I have been waiting for the better part of a year for Satechi to release its next-generation 25W MagSafe charging gear. Most specifically a new 3-in-1 model, and it has arrived.
Satechi 3-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Stand with Qi2 25W Review
I am a very big fan of its now previous-generation 15W metal 3-in-1 model you see right here. It is extremely attractive to my eyes, is extremely well-built with a weighty base, and the magnet is particularly strong. It’s not so heavy that you can’t pick it up and chuck it in your travel kit when needed, and the magnet isn’t so strong that you can’t lift your phone off with one hand. It’s not 100% flawless, but it is, for me, a near perfect example of what a 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand should be.
Needless to say, I had very high hopes for the new model.
Features at a glance:
- Delivers 25W iPhone, 5W AirPods, and 5W Apple Watch charging
- Powered by Qi2 technology for efficient, reliable wireless power
- Foldable design supports portrait and landscape viewing modes
- Includes 45W USB‑C adapter
Firstly let’s go over what great about the new 3-in-1 Qi2 25W Satechi Foldable Wireless Charging Stand.
This thing looks really pretty. This time around, or at least at launch, Satechi has opted for a super sleek Space Black metal treatment. It sits somewhere between a dark sliverish charcoal and black, and it looks really nice. It’s not quite all the way matte, but it’s also not at all shiny. It almost completely resists fingerprint marks as well.
I for one happen to still love the previous-generation model more in the looks department, but I can certainly see how many folks would very much appreciate the new one.
The previous model featured a more gunmetal look, with hits of a sort of rubberized black treatment on the AirPods charging base and along the sides of the main MagSafe arm. This time around the entire unit, save for the MagSafe pad and where your Apple Watch rests is completely Space Black metal.
It looks great, but the white AirPods case sort of stands out like a sore thumb to me in, let’s say, not the best way, but this is admittedly a personal thing and just about all MagSafe stands that aren’t white suffer from this anyway.
The actual folding mechanism, including the main MagSafe arm, the MagSafe pad, and the pop-out Apple Watch charger feels well-made and strong. The Apple Watch charging arm that sticks off the back of the device pops in and out nicely and sits back flush in the unit in a truly elegant looking way. No complaints here at all.
However, and this is a big however for me, the magnet aint so hot. I have both the aforementioned previous-generation model sitting on my desk right beside the new one, and the magnet isn’t even half as strong.
It is, in fact, so weak, I’m questioning whether or not I have received an early prototype or a faulty unit. The phone does stick to it, with and without a MagSafe case, but it’s not nearly as secure as the previous model or any other MagSafe stand I have laying around in my office.
This isn’t a massive problem, and perhaps not one everyone will even notice, but I just do not like the feel of the magnet here – it works, but it’s not as strong as I want it to be.
I will be reaching out to Satechi for comment on this matter and will report back when I hear something.
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