The gap over competing ultra-slim wireless power banks is real but incremental. Baseus advertises 6.9 mm; launch coverage cited 6.8 mm; Notebookcheck's calipers measured 7 mm. The Anker Nano and Ugreen MagFlow Air both sit at 8.6 mm, per Notebookcheck's launch report from earlier this week. That's a 1.6 mm difference that's perceptible in hand, but Notebookcheck describes the thinness as "not a quantum leap."

Width complicates the picture. At 71 mm across, the PicoGo Air reads as a flat slab when snapped to a phone rather than a barely-there sliver, Notebookcheck notes. Thinness in one dimension doesn't cancel bulk in another.

The magnetic grip is where the thinness cost shows up most directly. Baseus acknowledges that reducing magnet mass was a necessary consequence of the slim build. The unit stayed attached throughout Notebookcheck's testing, but the reduced holding power was consistently noticeable compared to other MagSafe accessories, according to the review. For anyone using their phone actively while it charges, that's a practical consideration.

The semi-solid-state cell construction is what makes the 7 mm build possible without cutting capacity. Unlike conventional lithium-ion, these cells tolerate tighter physical packaging, which is part of how Baseus fits 5,000 mAh into the chassis. The device also carries CCC certification for Chinese domestic aviation, per Notebookcheck.

The two models diverge in exactly the areas that matter most for daily use. The AM52 supports Qi 2.2 and uses soft silicone on its back; the PicoGo Air uses a grooved aluminum unibody with no silicone backing and stops short of Qi 2.2. Both differences point the same direction: the AM52 prioritizes grip and charging standard, the Air prioritizes thinness, as noted in Notebookcheck's review. Full AM52 pricing and dimensional specs have not yet been independently reviewed.

The wireless charging gap is sharper than it first appears. Without Qi 2.2, the PicoGo Air's wireless output falls behind not just the AM52 but also the Anker Nano and Ugreen MagFlow Air. Both are thicker devices that nonetheless match or exceed the Air on wireless charging speed, per Notebookcheck's launch coverage.

The value question is harder to resolve. At $69.99, the PicoGo Air costs more than Xiaomi's UltraThin Magnetic Power Bank, which features the same 6.8 mm profile and comparable charging speeds, and sells for £54.99 in the UK and €59.99 in Europe, according to Notebookcheck. Baseus's own older AM42 offers similar charging performance and is barely any thicker, yet costs less than half the PicoGo Air's price, per Notebookcheck's review. That internal competition makes the Air's premium difficult to justify on specs alone.

The NFC diagnostics are the clearest differentiator. Tap the unit to a phone, and the Baseus app (Android and iOS) surfaces charge level, temperature, state of health, cycle count, and total usage time. Notebookcheck highlighted NFC diagnostics as an unusual feature in this class of magnetic travel power bank, per the review.

The implementation has real limits. It requires a Baseus account login, and data does not update continuously. Each refresh requires a new tap against the phone's NFC sensor. A charging-power section in the app returned no data during Notebookcheck's testing, as the review found. It functions as a useful periodic diagnostic, not live monitoring.

Based on Notebookcheck's comparison, the trade-off appears to favor the AM52 on grip and charging standard support for everyday wireless use. The PicoGo Air's clearest differentiator remains its NFC diagnostics, though Notebookcheck found the feature limited in practice. That assessment comes with the caveat that the AM52 has not yet received a full independent review.

Wired output is solid. The PicoGo Air peaks at 22.5 W over USB-C in testing, with sustained output settling at 17 to 18 W under normal conditions, and recharges itself fully in roughly 90 minutes via its 20 W input port, according to Notebookcheck's Baseus PicoGo Air review.

Wireless charging supports multiple tiers, 5, 7.5, 10, and 15 W, and worked reliably in testing with both a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and an Apple iPhone 11 Pro. In a representative real-world test, the PicoGo Air charged a Galaxy S24 Ultra starting at 15% to 60% over roughly three hours of active use, per Notebookcheck. Useful for a commute top-up; not a replacement for finding a wall outlet.

Pass-through charging works. The unit can wirelessly charge a phone while being recharged via USB-C, but it cannot charge two devices simultaneously, Notebookcheck notes.

Thermals are worth noting. Despite the grooved aluminum shell Baseus markets for heat dissipation, the PicoGo Air runs noticeably warm in use. The NFC app logged an internal battery temperature of 41°C during testing, within normal operational range, but a reminder that slim form factors compress thermal headroom regardless of surface treatment, per Notebookcheck's review.

Quick spec reference: 5,000 mAh capacity (~18.5 Wh) | 103.9 g | 22.5 W max wired output | 15 W max wireless output | 20 W max input | No Qi 2.2 | Silver and black colorways

ICAO's March 27 addendum to its Technical Instructions introduced three new passenger requirements: a two-power-bank-per-person limit, a prohibition on recharging power banks onboard, and a recommendation against using them to charge devices during flight. Carry-on only remains the existing baseline, per IATA's operator guidance. These rules will be codified formally in the 68th edition of IATA's Dangerous Goods Regulations on January 1, 2027.

Several carriers have moved further than the ICAO baseline. Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Virgin Australia, and Jetstar have each banned onboard power bank use entirely. Hong Kong's Civil Aviation Department issued a similar ban in April following a cabin fire, reported by The Independent in late May.

Both devices clear the capacity threshold without issue. At roughly 18.5 Wh, the PicoGo Air and AM52 sit well under the 100 Wh limit that triggers airline approval requirements or additional screening, per IATA's guidance. Getting them through security isn't the problem.

The practical implication is straightforward: both devices suit airports, transit, hotels, and daily commutes. Neither should be purchased with the expectation of topping up a phone in the air, particularly on long-haul carriers that have already moved to outright in-flight bans.

The PicoGo Air's 7 mm build is a real technical achievement. The gap over 8.6 mm rivals is modest in practice, and the costs, weaker grip, no Qi 2.2, and a price above comparable alternatives, are not. The NFC diagnostics are the clearest reason to pay the premium; whether that feature justifies the difference over Xiaomi's equivalent is a judgment call, per Notebookcheck's review.

Based on the comparative notes in Notebookcheck's testing, the trade-off appears to favor the AM52 on grip and charging standard for everyday wireless use. That conclusion carries the caveat that the AM52 lacks a full independent review at the time of writing.

With ICAO's power bank rules becoming permanent DGR policy in January 2027, clearly labeled Wh ratings and aviation certifications like CCC are moving toward baseline expectations across the category, per IATA's guidance. On that front, both devices are positioned ahead of the curve. The question the PicoGo Air still has to answer is whether thinness alone, without Qi 2.2 or a stronger grip, justifies a premium that several alternatives, inside and outside Baseus's own lineup, currently undercut.