The Apple MagSafe Duo charger is overpriced and under-delivers
Although there’s no transport date for it but, Apple has despatched out evaluation samples of its upcoming MagSafe Duo charger to reviewers. It’s a journey charger that mixes Apple’s new MagSafe charging puck with an Apple Watch charger and a USB-C to Lightning cable.
It prices $129, however that value doesn’t embrace a USB-C charging brick. You’ll want to purchase that individually, and you’ll want to ensure it may provide no less than 20 watts of USB PD energy in order that it may fast-charge your iPhone. Apple sells one for $19.
$129 is $100 greater than what I paid for a wi-fi charger that may cost my telephone, AirPods, and Apple Watch on the similar time. That charger doesn’t fold up right into a neat little bundle and can’t fast-charge an iPhone at 15 watts, nevertheless it makes use of USB-C as a substitute of Lightning and has little lights to point out that it’s working. The common MagSafe charging puck prices $39.
Apple’s MagSafe Duo charger is made out of a sort of rubbery white materials. It appears good when it comes out of the field, nevertheless it’s made by press-molding the 2 sides collectively. That means there’s an enormous sort of seam working across the outdoors of it, which I nonetheless assume is a bizarre design pattern. (See additionally: Surface keyboards and iPad Smart Keyboards.) The rubber “hinge” between the 2 sides additionally developed creases instantly.
Because the fabric is just a bit bit grippy, it does an unimaginable job of choosing up any mud or dust you might need on a desk. Within two minutes of taking it out of the field and taking photographs, it was soiled. The dust it picked up wiped off — and I belief that will probably be straightforward to wash with just a bit water or (if want be) isopropyl alcohol — nevertheless it’s nonetheless a bummer to wish to do it within the first place.
Since it folds in half, you are able to do just a little trick the place you fold it backward and simply cost the iPhone. That’s neat. The Apple Watch charger flips up so you should utilize it in nightstand mode, too.
If you purchase the MagSafe Duo charger, you’ll want to show your self the correct option to take the iPhone off the pad so it doesn’t elevate up with the telephone. You need to press down just a little on the pad as a result of the magnets are stronger than the power of gravity on the mass of this dock.
It is a well-made object, to make certain. There are magnets that maintain it collectively when it’s folded in both route. The hinge on the Watch charger is agency and easy. The heft of the entire object helps make it really feel nicer, and it is considerably satisfying to snap closed. It additionally helps guarantee the entire equipment and caboodle doesn’t vibrate off the desk whenever you get a telephone name. I believe Apple did job executing this design, nevertheless it’s in all probability not the design I might have gone with. I additionally assume it’s not price $129.
There are many good concepts constructed into MagSafe. I proceed to assume that having a wi-fi charger that makes use of magnets to mechanically align the coils for max effectivity is a good suggestion. And I believe the common MagSafe charging puck is a neat thought for individuals who need to cost their iPhones whereas holding them.
I hope Apple and different producers create plenty of MagSafe charging equipment that enhance on the expertise of needing a number of cables and AC adapters to plug in all of our stuff. I hope that occurs as a result of I might hate to see anyone really feel like they ought to purchase the MagSafe Duo charger.
Photography by Dieter Bohn / The Verge