I do like a wireless charger but I’ve never been too fussed about checking out MagSafe for iPhones… until now.
That’s because gaming brand Elgato has come up with the MagSafe MS W5 Charging Stand. Ignore the clunky name that feels like an errant cat has wandered over a keyboard, and focus on the fact that this MagSafe charger stand is styled after a Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP – aka the most stylish handheld games console (sorry, PS Vita fans).
And, my oh my do I want one.
This is in spite of the charging stand being basically a hunk of stylized plastic that can’t fold shut, does not have a functioning button and does nothing other than hold up a MagSafe-compatible iPhone. Sure it’ll facilitate the StandBy mode brought in by the iPhone 14 series and featured on the iPhone 15 quartet, but it won’t really do a whole lot else.
So kill those hopes of getting a Nintendo emulator from the opened up App Store and playing retro Game Boy games on an SP-like device. Maybe some other third-party accessory maker will figure out how to do the latter, but the Elago MagSafe MS W5 Charging Stand ain’t the one, chief.
However for $25.99 / £29.99 / €24.68 at Amazon (sorry Australians, there’s no availability for you down under), it’s well worth a punt just for the gaming style points. I could certainly see it fitting nicely on a desk alongside a Steam Deck or a docked Nintendo Switch. Just be aware you do need to buy a MagSafe charging kit separately as Elgato simply provides a stand and nothing more.
What’s more, the stand holds an iPhone in landscape orientation, making it handy for watching YouTube videos as you do something else, and it could work neatly for video calls. There’s also a cable winder underneath the stand, so you can avoid having another wire slithering out over your desk or bedside table to get cluttered with various other snaking wires.
And that’s really about it. If you’re after a feature-rich stand then look elsewhere – our rundown of the best MagSafe accessories is a good place to start – but if you want a MagSafe charger stand that has some cool retro-gaming vibes, then the Elago MagSafe MS W5 Charging Stand is worth a look.