MagSafe Monday

Maybe it’s me, or maybe it’s the iPhone 15 Pro, but I finally cracked my first iPhone screen ever. I used my local Best Buy for the repair as they handle authorized Apple repairs. They did a fantastic job, and it was done within a few hours. A few weeks later, after a day of yard work, I noticed a small scratch on my screen. Ugh, right? Thankfully it wasn’t cracked, but I clearly cannot be trusted at this point. I decided to upgrade my iPhone case to one with a built in screen protector. I ended up with the ESR’s iPhone 15 Pro Full-Body Shockproof MagSafe Case.

Apple’s MagSafe wallet is generally the default option for most people looking for a way to store an identification card, credit card, and more. While it’s Find My integration is great, that does mean its double the cost of a lot of the MagSafe wallets from other vendors. The Urban Fit is a perfect example of a solid alternative to Apple’s wallet. At half the cost, it can hold three cards and works great on the back of your iPhone.

MagSafe accessories continue to be where a lot of the innovation around the iPhone tames place. The ability to snap your iPhone into place unlocks a lot of fun use cases. This week, I am taking a look at the Spigen S312 OneTap that’s designed to keep your iPhone connected to your Mac for quick phone calls, Zoom calls, and much more.

Trying to stand out among all the MagSafe accessories on the market can often be challenging. What makes one battery pack better than the others? What makes one stand better than the others? It can often come down to minor features, pricing, and form factor. That’s precisely what the UGREEN MagSafe battery pack aims to deliver: a robust battery pack at a fair price that can charge up to three devices at the same time.

Every desk setup is different. Some people have a Magazine-worthy office with a large desk looking over the Appalachian mountains. Other people have a TV tray with a kitchen chair tucked into the corner. Most people think everyone else is in the former, while in reality, most people have makeshift home offices or some cubes at work. What’s the best MagSafe desk dock for these situations? I’ve found it with the LISEN 3 in 1 Charging Station.

Over the years, there have been a number of smartphones with built-in kick-stands. I always thought they were somewhat gimmicky. After spending some time various iPhone kick-stands, I am now in the “I wouldn’t hate an iPhone with a built-in stand. I’ve been testing the MOFT Phone Tripod for the past week or two, and it’s great device to keep in your travel bag.

MagSafe battery packs are one of my favorite use cases for MagSafe. In fact, as I am writing this, I am on an airplane with my iPhone charging via a MagSafe power brick. They’re compact, easy to use, and easy to store. Which MagSafe battery am I using? It’s the Anker MagGo Power Bank, and it might be the best overall MagSafe battery pack on the market today. Let’s dive into why.

Oddly enough, wireless charging is one of my top use cases for MagSafe. Some of my earliest MagSafe accessories have been wireless chargers in the car. I don’t have long commutes every day, so I am frequently in and out of the car. The friction of plugging up a charger every time I got into the car was something I was happy to give up. I’ve tried various car chargers with varying degrees of success over the years, but I believe I’ve found the perfect one with the ESR for Qi2 15W MagSafe Car Mount Charger.

Finding the perfect MagSafe dock to charge your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods is often way less about the technology included and more about the style of dock matching where it’s going. The UGREEN 3-in-1 MagSafe dock, while providing good technology, is one of those docks that fits perfectly in a minimalist environment in a home, C-suite, and more.

There’s no shortage of 3 in 1 dock for charging your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. The GuMosh Fits for MagSafe Charger Stand stands out for its unique foldable design that blends in on your desk or nightstand. You can easily hide your AirPods while charging your iPhone to create a slimmer design.

There is no shortage of Thunderbolt docking hubs for Mac laptops to make it easy to connect multiple monitors and keep all your devices charged. At my desk, I like to keep a minimalist approach. I don’t have a lot of accessories. I don’t have multiple monitors. I have simple goals: keep it clean and charged (Macbook Pro and iPhone/AirPods Pro). With those goals in mind, the UGREEN Nexode 100W USB C Charger with 15W MagSafe Charger Wireless Stand has become the perfect solution for my needs.

Qi2 is the latest wireless charging standard the Wireless Power Consortium developed, incorporating Magnetic Power Profile (MPP) based on Apple’s MagSafe technology. This ensures accurate alignment and faster charging speeds of up to 15 watts – significantly improving the existing standard. Qi2 is backward compatible, allowing older Qi devices to charge on Qi2 chargers at slower speeds. Qi2 was designed to unify wireless charging standards globally, with all manufacturers expected to adopt it in future devices. The Anker MagGo Magnetic Wireless Charger is now my default Qi2/MagSafe charger for my laptop bag for travel.

MagSafe is one of those technologies, similar to smart home products, allowing you to go wild with extending your device. Sometimes, the most uncomplicated products are the most effective. This week, I am looking at two products that every iPhone owner should own: The CLCKR Phone Holder & Grip and the Anker 622 Magnetic Battery, 5,000mAh Foldable Magnetic Wireless Portable Charger with Stand and USB-C.

There are a multitude of options when it comes to MagSafe-enabled wallets for your iPhone. One of the ones I’ve been testing recently fits the bill if you want something more rugged for hiking, running, etc. The Pelican MagSafe Wallet & Card Holder (#CommissionsEarned) is a great option for storing cards and cash in a MagSafe wallet that snaps shut.

I typically lose my wallet at least two times a month. Most recently, I couldn’t find it on New Year’s Day. I was starting to worry that I’d left it at the restaurant I had been the night before. I eventually found it in my bed, but it took me half an hour to search for it. This is one of the benefits of a Find My integrated accessory. I would have been much less worried if I knew it was at home. ESR’s iPhone wallet with Find My integration solves this problem with plenty of room to spare. Let’s look at the pros and cons of the ESR MagSafe wallet.

I’ve tried countless desk charging solutions over the years, and I’ve always struggled with the off-and-on process with MagSafe. As much as I love MagSafe, there is a tension (pun intended) with quick removals when leaving your desk for errands, meetings, etc. The Anker 313 Wireless Charger Stand aims to eliminate that friction and allows you to “drop” your iPhone on it for easy charging with one-handed removal.

One of the downsides of leaving the Max lineup with my iPhone 15 was the battery life. The Max iPhones, thanks to their bigger batteries, keep running and running. While the battery life of the iPhone 15 is fantastic, I have noticed that I can get low by the end of the day if I am traveling or out and about without a charger. To augment that, I’ve been using the Anker Magnetic Battery 10,000mAh.

MagSafe wallets are a great way to simplify what’s on your everyday carry list while keeping a minimal wallet to avoid hurting your back by sitting on a massive wallet. In this week’s MagSafe Monday, I will review the ESR Magnetic Wallet and explain why it’s a great day-to-day wallet but excels as a travel wallet for plane trips.

We’re kicking off a new weekly series here on 9to5Mac that’ll aim to uncover the best, most unique, and most useful MagSafe and wireless charging accessories. Since the introduction of MagSafe with the iPhone 12, it’s been the primary way I’ve charged my iPhone. Even with the addition of USB-C with the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro, I’ve continued relying on MagSafe and other wireless chargers for daily and nightly charging. In a sense, it’s MagSafe or bust for me. To kick off the first edition of MagSafe Monday, I want to look at the Belkin Magnetic Wireless Car Charger.