Baseus EnerGeek GX11 MiFi Power Bank hands-on: Power bank and hotspot

Do you want to know what I find most annoying about traveling? It’s definitely finding a reliable internet connection. You can imagine my excitement when I got the Baseus EnerGeek GX11 MiFi Power Bank ($129.99 at Amazon) in the mail. That name is a mouthful for sure, but it also hints at some exciting promises.

Not only is this a global hotspot powered by uCloudlink CloudSIM that can keep you connected in most of the world, but it is also a portable power bank for keeping your devices charged on the go. How well does it accomplish these things? I’ve been using it for some weeks now, and I am ready to tell you all about my experience with it.

Despite promising dual-purpose functionality, the Baseus EnerGeek GX11 MiFi Power Bank keeps things rather simple, both in terms of design and ease of use.

The unit measures only 4.69 x 2.01 x 2.01 inches and weighs approximately 15.2oz. It easily fits in one hand. I always put it in my backpack’s bottle holder, and it actually leaves room to spare. Another really nice addition is the carrying loop, which actually doubles as a USB-C cable. This makes it both easier to carry and adds the convenience of always having a cable. I really don’t like carrying extra cables around!

Baseus made a very simple device with a clean look and a solid feel. It has three ports on top: two USB-C ones and a single USB-A connection. On the side, there is one button and a toggle. The toggle turns Wi-Fi on and off. The button turns the device on and off and activates the screen, which shows you the battery level when Wi-Fi is disabled. If data is enabled, you will also see the connectivity and Wi-Fi status.

Of course, the design and build are only one part of the experience. This is a multifunctional accessory, so let’s go over how well it works as both a power bank and a hotspot.

Let’s start with the feature that truly differentiates this device from the rest. Yes, this is a hotspot that connects to cellular networks and provides Wi-Fi for your devices.

You can connect up to 10 devices to it. I found this to be more than sufficient, as it is a mobile gadget. The most devices I connected to it at once were a laptop, a tablet, and two smartphones. I doubt many of you will be carrying over 10 devices on the go.

The one thing I would complain about, though, is that it has no 5G support. Not that 4G LTE is anything to scoff at, and Baseus mentions you can accomplish speeds of up to 150Mbps down and 50Mbps up. That said, those are maximum speeds, and I never quite reached those. Usually, I was running at about 60-100Mbps downloads and about 20-30Mbps uploads. Of course, this will vary depending on your location, congestion, and more.

Regardless, I find that I was able to work comfortably with these speeds. I was always using it alone, though. I worry that this may not be enough once you have a full van, with everyone using their tablets and smartphones. With kids streaming, teenagers uploading their social media videos, and people working on the road, things may get a bit slow.

If you can live with these speeds, though, you’ll be pleased to know that the Baseus EnerGeek GX11 MiFi Power Bank works in most of the world, with coverage in more than 150 regions.

No eSIM or SIM cards: It’s all handled by a simple app

I feel like it’s important to highlight how data works, since this is not your typical hotspot experience. For starters, it uses no physical SIM card, and you can’t add an eSIM profile. This means you can’t simply pick and choose your carrier.

This may be seen as a negative by many, as people often have carriers of choice. That said, the way this system works can be beneficial, especially if you travel often to different places. This is because you won’t have to go through the hassle of researching service providers, installing eSIM profiles, swapping SIM cards, or signing up for plans whenever you go to a new place.

Instead, all you’ll have to do is handle this from the official Baseus MiFi app. Once set up, you can go in there and tap on your Baseus EnerGeek GX11 MiFi Power Bank. You’ll get a few options, one of which reads “Buy packages”.

There will be a whole bunch of options here. If you’re only using it in the USA, you can choose a yearly or monthly plan. Full speeds are also seemingly capped at 50-200GB. There are also fixed packages with a set number of gigabytes and a set date. Now, if you’re planning to use this abroad, you can tap into the “Global service” tab, where you’ll find varied plan options for a plethora of countries. It’s nice that you can filter plans per country. And if you’re a true country hopper, there are global plans that cover you wherever you go.

The options here are very flexible. That said, plans can get very expensive. I would say this device is more for convenience than saving money. For example, one-day global passes start at $16, and that only gets you 4GB of data at full speeds. If you want to upgrade, the most expensive package is $499, which is a 100GB, 30-day global pass. There’s also a yearly USA pass for $499, which offers 50GB of full speed per month.

I found the prices expensive, but the convenience of having data access easily, from a single device, nearly anywhere you go, is really nice. And it’s not locked to any one carrier. Baseus works with networks worldwide, and the device will switch to the best one based on where you are. It just does it all on its own. I tested it both in the USA and Mexico, and it worked flawlessly.

It’s important to note that buying the device includes a 20GB local data plan valid for 60 days of usage. This is a nice starting point for anyone who buys the device, as you won’t need to start paying for data right away. You’ll be able to test it. And if that’s not enough data for you, you can always buy more.

Customers previously received 1GB of global data per month for a year, but this offer has been discontinued.

As a hotspot, the battery alone is said to keep Wi-Fi and data running for “up to 114 hours”. I was never able to test it for that long, but I can tell you I was able to keep it running for a 3-day weekend, for about eight to 10 hours a day, with well over 50% of juice to spare at the end. That is about 24-30 hours of use.

That said, that battery isn’t just meant to keep the Wi-Fi running. This little gadget also works as a power bank, and that’s when all that extra juice came in handy. It comes with a 20,000mAh battery capacity, which is enough to charge your average phone about two to four times. I found that it charges pretty fast too, at max speeds of 67W.

Priced at $129.99, if I had to recommend the Baseus EnerGeek GX11 MiFi Power Bank to anyone, it would mostly be to a few types of people, and it would mostly be users who are frequently traveling.

For example, I know some RV owners who live on the road, and they would be thrilled to have this, either as a primary internet source or as a secondary backup for when the main (cheaper) internet option isn’t working.

Also, businesspeople who travel to different countries often will be thrilled by the convenience it offers. They won’t have to stop at random shops to get a SIM card for a plan, or have to deal with roaming fees wherever they go.

Campers would also like the flexibility it offers, as they often go to rural areas. Signal can be spotty in isolated places, and the fact that the Baseus EnerGeek GX11 MiFi Power Bank can tap into multiple networks definitely makes it more reliable.

Of course, all of these users would also be able to benefit from using it as a power bank. And many good power banks are priced similarly, so why not have the option to use them as hotspots, as well?

One thing is for sure, though. The data plans aren’t exactly cheap. In most cases, you could save by simply getting a local plan that covers you wherever you go, if your traveling only takes place a couple or few times a year. This is also the case if you’re only traveling within the same country.