Differentiating between Genuine and Fake
Depending on the company manufacturing the fakes, there can be some cases where it works similarly to the genuine one, but it will surely fail most of the following tests.
Official Variants
Xiaomi sells its Mi Power Banks in only 6 capacities i.e.
- Mi 5,000 mAh Power Bank (Launched in 2015)
- Mi 5,200 mAh Power Bank (Probably discontinued)
- Mi 10,000 mAh Power Bank (Launched in 2015)
- Mi 10,400 mAh Power bank
- Mi 16,000 mAh Power Bank (Launched in 2015)
- Mi 20,000 mAh Power bank (Launched in November, 2015)
Out of these, the 5,200 mAh and 10,400 mAh variants are probably discontinued and you’ll barely find them in stores. If you come across a Mi branded power bank which is not in one of the above capacities, it’s a sure fake.
20-digit Code on Packaging – Fakes have it too!
This is the first and easiest step to check if the power bank is genuine. There would only be a very rare case where a fake Power Bank passes this test.
Genuine – Genuine Mi power banks sold in China come with a sticker on the packaging which can be scratched off to reveal a 20-digit code. Entering the code on the Xiaomi website (link below) would confirm the genuine product. However, the power banks sold outside of China via official channels will not carry this sticker. You should definitely look for this sticker unless buying from an officially certified store.
Fake – Fake Power Bank will usually not include any such sticker on the packaging, confirming that it is fake. Even if it carries one, the ‘times queried‘ on the Xiaomi website will show a very high number because the fake guys want to save costs by printing the code on multiple stickers.
Length and Branding on USB Cable
Genuine – The MicroUSB cable included with genuine Mi Power Banks does NOT carry any Mi branding. If you see one with Mi printed on it, it is a fake.
For 20000mAh Power Bank – The length of USB cable is longer at around 13-inches with a lightning icon printed on the MicroUSB end.
Fake – Fake power banks usually ship with a USB Cable which has Mi printed on it. Many of us would take this as a sign of genuine product and apparently that’s what these fake sellers want to achieve by printing Mi on the USB cable.
Pass-Through Charging
Genuine: The original Mi power bank supports pass-through charging. What it means that the power bank will also charge a mobile phone connected to it while it itself is being charged. Only necessity is that the input charger must supply enough power and as such, charging via a PC’s USB Port will not help.
Fake: The fake power bank does not have this capability and it will just charge itself and won’t pass on any current to the mobile phone connected to it. It will only charge the mobile when you disconnect the charger from the power bank.
Color of USB Ports on the Power Bank
Genuine – The front visible part of both the Micro USB and standard USB port have a rice white color.
Fake – Most of the fake power banks have a milk white color on the Standard USB port and a Black color on the Micro USB port.
Printing at the Bottom
Genuine – Has a printing in grey-ish ink which is lighter and clear. It is also well textured which can be felt by moving the fingers over it.
Fake – Usually darker and blurry in black ink and sometimes unclear printing.
LED Lights Function when Using
Genuine – Lights blink while showing the power status on the device. At any time, holding the power button will turn off all the LED lights and they light up when the button is released.
Lights are well packed and not even a bit of it leaks out from other areas of the power bank.
Fake – LEDs blink after you press the button once. If you keep it pressed, lights won’t turn off. Lights are also not well packed and often leaks out of the usb ports.
Branding on the Standard USB Port
Update: The branding seems to be missing from the newer 16000mAh power banks, even though they are genuine. It is visible on the newest 20000mAh power banks.
Genuine – Genuine power bank carries a small MI branding on the chassis of the standard USB port on the power bank. It is pretty small, but is easily visible while looking under natural lighting or by directing a light source (such as torch) into it.
Fake – Fakes do not carry any such branding.
Thanks JR for this tip
Inbuilt Batteries
If you are still not able to determine the originality, open up the power bank and check the inbuilt batteries:
Genuine – Branded batteries from international brands such as Panasonic, Samsung and LG.
Fake – Locally produced or counterfeit batteries which are generally of pink color.
NO 20800 mAh Power Bank
There are lot of comments about the 20,800mAh variant. There are some sellers selling a Mi branded Power Bank with the capacity of 20800mAh, but Xiaomi does not offer power bank with such capacity. So if you see a retailer from China or on eBay selling a Mi power bank of such capacity, you know it is a fake one.
Does your Mi power bank pass the tests above or it fails most of them? Let us know below.
