We tested out the ElevationDock 4 (reviewed) last fall and concluded that it lives up to the self-proclaimed title of “the best dock for iPhone.” The company released its latest offering, CordDock – a hybrid product last month, and we’ve been able to test it out for the last few weeks. Here’s how this slick offering stacks up against ElevationDock 4 and the rest of the market.
After ElevationLab released its fourth generation ElevationDock for iPhone and iPad, it took the wraps off of its latest product, a clever dock and MFi Lightning cable hybrid called CordDock.
While ElevationDock4 was a fantastic iteration on the company’s popular docks, CordDock brings a whole new approach to charging, docking, and effortlessly using your iPhone. It really provides an awesome experience at a great price of $40.
Specs/Highlights
- Combines the benefits of a cord, with the benefits of a dock, in one ultra-compact design.
- Directions: Pull up to undock one-handed like normal. Or rotate forward to take the cord with you!
- Tiny footprint – it’s the smallest dock for iPhone.
- Adjusts to fit cases up to 4mm thick (that’s most cases except Otterbox).
- Minimal matte finish. Machined stainless steel & reinforced polymer construction. The NanoPad bottom locks to smooth surfaces with micro air-suction (not adhesive).
- Apple MFi certified with an Apple-made connector.
- Charges 2-3x faster than Qi wireless & you can freely pick up your iPhone while charging.
- CordDock was years of engineering, prototyping, and testing to work well and be durable. Patent pending. If you like it as much as we do, there’s a shot it could be your favorite accessory for iPhone.
Materials & Build
CordDock consists of a matte polymer and machined stainless steel. It offers a durable, premium braided MFi 6-foot Lightning cable with a 90-degree elbow on the Lightning end. This is what makes it so easy to dock and undock your iPhone while charging/syncing.
While ElevationDock 4 brought the first one-handed undocking, CordDock offers the same great benefit. A nanopad on the underside keeps the dock firmly in place and provides the useful one-handed functionality. Keep in mind though that the nano pad won’t adhere to bare or fibrous wood or other highly textured surfaces.
To no surprise, CordDock is a really well made product. From the braided MFi cable to the satisfying click of docking and undocking your iPhone, it feels great to use and will no doubt last a really long time.
In the box you get the dock with included MFi Lightning cable, and a secondary set of magnetic baseplates (more on that in a moment). ElevationLab offers a 30-day return period along with a 1-year warranty for its products.
Use & Feel
After unpacking the super slim CordDock, my first concern was how well it would support my iPhone X, especially when in use with things like 3D Touch and long presses. Impressively, between the nanopad bottom and threaded, adjustable backpads, it feels just as solid as ElevationDock 4 (which is really solid 👌🏼).
Once you get used to one-handed undocking, you can’t really go back, it’s such a smooth experience. It’s really great to see the major features of ElevationDock 4 make their way to CordDock.
CordDock on the left, ElevationDock 4 on the right
While I thought ElevationDock 4 had a clean and minimal design, CordDock takes things up another notch. You hardly notice anything but your iPhone when in use. It almost gives a floating iPhone appearance.
The braided Lightning cable has a velcro cable tie for when you’re taking your CordDock on the go. The company even threw in an extra foot of length on CordDock with the built-in 6-foot Lightning cable.
Another concern when I first started using CordDock was how it would handle different cases. However, with the flexible backpads and two different size sets of baseplates, it accommodates everything from a naked iPhone, Apple’s silicone or leather cases up to even something like my wallet case by jimmyCASE.
ElevationLab notes that CordDock will work with cases up to 4mm thick.
As for CordDock’s main feature, the simple and useful forward roll motion to release your iPhone without unplugging works fantastic. It’s almost too satisfying to roll out and click back in, as I could see it becoming a fidget habit.
As for durability, ElevationLab spent years of engineering on CordDock and found a 20:1 lever force was just right for the spring-loaded detents to disengage. The Lightning connector sports a mix of stainless steel and polymer to stand up to lots of use.
Conclusion
Just like its bigger brother, CordDock stands apart from the competition as a premium and highly functional dock. With the super slim, sharp design, great functionality, flexibility, and the one-handed undocking, this is really worth picking up! What’s better is the $40 asking price makes it feel like a steal.
You can pick up CordDock on Amazon or on the company’s website. When purchasing direct from ElevationLab, a 3-pack for $100 is also available.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments