Nomad Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand review: Classy and functional

A year after the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) announced the Qi2 charging standard, Qi2 chargers are finally hitting the market in 2024. They offer the same 15W charging power draw as speedy Apple MagSafe chargers, but support any device using Qi2 tech, including Android phones, as soon as they start taking up the tech.

Nomad’s Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand uses this latest wireless charging standard, and it packages it all in a classy, minimalist design. I got my hands on one to see whether it’s worth the cost.

Related

Does the iPhone 12 support faster Qi2 wireless charging? I tested it to find out

Spoiler alert: Yes, yes it does.

Specs, pricing, and availability

Expensive, just like other Qi2 chargers

Make no mistake, this is a premium charging stand, and this is reflected in its $100 price tag. However, Qi2 is such a new standard that many of the best Qi2 chargers cost about this much. The Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station, for example, costs the same. Considering this, while certainly expensive, the Nomad Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand isn’t extortionate.

Yes, there are a few significantly cheaper Qi2 chargers on the market already, and yes, there are some that cost about the same as this Nomad one but can charge multiple devices at once. But for a Qi2 charger with such a premium design and build, $100 sits about right in my book, at least for now while the technology’s fresh.

It’s even $10 cheaper than Nomad’s previous Stand One MagSafe Charger, which is essentially the same as this Qi2 version but designed only for Apple’s MagSafe devices.

My first time using a wireless charger

Better late than never

I’ll tear off the band-aid and admit this right away: This was my first time using a wireless charger for any extended period of time. (And boy, am I glad my first experience was with Nomad!)

Wireless charging is a game-changer. Previously, because charging my phone meant extra effort, I often put off charging my iPhone 12 until the low battery notification popped up, letting it drain well below 20%. This is bad for battery health, and it doesn’t feel too great in general, frequently having such a low battery.

Using this charging stand has shown me the light. Now, I put my phone on the stand pretty much any time I’m at my desk, meaning it rarely ever drops below 80% while I’m at home. This isn’t really a benefit of this particular stand, though. It’s more of a benefit of wireless charging stands in general.

For anyone else in the same boat, I can say that I think now might be the time to make the switch and cut the cord. With Qi2 chargers hitting the market in all their magnet-snapping alignment glory, no longer will we have to get the charging placement just right to charge our devices quickly. There’s very little downside, anymore.

Related

Android phone dying often? How to check your battery performance

There are several features and tools you can use to optimize your phone’s battery. We show you how

What I like about the Nomad Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand

Gorgeous, sturdy minimalism

To state the obvious, this thing is gorgeous. Its polished glass front panel, which sits atop a metal chassis, is practically a piece of home decor in its own right. It’s also minimalist enough of a design that it should fit in with pretty much any aesthetic you’ve got going.

It might not make my desk setup look stunning, but that’s because my desk setup is beyond saving. If I had a nicer desk with fewer items scattered across it, this Nomad stand would add a level of elegance to my setup. And if I were to place it on a marble counter-top? *Chef’s kiss*.

It’s sturdy, too. Its 1.33lb body and anti-slip rubber base keep it from moving, and its magnet is strong enough to prevent any “oh damn, there goes the phone again” accidents. Once I (pretty quickly) got used to peeling the phone off the stand, putting my phone on and off charge became unthinkingly easy.

Speedy charging

To state the obvious again, this Qi2 charger is fast… because it’s rated for Qi2 speeds. Its 15W charging gets my aging iPhone 12 up from 20% to 80% battery in about 1 hour of charging. It’s just as fast as other MagSafe chargers on the market, meaning it’s about as quick as you can get for mainstream wireless charging. (For more details about how quickly this thing charges, see my Nomad Qi2 vs MagSafe wireless charger comparison.)

Perfect viewing angles

For the way I use it, the stand’s 21-degree angle is perfect. I have it one or two feet in front of me on my desk, right underneath my computer monitor. At that distance, my phone faces my eyes at a perfect 90-degree angle when I tilt my head down to look at it. Initially, I worried that face ID wouldn’t work with my phone so far away, but it did, providing nothing was obscuring the camera.

I use a second monitor as part of my setup, so I rarely need an extra screen for extended periods of time, but if I do, I know this stand will make my phone perfect for it.

I did use my screen while on the stand for a few things. First, I used it to check for notifications and messages without having to redirect my eyes too far from my work, let alone having to (God forbid) reach over and pick my phone up. Second, I used my iPhone’s standby mode to track the time, which felt better and more intuitive than looking at the digital clock at the bottom-right of my monitor. Finally, I used my iPhone’s stopwatch occasionally.

What I don’t like about the Nomad Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand

No power supply included

I hoped that a $100 charging stand would come with everything needed to get up and running, but unfortunately, while it comes with a (long and braided) USB-C to USB-C cable, it doesn’t come with a power brick.

You need a 20W (or higher) power supply to power Qi2 charging. Luckily, I already owned one, but if I didn’t, I’d have been disappointed. Still, most people who will buy this Nomad charging stand will probably already own a 20W USB-C power supply, and given this, it’s perhaps best to keep costs as low as possible by not including one with the stand.

It’s always on

Unfortunately, there’s no on/off button on this charging stand. This is a shame, because I’ve started to prefer leaving my phone on the stand even when it’s at 100% battery, as it’s convenient and holds my phone up at the right viewing angle.

Of course, my iPhone won’t overcharge — phones have protection against this — but it’s probably a little healthier to allow the battery to drop to below 80% charge before topping it up. I’m sure it won’t make a massive difference to my battery’s longevity, and it’s better than my previous “let it drop below 20% every day” alternative, but an on/off button would have been a nice addition.

Verdict: Is the Qi2 charger worth the $100?

This Qi2 charging stand has a specific target market, this being those who don’t mind spending a little extra on an elegant charging stand that uses the latest, fastest, open standard for wireless charging.

Nomad Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand

Recommended

The Nomad Qi2 Wireless Charging Stand doesn’t sacrifice on build quality, design, or performance, and should add to rather than detract from pretty much any home decor. It can only charge one device, and it doesn’t come packaged with a required 20W power brick, but these are small sacrifices for such a good-looking, sturdy Qi2 charger that is, in this reviewer’s opinion, well worth its $100 price tag.