80, this is simply a precise costly unit, truthful it is focused connected those who worth safety.

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I've tested countless powerfulness banks implicit the years, and they person each made usage of lithium-ion batteries. These person the vantage of being inexpensive and person precocious vigor density, but they can, if provoked excessively much, burst into flames. Needless to say, that's not a bully thing.

This is wherever solid-state cells travel into play. These ditch the flammable electrolyte solution recovered successful lithium-ion batteries for a non-flammable solid.  

Also: Why your iPhone isn't powered by a solid-state artillery yet - adjacent though it beats lithium-ion

This is what BMX has done with the SolidSafe 5K powerfulness bank. 

This 5,000mAh/19Wh wireless charging powerfulness slope is perfectly designed to acceptable the iPhone. It measures 4.0 x 2.7 x 0.4 in/102.7 x 68 x 11 mm and weighs 4.8 oz/137 g. The magnetic wireless charger is built to Qi2 standards, which means that it tin output up to 15W of powerfulness for a accelerated charge. 

The magnets are besides beardown capable to securely clasp the charger to the telephone erstwhile successful use.

The BMX SolidSafe 5K is simply a nice, light, unobtrusive wireless powerfulness bank.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

There's besides a azygous USB-C larboard that handles charging (maximum output of up to 20W, maximum input of up to 15W), and it tin tally alongside the wireless charging pad astatine up to 15W. The powerfulness slope besides supports pass-through charging, truthful it tin beryllium charged via USB-C portion it's wirelessly charging a phone. I similar this diagnostic due to the fact that I tin usage a single-outlet charger erstwhile traveling airy to complaint some my iPhone and my powerfulness slope overnight. 

Also: Your Windows 11 PC has a escaped artillery wellness diagnostic that's earnestly underutilized - however to find it

There's a fastener connected the powerfulness slope to activate it, and a colour show that shows powerfulness levels and charging/discharging power. The show is bully and clear, and contains each the accusation you need. 

This decidedly adds to the powerfulness bank's prime feel.

The show is truly bully and clear.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The powerfulness slope comes with a lanyard that doubles arsenic a USB-C-to-USB-C cable. This is simply a bully interaction due to the fact that there's a warring accidental that you'll person a cablegram erstwhile you request it.

The USb-C-to-USB-C cablegram built into the lanyard is simply a bully touch.

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET

The SolidSafe 5K is portion of a bigger ecosystem of devices. BMX besides offers a larger SolidSafe 10K with a 10,000 mAh capacity, on with 3-bay and 5-bay docks for charging aggregate powerfulness banks. 

How harmless are solid-state cells? There was lone 1 mode to find retired — instrumentality the powerfulness slope isolated and maltreatment the fully-charged battalion by utilizing a screwdriver to marque holes successful it. 

DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME!

I took precautions of wearing information glasses and doing the stabbing outside, but arsenic I expected it was thankfully anticlimactic, and the cells simply emitted a fewer puffs of smoke. 

ZDNET's buying advice

The BMX SolidSafe 5K isn't cheap; it retails for $79.99 (the 10,000mAh version is $99.99, and the 3-bay and 5-bay docking stations are $49.99 and $69.99, respectively). That's much costly than astir powerfulness banks of its size. However, I person seen it spell connected merchantability recently, truthful I'd urge checking retired the tract for the latest updates arsenic you see buying one.

But it's besides caller to the field, and I expect prices to travel down arsenic this exertion becomes much mainstream (although fixed however inexpensive and energy-dense lithium-ion batteries are, solid-state batteries are improbable to regenerate them immoderate clip soon). 

Also: This flexible telephone accessory efficaciously makes rugged cases unnecessary for me

But if you're aft a powerfulness slope that's got a debased accidental of going atrocious connected you -- possibly you question a lot, oregon transportation 1 erstwhile biking/motorcycling, oregon are a archetypal responder -- this is decidedly worthy a look.