Nomad adds magnets to its Base Station wireless charger

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

Aside from the magnets, the new Hub is very similar to Nomad’s prior version. It has three charging coils under a leather pad that are each capable of up to 10W charging (iPhones will be limited to 7.5W). On the back of the charger is an 18W USB-C port 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 the multi-device chargers that have Apple Watch chargers built in.

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

The Base Station Hub is not as ambitious as Nomad’s old Base Station Pro, which used a complex array of charging coils and was meant to let you just plop your phone down wherever and have it charge. But that device had significant limitations and compatibility issues with phones that used MagSafe.

Ultimately, when it comes to wireless chargers, the most important thing is knowing that your device will charge when you place it down. The new Base Station Hub makes that just a little bit easier than before.