The Base One Max is a new addition to Nomad’s premium accessories lineup. It’s essentially a charging stand with a MagSafe puck and an Apple Watch charger integrated into one. So then, is it the ultimate accessory to drive away your charging woes? Can it top up all your Apple devices effortlessly? I’ll be answering these and more questions in my review. Read on.
Build and Design
Most, if not all accessories from Nomad sport a stylish design. The Base One Max charging station is a premium MagSafe charger that looks simple yet elegant. The base of the charger has a smoked carbon finish while the MagSafe docking area features a piano black paint job. The entire contraption is carved out of a single slab of metal. As such, the stand feels quite heavy. The weight and the dense feel add to the premium look and feel of the charger. Another advantage of the unit’s weight is that the stand should stay anchored to your desk. Since the MagSafe puck has a lay-flat design, you won’t be able to use your phone properly when it’s charging. This is why we recommend using the Base One Max on your bedside table instead of using it as a dock on your desk. If you’re looking for a vertical charging stand, consider getting a wireless charging station for multiple devices. It’s worth mentioning though that the magnet onboard the MagSafe puck is quite strong. So much so, you have to apply some force to lift the phone back up. The Apple Watch charger is upright, which means you can use it to charge your Apple Watch without removing the strap. That’s not all as your Apple Watch will also double up as a bedside clock when you’re charging it at night on the Base One Max, which is an added bonus. However, the vertical protrusion also means it’s not ideal to travel with the Base One Max. It doesn’t fit too well in backpacks and the added weight means that you’re better off leaving it at home.
Nomad Base One Max: Charging Performance
The Nomad Base One Max comes with a USB-C port positioned towards the back to connect a charging adapter. You need at least a 30W adapter to power the charging stand. It’s worth noting that Nomad doesn’t provide an adapter in the box which is a bummer, especially for the unit’s asking price. The same can be accredited to the company’s sustainability pledge, which allows Nomad to leverage smaller packaging, thereby reducing its overall carbon footprint. As such, you will have to shoulder the cost of a charging brick if you have been eyeing the Base One Max wireless charging station. This reminds us, you can snag the company’s 30W or 65W GaN charging adapters that should work effortlessly with the Base One Max charging hub. What you do get in the box though is a braided USB-C to USB-C cable. It’s not as strong as Nomad’s Kevlar USB-C to USB-C cable, but it seems more premium than most standard wires.
MagSafe Charger
Anyhow, let’s get to the charging speeds now. To that end, I used my iPhone 14 Pro, among other devices, to test the charger’s capabilities. Do note that my iPhone 14 Pro had just 12 percent battery in the tank. And, once positioned on the Nomad Base One Max connected to a 65W power adapter, the device took 2 hours and 9 minutes to completely charge the phone to 100% at the maximum rated speed of 15W. I also tried charging my Galaxy S23 Ultra which supports the Qi wireless charging standard. That said, the device could only draw up to 10W from the Nomad Base One Max. As such, with the phone’s battery at four percent, the Base One Max took close to three hours to fully charge the S23 Ultra. While it may seem like the Base One Max takes a long time to charge your phone, the point of the gadget is to plonk your phone onto the stand and forget about it. That’s partly why we feel that it makes a good charging bay to position on a nightstand. You don’t have to worry about plugging your phone into the charger in the dark. Just place your phone with sleepy eyes and let the magnets snap onto each other. You then wake up to a full charge the next morning. Understandably, wireless charging and MagSafe are all about convenience. Rest assured, if you want faster speeds, wired charging is the way to go.
Apple Watch Charger
While the MagSafe puck can output at 15W, the Apple Watch charger tops out at 5W. As a result, you won’t be able to fast-charge newer Apple Watches. My Apple Watch Series 7 45mm LTE, for instance, took 1 hour and 44 minutes to fully charge from 10%. To give you a better picture, I could top up the device in under an hour via Apple’s USB-C fast charging cable that was plugged into a 20W adapter. Again, since this is more of a bedside wireless charger, the charging speeds shouldn’t really matter as long as you wake up to a full battery.
Should You Buy the Nomad Base One Max MagSafe Charger?
The Nomad Base One Max MagSafe charger retails for $149.95. For the price, you’re getting a wireless charging station that has a fantastic build along with an elegant design. The charging performance is as advertised, which is great. That said, the charging throughput doesn’t offer any real advantages compared to other MagSafe products. What’s more, you could buy cheaper charging stations too. In fact, Belkin’s MagSafe wireless charging stand even gives you an extra wireless charging bay for your AirPods, that too at a slightly lower price. Needless to say, there are tons of affordable MagSafe accessories and chargers out there. But, if you have deep pockets and want a charger that won’t just add to a room’s aesthetics, but will also stand the test of time, you will not be disappointed with the Nomad Base One Max MagSafe charger. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
