I split this power bank in half and gave it to a friend, but there's one problem

You don’t have to guard the energy in your power bank like it’s with its weight in gold anymore. The Nimble Sharepower power bank is a two-in-one charger, where you can physically split it in half to also let a friend benefit from some phone life-force at the same time.

It’s a fascinating idea, and the hardware is great, but there’s one feature oversight I’m surprised wasn’t considered.

What is the Nimble Sharepower?

More than meets the eye

The square-shaped power bank weights about 60 grams, and is half the length of a regular smartphone. It’s quite thick at 77mm, and made of hard-wearing plastic.

There’s an LED power indicator on the front, which shows a percentage level of charge, a series of four LEDs, and an alert to show if the power bank meets the USB PD standard when it’s being charged.

At first glance, it looks quite standard, but when you grip the two halves of the power bank and pull them apart, it becomes two power banks, both with their own built-in USB C cable.

This then explains the two LED readouts, as at the press of a physical button on each half shows the power remaining in each part individually.

What about the charging specs?

Charge up to four devices

Magnets hold the Nimble Sharepower together, and when combined it has a 10,000mAh total capacity. Split the power bank in two, and you get a pair of 5,000mAh power banks. One for you, and one for a friend.

In addition to the two USB C cables, there are two USB C ports on the Sharepower. One is used for input and output, and the other is a dedicated output. It means you could realistically charge four different devices in total using the two separate Sharepower sections.

The company says the Sharepower has a 20W output when combined or split, but notes power delivery will change when you plug different devices in at the same time. For example, expect one device to recharge at 15W and the other at 20W.

What’s the hardware like?

Compact and versatile

The LED displays are clear and bright, and the buttons to illuminate them are easy to find, but they are in different places on each half of the Sharepower.

One USB cleverly converts into a lanyard for use when the power bank is combined, and it securely fits inside a dedicated slot in the middle of the charger. The cable is made of a thick, braided material and is unlikely to break easily.

On the other half of the Sharepower, the USB C is not attached to a cable, and instead folds out ready to plug into your phone. It still fitted my iPhone 17 Pro Max which is housed in a sizable Casetify case though.

What’s missing?

A surprising oversight

I carried the Sharepower with me over the weekend, just in case anyone’s phone needed a top-up. The compact size and sensible weight means it doesn’t take up much space in a bag, despite the decent 10,000mAh total capacity.

However, every time I went to take the charger out, or went into my bag for something else, the Sharepower had split into two on its own.

The reason is, there’s no lock on the two halves to stop this happening, and the magnets aren’t strong enough to hold the sections together when they’re being pulled or knocked.

Apart from it being a bit annoying when you’re not charging a phone, it’ll be far more irritating if it accidentally splits when you’re in the middle of charging a phone.

Quick and easy charging

But not a silent experience

I’m sure there are reasons why a lock to secure the Sharepower wasn’t added, but for all those people who pop their phone in a bag or pocket when it’s attached to a power bank, expect it to split on a regular basis.

I tested the Sharepower’s charging ability. It activated Motorola’s TurboPower rapid charging speeds when connected to a Motorola Edge 70 Fusion, and it charged my friend's Google Pixel 7 Pro without issue too, but something odd happened connected to my iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Both of the Sharepower’s sections emitted a low crackling sound when plugged into the iPhone. This happened when the device was charging, and when the internal battery had reached 100% too.

The Sharepower didn’t become hot or anything, and it seemed to function normally, so this may just be an idiosyncrasy of charging an iPhone, but it’s worth noting.

Where can you get the Nimble Sharepower?

The Nimble Sharepower costs $80 and will be available through Nimble’s own online store, and in Apple retail stores too.

It’s available to buy from June 15.