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Yesterday, Apple’s MagSafe Duo charger arrived at my doorstep, and I couldn’t wait to unbox it and take it for a test drive. This $ 129.00 wireless charger was first revealed at the iPhone 12 event, where Apple officially announced the arrival of new MagSafe accessories for the company’s four new iPhone 12 models. Is it worth the high asking price? Watch our MagSafe Duo charger review video for more details.
Characteristics
- Includes MagSafe compatible charger for iPhone 12
- Uses a 20W USB-C power adapter for faster wireless charging up to 11W
- Uses a 27W or greater USB-C power adapter for faster wireless charging up to 14W
- Includes an Apple Watch puck charger that lifts up to support Nightstand mode
- Charger folds in half for a travel-friendly profile
- Backward compatible with Qi-enabled devices like AirPods or iPhone 11
- Includes 1 meter USB-C to Lightning cable
- Does not include AC adapter
Video: MagSafe Duo charger review
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Unpacking and design
The MagSafe Duo charger comes in a little white box which is unmistakably Apple. Inside you’ll find the MagSafe Duo charger, a 1-meter USB-C to Lightning cable, and a Designed by Apple in California package including safety and handling, regulatory compliance information, and a warranty summary.
The MagSafe Duo filler features a soft touch silicone surface in an off-white color. The middle of the charger features a flexible area that can be folded in half for easy storage. There are two charging surfaces on the top of the MagSafe Duo charger: a standard MagSafe wireless charging connector and an Apple Watch washer-type swivel connector. Behind the Apple Watch charger you’ll find the lighting input to connect the USB-C to Lightning cable, and under the MagSafe surface you’ll find a subtle embossed Apple logo.
Wireless charging
Compared to wired charging, wireless charging is an inefficient way to power your devices and hence, it takes longer to charge your iPhone using this method. The main benefit of wireless charging is convenience, and many people are willing and willing to forgo efficiency for the convenience of just being able to place your iPhone on a wireless charging pad instead of plugging it in.
MagSafe, Apple’s line of magnetic accessories for iPhone 12, enhances wireless charging by automatically aligning itself with the charging pad via strategically placed magnets. In other words, you don’t have to deal with the endless exercise of trying to line up an iPhone 12 exactly with the charging coils inside the wireless charging surface. In Apple Legacy, it works.
Apple includes a 1-meter USB-C to Lightning cable for connecting to the MagSafe Duo charger, but it has strategically omitted the USB-C power adapter needed to conduct electricity to charging surfaces. What if you don’t already have a USB-C power adapter? Apple will be happy to sell you its new 20W or 30W USB-C versions.
In order to reduce the wireless charging speed by 14W, Apple says that a 30W (or more) power adapter is required. In other words, to get the best performance from the MagSafe Duo, you can end up spending up to $ 178 when paired with Apple’s $ 49.00 30W USB-C Power Adapter. For those who don’t care about the fastest speeds, Apple’s 20W USB-C Power Adapter will give you speeds of up to 11W.
Interestingly, both of these wattages are lower than a standalone MagSafe wireless charger + 20W USB-C power adapter setup. Apple claims that a wireless charging speed of up to 15W is possible for iPhone 12 users with this particular configuration.
Using the MagSafe Duo
Using the MagSafe Duo was pretty straightforward. I plugged in the 30W adapter from my M1 based MacBook Air, and off I went. As expected, placing my iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 Pro on the MagSafe Duo charger resulted in a quick auto-aligning magnetic connection. After showing a MagSafe animation and the corresponding sound effect to verify connectivity, the iPhone 12 started charging.
I find the MagSafe Duo more reliable than single-zone Qi chargers when it comes to making a connection with the iPhone 12, but you still need to be careful to make sure a magnetic connection is made. Unlike the now discarded AirPower Wireless Charging Mat, or the Nomad Pro Base Station, you can’t just lay it carelessly anywhere on the surface and have a guaranteed charge.
On the right side of the MagSafe Duo charger is the Apple Watch washer charger. Like the Apple Watch Magnetic Charging Dock introduced several years ago, the Apple Watch connection of the MagSafe Duo charger can lie flat or rotate 90 degrees via a built-in metal hinge to accommodate Nightstand mode. of watchOS.
If you don’t have an iPhone 12 yet, don’t worry, as the MagSafe wireless charger on the left side of the device can charge any Qi-enabled device, like AirPods or older models of iPhone supporting wireless charging standard. Just keep in mind that you won’t get all the benefits of MagSafe, which are the self-aligning magnetic connectivity and the faster speeds made possible by Apple’s proprietary technology.
One of the great things about the MagSafe Duo charger is that it can fold in half when not in use, which is convenient for traveling. And since the power cable is nothing more than a detachable USB-C to Lightning cable, its form factor can become quite compact when folded.
The folding feature works both ways, so you can fold the unit for travel or fold it the other way around for a single cargo area with a smaller footprint. This essentially turns the MagSafe Duo into a “MagSafe Solo”.
Loading speed
I performed four tests with the MagSafe Duo. Two by charging only the iPhone with the 20W then 30W adapter, and two by charging both the iPhone 12 and the Apple Watch with the 20W then 30W adapter. I did this because I wanted to see what a difference the more powerful adapter had on charging speed and how adding an Apple Watch affected charging speed. The results are below.
My biggest takeaway from this review is that the 30W combo is faster, but not fast enough to justify losing an extra $ 50 for a faster charger if you don’t already have one.
The take of 9to5Mac
The MagSafe Duo charger stands out for its ability to simultaneously charge an Apple Watch and an iPhone or other Qi-enabled device. It’s also worth checking out if you own an iPhone 12 and want the faster charging speeds and magnetic connectivity only MagSafe offers. Plus, the portability and versatility of the charger makes the MagSafe Duo worth considering as well.
Yet despite its advantages, MagSafe Duo has limitations. Note that it can only charge one Qi or iPhone 12 device. This unit is mainly beneficial if you own an Apple Watch. If you don’t have an Apple Watch, you’re otherwise missing out on half the functionality.
The other outstanding issue with the MagSafe Duo charger is that it doesn’t come with an AC adapter, and the included 1m USB-C to Lightning cable could be longer. Instead, you’ll have to shell out an additional $ 35.00 for a 2-meter USB-C to Lightning cable if your setup requires an additional set. For those who matter, that brings us to $ 213 before tax for the MagSafe Duo charger + 30W USB-C power adapter + 2 meter USB-C to Lightning cable. Fortunately, you can find discounts on these products when ordering from online retailers like Amazon.
As beautiful and portable as the Duo can be, I can’t help but think it’s overpriced considering what it does and what it lacks. It lets you connect up to two devices – as long as one of those devices is an Apple Watch – and it offers slightly faster charging in a package that can fold up for portability. Still, if speed is what you’re looking for, wired charging can’t be beat, and if overall charging convenience is what you’re looking for, companies like Nomad do it better, in my opinion.
What do you think of the MagSafe Duo charger? Sound off in the comments with your thoughts and opinions.
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