There are a lot premium brands out there in the charging space. Anker and Belkin are a couple of our favorites here at gadgetnewsonline, for example. It’s important to remember that these brands had to start somewhere, and by churning out one great product after another, they slowly made a name for themselves. This keeps us always on the lookout for which brands could be next innovator in the space, and UGREEN keeps catching our eye. One of the most recent examples of this was the new UGREEN 2-in-1 Charging Station. It features a compact, MagSafe-ready charging design paired with an integrated pad for charging AirPods, and an addition USB-C port along the side. Keep on reading to get my hands-on impressions as part of the latest entry to the Tested with gadgetnewsonline series.
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Hands-on with the new UGREEN 2-in-1 Charging Station
Far from being the only charging solution offered by UGREEN, this new offering is one of the brand’s most innovative solutions to date. It launched for $39.99 at the end of May, and has already seen a few promotional discounts hit the scene. The latest of which luckily coincides with my hands-on review, allowing you to pick one up for $27.99 if you think it’ll suit your needs.
Take a closer look at the specs:
- Fast Charging: Our 2-in-1 charger stand is expertly designed for tech enthusiasts, offering a speedy 15W for your smartphone(7.5W for iPhone) and a gentle 5W for wireless earbuds, ensuring both your go-to gadgets charge swiftly together
- Super Magnetism: Our wireless charger stand features a built-in magnetic ring with super suction power. The magnetic charger supports standby mode, while the iPhone can be placed vertically or horizontally for charging. This makes it more convenient for you to watch videos or play games while charging
- Compact Foldable Design: Our wireless charging station is designed to be portable and foldable. It can be folded into a small square, and the height and angle can be adjusted. Compared to similar products, our charger is 40% smaller, making it easier to carry and store when traveling
gadgetnewsonline’ Take
When I received the new UGREEN 2-in-1 Charging Station in the mail, I was pleasantly surprised by the weight of the box. There have been several MagSafe-compatible products I’ve received in the past have been somewhat flimsy due to a lightweight design, so this made a great first impression. Another thing worth calling out is the packaging, while it won’t receive any awards, my unboxing experience was far and above what is commonly used for many lesser-known third-party tech brands on Amazon. It could easily go head-to-head with the likes of Anker or Belkin.
Upon taking it out of the box, I could immediately tell that my earlier instincts regarding weight were accurate. It fit nicely in the palm of my hand and it was pretty obvious that this would have no problem holding up my iPhone. When collapsed it measures roughly 1.5 inches tall by 2.3 inches wide and deep. It weighs in a nearly half a pound or 209 grams, which is just 12 grams less than an iPhone 15 Pro Max and mor than 1.5 times the weight of the iPhone 12 mini that I tested it with. Hopefully this conveys just how solid this thing will feel in the palm of your hand.
While you will find a 3.3-foot USB-C to USB-C charging cable in the box, no AC adapter is provided. This may be disappointing for some, but it is pretty routine these days and I don’t really mind. I would rather pick up a more powerful charging adapter anyways instead of having a bunch of weak ones around the house, especially given how inexpensive they have become.
In terms of charging speeds, this device tops out at 7.5W for iPhone. With many 15W alternatives hitting the market lately, this is a bit disappointing, but not a deal breaker in my personal opinion. Rarely do I need my phone topped off quickly since I usually have it always charging at my desk, in the car, or on my nightstand. Once unfolded, there’s a 5W wireless charging pad along its base, which is perfect for AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro 2. Along the right there is also a 5W USB-C output, that’s great for connecting an Apple Watch charging cable or adapter.
So what are my thoughts? Overall, I am impressed. It’s a very well built device and the magnets used for the MagSafe connection are some of the strongest I have ever used. The weight of the stand makes detaching an iPhone simple and easy to do with just one hand. It’s worth noting that both the arm and MagSafe portion of the device articulate so you can dial in the perfect viewing angle. I would highly recommend it for anyone who uses a recent iPhone and pair of AirPods. If you don’t have both of those, then it may not be the best fit for you because this device is built solely with these devices in mind.
I switched over to Echo Buds when my old AirPods 2 no longer held a charge and have been very happy with them, but this means that I can’t tap into the wireless charging pad along the bottom. However, I can use the USB-C cable along the side to plug them in with a USB-C cable, so if you’re alright with that sort of setup, then you should definitely consider giving the UGREEN 2-in-1 Charging Station a shot.
Buy the UGREEN 2-in-1 Charging Station
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