Tested: Aukey’s magnetic wireless charger delivers MagSafe features for less

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MagSafe debuted last fall as Apple’s latest and most novel way to refuel your iPhone 12. Since then, we’ve seen a collection of third-party accessories flood the market bringing similar magnetic charging features into your kit. Today, we’ll be taking a look at one of the latest offerings in the MagSafe-compatible sphere, with Aukey’s new 15W Magnetic Wireless Charger. Our latest Tested with 9to5Toys dives into whether you should add this more affordable alternative to your everyday carry or if you’re just better off going with the official Apple offering.

Hands-on with Aukey’s MagSafe-compatible charger 

Having first launched at the end of February, Aukey joined many other third-party brands with the debut of its own MagSafe-compatible charger. The brand’s new offering enters with much of the same design as you’d expect from the form-factor, yielding a compact puck with built-in magnets to snap onto the back of your iPhone 12 series device.

Entering at a $19 price point, the entire build on Aukey’s MagSafe-compatible charger is comprised of plastic. It doesn’t feel cheap by any means, though, and still has a nice heft to the build that pairs with an integrated 1.2-meter USB-C cable. In terms of actual charging speeds, iPhones will be able to top off at 7.5W, with the charger also being able to double as a standard Qi pad for dishing out its up to 15W speeds.

Here’s a look at the spec sheet:

• Snap On, Power Up: Certified Qi wireless fast-charging up to 15W. One clip magnetically to wirelessly charge your iPhone 8 or later, as well as AirPods models with a wireless charging case, as you would with any Qi-certified charger
• Power On, Game On: Keep your calls and games on-line all the time while your phone gets charged in your hands holding. The 3.93ft/1.2m USB-C integrated cable is long enough for a useful range and you never need to go hunting for an additional cable
• Safe, in every way: Simply align your device on the charging area to begin safely charging. Includes a comprehensive suite of protections that ensure things never get too hot. Strong magnetic connection secures your device from accidentally dragging or dropping
• Fast charging through USB-C: to achieve the 15W charging speed, you’ll need 18W/20W or higher power adapters.

Tested with 9to5Toys

All of those specs beg the question of if Aukey’s third-party MagSafe-compatible Charger is worth your cash. Not to get too ahead of myself, but the answer is ultimately yes – just with some caveats. If there was a single thing to keep in mind, it would be that some of the official MagSafe specifications are missing. So while you’ll be able to take advantage of similar magnetic wireless charging, some of the more premium first-party functionality is missing. But does that prove to be a deal-breaker at the end of the day? We’re putting that to the test.

In a similar vein there, Aukey’s MagSafe-Compatible Charger is not as premium as the official Apple model. But that’s pretty much a given when we’re talking about third-party accessories versus the real deal, especially in the budget-friendly category like his particular charger. That’s entirely offset, though, by the fact that this clocks in with a sub-$20 price point.

Aside from missing out on the full 15W iPhone charging speeds, the biggest downside is that the magnetic isn’t quite as strong as the official model. It’s still plenty capable of staying locked to the back of your handset, but it has a little more give than you’ll find with Apple’s in-house offering.

At the end of the day, all of this is to say that the value is certainly there. The Aukey MagSafe-compatible charger may lack full 15W charging speeds for iPhone 12 devices, but this is a great alternative to consider for any number of use cases. Whether you’re hoping to score a secondary charger to enjoy MagSafe in another room or just don’t want to pay the Apple tax in the first place, it’s a compelling option.

Best of all, you’ll find an ongoing discount at Amazon that brings the Aukey MagSafe-compatible charger down to $16.14 when clipping the on-page coupon.

Buy the Aukey MagSafe-compatible Charger now

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