Nomad Stand One Max Review

Nomad chargers have occupied a prominent place on my desk for quite some time now. My usage of the Base One Max has been extensive over the past few months, and while I appreciate its performance, I find myself yearning for the upright positioning of the Nomad Stand One. This preference is mainly due to the convenience it offers in swiftly glancing through iPhone notifications without the need to physically pick up the device.

Nomad continues to uphold unmatched standards in build quality. The Nomad Stand One Max, constructed from metal and glass, exudes a substantial weight, firmly anchoring itself on my desk without the wobbliness observed in some other wireless chargers. When lifting my iPhone, it effortlessly disengages without causing any displacement to the charger. Opting for the silver variant, which showcases a two-tone finish of silver and white, adds an aesthetic and sleek touch to my workspace. Alternatively, the Carbide variant presents a striking black-and-white color combination.

The Nomad Stand One Max incorporates official MFi MagSafe charging for the iPhone, enabling a charging capacity of up to 15W. However, due to its standing orientation and MagSafe compatibility, it is exclusive to the iPhone 12 and later models, excluding non-MagSafe iPhones. Notably, the charging pad for the iPhone is accompanied by an Apple Watch fast charger, a feature absent in the Base One Max. This inclusion facilitates fast charging for all Apple Watches, from the Apple Watch Series 7 to the Apple Watch Series 9, including the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The third spot caters to Qi charging for AirPods and supports other earbuds such as the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

The Nomad Stand One Max package includes a 2.0m USB-C to USB-C Nylon braided cable, necessitating connection to a minimum 30W power adapter, which must be procured separately.

However, the Stand One Max does present a notable inconvenience. While it excels in build quality and functionality for all three devices, it encounters difficulty charging the iPhone horizontally when the Apple Watch is also placed on the pad. Consequently, the StandBy feature introduced in iOS 17, designed to provide glanceable information when the iPhone is horizontally placed on a wireless charger, becomes unavailable. This limitation is significant for those desiring StandBy functionality while charging both devices overnight.

Despite this drawback, the Nomad Stand One Max is available for purchase at $180. It stands as a robust 3-in-1 wireless charger, ranking among the best in the market. While the StandBy compatibility issue may give pause, the Nomad Stand One Max still earns a strong recommendation owing to its exceptional build quality, appealing aesthetics, and its overall prowess as one of the premier iPhone chargers available today. If the StandBy quirk is acceptable, it remains an excellent choice for discerning users.