Tested: Hands-on with Journey’s new 3-in-1 MagSafe Stand and modular Apple Watch charger

After going hands on with the brand’s unique ALTI charging desk mat late last year, we have recently had a chance to to give Journey’s new Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 Wireless MagSafe Charging Stand a run for its money. The brand officially unleashed its new magnetic all-in-one charging and organization solution a couple weeks ago now with a familiar form-factor and design but with a few neat tricks up its sleeve as well. And, you’ll want to check out our review of the new Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 down below while it’s still available at 20% off for the launch phase. 

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Journey Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 Wireless MagSafe Charging Stand review

The Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 is Journey’s latest MagSafe charging stand and is not unlike the many comparable designs we have featured around here previously form several other brands. It delivers an all-in-one setup designed to provide a neat and organized home for all of your portable Apple gear: an adjustable MagSafe pad for iPhone 12, 13, or 14, a small landing pad for your AirPods case (or any other Qi-ready buds), and the included Apple Watch charger resting just behind your phone. In that regard, it’s very much the same as the brand’s original three-in-one model as well as other options on the market place, but there are a few interesting new features. 

This time around, the weighted base holds up the main phone base, which features an adjustable hinge that tilts up to 55 degrees – supporting both vertical and horizontal orientations – to get a better viewing angle at your desk, nightstand, or elsewhere. It delivers 7.5W to iPhone and 15W to Android devices equipped with the included magnetic ring. 

The new Journey MagSafe charging stand also features a modular Apple Watch charger. A small cap cover pops off the back of the stand where users can insert the wearable Apple Watch charging puck unit for use in place on the stand. Alternatively, the small module can also be thrown in a bag, and taken with you on-the-go. That way it can be used as a sort of USB-C charging port, connected to the side of your iPad Pro, for example. 

These include the detachable USB-C Apple Watch Charger, which Apple Watch users can connect to USB-C ports in other devices such as wall chargers and laptops. Apple Watch wearers who use the TRIO have the option to slip the detachable charger into a bag or pocket for additional portability. This is a big plus any time they want to wirelessly power their watch away from the office or home.

The Journey Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand comes in a black or white colorway with an included USB-C charging stand, the removable Apple Watch charger module, and a magnetic ring for adding MagSafe-like functionality to other handsets. It carries a $139.99 MSRP, but you can score 20% off right now using code TAKE20 at checkout. 

Here’s a closer look at the spec sheet:

• Simultaneously charges iPhone, AirPods/Pro, and Apple Watch
• Compatible for MagSafe and Qi wireless charging
• Landscape or portrait phone screen view
• Vertical build consumes less desk space
• Swivel your phone screen angle up to 55 degrees
• Securely grips your phone with extra strong magnets
• Weighted base suits single-hand operation
• Especially designed for iPhone 12/13/14 series
• 1 year Warranty-backed

gadgetnewsonline’ Take

Journey’s Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stand at first glance looks like something Apple might have created, especially the all-white model I have had a chance to go hands on with here. A hard plastic base, MagSafe pad, and Apple Watch charger alongside a silver metal post tying them together present a clean, matte look and feel. The minimal branding – there’s slightly debossed Journey lettering across the middle of the MagSafe pad that’s only visible when you take your phone off – soft glowing LED on the base, and small rubber feet along the bottom further highlight and enhance the overall vibe. 

However, it’s not overly robust, and I would prefer the base was even more weighted – the whole thing lifts just a touch when you adjust the smartphone hinge with one hand. But that slowly becomes less and less a problem over time as the actual adjustable hinge gets worked in a little bit. In short, it could have used a heavy metal plate somewhere in the base if you ask me, but that likely would have driven the price up even more, and the design as is really doesn’t present much of a problem for me overall. 

Along with the adjustable hinge, the modular Apple Watch attachment is certainly a highlight here on the new Journey MagSafe charging stand. It, as we mentioned above, adds a ton of value to the package, effectively delivering an Apple Watch charger you can take with you anywhere, much like the official Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger, just without the cable extension. While for some, the more traditional accessory might be more useful on-the-go, Journey’s solution neatly attaches to the stand when at home – there’s a small cap included to take its place on the main stand to ensure a clean, complete look – and just about any other USB-C port elsewhere in an even more compact package. It’s basically a small unit, not much larger than the official circular charger, with a USB-C jack jutting off the back. It can used as a sweet little iPad Pro attachment, with wall chargers, USB-C hubs, and more. It’s an overall nice touch and a useful addition to the package.

You will find both more affordable and more expensive takes on the three-in-one Apple gear charging stand out there. In my experience, the former usually features a more flimsy build and/or requires you to bring your own Apple charger to the mix, while the latter can reach much deeper into your pocket for a slightly more robust and rugged construction. But neither of those options deliver a bonus modular USB-C Apple Watch charger, leaving the Journey Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 Wireless MagSafe Charging Stand in a nice middle ground – especially when you can land one at $111 with the code above.

Journey Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 Wireless MagSafe Charging Stand

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