Extra Thin - Testing the Baseus PicoGo Air power bank

With the PicoGo Air, Baseus has created an exceptionally slim power bank that supports both wireless and wired charging. Its thickness of just under 7 millimeters is impressive by comparison, though it’s not a quantum leap. For some, the ability to read data via NFC might be more interesting. Unfortunately, the design also has its drawbacks: the adhesive strength is lower, and Qi 2.2 isn’t supported yet.

A good option for budget-conscious buyers: The PicoGo AM42, which offers similar performance and is barely any thicker, currently costs less than half the price of the new AM71.

The Baseus PicoGo Air is sold both directly by Baseus and through major retailers such as Amazon. The MSRP is 60 euros. The power bank is available in only one configuration, but it comes in two colors: silver and black. Our review unit is black.

Baseus offers a wide variety of power banks. The new PicoGo Air is designed to stand out primarily for its slim design. The manufacturer claims a height of 6.9 millimeters; we measured 7 millimeters. In any case, the PicoGo Air is pleasantly slim, though at 71 millimeters, it is quite wide.

In addition to its design, Baseus incorporates an NFC interface. This allows you to retrieve information about the battery. To use this feature, you must have the Baseus app installed on your smartphone, and you must also be logged into a Baseus account. However, the power bank isn’t permanently displayed in the app, unlike paired headphones, for example.

The app opens automatically when the power bank is held up to the smartphone’s active NFC interface. The app provides information on the charge level, the battery temperature, the total usage time, and the state of health (SoH). There is also a section for charging power, but this is not displayed during the test. The power bank’s NFC area is marked with lettering.

The data is not continuously updated during use. To refresh the data, the power bank must be held against the NFC interface again. The Baseus app is available for Android, and iOS. The power bank can also be used without the app, but in that case, it is not possible to read the data.

Unlike the AM41 and AM52 models, Baseus does not use soft silicone on the back of the PicoGo Air (AM71). The surface is made of hard plastic and features distinct perforations. The perforations are designed to improve air circulation and thus enhance cooling.

When the power bank is magnetically attached to a smartphone, there are five LEDs on the side facing down. One indicates the connection status, while the other four show the charge level. Next to it is a USB-C port. This is used to charge the PicoGo Air, but it can also provide power to other devices via a cable. A short, fabric-covered USB cable is included with the power bank.

There is a button next to the port. This button can be used to check the charge level. Pressing it twice puts the power bank into power-saving mode. The PicoGo Air adheres slightly less firmly to smartphones than other MagSafe accessories. According to the manufacturer, the adhesive strength was reduced due to the slim design. We didn’t lose the AM71 during testing, but the reduced holding power is noticeable.

When charging, the PicoGo Air is unobtrusive. Unlike the PicoGo AM52 , it does not support Qi 2.2. It can wirelessly charge other devices at a maximum of 15 watts. It also supports 5, 7.5, and 10 watts. In our test, this worked without any issues with a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and an Apple iPhone 11 Pro.

Qi-compatible smartwatches, such as a Huawei Watch Ultimate 2 or compatible earbud cases. When tested, the PicoGo Air reliably charges these devices. When charging via cable, the AM71 reaches a peak output of 22.5 watts, though the output typically stabilizes at around 17–18 watts. It takes about 90 minutes to fully charge the AM71. We used an Anker 335 power adapter in our test.

The power bank supports Power Delivery: it can wirelessly charge a smartphone while it’s being charged itself. However, it cannot charge two devices at the same time. A Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra with a 5000 mAh battery battery, discharged to 15 percent, charges the PicoGo Air wirelessly to 60 percent during normal smartphone use. The battery takes about three hours to charge.

Despite the new cooling mechanisms advertised by the manufacturer, the AM71 gets noticeably warm. According to the app, the battery reaches a temperature of 41 degrees Celsius.

The Baseus PicoGo Air is a slim power bank with decent charging performance. Its unique feature is data exchange via NFC, which allows you to check the battery cycles, charge level, and temperature.