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Hands-on with Nomad’s new MagSafe compatible Base Station Hub for iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch

Earlier this year, Nomad brought magnetic alignment to its Base Station Mini wireless charger that powers one iPhone. Now the company has expanded the handy MagSafe compatibility to its Base Station Hub that can charge up to four devices at a time. Ahead of today’s release, we’ve been testing out the new leather and aluminum magnetic wireless charger, read on for all the details.

Nomad Base Station Hub with Magnetic Alignment specs

  • Charges up to 4 devices simultaneously (2 wireless, 2 wired)
  • Up to 10W wireless charging speed (7.5W for iPhone)
  • Magnetic Alignment for MagSafe products (Google Pixel 6 too)
  • USB-C PD 18W port
  • USB-A 7.5W port
  • Padded leather wireless charging surface
  • Ambient light sensor dims LED’s at night
  • Priced at $119.95

Hands-on with the new MagSafe compatible Base Station Hub

Materials and build

Just like Nomad’s other Base Station chargers, the Base Station Hub with Magnetic Alignment delivers premium materials and build quality with a matte black aluminum base and a supple padded leather top. Even as a four-device charger, the Base Station Hub remains minimal and sleek.

As I’ve shared before, I see Nomad’s quality and attention to detail on par with Apple. The premium leather is very soft right out of the box, it uses a solid aluminum base, there’s a thoughtful ambient light sensor so the LED status lights don’t disturb you at night, and the 2m (6.56 foot) cable has a braided nylon exterior for durability.

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In use

You can opt to use the new Base Station Hub with Nomad’s aluminum Apple Watch Mount (sold separately) or without. If you want to prioritize charging two iPhones wirelessly, you’ll want to skip it. If you’re okay keeping one spot for MagSafe compatible charging for iPhone, one for AirPods, and using the USB-C and USB-A port on the rear for additional smartphones, it works well to mount the Apple Watch charger adapter.

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There are three wireless/magnetic Qi pads on this charger (left, middle, and right) but you can only use two of them at a time. But the nice thing is that offers flexibility to tailor the Base Station Hub for your needs.

One thing to keep in mind, because of the larger camera bump on the iPhone 13/13 Pro, these devices don’t rest fully flat on the Base Station Hub. They still make the magnetic connection but it’s a bit easier to lock into place with the iPhone 12 (connection feels a bit stronger too).

One way to avoid the iPhone 13 camera bump issue is to place it parallel to the Base Station instead of perpendicular.

Wrap-up

After spending time with the Base Station Hub with Magnetic Alignment, I think this is a great charging solution for those that want a high-quality build, sleek design, and MagSafe compatibility.

A couple of constructive ideas I’d love to see implemented the for new Base Station Hub is to include stronger magnets as well as making the pad a bit larger so you could use all three wireless chargers simultaneously.

But all in all, this is a timeless multi-device charger for Apple fans with the nice MagSafe compatibility upgrade that should last for many years.

You can pick up the Base Station Hub with Magnetic Alignment direct from Nomad for $119.99.

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Avatar for Michael Potuck Michael Potuck

Michael is an editor for 9to5Mac. Since joining in 2016 he has written more than 3,000 articles including breaking news, reviews, and detailed comparisons and tutorials.