Unplugging my phone has become a thing of the past with the introduction of MagSafe. I’ve grown accustomed to simply placing my smartphone on one of the many wireless charging stands scattered throughout my home. However, this convenience doesn’t translate well when I need a quick charge on the go. MagSafe-enabled power banks have attempted to replicate this seamless experience, but have faced challenges due to overheating issues.
Since MagSafe arrived, I’ve gotten used to just tossing my smartphone on one of the many wireless charging stands I have across my home. That habit doesn’t translate well for when I need a top-up on the go, though.
There’s no shortage of MagSafe-equipped power banks, but they’ve struggled to replicate that smooth and reliable experience for one key reason: thermals.
It’s no secret that wireless charging emits far more heat than over a wire, and that becomes a particular challenge when the charger is strapped to the back of your phone. The high heat also often brings my phone to a halt and causes it to either throttle the charging speed or lose the charge more quickly.
An ideal solution
Sharge’s Icemag 3 power bank overcomes this issue in a simple way: by adding a built-in cooling fan.
The Icemag 3 looks unlike any of its rivals, thanks to its stand-out glass back. A narrow transparent window runs along the bottom, offering views of the internal circuitry and the fan in action. There’s a small vent on the floor, too, pushing out the hot air. Covering half of that window is a vertical kickstand you can adjust to your preferred viewing angle.
Shubham Agarwal / Foundry
That’s not all: Turn the power bank on, and the fan kicks off not just with a noticeable whir, but also a full-spectrum RGB light show.
This is what drew most people to it in public, most of whom were curious and some… apprehensive. The Icemag 3’s edgy design, though sleek and unique, does raise eyebrows – most notably, at airport security, where I was briefly stopped and asked about it twice. The good news is that you can switch off the lights by long-pressing the power button.
Turn the power bank on, and the fan kicks off not just with a noticeable whir, but also a full-spectrum RGB light show
A Qi2 charging pad dominates the Icemag’s front and is its other headlining quality. It’s one of the very few power banks to support the latest fast 25W speeds for compatible phones, such as the iPhone 17 and Google Pixel 10 series, and more importantly, sustains those figures without overheating. I was surprised at how effective the fan was, even for prolonged periods.
Shubham Agarwal / Foundry
The noise can be distracting at times, especially in quiet rooms, but it soon turned into background white noise for me. For when you do need even quicker charging, there’s a USB-C port that can top up at 35W, and a built-in USB-C cable you can convert into a loop. All the charging outputs can function simultaneously as well, letting you charge up to three devices at once.
And with a total capacity of 10,000mAh, many flagship phones can be charged from empty to full twice on a single charge.
Small downsides, but still easy to recommend
The Icemag 3 has been hard to fault, but it does suffer from two shortcomings.
The metal kickstand, for one, is flimsy and seems loose at times. While it has been able to hold any phone I’ve snapped on so far, it doesn’t look like it will last long.
Shubham Agarwal / Foundry
Second, the Icemag 3 isn’t compatible with pass-through tech, which means you can’t use it as a wireless charging stand while it’s being charged itself.
Apart from that, if you are looking for a fast and reliable Qi2 power bank, the Sharge Icemag 3 is a no-brainer. Given everything you’re getting, its £59.44/$79.90 price tag is good value for money, and it’s often discounted.
It’s not the first time we’ve seen an innovative product from Sharge. The company is proving that phone accessories don’t have to be boring.
