Nomad adds Magnet to its base station wireless charger

Nomad is updating its line of wireless chargers with the latest version of Base Station Hub. A multi-device charger that can wirelessly charge up to two devices at the same time, as well as charge two more devices via its USB port, the new Base Station Hub now has the ability to align the devices in the correct spot on the pad. There are magnets embedded to help. The new hub costs $119.95 and is available for purchase starting today.

Apart from the magnets, the new hub is identical to the earlier version of the Nomad. It has three charging coils under a leather pad capable of charging up to 10W each (iPhones will be limited to 7.5W). There's an 18W USB-C port on the back of the charger and a 7.5W USB-A port for other devices. Nomad also sells an attachment that affixes to the back of the hub and holds an Apple Watch charger (not included) that you plug into one of the USB ports on the back or a separate brick. It's less elegant than those multi-device chargers that have Apple Watch chargers built-in.

The biggest challenge with wireless charging pads is making sure that your phone or device is actually placed in the right place to charge. That's where magnets in new hubs come in: They make it easy to tell when your compatible iPhone (12 or newer), AirPods, or even Google Pixel 6 is in the right place to charge efficiently. The magnets aren't as strong as Apple's MagSafe chargers or most MagSafe accessories—they're not designed to hold your phone in place if an earthquake strikes. But they attach and align the phone in the right place when you put it down, which is the whole point.

The Base Station Hub isn't quite as ambitious as the Nomad's old Base Station Pro, which used an intricate array of charging coils and meant you could just lug your phone down anywhere and charge it. But that device had significant limitations and compatibility issues with phones that used MagSafe.

Lastly, when it comes to wireless chargers, the most important thing to know is that your device will charge when you put it down. The new Base Station hub makes this a little easier than before.