MagSafe for the Android masses



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When Apple announced MagSafe for the iPhone 12 line, I was hoping someone would find a way to make it work with Android devices. MagSafe allows you to magnetically attach various accessories to the back of a compatible phone, including wireless chargers, batteries, wallets, and car mounts. After using Mophie’s MagSafe Adapter with my S21 Ultra for a few weeks, I have to say I’m impressed.

Snap Adapter

The Snap Adapter is the key to Mophie’s take on MagSafe. It sticks to your phone or case. Mophie says it should work through thin cases, but I couldn’t find any that do, including Samsung’s own silicone cover. This means I had to put it on the outer surface of my case, but I don’t mind too much. The adapter is slim so I barely notice it’s there. The magnets are also strong and I have no worries about anything dropping.

Each Snap product comes with an adapter, or you can buy them separately in a two-pack for $ 20

Snap + Juice Pack Mini

This is the product that I most wanted to try. The Juice Pack Mini is a 5000mAh battery that can wirelessly charge any Qi device at 12W. It uses the MagSafe ring to stick to the back of your phone to ensure a good connection while charging. There is also a USB-C port for charging a second phone and recharging the pack itself. I was hoping to be able to charge the pack wirelessly too, but unfortunately that is not an option.

5,000mAh isn’t a bad size, especially when it needs to be light enough to fit comfortably. It’s the same size as the battery in my S21 Ultra itself, so with the inefficiency of wireless charging my phone can go from 0% to 80-85%. This charge will not be very fast though, 12W is not much lower than the 15W that my S21 can reach, but I am wondering if it reaches 12W at some point. My S21 can charge 50-100% in about an hour with a regular 15W charger, but the Juice Pack took over two hours to do the same.

Ultimately, this leads to a compromise. A regular battery will charge your device faster but is less portable and requires a cable. The Juice Pack is the opposite, charging slowly while being easy to transport.

My S21 Ultra is already a heavy phone, and slapping a 5,000mAh battery on the back only makes it worse. If you have bigger hands, the weight should be the only issue. The phone is certainly harder to hold with the Juice Pack attached, but it’s manageable, and it’s always more convenient than having a cable all the way to your purse or pocket.

Mophie has a larger 10,000mAh version slated for release later this year, with 10W wireless charging, a built-in kickstand, and tripod mount. While it will likely be huge and load even slower than this one, I can’t wait to give it a try.

The Juice Pack Mini costs $ 50 which is a bit steep but well worth it for the convenience. The larger Powerstation Stand will be available later this year for $ 70.

Snap + wireless charger

This is a more conventional MagSafe product. This is basically a Mophie version of Apple’s MagSafe charger, offering speeds of 15W. I really enjoyed using this charger, keeping it in my living room to charge my phone at night while spending time with it. my family. The advantage over a regular wireless charger is that if you need to pick up the phone and use it; it will stay attached and continue to charge

Snap Vent Mount and Snap + Wireless Vent Mount

Finally, we have two ventilation brackets, one of which comes with wireless charging. Standard assembly is simple. Install it on your dashboard and stick your MagSafe equipped phone on it.

The one with wireless charging is more interesting. In the box you get the same Snap + wireless charger we just talked about, plus a vent mount it clips into and a 20W USB-C car charger.

Both work well. They hold the vents with a strong grip and the magnets are good enough that I don’t have to worry about my phone falling over hitting a pothole. It’s great to see a car charger that also delivers the speeds promised. My S21 Ultra charges wirelessly at 15W in the cradle, but if I use a USB-C cable to plug it directly into the car charger, it reaches 20W even faster.

The regular Vent Mount is $ 30, while the cordless version is $ 50. The wireless version offers better value for money – it’s just the Snap + wireless charger attached to a vent, so you can take it with you and plug it into a wall for convenient charging on a desk or laptop. foot of the bed.

Overall I’m impressed with the Snap line. The Juice Pack is my favorite so far, and I can’t wait to see what Mophie adds to the line in the future. You can find out everything the company has to offer on their website.

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