Hands-on: Satechi’s 2-in-1 Headphone Stand charges your AirPods Max and iPhone simultaneously

Apple’s high-end AirPods Max have been available for over a year now, and some useful accessories have started to hit the market. At CES last month, the popular accessory maker Satechi unveiled its new 2-in-1 Headphone Stand, which features a built-in Qi charger in the base.

Satechi’s 2-in-1 Headphone Stand has a premium design that pairs nicely with Apple’s AirPods Max. Head below for our hands-on review and impressions.

First off, it’s important to point out that Satechi’s 2-in-1 Headphone Stand will work with any pair of over-ear headphones. While the company’s marketing images primarily show it being used with AirPods Max, any pair of headphones with a headband will work perfectly.

Here’s how Satechi describes the 2-in1 Headphone Stand:

Store and charge your AirPods Max in style with the Satechi 2-in-1 Headphone Stand with Wireless Charger. Features a sleek stainless-steel arm with padded grips, a USB-C port to keep your headset charged, and a convenient wireless charger to also power your iPhone 13 or AirPods Pro while you work. Complete with a convenient hook to help organize messy cables and an LED light to show when your wireless device is charging, the 2-in-1 Headphone Stand is more than just a home for your headset.

While headphone stands are a dime a dozen on Amazon, what sets Satechi’s apart is its built-in charging options. On the back of the 2-in-1 Headphone Stand are two separate USB-C ports. One of these is a UBS-C input port that can be connected to power, while the other is a USB-C output port.

The single USB-C input provides enough power for the Qi charger in the base, as well as to power the second USB-C output. The Qi charging pad providers up to 7.5W of power and works with any Qi-supported device, including iPhones, AirPods, and more.

Meanwhile, the USB-C output provides up to 5W of power. The idea here is that you can use a USB-C to Lightning cable to charge your AirPods Max directly from the base of the Satechi Headphone Stand. To help accommodate this, there’s built-in cable management on the stand itself.

9to5Mac’s Take

Satechi’s 2-in-1 Headphone Stand is one of my favorite AirPods Max accessories I’ve used so far. It provides a elegant way of storing and charging your AirPods Max (or any other pair of headphones). It also focuses on both form and function thanks to its two USB-C ports, which help justify the amount of space it might take up on a desk or table.

I do wish that the base of Satechi’s Headphone Stand was made out of a higher-quality material. Currently, the top of the base features a glossy black finish that attracts dust and fingerprints and feels cheap in comparison to the rest of the product.

A nice design touch, however, is the rubber base on the top handle, which makes sure the band of your headphones is safe. There is also a useful LED light to show when your wireless device is charging.

I also wish the USB-C ports on the back of the Headphone Stand were a bit more powerful. While 5W is enough to charge AirPods Max, it would be nice to have the option of using that USB-C to fast charge another accessory. The 7.5W of power for Qi charging is sufficient, but 15W with MagSafe support would have been an added bonus.

Satechi’s 2-in-1 Headphone Stand retails for $79.99. This makes it a pricey accessory, especially when you consider that you don’t get a USB-C wall charger in the box. If you’re looking for a way to charge and store not only your AirPods Max but also your iPhone, then this is the best option there is.