Review: Nomad's New High-End $150 MagSafe 'Base One Max' Charger Works With iPhone and Apple Watch

Nomad in March launched its first official MagSafe wireless charger, the Base One, which was limited to charging just an iPhone. Today, Nomad is launching its second MagSafe wireless charger, the dual Base One Max, which is able to charge a ‌MagSafe‌ iPhone and an Apple Watch at the same time.

The Base One Max is similar in design to the Base One, featuring a platform with a flat ‌MagSafe‌ charger on the right and a matching upright Apple Watch charging puck next to it on the left. Like the Base One, it comes in silver and white, or carbide, a black color.

Design wise, it looks like Nomad attached a Base One charger to an Apple Watch charging base. The ‌MagSafe‌ charging spot is glossy like the Base One, and there is a seam separating the ‌MagSafe‌ charger from the Apple Watch charger, which is not made from the same glossy material and is instead a matte, soft touch material.

I'm not sure why Nomad chose this design, but I think I'd prefer it if had a more uniform look, because as is, it appears to be two mismatched pieces stuck together. It's not a bad aesthetic though, and it still looks quite attractive on a desk. I have the silver version, and it has an Apple-like appeal to it.

The Base One Max is heavy at two pounds and the magnetic attachment is strong, so removing your iPhone from the base still takes a bit of a twist motion and you can't just pull it up directly even with the weight of the stand. The ‌MagSafe‌ charger is the same as Apple's own ‌MagSafe‌ charger and it works identically.

It charges a MagSafe-compatible iPhone at 15W (12W for the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini), and I experienced the same general charging speeds that I got with Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ charger in my testing. You can use the Base One Max with non-MagSafe iPhones, but you won't get the benefit of the magnetic attachment and the charging will be limited to 7.5W.

Though the Series 7 Apple Watches support fast charging, the Nomad Base One Max is a standard Apple Watch charging puck that does not support the faster charging speeds.

Nomad includes a USB-C cable with the Base One Max, which does charge over USB-C unlike some other chargers that have a proprietary connector, but the power adapter is not included. You will need to supply your own 30W+ power adapter, which is an extra expense.

Bottom Line

At $150 for a dual charging device, the Base One Max is a better deal than the Base One, but it still has a premium price tag that I find to be too high for what it's providing.

It's attractive, high-quality, and looks nice on a desk, but it's missing the third charging spot that some other multi-device chargers at that price point have, and it also does not come with a charging brick, so you need to spend additional money to provide your own.

The Base One Max will appeal to those who don't mind shelling out for the design and the quality, but it may not have the broad appeal of more affordable ‌MagSafe‌ charging solutions.

How to Buy

The Base One Max can be ordered from the Nomad website for $149.95.