Nimble SharePower review: A power bank that splits in two to share

Price When Reviewed

$79.95

Best Prices Today: Nimble SharePower Portable Battery Charger

The Nimble SharePower isn’t magnetic in a charging capacity, so won’t clamp onto the back of your iPhone to immediately begin charging, but it is clever in another way: it’s a sharable battery that will serve not just you but a very grateful friend, colleague or trustworthy stranger.

SharePower is a 10,000mAh portable charger with a difference. Unlike a typical 10,000mAh power bank, the Nimble SharePower splits into two completely independent 5,000mAh chargers that can be shared between two people. Each half has its own built-in USB-C connection and extra USB-C port, allowing up to four devices to be charged simultaneously when separated. It’s a genuinely useful twist on the standard portable charger, making it ideal for iPhone 15 and newer users who regularly share power with friends, family or colleagues without being tethered together by a charging cable.

Magnetically modular

Together the SharePower measures 3.1 x 2.8 x 1 inch (78 x 70 x 25mm) and weighs 7.6oz (216g). Divided, the two parts are roughly equal, with the cabled module being the slightly larger.

The two parts come together magnetically and won’t fall apart without a meaningful effort.

The section with the built-in 29.5-inch (75mm) USB-C cable has a standard four-dot battery capacity display, while the other—featuring an integrated flip-up USB-C connector—features a TFT LCD digital display showing the actual percentage remaining.

The cable also works as a handy carry loop.

How much charge does it actually provide?

Many 10K power banks are made up of two 5K cells. Nimble has just separated them more cleanly so they can work independently.

In Macworld’s famous real-world recharging tests we used one of the modules to recharge an iPhone 16 Pro from 0% to 87% before the power bank half section ran dry. That’s not far off the highest 5K score we’ve recorded (90%), from the Ugreen MagFlow Air 5K. As the Ugreen is a wireless charger, some of its power would have been lost due to wireless charging’s inherent inefficiency, and so the SharePower’s test score is maybe as high as it is die to the stronger wired connection (we used the built-in cable).

If both SharePower modules perform the same, that’s a high 175% score combined, which should keep two iPhones charged for at least another day’s use.

Which iPhones does SharePower work with?

The fact that both battery sections have built-in USB-C connectors means it’s good only for iPhones 15 and later. iPhone of an older vintage (14 and earlier) use Apple’s old Lightning connector and so aren’t supported using the two integrated USB-C connectors. Time to buy a new phone or one of the best magnetic wireless power banks. Alternatively you could connect to an older iPhone with a USB-C to Lightning cable—indeed in our tests we had two USB-C iPhones, a USB-C-cabled Apple Watch charger, and a USB-C to Lightning cable for our ageing AirPods case.

Don’t restrict this charger to just your iPhone. It can just as well charge your USB-C iPad, and as mentioned earlier, even a MacBook if you can leave it untouched during charging.

Will it charge faster than wireless?

Wired charging is always faster than wireless as it’s more efficient, with less power wasted in the connection between the charger and the phone’s coils.

You don’t have to divide SharePower into its two halves. You can use it stacked with a possible 35W USB-C PD total output to charge three devices: one via the short integrated USB-C cable, and two more via the side USB-C ports—20W USB-C PD per module when split in Share Mode.

When used as one unit—Stack Mode—it can charge at 35W PD, which is just about enough to keep a MacBook Air or small Pro going, and certainly fine for a MacBook Neo.

Wireless charging has a maximum of 25W, but that’s difficult to maintain due to the heat produced at such an output via wireless. Charger makers introduce fans to cool the devices down to reduce the chance of the phone throttling the power in order to stay safely cool. You don’t get as much chance of that with wired charging so charging speed stays faster for longer.

How many devices can SharePower charge at the same time?

Each half of the Nimble SharePower has one of the USB-C ports for a second device, so separated you can charge four drives in total.

Section one has the USB-C cable and a USB-C port. Section two has the flip-up USB-C connector and a USB-C port. It’s simple therefore when split to charge two iPhones plus, say, an Apple Watch and your AirPods case at the same time.

In joined Stack Mode, three devices can be charged simultaneously as the foldaway USB-C connector is hidden when the two halves are magnetically joined.

Both halves can be recharged themselves at the same time as they join up with tiny pogo pins.

If you want a magnetic wireless portable charger to share, you could opt for a power bank such as the Kuxiu S3 that boasts a 25W magnetic wireless iPhone charging pad, a built-in USB-C cable, and a spare USB-C port. Its three device-charging prowess is one behind that of the SharePower when split and requires all the charging devices to be attached to the one unit, where the SharePower physically divides into two parts.

Wireless charging is neater than the split SharePower’s wired charging, but when sharing between people Nimble’s approach is much more convenient.

Sharing caveat

Of course, you must remember to ask for the shared half to be returned or suddenly the Nimble SharePower becomes the once-shared power. This is where your generosity in the airport Departures lounge might come back to haunt you.

How much does the Nimble SharePower cost?

You can buy the Nimble SharePower at Apple and Apple UK or direct from Nimble. It costs $79.95 or £59.95.

It is available in three colors: white, pink, or blue. If you get excited, buy two of different colors, and mix and match.

Should you buy the Nimble SharePower?

The Nimble SharePower operates as one stacked 10K portable charger or two divided 5K battery packs. It’s a neat idea, well done—letting you share a power bank without being tethered to your desperately unpowered friend by a cable when charging your own iPhone at the same time.