Accessory makers have been adopting the new Qi2 standard in recent months because it offers the benefits of MagSafe without the need to license ?MagSafe? technology from Apple. Mophie launched its first Qi2 devices in May, debuting a car charger, a 3-in-1 charger, and a battery pack.
All of Mophie’s new accessories charge an iPhone at up to 15W, the same as ?MagSafe?. The first version of Qi limited wireless charging to 7.5W, but Qi2 supports 15W, and it also includes the same magnetic connection that Apple uses for ?MagSafe?. For context, Apple contributed to Qi2’s development, providing insight into the Magnetic Power Profile that’s included in the Qi2 standard.
iPhones that support ?MagSafe? also work with Qi2, so you can use Mophie’s chargers with the ?iPhone? 12 models, iPhone 13 models, iPhone 14 models, and iPhone 15 models. With the exception of the iPhone 12 mini and ?iPhone 13? mini (which are limited to 12W charging), iPhones will charge at up to 15W with Qi2.
Snap+ Powerstation Mini with Stand
Priced at $70, the Snap+ Powerstation Mini is a battery pack that’s designed to charge the ?iPhone? while on the go. It has a 5,000mAh battery inside, and it snaps right on to the back of an ?iPhone? like Apple’s now-discontinued MagSafe Battery Pack.
At about 4 inches long and 2.75 inches wide, the Powerstation Mini fits well on the back of an iPhone 15 Pro Max. With the magnetic ring, it pops on to the ?iPhone? and stays in place. The Powerstation Mini is 0.25 inches thick and it weighs close to half a pound, so I didn’t find this to be the most svelte charging option available. It adds a good amount of bulk to the back of the ?iPhone?, but it’s still small enough to tuck into a bag so you have an extra battery when needed.
At the back of the Powerstation Mini, there’s a fold-out stand that you can use to prop the ?iPhone? upright for FaceTime calls, gaming, watching videos, and more. It works in either landscape or portrait mode, so you can use it with StandBy.
The Powerstation Mini’s body is made from a black plastic, but the stand component is made from aluminum. The front of the device has a soft silicone material that won’t scratch an ?iPhone? when it’s charging, and the overall design is what you might expect from a battery pack. There are four LED lights so you can see the charge level and monitor charging, and a USB-C port that’s used for recharging.
During my testing, I had one of the PowerStation Mini battery packs outright fail after a few days of use. I couldn’t get it to charge no matter what I tried, and I ultimately sent it back to Mophie and they sent me another one for testing. Mophie says that this isn’t a problem that it’s seen before, and the new Powerstation Mini has been working as expected with no failure.
In my testing, the Powerstation Mini was able to charge my ?iPhone 15 Pro? Max to 38 percent in an hour, and that’s about the same charging speed I get from a ?MagSafe? charger. It charged to 59 percent in two hours, but it maxed out at a 61 percent charge, which was starting from a dead ?iPhone?.
That means it adds 61 percent battery life to an ?iPhone 15 Pro? Max, which is what I’d expect from a 5,000mAh battery pack. Depending on which ?iPhone? you have, you could get more out of it, but it’s not a full charge on Apple’s largest ?iPhone?.
When my ?iPhone?’s battery was low, the Powerstation Mini did feel warm to the touch, but it didn’t get hot.
For the price, I don’t think the Powerstation Mini is a good option for the larger ?iPhone? models. It’s not going to provide a full charge, and I’d rather spend that money on a bigger battery pack with charging over USB-C (Mophie has a 10,000mAh battery pack for $60, and there are options from other brands that are even cheaper). You’re definitely paying a premium for the stand, so I’d avoid that unless you need that functionality.
For iPhones that have smaller battery capacities, I think the Powerstation Mini makes more sense because you can get more out of it.
Snap+ Wireless Charging Vent Mount
Mophie’s Snap+ Wireless Charging Vent Mount is available for $70 as well, and it’s a good option for charging in the car. There’s a magnetic charging pad where the ?iPhone? attaches, a rotating pivot point for changing the angle, and a ring that attaches to the vents in a vehicle.
The mount attaches to a vent using adjustable clips, and I had a surprisingly hard time getting the charger situated and adjusted properly. You need to slide the metal hook between the vent blades and then tighten it up. It feels more secure than rubber clips, but setup is a little more involved and if you want to take the charger off of your vents, it’s difficult.
I don’t think that’s a dealbreaker, but it’s not the one I would get if I wanted to regularly remove the mount from the vent. On the plus side, the hook is adjustable, so it should fit well in just about any vehicle.
There’s an optional extension arm on the charger so you can change the angle to be above or below the vent, or position it to the left or the right. It’s nice to have the add-on arm to get an ideal viewing angle, plus you can further refine with the ball joint that tilts the phone forward or backward a bit.
Mophie includes a 1.5m USB-C cable and a 30W USB-C car adapter, so this is ready to go right out of the box. You just need to pop it out of the box, decide whether you need the adjustable arm, and then attach it to your vent and it’s ready to go. There are even two adhesive cable management clips so you can route the cable neatly from the vent to the car charging port.
The Snap+ Charging Vent Mount charges at up to 15W, and the magnetic attachment is strong enough that the ?iPhone? feels stable and unlikely to come loose while the vehicle is in motion. I had no issues with Mophie’s vent mount, aside from needing to fuss with it a few times to make sure it was staying at the proper angle. It charged and worked as expected, and I think it’s a good option if you’ve had trouble with the fit or functionality of other in-car mounting options.
Snap+ 3-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand
Mophie’s Snap+ 3-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand is priced at $130, and it’s my favorite of Mophie’s new Qi2 products. It’s made from a sturdy white plastic, and it’s compact in size thanks to the design.
There’s a magnetic ?iPhone? charging pad at the front, an Apple Watch charger behind that, and a small AirPods charging surface at the bottom. It’s one of the more streamlined 3-in-1 charging designs that I’ve seen, and I appreciate how little space it takes up on my desk.
The charger measures in at about four inches wide and six inches tall, and with the angled design of the arm that holds the ?iPhone? charger, the Apple Watch charger is about flush with the back. The Apple Watch charger is upright rather than sideways so you can’t charge an Apple Watch in Nightstand mode, but the ?iPhone? can be charged in either portrait or landscape orientation, so it does support StandBy.
You can change the tilt of the ?iPhone? charger, angling it up or downward to get it at an ideal viewing angle, but the arm itself does not fold so this isn’t a charger that’s great for travel. At the bottom, there’s a built-in Qi charger with a shallow depression for the AirPods. You can get a second ?iPhone? to charge there, but the fit is not ideal because of the indentation and the charging is slow.
The Qi2 ?iPhone? charging pad charges an ?iPhone? at up to 15W, while the Apple Watch charger charges at 7.5W, so you’re getting the fastest wireless charging speeds for the ?iPhone? and Apple Watch (that is fast charging for fast charge-compatible Apple Watch models). The AirPods charge at 5W. A power adapter and charging cable are included.
In my testing, the Snap+ 3-in-1 charged my ?iPhone? from 1 percent to 39 percent in an hour period. The second time around, it charged from 1 percent to 34 percent in an hour, which is a bit of an outlier. The third test was closer to the first test at 38 percent. These are the same charging speeds that I get with ?MagSafe?.
Bottom Line
One of the assumptions about Qi2 was that it would make wireless chargers more affordable because there would be no need to pay Apple to license ?MagSafe? technology, but so far that hasn’t been reflected in the pricing of Qi2 accessories.
Maybe Qi2 prices will go down in the future as the standard is more widely adopted, but there isn’t much in the way of savings compared to ?MagSafe?, which is disappointing. Mophie’s Qi2 devices are solid and Mophie is a trustworthy brand, but I wish these products were more affordable. On the plus side, there is a back to school sale right now, with a 25 percent discount available site wide.
How to Buy
The Snap+ PowerStation Mini with Stand, Snap+ Charging Vent Mount, and Snap+ 3-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand can be purchased from the Mophie website.
Note: Mophie provided MacRumors with a its Qi2 chargers for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
Tag: MophieThis article, “Review: Mophie’s Qi2 Chargers Offer MagSafe Speeds at Slightly Lower Prices” first appeared on MacRumors.comDiscuss this article in our forums
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Author: Juli Clover