The Apple MagSafe Duo Charger, which costs $129, is a multipurpose wireless charger that can charge up to two devices at once, including AirPods, Apple Watches, and iPhones. It’s a great choice for desktops and nightstands, and its compact size makes it a great travel companion. It’s the greatest MagSafe charger we’ve tested, with a maximum charging output of 14W (most third-party alternatives max out at 7.5W) and a Lightning connection. Although its expensive price makes it a bit of a luxury for Apple devotees, it nevertheless earns our Editors’ Choice award.
PROS
- Working with a variety of Apple goods
- MagSafe 14W Charging
- Design that is both sleek and portable
CONS
- Expensive
- There is no power supply included.
- Apple Watch Series 7 does not enable rapid charging.
Slim and sturdily built
When folded, the MagSafe Duo is 3.0 by 3.2 by 0.5 inches (HWD), and when unfurled, it measures 3.0 by 6.4 by 0.2 inches. It’s a tad heavier than an iPhone 13 Pro Max, weighing roughly 10 ounces.
A gripping, press-molded polyvinyl polymer makes up the outside shell. A flexible hinge with 180 degrees of mobility is created by a seam that wraps around the borders and widens in the center. A 3.3-foot USB-C to Lightning charging cable is included in the box, but you’ll need to purchase a 30W+ power adapter separately (or you can use a MacBook adapter with a USB-C port).
A debossed Apple logo on top and a little metal circle on the bottom may be seen when the charger is folded. The aluminum circle is both a charging pad for the Apple Watch and a magnet. You can use the MagSafe Duo as a standalone MagSafe charger by folding it in the opposite direction.
When you open the Duo, you’ll notice a MagSafe charging pad on the left side, which also functions as a 7.5W Qi wireless charging station. On the right side, there’s an Apple Watch charging plate and a USB-C charging port. The Apple Watch pad has a 90-degree metal hinge, allowing you to use it flush with the charging pad or by pressing it up from the bottom to charge your Apple Watch in nightstand mode.
Charging is simple, however there is one minor drawback.
The MagSafe Duo is simple to use. Simply unfold it and use a USB-C connection to connect it to a 30W+ adaptor. When you place your iPhone near the MagSafe pad, it snaps into place quickly; the same is true for the Apple Watch. The AirPods do not click into place, but if you place them in the center of the MagSafe pad, a red light will emerge on the case, indicating that it is charging. The charging pad doesn’t have any indicator lights, but when the Apple Watch and iPhone are correctly connected, an animation shows on the Apple Watch and iPhone.
Simply lift your AirPods or Apple Watch off the charger when they’re fully charged. Because the magnetic array on the iPhone is quite powerful, you must keep the edge of the MagSafe Duo down when removing it.
When utilizing a 30W power adapter, the MagSafe Duo charges most iPhone 12 and 13 models at a maximum of 14W, while iPhone mini devices charge at 12W. With a 20W wall adapter, Apple’s basic MagSafe Charger ($39) maxes out at 15W, but the difference in charging speed isn’t significant.
On the iPhone, Qi wireless charging reaches a maximum of 7.5W. All third-party MagSafe-compatible chargers, with the exception of a few “Made for MagSafe” chargers, max out at 7.5W as well—they’re essentially Qi chargers with an array of magnets surrounding the coil.
It’s a different story when it comes to charging the Apple Watch. If you have an Apple Watch Series 6 or older, the MagSafe Duo can charge it just as quickly as the charger that came with it. The Duo does not support fast charging for the Apple Watch Series 7, however this is a minor flaw because conventional charging only takes about 15 minutes longer.
An Apple Watch Series 6, a pair of AirPods Pro, and an iPhone 13 were used to test the MagSafe Duo. It took 86 minutes to fully charge the Apple Watch, 41 minutes to fully charge the AirPods, and 2 hours and 38 minutes to fully charge the iPhone.
Apple Enthusiasts Get a Stellar Charging Solution
The MagSafe Duo is an ideal all-in-one charging solution if you own multiple Apple products that support wireless charging. It makes charging your AirPods, Apple Watch, and iPhone simple, and it can charge two of them at once, earning it our Editors’ Choice for die-hard Apple fans. It’s not cheap, though, and if you don’t need something portable, the $99.99 Belkin Boost Up Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand is a nice alternative.
