review – Pitaka MagEZ Slider is a different version of the 3-in-1 unified charger for iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch. There are some unique features, some great designs, and some questionable ones. Let’s try it out.
What is it?
The MagEZ Slider is a charging station that combines swivel stand functionality with a portable MagSafe battery, Qi charger for AirPods and a USB-C expansion port for adding an Apple Watch charger, sold separately from Pitaka.
What’s in the box?
- MagEZ Slider Base
- MagEZ battery pack
- Magnetic earbud holder
- C to C cable
- PD20W charger
- Manuals and Product Catalogs
- 1 x Apple Watch Power Adapter
- Manuals and Product Catalogs
- 1 MagEZ Case for iPhone 13 Pro
- Product Catalog and Thank You Cards
Hardware Specifications
- Material: Aramid fiberZinc alloy
- pier: Type C port input: DC 9V/2.22A
- pier: Type C port output: DC 5V/2A
- pier: Type-C port for dongle output: DC 5V/1A
- pier: Wireless earbud output: 5W | Transmission distance≤8mm | Transmission efficiency≤75%
- Battery: 4000mAh capacity
- Battery: C port input (when charging wirelessly): DC 5V/2A
- Battery: C port input/output: DC 5V/1.5A
- Battery: Wireless output: 5W
- aspect: 76 x 76 x 111.8mm
- weight: Dock – 170g | Battery – 106g
Design and Features
The core feature of the MagEZ Slider is the rechargeable MagSafe battery, which slides into place and acts as a MagSafe mount for your iPhone. Whenever the battery is docked, it is fully charged.
There’s a USB-C port on the right that can be connected to Pitaka’s Apple Watch Dongle and used as a dock for the watch.
The back of the battery is covered with Pitaka’s signature aramid fiber material to match its casing (and most other products).
set up
Assuming you’ve figured out where to set up the MagEz Slider, go ahead and connect the USB-C cable to the port on the round base (not the top right where the watch dongle connects).
Connect the included wall adapter and connect to a power source. If you removed the battery during installation, it can now be re-docked, and a dongle can be attached if you plan to charge the watch.
Performance
I’m a fan of many Pitaka products, especially their cases. I think I’ve had one for every iPhone version for the past 5 to 8 years. They’re slim, lightweight, sturdy, and with MagSafe compatibility, it’s easy to recommend these descriptors if they meet your needs. Again, the MagEZ battery is an excellent product.
In the image above, you can see a USB-C port on the bottom of the battery for charging while docked. In the image below, you can see the gray circle and the lower vertical clock magnet representing the MagSafe feature. Underneath it are 4 LEDs and an invisible button behind a soft rubber surface that protects your phone. I’ve highlighted where the button is because it’s not being called on the product at all. Press once to light up the LED to show the current charging status. This is a big improvement over Apple’s MagSafe batteries, which can’t show the charge without putting it on the iPhone to see what’s going on on the phone’s screen.
The Apple Watch Dongle is a cool little portable device. The cover is magnetic and attaches to the other side of the dongle when not in use.
The tinted clear case is kind of cool but scratches easily as shown below. However, the completely different aesthetic feels completely at odds with the rest of the MagEZ Slider. It’s sold as a separate, compatible item, but definitely feels like the result of a last minute addition. Even more frustrating, it’s super slow to charge. It’s better than not being able to charge the watch, but plan to leave it for a while.
One of the cooler features is how the charging cable enters the product below the swivel function. This means you can adjust the angle to your liking without the need for cables to move.
Another is how they solved the AirPods charging issue on the back of the stand. The included magnetic earbud holder can be flipped 180º for placement at two different heights to help you center a specific earbud on the charging coil. It’s a nice touch. You can see this video and some other famous people in this video here.
Nothing is perfect and I have three main complaints. First, the spin or fidget spinner function is too simple, and the stand wobbles a little from left to right. While it can be fun to rotate and sound cool with a subtle click, it makes using the phone on the stand incredibly difficult, as it rotates with every touch. If you feel the urge to slap it and watch it spin, be prepared to pick up your AirPod case from wherever it’s been thrown. The second problem is the watch charger. The weight of the watch tilts the stand slightly to the right, a problem that is exacerbated by the metal strap. Then a slow charge time of at least 3 hours. Skip adapters. Third, the adhesive on the underside is not like the nano sticky material on their other products. It’s more akin to bad double-sided tape, and while it holds up well, when you remove the product later, you’ll find some of it left on the tabletop. Not sure why they would change the material when something they use elsewhere works great.
what do I like
- Dockable MagSafe battery for use as a phone holder
- Dock swivel above cable connection
- AirPods charging point
- Compatible with MagSafe phones (with or without case)
what would i change
- Rotation requires resistance, so screen taps don’t rotate the stand
- Watch charging is sub-par.Slow and heavy belts cause the module to sag
- The adhesive is too strong and leaves residue on the table top
final thoughts
What a shame, but I prefer Pitaka’s previous generation charger, which I reviewed in 2020 MagEZ Juice. This new version tries to do too much. While some of them are great, like wireless earbud charging, others like excessive loose spin and poor adhesive that make them less of a reliable upgrade. There’s a better way to charge your watch than adding an extra $50 here.
price: $129.00 ($179.00 with Power Dongle for Apple Watch)
where to buy: and Amazon
source: This product sample is provided by wallet
