Logitech often works with Apple to introduce new accessories for Apple devices, and in early August, Logitech announced its latest products designed in collaboration with Apple, the new Powered Wireless Charging Stand for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.
POWERED is an upright charging stand capable of charging a compatible iPhone in horizontal or landscape orientation. Made from a thick, heavy plastic material with a rubber coating to add grip, the POWERED has a horizontal rectangular back supported by a sturdy, angled base that provides just the right amount of stability.
The base has four feet and the same grippy material covers the bottom, so it stays secure on a desk while in use. The base is the same size as your standard flat wireless charger, and since it’s more of a square shape, it doesn’t take up as much space on a desk or nightstand as a typical round wireless charger.
A small circular LED lights up at the top of the powered lights to let you know when an iPhone is in the right position for charging, but one advantage of an upright charger is that it’s nearly impossible to misplace an iPhone. With flat chargers, you sometimes have to move the iPhone around to get the wireless coil on the charger to line up with the iPhone’s charging mechanism, but vertical stands like the Powerade eliminate that problem.
Although the charger’s upright back looks like it might be adjustable due to the design, it’s not. It holds the iPhone at a single angle that tilts back slightly, which at the time seemed like an ideal angle for taking a glance or watching a video. Since the sides of the base come in a “U” shape around the iPhone, the charger always feels secure when it’s in a vertical position.
POWERED can also be used to charge in landscape orientation if you want to watch videos, which is handy, but it feels less secure and prone to tipping over when bumped.
I used the POWERED with an iPhone X, but it’s sized to work with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus as well. With the iPhone X and iPhone 8, there’s about a quarter of an inch of space on the sides, while the iPhone 8 Plus is a tighter fit.
Rumors say that all three of Apple’s upcoming 2018 iPhones will feature wireless charging, and this charging stand will work with them. The largest of the three devices (6.5-inch OLED) is similar in size to an iPhone 8 Plus, which means it will fit in the POWERED.
Design-wise, the POWERED from Logitech is similar to Belkin’s Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand, but it has a slightly smaller bottom base and a rectangular back rather than a round back. Both hold the iPhone securely and at an ideal angle for watching videos, so choosing one over the other is a matter of choosing your preferred design.
POWERED has a built-in 1.5-meter cord installed and a power adapter similar to the Logitech iPad Power Adapter. Designed specifically for Apple devices, Powered offers the fastest 7.5W charging available on Apple iPhones.
Depending on external factors such as temperature, 7.5W charging is not always faster than 5W charging, but there is usually enough of a difference to choose a 7.5W charger over a 5W charger.
To test POWERED, I drained my iPhone X’s battery to 1 percent and then left it on the charger for an hour in airplane mode. During that time, it charged up to 36 percent, which is the same typical charging level I’ve seen with other 7.5W chargers using the same test. In winter, I’ve seen charging speeds up to about 46 percent with 7.5W chargers, but in summer at my office temperature (74 to 75 degrees), ~35 to 40 percent is normal.
Logitech calls the POWERED the first wireless charger “truly worthy of an iPhone,” perhaps due to the hassle-free U-shaped vertical design, but as far as charging speed goes, it’s on par with other 7.5W charging options.
bottom line
Aside from the price tag, I have no complaints about the POWERED from Logitech. It’s an excellent charger that has all the features I could ask for: drop and go functionality that prevents me from looking for coil, portrait and landscape orientations so my iPhone sits upright, 7.5W charging speed and a strong base.
Unfortunately, it costs $70, which is expensive and hard to justify when Amazon has so many wireless charging options in the $20 to $40 range.
The POWERED and similar Belkin Boost wireless charging stands are the best wireless charging accessories I’ve used, and I think it’s worth spending the extra money to get a higher quality stand.
With many flat wireless charging pads, I have to move my iPhone around to get it in the right place to charge. I’ve run into instances where I think the iPhone is charging and it isn’t, or it starts charging and then jolts and knocks out of the correct position, something that’s impossible with the Powerade because the U-shaped cradle guides iPhone placement.
If you have similar issues with flat wireless chargers, the Powerod may be worth checking out as it solves many of the pain points that come with wireless charging.
How to buy
Logitech’s POWERED Wireless Charging Stand can be purchased from the Logitech website or Apple.com for $69.99.
Note: Logitech provided MacRumors with a powered wireless charging stand for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an authorized partner with Logitech. When you click on a Logitech link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps keep our site running.
