Apple Magsafe Duo Charger Review: Everything You Need to Know
You just set up a home studio based on the Apple ecosystem but you’re seeing all the cables are just sprawling around your setup. Well, that’s not the clean studio look you wanted to create. I think that’s one of the reasons everyone wants to go wireless. Therefore, Apple just made a try to solve this problem with its new MagSafe Duo Charger.
Yes, you heard it right. Alongside the iPhone 12 and budget-friendly products like HomePod, Apple launched its wireless charger in 2020. Now it’s a folding dual charger that comes with two sides. One side is to keep your iPhone while you can place your Apple watch on the other side. Well, if you watched the MagSafe Duo Charger ad, I can say that it works the same as Apple showed in the ad video.
Apple MagSafe Duo Charger Review
It’s more like Apple’s traditional magnetic charger which made Apple users more excited. And they just besieged the internet with the questions like Is MagSafe Duo Charger worth it? Or how fast it can charge an iPhone or an Apple watch? And should I buy it?
Worry not. To answer these questions, I have researched on the internet and gathered essential points of famous tech publications and influencers. Later, I compiled all these points in this post from my perspective. So without wasting much time let’s answer all your questions one by one.
1. Design
Like the other Apple products, the MagSafe Duo charger is just enough simple. Apple is known for giving a simple clean look through all its products. No matter, if it is an iPhone, Macbook, or just a Youtube ad. By following the same tradition, Apple launched MagSafe Duo in only one color which is plain white. Actually, it looks like a two sides pocket wallet. The front side of it comes with an Apple logo on it. When you open it, you will see a big circle on the left slide and a smaller circle on the right side of it.
Furthermore, the big circle has an aluminum outline that has a thin white circular line in the middle of it. On the other hand, the circle on the right side is a little descriptive. It comes with a white circle that has an aluminum outline. On its around, you’ll see a black thin circular line followed by a thin grey circular outline. That’s because you can spring out this circle to attach it with the back of the Apple watch to charge it. The finishing Aluminum touch and an ideal amount of heaviness give this circle a premium look.
Furthermore, you’ll get a hinge in the middle of it which is made from rubber. And this hinge made the MagSafe Duo charger a flexible one to fold according to your usability.
Moreover, it’s lightweight and has the size of an adult’s palm. And for travelers, it’s great to deal with because it can easily fit into your pocket and easy to carry. However, some users showed a little worry about its conservancy. Actually, Apple made it easy to carry but due to its shiny white color, it’ll easily get dirty because we will take it with us from one place to another.
Also read:- A Detailed Guide on How to Download and Install macOS 11 Big Sur
2. Durability
AppleInsider tested its hinge by doing a partnership with Washington DC’s testing lab. They tested the temperature before the test which was 19C. Plus they pointed a fan directly to the MagSafe Duo charger to lessen the heat impact. After that, they fold it from its hinge point every nine seconds. As a result, the hinge starts cracking at 180 folds and broken at 212 folds. And they concluded how many years of lifespan we would expect from this MagSafe Duo charger.
“It works out to about only one fold or unfold every four days over two years before fatigue failure on that hinge could rear its ugly head, based on these tests.”
On the other hand, Michael Simon from Macworld also talked about the hinge’s durability in his post by talking like this:-
“I’m not convinced that it won’t crack and tear over time. I’ve only opened it a few dozen times, and already it has a very prominent crease on the inside. For the price, it doesn’t look or feel very premium, so I can’t image wear and tear will be kind to it.”
MagSafe Duo charger comes in a single color which is pure white. Also, it has a matte finish which looks simple clean but it’s also made for traveling purposes. Well, that seems a little illogical to me. Also, it’ll get in contact with certain different places and end up being dirty easily, especially while traveling. However, matt finish allows you to clean it with a cloth wipe but it wouldn’t be convenient.
3. Charging Performance
MagSafe Duo Charger comes with a charging speed of up to 15W to charge the iPhone 12. Although an iPhone can get charged by wire with a charging speed of 18W. But wait here’s more. If we’ll talk about the power supply it has maximum power support of 14W. Apple saying that users have to face these limitations due to its slim design. However, it also uses a Lightning port in place of USB-C and that could be one of the reasons for its low charging speed too.
Moreover, users need to have a USB-C power brick with a power support of 27W to get the maximum charging speed of the MagSafe Duo Charger which is 14W. On the other hand, if you’ll use a 20W power brick, you’ll get a wireless charging of only 11W. Well, that’s actually frustrating that first Apple introduced MagSafe with high speed and then comes with a dual version of it which again has a slower speed like before.
Alongside the iPhone 12 and Apple watch, MagSafe works well with any Qi-enabled device. So you can charge your AirPods, or your other old iPhone, or maybe any device you think would work. And the thing you’ll like is how this charger will automatically align your iPhone to where it should be. You just put your iPhone on it randomly, or aimlessly and it gets automatically pulled to a certain point to start its charging.
4. Pricing and Accessories
MagSafe Duo Charger comes with a price tag of $129. However, you can also own it by paying 12 EMIs of $10.75 each but for a lot of users, a sounds overpriced. Some users said that it is only worth $70 because it won’t have the build quality we’re expecting from Apple. I mean remember the results we got in the durability section from it. Moreover, it comes with a box that contains a tiny white pouch with a slogan- “Designed by Apple in California.” In this little pouch, you’ll get a written manual and safety instructions alongside the warranty papers. On the other side, you’ll get a 1-meter USB-C to lightning cable laid down in it.
Furthermore, it doesn’t come with a charging brick and you’ve to purchase it separately to use it with MagSafe Duo Charger. However, you can use MagSafe Duo by connecting its USB-C cable with a USB-C supported port of Mac and PC. You can purchase a 30W USB-C Power Adapter which is sold by Apple at a pricing cost of $49. And the total price you’ll have to pay for this MagSafe charger is $178. Well, I also saw a shocking resentment on the reviewer’s face who remain calm most of the time. However, you can use a third-party power adapter or a 20W USB-C power adapter that costs you around $19. Also, one thing that is notable that you can’t use Apple 29W USB-C Power Adapter with it due to its incompatibility.
You can purchase MagSafe Duo Charger directly from the Amazon store. Also, Apple launched a wide range of MagSafe accessories such as MagSafe cover that can attach on the back of the iPhone. You can explore through this official Apple page.
Also read:- Apple Watch Series 6 Review: Everything You Need to Know
5. Compatibility
It’s clearly seen that MagSafe Duo Charger can charge the compatible iPhone and the Apple Watch. But you can also charge AirPods Pro, Wireless Charging Case for AirPods alongside other Qi-certified devices. Meanwhile, you can charge any iPhone that comes between the iPhone 8 and iPhone 12. Also, it can charge any Apple Watch, from 1st generation to Series 6. Moreover, it supports charging for AirPods with Wireless Charging Case (2nd generation) and Wireless Charging Case for AirPods.
For more information about a specific iPhone model compatibility, you can visit here.
Pros and Cons of MagSafe Duo Charger
Well, everything comes with its pro and con, and the same thing you can expect from MagSafe Duo Charger. Where some people seem overexcited about it, you’ll see lots of geek on the internet who’re hardly criticizing it. Here are some points I found through the internet that can give you some clarity.
Let’s start with the pros.
Pros
- Compact and easy to carry design.
- Use Apple watch in both- flat or in Nightstand mode.
- Gives a solid magnetic grip to iPhone while charging.
- You can use the same Lightning cable as iPhone.
- Also works with Qi-enabled devices.
- Automatically align the iPhone to the charging point.
- You’ll get a Lightning to USB-C cable with it.
Cons
- Comes with an expensive price tag.
- The durability of the hinge doesn’t sound promising.
- Easily get dirty due to its white color.
- Maximum power is 14W which seems much lower.
- Doesn’t come with a USB-C brick in the box.
FAQ: MagSafe Duo Wireless Charger
1. How much charging speed we can expect from MagSafe Duo Charger?
Apple-designed MagSafe Duo Charger to charge your iPhone 12 safely, quickly, and wirelessly. Also, it requires a power adapter with a minimum power of 20W to work properly. According to Apple, MagSafe’s system can adapt to conditions in an intelligent way to charge your iPhone 12 with a peak power delivery of 14W. Although it delivers a peak power supply of 12W when you’ll use the iPhone 12 mini.
On the other hand, it requires at least 15W (5V/3A or 9V/1.67A) if you’ll charge both the iPhone and the Apple Watch at the same time. Although you’ll get a slower charging while doing this. Also charging will be limited to 7.5W to comply with regulatory standards while using lightning accessories such as headphones.
2. Are there any Cautions we should follow while using the MagSafe Duo Charger?
First of all, you should need a USB-C power adapter with a minimum power of 20W. With that amount of power supply, you’ll get a minimum charging power which is 11W. Also, you should aware of the fact that MagSafe Duo Charger isn’t compatible with Apple’s 29W Power Adapter. So simply save the money by not purchasing it.
Moreover, MagSafe can allocate the maximum power up to 9 volts (V) and 3 amp (A) when you’ll use the USB PD compatible power adapter. Well, you won’t face a short circuit easily but keep these numbers in mind before using a new power socket.
Also, Apple mentioned some important points in the how-to-do guide of MagSafe Duo Charger. One important point they mentioned that you shouldn’t place your iPhone on it before plug-in the MagSafe Duo charger into a power source. If your iPhone is already placed on it then displace it first, wait for three seconds, and then plug-in the charger into a power source to continue the charging session.
Also, it doesn’t support USB-A so a USB-C connector is essential, and don’t waste money on USB-A.
3. How I can increase the charging speed of the MagSafe Duo Charger?
For most of the users, the charging speed of MagSafe Duo is a little low as compared to Magsafe. Apple said that MagSafe can optimize the power delivery to the iPhone in a dynamic way. However, it depends on various factors such as system activity and temperature, etc.
Also, Apple mentioned some specific points that you can follow to get maximum speed from MagSafe Duo Charger. Here are these points:-
- A USB-C connector.
- Get at least 9V/2.62A to get up to 12W faster charging for iPhone 12 mini.
- For a power supply of 11W, you need a power adapter with at least 9V/2.22A.
- For a power supply of 14W, you need a power adapter with at least 9V/3A.
- To get a maximum peak power for iPhone 12 charging you need higher wattage adapters at or above 9V/3A.
- It requires a 27W USB-C power brick to give your iPhone a max charging speed.
Also read:-HomePod Mini Review: $99 Siri Smart Speaker for iPhone Users
Conclusion
Now, it comes from Apple so it looks good, clean, and a little less premium than the Apple products. Now, that’s what some of the famous publications are kept saying. Also, it has some strong cons that make you think twice before purchasing it. For instance, the hinge durability got a crease just after folding and unfolding it a few times. You can’t choose the color and you have to choose the only one which easily gets dirty. Moreover, you can’t charge three devices such as Airpods, iPhone, and Apple watch at the same time. On the other hand, there are some chargers that allow you to do that. Also, you can purchase them in fewer bucks as compared to $129. Oh, I forgot about the extra bucks you’ve to pay to purchase the USB-C compatible charging brick.
In conclusion, it’s cool but a little less durable, charges at a slower speed, can’t charge three devices at once, and all of these you’ll get in a high price tag. I think you get the idea.
So that was the MagSafe Duo Charger review and I hope it helps you to decide on should you buy it or not? Let’s know by doing a comment if I missed out on something worth the share. And share this review with the person who’s overexcited about the new MagSafe Duo Charger.
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