9to5Toys Tested

Just after the reveal of its fantastic Apple Find My Wallet Card Tracker with MagSafe charging, Nomad continued its run on your carry gear with its new leather passport wallet. Once again implementing its Horween leather treatment, the brand spent years developing its new travel carrier, has now launched two different models, and we have had a chance to go hands-on with it to give it a run for its money in the latest edition of Tested with 9to5Toys. 

I bought my first smart light bulb well over a decade ago now. Over time, I’ve tried countless brands of smart bulbs, smart plugs to control lamps, and have even swapped out light switches for smart ones. Now my home has a mixture of all those things, and I would have it no other way. I’ve generally leaned on Philips Hue for smart bulbs because they’re one of the most platform-agnostic solutions out there, but the arrival of Matter has changed the game. This paved the way for me to eventually try out a 4-pack of Linkind Matter-enabled smart light bulbs at an incredibly low price. Continue reading for my hands-on impressions as part of the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series.

We have been covering and ranking leather iPhone cases around here for years, I have reviewed something like 100 of them alone, and one brand that has been consistently in the short list over the last couple of years is SANDMARC. Anyone who has read my reviews already knows this, and knows it well. Some folks were just not a fan of its Pro Leather models (I adore them), but the Minimal Leather iPhone case variant is here and it’s here in a major way to save the day. This is a really good leather iPhone case, you’ll find our exclusive discount code below, and some of our hands-on impressions of the latest lineup. 

I’ve made a living using computers day-in and day-out for well over a decade now. Within a mere hour or two of starting work each day, I have been consistently plagued by neck and shoulder aches and pains. I’ve tried working in a mobile manner using a MacBook and iPad to at a desk with monitors mounted at the recommended level for the best ergonomics. Nothing has ever worked, until now, and it’s all thanks to FlexiSpot’s OC4-V2 ergonomic office chair. It’s a new release that’s only been listed on Amazon for a couple of weeks now. I’ve been using it day after day for a week or so and now I’d like to share my hands-on impressions as a part of the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series.

Caseology unleashed its new MagSafe Mac folder wallets recently and we were lucky enough to score a sweet press package of all four styles to get a closer look. There are no surprises here in terms of functionality, they are just another solid MagSafe wallet solution that won’t break the bank, but one with an adorable and, for some, nostalgic vibe heavily inspired by the macOS folders. Head below for a closer look at them and our hands-in impressions of the new Caseology (a Spigen sister brand) Mac folder MagSafe wallets in the latest Tested with 9to5Toys.  

mophie unleashed its brand new juice pack battery case for iPhone 15 back in late April, and we are now ready to weigh in after testing it out for a month or so. The brand has been producing these battery cases for some time and its latest has now arrived for all but the Plus variant of Apple’s current-generation handsets. The questions are two-fold for me: is it worth the lofty price of entry? And is it releasing too late into the iPhone 15 life cycle? Head below for my hands-on impressions in the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series. 

Today we are taking a closer look at the new BANG!CASE for iPhone 14 Pro/Max and iPhone 15 Pro/Max. The interesting new iPhone cover debuted in mid-April courtesy of Bitmo Lab – an sspai and JSAUX brand – as what the company refers to as “the world’s first phone case with three customizable buttons.” It essentially adds a new button to your phone, acting as a sort of second Action Button you can customize to do any number of things. This high-tech approach to smartphone cases is also joined by an interesting clear case back to show of the tech required to run the button, some LED action, and you can still land one at 20% off ahead of launch next month. Head below for our hands-on impressions in the latest edition of Tested with 9to5Toys. 

We have featured deals on the KeySmart key organizers more than a few times around here, and now it’s time to give up some hands-on impressions. After coming away more than impressed with our time testing out the brand’s SmartCard Apple Find My wallet card tracker, today we are looking at the KeySmart iPro – an Apple Find My-equipped key holder that’s looking to add some peace of mind and organization to your EDC. Head below for more.

Burton Goods re-launched earlier this year with a fresh collection of new leather goods for just about all of your Apple gear, from gorgeous MacBook and iPad cases, to its American full-grain Heritage Leather Apple Watch Strap you see here today. The Heritage, like the name suggests and falling in line with the rest of the gear in the lineup, presents a vintage-inspired leather treatment for your high-tech Apple wearable and we have had it on-wrist for the last couple weeks to give a run for its money. Head below for our hands-on impressions of the Burton Goods Heritage Leather Apple Watch Strap.

We have come away impressed with just about everything we have gone hands-on with from Aer. That includes its Pro Kit tech accessory organizer pouch, the City Tote Bag, and the Aer Travel Pack 3 I’m about to load up to head out traveling once again. But today we are turning our attention to its latest Aer Tech Sling 3 bag – we have been testing the carrier out for a few weeks and are now ready to dish up some hands-on impressions. Head below for the latest edition of Tested with 9to5Toys. 

KeySmart, a brand perhaps best known for its Apple Find My key organizers, launched its SmartCard tracker last fall, and I was immediately intrigued. Many of the options in the Apple Find My-equipped, credit card-sized tracker category don’t feature wireless charging, if they even can be recharged at all, but KeySmart’s does. In fact, the brand claims to have the only wireless charging model on the market, as well as the thinnest at just 2mm, and it’s time to see if it’s worth the price of entry (spoiler alert, it very much is). My hands-on impressions are waiting down below. 

Today we are taking a closer look at the new Harber London Rugged MacBook Briefcase. This one entered the brand’s sizable collection of Apple gear accessories and bags back in February as its latest premium, all-in-one, business-meets-EDC tech carrier. It, like all Harber London gear, costs a pretty penny, and now we are ready to see if the handmade, premium materials, and fine craftsmanship match the price tag. Head below for our hands-on review of the new Harber London Rugged MacBook Briefcase as part of our ongoing Tested with 9to5toys series. 

WITHit, a brand that’s new around these here parts, creates a wide range of Apple watch bands, straps, and more. But it was its metal – stainless steel and titanium – models that caught my eye a few weeks ago. Despite the inherent price tag titanium fetches in this product category (or any one for that matter), many of them looked fantastic to my eyes and, in many cases, undercut the prices on some of my favorite options out there. So, naturally, I decided to reach out and give them a run for their money and share my thoughts with the 9to5Toys crowd. Head below for my hands-on review of the WITHit Titanium Band for Apple Watch. 

Back during CES 2024, Positive Grid – makers of the fantastic smart Spark guitar amps – debuted the latest edition to its lineup with the Spark LINK wireless guitar system. After getting a chance to go hands-on with its fantastic little intelligent guitar amp-meets-Bluetooth speaker-meets audio interface devices previously, I couldn’t wait to give the new wireless guitar system a run for its money. Now finally out of the pre-order phase and available for purchase, head below for our hands-on impressions of the new Spark LINK wireless guitar system. 

The Displate wall art has indeed been around for a while, but I thought it was time to see if they are truly as good as they sound. Alongside a constantly growing collection of new designs to choose from, the Displate mounting system, at least on paper, seemed to be the easiest possible way decorate my space and home office without damaging the walls or needing to get any tools involved. The short form version of this review is that they do indeed deliver on that promise, but you can get a full rundown of what to expect down below. 

ESR just recently launched its new 3-in-1 Qi2 Charging Stand, and I’ve been using it with my Apple setup for the past week. It might not be the most premium option on the market, but it’s the most affordable way to enjoy 15W speeds with a desktop form-factor, AirPods power pad, and Apple Watch charger.

After getting a chance to take a hands-on look at the brand’s latest LOC8 passport holder wallet, today we are turning our attention to the Journey iPhone Apple Find My MagSafe wallet. The Journey LOC8 MagSafe Finder Wallet features much of the same design approach as the passport holder, including both the material construction and the built in location tracking, but with an iPhone-ready form-factor and built-in kickstand action. Head below for our hands-on impressions as part of the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series.

Today we are taking a hands-on look at the new Burton Goods leather iPhone wallet case. As some 9to5Toys readers will know, Burton Goods rose out of the ashes of the now defunct Pad & Quill brand to deliver a fresh take on beautiful, handcrafted leather Apple gear accessories. The brand launched a fresh batch of leather goods to dress up your MacBooks, iPads, Apple Watches, and iPhones in style, and it is now time to take a closer look at the Burton Goods Modern Pocket Book Wallet Case as part of the latest Tested with 9to5Toys entry. 

If you’ve been waiting for a MagSafe power bank that can actually dish out full 15W speeds, Anker has finally delivered. The newest addition to its MagGo lineup launched in January with Qi2 tech, and I have been daily driving it with my iPhone 15 Pro.

Peak Design and Nomad announced their latest collaboration last month, and today it’s time to take a hands-on look at the new Rugged iPhone 15 case. Nomad is one of our favorite accessory makers and we pretty consistently come away impressed with the Peak Design kit, including the Everyday Zip camera backpack we just went hands-on with, so we had high hopes for the new Nomad x Peak Design Rugged Case. Made to combine the design approach from both teams while providing a protective solution that supports Peak’s ecosystem of adventure-ready accessories, head below for our hands-on impressions of the new crossover collaboration. 

Today we are going hands-on with the new Journey Apple Find My Passport Wallet. The brand has found itself bringing its design approach and penchant for creating accessories for all of your Apple gear to the Find My-equipped space with its latest LOC8 lineup. Today we are taking a look at the passport wallet holder, but the family of gear also features a MagSafe wallet and item trackers, all of which with hidden internal batteries and mini speakers to support Apple’s location-tracking Find My network. Head below to dive into our impressions of the Find My passport wallet and for a notable 20% discount on it.

Today we are taking a closer look at the latest leather alternative iPhone case from MUJJO. We have become huge fans of the brand over the last few years – its iPhone 15 genuine leather cases are best in class, landing atop our roundup of go-to iPhone 15 covers at the tail end of last year. The same can be said for its wonderful real-leather MagSafe wallets that match the cases perfectly – here’s our hands-on review of those. And now it’s time to see if the brand making some of our favorite real leather cases can also create the best leather alternative iPhone case as well. Our hands-on impressions of the MUJJO MaizCase are waiting below. 

Just last month, ESR announced and quickly began shipping one of the very first Qi2 car mounts. The company was quick to send one over to me, and I’ve been using it for the past few weeks. At just $36, the spoiler of this review is that Qi2 is finally getting to shine as the perfect merger of affordable pricing and high-end features.

Today we are testing out the latest PNY Elite-X USB-C flash drive. As a regular user of both portable SSD storage and cloud options, I thought it would be a good idea to put one of these old school-style flash drives to the test for a month or so to see if it was even useful. PNY’s latest release landed at the tail end of 2023 and I immediately thought to myself, are these tiny drives still something that can come in handy? Head below for our hands-on impressions. 

Anker’s first wave of new Qi2 chargers have officially begun shipping after months of waiting. I’ve been trying out a few of them for the past few weeks, and out of everything, the new MagGo 3-in-1 Charging Station has been my favorite. It’s the first from the company, and has won me over by shipping all the bells and whistles like 15W MagSafe, Apple Watch fast charging, and a compact build – all for $110.

After getting a chance to go hands-on with the Harber London leather tech pouch, iPhone 15 sleeves, and more, we thought it would be a good idea to also check out its leather desk mats. The brand, for those unfamiliar, handcrafts gorgeous leather goods covering just about all tech accessory categories, and now it’s time to give its at-home or office space work surface accoutrement a run for its money. Head below for our hands-on impressions of the Harber London Leather Desk Mat. 

Today we are taking a hands-on look at the Harber London Leather Tech Dopp Kit. We have come away impressed with the brand’s higher-end leather carriers this year, including its MacBook backpacks, MacBook sleeve, as well as the iPhone 15 leather pouches, and now it’s time to test out the brand’s tech accessory solution. Head below for our hands-on impressions of the Harber London Leather Tech Dopp Kit as part of the latest entry in the Tested with 9to5Toys series. 

After getting a chance to go hands-on with the brand’s gorgeous leather iPhone 15 case, it’s time to weigh-in on the new SANDMARC Leather MagSafe wallet. The brand unleashed its very first foray into the leather MagSafe wallet business at the tail end of September, shortly after the debut of the new series 15 handsets, to expand its growing lineup of iPhone accessories. Considering how much I love its leather iPhone cases I had high hopes for the new wallet add-on, but you’ll definitely want to review our hands-on impressions below before dropping any cash down on one. 

After getting a chance to try out the brand’s new iPhone 15 cases, it’s now time to give the MUJJO leather MagSafe wallet a run for its money. The brand issued some new iPhone case colorways this year and, in turn, did the same for its leather MagSafe wallets that match perfectly. We came away pleased with the brand’s iPhone 15 cases this year, and now it’s time to see if its leather MagSafe wallets can leave us with the same impression. Head below for the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series. 

Anker launched its most capable personal power banks yet earlier in the year with the new Prime lineup. These hefty portable chargers fully embraced GaN tech in order to serve as the ultimate way to refuel your entire Apple kit away from home – and yes, even your shiny new M3 MacBook Pro. I’ve been so improved by the 27,650mAh model with its 250W power output and companion charging dock.

It’s time to go hands-on with the SANDMARC leather iPhone 15 cases. The brand took home my pick for the best leather iPhone case last year and, not to completely spoil the review here, it might very well again. SANDMARC’s cases have quickly become one of the more popular options among 9to5 readers and for good reason. They deliver real genuine leather covers with metal button covers and look great doing it – not to mention the unique metal camera array cover on the back. Head below for our hands-on impressions of this year’s SANDMARC leather iPhone 15 case collection. 

elago launched a new MagSafe charging stand last month, bringing its fascination with the classic Macintosh to your setup as an iPhone 15 companion. I just had to have it, for the past week or so it’s been hanging out on my nightstand as my overnight docking station. With a design that is geared towards StandBy mode, I take a closer look at if this accessory is worth its homage to Apple’s old school Mac.

Today we are taking a closer look at Spigen’s latest affordable MagSafe charging stand. The new Spigen ArcField Dual debuted shortly before the launch of its epic iMac-style iPhone 15 MagSafe case as another piece of notable bang for your buck tech for folks not looking to spend over $100 or more for a desktop or nightstand charging station. Ready to support your StandBy habits and daily desktop charging needs, we have been putting the new ArcField Dual through its paces over the last couple weeks to see if it was actually worth spending the $40 on it or not. Head below for the latest entry in the Tested with 9to5Toys series to find out. 

After recently going hands-on with the brand’s gorgeous M3 MacBook-ready leather and wool felt magnetic sleeve as well as its luxurious leather backpacks, we thought it was time we gave the Harber London leather iPhone 15 sleeves a run for their money. Available in a range of styles and colors, Harber London has decided to side-step the usual case form factor altogether, instead offering up a series of premium leather sleeves for your latest Apple device to rest in. And as beautiful as they indeed are, the real question is whether or not that sleeve form factor is going to work for your needs anyway. Head below for our hands-on review of the new Harber London leather iPhone 15 sleeves. 

Today, we are taking a closer look at the new CASETiFY Disney Villains iPhone 15 cases. The brand has quickly become one of the biggest out there, and its Co-Lab crossover collaborations with major IP, from Spider-Man and Evangelion to Star Wars: The Mandalorian and now Disney’s most wicked villains, is just one of the major reasons. The brand has been developing wonderful, if not a little bit pricey, iPhone, Samsung, and Google handset cases for years, but there’s something about its officially licensed editions that stand out from the crowd. Head below for some hands-on impressions of the new CASETiFY Disney Villains iPhone 15 cases. 

Today, we are taking a hands-on look at the new Journey NEXA MacBook sleeve with MagSafe charging. Just recently unveiled by the brand as the “world’s first 4-in-1” MacBook sleeve, it not only charges two devices at once, but it also houses your laptop and doubles as a MacBook sleeve. The question is, does anyone actually need this sort of thing? Well, the short answer is yes, some folks might. But you’ll want to read on to see if you’re one of them.

Today, we are taking a hands-on look at the new Peak Design Everyday fabric iPhone 15 cases. The brand is back again this year with an updated design of its Everyday case, this time with some new color options in the form of a nice Midnight Blue, a Sun yellow, and Redwood brown treatment. The MagSafe case also features a bonus SlimLink connector to integrate with the rest of the brand’s accessories alongside metal buttons, but you’ll most definitely want to head below for more details on those before dropping any cash down. Our hands-on review of the new Peak Design Everyday fabric iPhone 15 case awaits after the jump.

After debuting its new iPhone 15 sheaths, Harber London’s leather MacBook sleeves are now ready to protect and carry your Apple laptop in style, be it the new M3 models or an older machine (basically all 13-, 14-, 15-, and 16-inch models). Today we are focusing in on the Harber London Magnetic Envelope Sleeve for MacBook, as that is the model I have been testing out for a couple weeks here, but much of my impressions will apply to all of the designs in the brand’s leather MacBook sleeve lineup. The short form version here is that it is a gorgeous and luxurious option that, while indeed a bit pricey, could have been a lot more so. Head below for our hands-on impressions of the Harber London magnetic MacBook sleeve as part of our ongoing Tested with 9to5Toys series. 

Apple is fully embracing USB-C with just about all of its latest devices and accessories, and Anker’s new Prime 240W charger has been the perfect power station to ease the transition. With dynamic power allocation and a dedicated 140W USB-C port, this is perfect for the new M3 MacBooks, iPhone 15, and any other gear you can throw at it.

Today, we are heading out into the woods for our hands-on review of the new Alto wooden iPhone 15 cases. Complete with sustainably sourced natural wood treatments, customers can also make use of the brand’s unique laser-engraving technique to customize the wooden panel with one of the preset designs or one entirely unique to them by way of the online uploader tool. After adding some new wood types this year and landing in our roundup of the best iPhone 15 cases, it’s time to serve up some hands-on impressions of the new Alto wooden iPhone 15 cases as part of the latest Tested with 9to5Toys. 

Today, we are serving up some hands-on impressions of the new UAG protective iPhone 15 cases. The brand’s military-grade solutions launched shortly after the iPhone 15 did for folks looking to add some extra protection to their shiny new Apple handset with designs coming straight out of Orange County, California. With several different models to choose from across various price ranges, starting at $40 shipped, anyone into the more armored military-like vibes will want to scope out our impressions of the new UAG protective iPhone 15 cases down below. 

I have a new favorite iPhone 15 charger – at least when it comes to a portable solution. Anker’s new Nano Power Bank is as compact as they come, and now is even more versatile with the adoption of USB-C.

Today we are taking a hands-on look at the Longvadon leather crocodile Apple Watch bands known as the Caiman series, just in time for the sitewide Halloween sale to go live. The brand, a new one to us around here, just recently updated its croc-style leather strap collection with the new Double Tour wrap around-style strap so we thought we would give them a hands-on look to see if they are nice in person as they are in pictures. Looking to add a serious touch of elegance to any Apple wearable, dive in below for our hands-on impressions of the Longvadon leather crocodile Apple Watch bands. 

After coming away impressed with some of the brand’s other carriers, when Aer launched its new Pro Kit tech organizer, I was keen to get my hands on it, and that is I have done. For the past few weeks, I have been putting the new tech accessory pouch to the test both on the road and at home to see if its price of entry is worth it or not. You can check out my hands-on impressions down below as part of the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series.

The next-generation Samsung T9 Portable SSD was officially unleashed on the world at the beginning of the month. The previous-generation 1,050MB/s T7 and T7 Shield were among some of the most popular options among 9to5Toys readers, and Samsung has now updated the internals and specs to deliver its very first USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 and (potentially) much faster speeds. The question is, how many users out there have the gear to actually take advantage of this tech at this point? Head below for some hands-on impressions of the new Samsung T9 Portable SSD as part of our Tested with 9to5Toys series.