UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 MagSafe Charger Review: Affordable, Compact, and Effective

Summary

  • At under $50, the UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 MagSafe Charger offers a decent amount of bang for your buck.
  • The charger is sturdy and compact enough for easy travel, and can charge both and iPhone and compatible AirPods within the average for wireless charging speeds.
  • It does not include a power adapter (only a USB-C cable), which limits available power sources and can impact charging speeds depending on where you plug the cable in.


UGREEN’s MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 MagSafe Charger feels very sturdy, is fairly compact and portable, and can charge your iPhone and AirPods about as fast as most other Qi2 chargers. It’s a shame it doesn’t include a power adapter, though.


UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 MagSafe Charger

A durable and portable wireless charger that charges well, but could do with a power adapter.

Pros
  • Compact and convenient size when folded
  • Very sturdy, and grips smooth surfaces well
  • Can accommodate flat charging or angle up for StandBy Mode
  • Can simultaneously charge compatible AirPods, or a second iPhone at lower wattage
Cons
  • Charging speeds fall within Qi2 averages, but on the lower side
  • Doesn?t include a power adapter?just a USB-C cable
  • Slightly heavier than the average iPhone


Price and Availability

You can find the UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 MagSafe Charger for $49.99 through UGREEN itself, as well as other online retailers like Amazon.

You will also need a 15W (or more) USB-C power adapter if you intend to plug it into an outlet; however, one isn’t included in the box. These types of adapters can be found fairly easily and are made by a number of companies, but UGREEN also sells its Nexode 30W USB-C Charger for $19.99.


Simple and Sleek

Rob Rich / How-To Geek

A particular stand-out feature of the MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 is its basic design—in a good way. Aesthetically, it’s “just” a vaguely smartphone-sized (4.6” x 2.6” x 0.9”) slab with a protruding charging pad. And the gunmetal casing blends into the background so it won’t visually overpower a desk, nightstand, or other devices.

That casing also feels nice and sturdy—dense, even. Of course, that does mean it’s a bit heavier than it looks, weighing a little over eight ounces (about half a pound) for just the charger alone. In the grand scheme of things, that isn’t much, but it is a little heavier than something like an uncased iPhone.


It’s very simple to set up, with a single hinge at the base that can go from flat to 70 degrees or anything in between, and that’s it. Just pick an angle, plug in the USB-C charging cable, and attach an iPhone to the charging pad—which is actually quite pleasant to the touch, with a sort of velvety texture that’s likely a method of reducing the risk of scratching the back of your iPhone.

You can also place an AirPods wireless charging case, or even another iPhone, over the shaped divot in the back for extra 5W charging. Finally, four rubberized dots on the underside help to keep the charger from sliding or slipping, even on something like a desk with a glass surface.

Adequately Powerful

Rob Rich / How-To Geek

As a wireless charger, UGREEN’s MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 is… fine. Certainly not bad, but that lack of an included power adapter can lead to some potentially limiting situations that will throttle its effectiveness.


In the event you already have or later purchase a 15W or higher adapter and use that with the USB-C cable to plug the charger into a proper outlet or power strip, charging speeds are perfectly adequate. Perhaps a little on the low end of the 20% to 25% per hour average, coming closer to 21% or 22%, but considering how compact and portable it is that’s a minimal trade-off.

Things get a bit sticky if you don’t have a powerful enough adapter on hand, however. It’s not the USB-C connection so much as a lot of common USB-C power outputs tend to be on the low end, wattage wise.

Plugging the cable into a built-in charging port on a desk, or even a specialized port on a surge protector, could end up giving you a far less useful 5W of power. At this point, you’re looking at a rate closer to 15% to 16% per hour. It’ll still get the job done, but much slower.

Still a Toss-Up

Rob Rich / How-To Geek


Competition among wireless chargers is always fierce, and you might be tempted to pass on the MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 due to its charging speeds being slightly behind models like the Twelve South HiRise 2 Deluxe, which gets a little closer to 25% per hour. But there are two things to consider here.

First is the fact that the MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 easily folds down to a conveniently portable size that can be tucked into an empty pocket with no problems. Most pockets could probably accommodate the cable along with it, too. And while it’s a little weighty for the size, it’s ultimately not much heavier than a regular smartphone.

The second is the price. For about $50, you get a portable, sturdy, reasonably fast wireless charger that can take care of an iPhone and AirPods at the same time—or two iPhones, if you prefer. That makes it roughly $10 cheaper than similar charging accessories like UGREEN’s own 2-in-1 Qi2 Foldable Charging Station or Satechi’s Qi2 Wireless Car Charger. It just doesn’t come with a power adapter.


Should You Buy the UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 2-In-1 MagSafe Charger?

Rob Rich / How-To Geek

Whether you’re looking for a portable wireless charger that can get your iPhone back to 100% in a relatively timely manner—perhaps with a set of AirPods, too— or are reluctant to spend more than $50 on something like this, UGREEN’s MagFlow Qi2 2-in-1 isn’t a bad choice.

It all comes down to your budget, your charging speed expectations, and the importance of being able to collapse it down in a couple of seconds and take it with you as you head out the door. It’s a pretty darned good fit for something like that.

UGREEN MagFlow Qi2 MagSafe Charger

A durable and portable wireless charger that charges well, but could do with a power adapter.


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