Nomad has just launched its brand-new, next-generation ChargeKey. This compact USB-C cable accessory is designed to land on your keychain (or in your EDC) to provide on-the-go charging and, this time around, data transfer action for iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, Android devices, and more for $25. Head below for a closer look and some hands-on impressions for the new Nomad ChargeKey – this might be the best mini USB-C I have ever tested out.
Next-generation ChargeKey – premium on-the-go charging and data transfers
You’re looking at the next-generation model of Nomad’s handy ChargeKey. It is essentially a small, compact USB-C cable designed in the form of a key of sorts – two USB-C connectors tethered together by way of a braided nylon cable with a metal loop on the top so you can string it around a keychain or anything else along those lines.
It all comes in quite a premium package too. The braided nylon cable is just the beginning here with an electroplated zinc allow housing the USB-C jacks and the loop that connects the two ends of the cables together. The two USB-C connector ends also stick together magnetically to ensure a neat and tidy carry experience when not in use, instead of having them dangling around freely – this is a particularly nice touch.
Features at a glance:
- Braided nylon cable
- Electroplated zinc cable housings
- Cable tips secure magnetically
- USB-C to USB-C
What is the Nomad ChargeKey for?
Well, it ensures you always have a USB-C cable on your person, and one that isn’t loosely rolled up in a bag or something like that – it is a much neater and cleaner way to carry around a short USB-C cable whether you have it looped on a keychain or otherwise for charging action, but the new model also supports data transfers.
The previous-generation ChargeKey, which carried the same $25 list price right up until the new model launched today, only supported charging, and only 60W at that. While that was already not a bad amount of power passthrough for a mini keychain device, Nomad has upped the ante on the power action to 240W support alongside 10Gbps data transfer speeds this time around.
The new ChargeKey can now “fast charge your iPhone, iPad, MacBook Pro, Android devices at up to 240W. It also supports data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps (USB 3.1), which is the fastest available for iPhone data transfers.”
The next-generation Nomad ChargeKey is now available for purchase directly from the official site at $25.
gadgetnewsonline’ Take – the best mini USB-C cable out there?
Nomad is once again delivering the sort of useful tech accessory to a keychain, your pocket, or EDC kit that both looks the part and gets the job done efficiently. In the last few days I have had to test the mini charging gadget out, it has worked flawlessly and has been a joy to carry around and have on my person.
While many of those mini portable SSDs or card hubs for iPhone and iPad that have hit the market tend to come with a short, sometimes right angle cable in the box, just about none of them look like the sort of thing you might want hanging off your keychain, and not all of them are going to be as versatile with the ability to handle these sorts of power and data transfer specs.
There’s not very many pieces of tech I really want hanging off my keychain, but the new Nomad ChargeKey is making a very strong case for a spot on my usually quite minimalist key carrier. That said, it might also be the best mini USB-C cable you can keep in your EDC kit as well – I think everyone ought to have one longer cable on them just in case alongside a super short one to keep things tidy, and the ChargeKey is one of the best solutions I have tested out. I have even found it to be quite a handy device for my MacBook and iPad, making for an elegant way to connect a portable SSD for data transfers on-the-go as much as it is for charging.
I don’t know about you, but in most cases when I need to do a quick data transfer/backup or power up on-the-go, the longer cable I have in my kit is really more of a hassle than not, something like this new solution from Nomad is, in many cases, a far more elegant option. You’ll always have the longer cable you already have when you need it, but the new ChargeKey keeps things simple, organized, and looks great doing it.
Perhaps the only thing it is missing at this point is Apple Find My location tracking, but I could make that argument for just about anything I leave the house with that doesn’t have Apple tracking onboard.
Buy the new Nomad ChargeKey
FTC: gadgetnewsonline is reader supported, we may earn income on affiliate links
Subscribe to the gadgetnewsonline YouTube Channel for all of the latest videos, reviews, and more!
