Satechi right now introduced the supply of its two new Qi2 charging stands, the 3-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wi-fi Charging Stand and the 2-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wi-fi Charging Stand. Qi2 is the newest model of the Qi customary, and it’s corresponding to MagSafe.
Qi2 makes use of magnets to make sure that smartphones are aligned correctly with charging coils, and it is ready to cost suitable iPhones at as much as 15W. The quicker Qi2 charging speeds can be found on the iPhone 12, iPhone 13, iPhone 14, and all iPhone 15 fashions. Future iPhones, such because the upcoming iPhone 16 lineup, may even work with Qi2.
Whereas Qi2 is mainly the identical as MagSafe, it has the good thing about not being managed by Apple, so Qi2 equipment is usually a bit cheaper than MagSafe know-how that producers should license from Apple.
Each of the Satechi Wi-fi Charging Stands have the identical design, that includes a sq. wi-fi charging pedestal for the AirPods, an arm connected by a hinge, and a spherical magnetic wi-fi charger for the iPhone. The three-in-1 mannequin provides a fold-out Apple Watch charger to the again of the arm.
These chargers collapse down flat, which makes them handy to tuck right into a bag or backpack, however the aluminum they’re constituted of is on the heavy aspect. The choice to fold them down is a plus, however due to the load, they might not be a greater choice than one thing like Mophie’s 3-in-1 travel charger.
The folding design is, nevertheless, a significant enchancment over most chargers, so if you would like one thing that works effectively each on a desktop and when touring, Satechi’s Qi2 choices are value . In comparison with a flat charger, with the ability to unfold the arm and have an upright charger is helpful as a result of it allows options like StandBy on the iPhone and Evening Stand mode on the Apple Watch.
The bottom of every charger has a soft-touch vegan leather-based materials and a bit of divot the place the AirPods are supposed to go. The iPhone charging puck additionally has a soft-touch silicone to make sure that it would not scratch the iPhone, and the Apple Watch charger is constituted of a normal white plastic.
With the aluminum construct, the chargers appear like high quality merchandise, and so they’ll match effectively with most desk setups. It’s value noting that Satechi is simply promoting these in house grey, so in the event you desire silver aluminum or shades of white, that is not an choice.
One of the best half about Satechi’s Charging Stands is the Qi2 charging puck. It is connected to the arm of the system utilizing a hinge, so the charger may be set to a number of totally different angles. It may be positioned straight up so it is basically a flat charging floor, or tilted down all the way in which to take up minimal house. In between, there are angles very best for watching movies or FaceTiming. As with most upright magnetic chargers, the Charging Stands can be utilized with the iPhone positioned in panorama or portrait orientation. Satechi says that the hinges on the stand will not weaken over time, and so they do appear agency whereas nonetheless being straightforward to govern.
In testing, Satechi’s Qi2 Charging Stands labored like MagSafe charging stands. The iPhone is ready to connect magnetically, and charging speeds have been about the identical as MagSafe. The iPhone did get a bit of heat a number of occasions, however that additionally occurs with MagSafe chargers. Over a 30-minute interval, an iPhone 15 Pro Max was capable of cost from 22 % to 52 %, for a 30 % whole cost.
The AirPods charging spot costs the AirPods at 5W, and the 3-in-1 model’s Apple Watch charger is a quick charger so it might probably cost the Apple Watch Collection 7 and later and the Extremely fashions on the quickest pace. There’s a small mild on the entrance of the charger when it’s in use, however it isn’t overly brilliant.
For powering the Charging Stands, there is a USB-C port on the again, which is good as a result of the cable may be swapped out if it turns into broken or in the event you want a cable of a distinct size. The costlier 3-in-1 charger features a 45W energy adapter and interchangeable plugs for worldwide journey, and each fashions include a plain black USB-C cable.
One of many advantages of Qi2 is decrease costs, however Satechi’s Wi-fi Charging Stands are nonetheless costly. The three-in-1 mannequin is priced at $130, probably as a result of Satechi remains to be licensing Apple Watch charging know-how from Apple, whereas the 2-in-1 Wi-fi Charging Stand is $80. For the construct high quality and the flexibility afforded by the hinged design, the pricing doesn’t appear unfair, and Satechi’s 3-in-1 is $20 cheaper than MagSafe-based 3-in-1 charging choices bought by Apple.
The three-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wi-fi Charging Stand is priced at $130, whereas the 2-in-1 Foldable Qi2 Wi-fi Charging Stand is priced at $80. Each merchandise may be purchased from the Satechi website as of right now.