Image credit: Belkin
Belkin has announced the UltraCharge Pro with BoostSolid Cell power banks, its first with semi-solid-state batteries, at IFA 2026 in Berlin. Two models will go on sale in September: a $69.99 slim 5,000mAh magnetic bank and an $89.99 10,000mAh fast-charging one. The new battery technology is a much bigger deal than the two products themselves. ReelCharge, a smaller brand, has been selling power banks with the same kind of cells since June.
A regular power bank stores its charge in cells filled with a liquid electrolyte. That liquid is flammable. A semi-solid-state cell adds a gel-like layer alongside the liquid, which makes the cell harder to ignite, less likely to swell, and slimmer. The chemistry should also age better, meaning better longevity from your power banks. Belkin says its cells will keep 80% of their capacity after 1,000 charge cycles, about three times the lifespan of a typical power bank.
Battery safety has been a point of concern for a while. It's the reason power banks have been subject to new airline rules this year. A battery that's built to have a lower risk of catching fire feels like the longer-term answer to the same problem, and both companies note that their banks are TSA-compliant for carry-on.
Read More: Flying soon? Your power bank has new rules to follow
What Belkin's new semi-solid-state power banks offer
The UltraCharge Pro Slim Magnetic Power Bank 5K will cost $69.99. It's 8.8mm thick, about the footprint of a credit card, and it can charge your phone magnetically at 15W over Qi2. The UltraCharge Pro Power Bank 10K will cost $89.99 and can put out up to 60W over USB-C, which is enough to fast-charge a laptop. It also has a small display for battery level, output, and temperature. Belkin says both will be available in September at belkin.com and Amazon, in black and sand.
How the ReelCharge power bank holds up
Image credit: ReelCharge
Seattle-based ReelCharge has been selling semi-solid-state power banks since June. The company is at the show this week as well. Its 10,000mAh model costs $69.99 at reelcharge.com, $20 less than Belkin's, though it tops out at 20W wired where Belkin's will do 60W. ReelCharge beat the big brands to it, but Belkin selling the same technology means this is now a proper category and not a one-off.
I've been using the ReelCharge 10K daily for over a month now. The performance has been pretty good across the board, and the LED display turned out to be more useful than I expected for keeping an eye on remaining charge. You won't notice the safety improvement while using it, because it's a change under the hood. The bank looks and works like any other power bank, and you aren't giving anything up for the added safety here. If you're worried about the safety issues surrounding carrying a power bank, these power banks should help you worry less.
Should you buy a semi-solid-state power bank?
A semi-solid-state power bank will likely cost you a bit of a premium over a regular bank of the same capacity. The premium isn't big, going by the first two brands selling it. ReelCharge's 10K is $69.99 where good conventional 10,000mAh banks run $30 to $50, and Belkin's pricing is also in the same range. If you carry a power bank in your bag every day, or if you fly a lot, you'll have to pay a bit extra, but you'll get a battery that should last years longer and is less likely to be recalled. I think that trade is worth it, and I expect more and more brands to launch semi-solid-state battery packs soon.
