Twelve South is now out with a new way to dock all of your Apple essentials into a single charging station with its just-released HiRise 3. Delivering 7.5W MagSafe support alongside an integrated spot for AirPods and Apple Watch, the 3-in-1 charger delivers one of the better values on the market – that is, if you already have 20W USB-C wall charger.
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Twelve South HiRise 3 hands-on look
Earlier in the month, Twelve South launched its most capable charging solution yet with the new HiRise 3. Living up to that name, the new power station features a 3-in-1 design that notable packs support for Apple’s magnetic charging tech. While not full-blown MagSafe, the main, angled charging stand packs 7.5W wireless output to an iPhone 12 or 13 series handset.
Then behind the main stand on the HiRise 3, Twelve South delivers an integrated Apple Watch charger. Sitting below is the final aspect of the charging stand, which is a 5W Qi pad for topping off AirPods or any other device for that matter. Clocking in at $99.99, this is going to be one of the more value-packed 3-in-1 options on the market. But is that price tag actually going to deliver a compelling place to dock your Apple everyday carry? We investigate down below.
Here’s a closer look at the spec sheet:
- Charges iPhone, Apple Watch, & AirPods in 1 stand
- Compact design declutters your nightstand or desk
- Holds iPhone upright to display alerts & apps
- Uses any 20W USB-C power adapter
9to5Toys’ Take
Twelve South’s latest charger arrived right before the news dropped last week, and I’ve been testing it out since. Not to fully spoil the experience, but this has easily become one of my favorite multi-device chargers on the market and one of the best values out there. There’s of course a catch in that you’ll have to supply your own 20W wall charger, but that’s a small demotion on an otherwise glowing report card for the $100 charger.
And since I am starting with those drawbacks, it’s worth going over the other small gripes I have with Twelve South’s new HiRise 3. For starters – and what will likely be the biggest issue that many Apple device owners take with the charging station – is that it only packs a 7.5W output for iPhones. It may be the standard at this point to pair typical Qi charging rates with the magnetic rings and call it a day, but stepping up to the official MagSafe spec would have gone a long ways towards making this an undisputed champion of multi-device charging. Still, not a dealbreaker.
As an even smaller comment, the Apple Watch charger placement on the back isn’t going to be as ideal for nightstand use cases. I’m sure many Watch owners are accustomed to taking advantage of Nightstand mode for their wearable, and that feature is missing, though that adjustment does allow Twelve South to deliver one of my favorite things about the new HiRise 3.
Most other 3-in-1 charging stations take on a much wider design that spreads out horizontally from the base. Twelve South on the other hand takes the vertical approach and makes its HiRise 3 better for it. I love how sleek the build is and how little room it actually takes up on my desk, especially with the angle that your iPhone sits at thanks to the slanted position.
Speaking of design, there are also little rubber pads on the bottom that not only keep it in place from sliding around, but also anchors it to the desk. So when you go to put your iPhone 13 down on the MagSafe charger, or more importantly pick it up, everything stays put. As for the rest of the form-factor, the build is pretty solid but nothing extremely premium. The plastic has a soft touch too it, but isn’t quite as rubbery as options from Belkin have delivered.
Even so, I am a big fan of the overall value that Twelve South has delivered here. If you already have a 20W USB-C charger lying around, and I am sure most of us do, this is going to be the best bang for your buck out there. It’s not quite as premium as the new Belkin model that just launched, but is also a third of the cost – that alone is enough for me to excuse some of the shortcomings, and makes the HiRise 3 an easy recommendation if you’re looking to streamline your existing setup. Though if you do have to go out and buy a wall adapter, it’s worth thinking through if spending a little extra is worth stepping up to a full MagSafe 3-in-1 charger.
Buy the Twelve South HiRise 3 now
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