There’s something reassuring about a really weighty charger, and they don’t get much more solid than Nomad’s new Base One Max. It combines both a MagSafe charger for your iPhone and a charging puck for your Apple Watch into one big, 900-gram slab of metal and glass. Once you put the Base One Max down, it’s really going to stay put.
It’s not the only super-secure aspect either. The MagSafe puck has seriously strong magnets inside, and when it clamps onto your phone there’s absolutely no way it’s going to be dislodged by accident. This means your phone will continue to charge when it’s placed on it, regardless of how much it gets knocked about.
It’s great as an overnight option.
I’ve been using the Base One Max with an iPhone 13 Pro inside a MagSafe case, and although there’s a strong grip between the two, the sheer weight of the Base One Max means just a tug on the iPhone frees it from the charger. There’s no need to hold it down as you pry the phone away. Without a MagSafe case on your phone, the magnetic grip is lessened, but it’s still enough that your phone won’t move. It lays flat on the charger, so if you use it by the bed don’t expect the screen to be angled towards you.
The Apple Watch charging puck next to the iPhone charger is mounted so the Watch’s screen remains visible. There’s plenty of room behind the charger to house the band without it getting in the way. Inside the box, you get a 2-meter long, hardwearing, braided USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable, which attaches to the back of the Base One Max and into your charging block. This isn’t supplied, but it works with any compatible USB Type-C charger.
Apple’s MagSafe charging system delivers 15W of power, and that means at least two hours to go from a partially charged battery to full, but if it’s super fast delivery of power you’re looking for, MagSafe isn’t really the product for you anyway. It’s far more convenient as a spot to rest your iPhone and keep the battery topped up. Alternatively, it’s great as an overnight option. The Apple Watch charger isn’t speedy either, taking at least 90 minutes to reach about 80%. These times aren’t any different from Apple’s usual charging systems.
The design is up to Nomad’s usual high standards, looking suitably modern and in keeping with the iPhone and Apple Watch. Under the Base One Max is a soft-touch material with some grippy feet to stop it from moving around. The silver body is also available in a Carbide black finish, and I really like the shift from the soft-touch material around the Apple Watch charger to the reflective floating glass surround below the MagSafe puck. It’s really classy and makes the Base One Max feel very expensive.
This is also because it is quite expensive. It’s $150, but for that, you get both charging pucks (a MagSafe puck on its own from Apple is $50) inside a seriously well-made base, so there’s value here if you’re looking for charging accessories anyway. Nomad’s products always have a “go-on-treat-yourself” air about them, and the Base One Max continues that tradition.
