Apple MagSafe Charger (Open Box)

This thing is one of the latest marvels by Apple. While it was originally tech for their series of MacBooks, able to be plugged in ambidextrously on either orientation of the charging port of their laptops, it works universally in any direction on any MagSafe compatible iPhones from the 12 or 13 series. However, it does have some bitter aftertaste in my mouth after Apple claimed they were going to be environmentally friendly. To give this item the best review possible, I went and separately purchased several phone cases so I could test the magnet and Qi charger’s connection. One was Apple’s proprietary iPhone 13 Pro Max case, which is what model I’m using to write this review and test the product. With Apple’s own case installed on the phone, the extra magnet rings make the MagSafe charger have a snappy and firm connection. As a result, it makes it pretty inconvenient when trying to leave in a hurry, as it firmly sticks to the phone, even when not using the case. As a result, if your charger isn’t adhered, installed, or safely placed somewhere that won’t damage it from a drop, be prepared to have this thing swing down and hit SOMETHING on its way down. However, I do wish the cable was longer, as 1 meter of cable length is most certainly not enough for home usage. Maybe even for car usage. With a different third party case with NO extra ring of magnets, the charger itself still does go through the case and successfully charged the phone, but the magnets have a weak connection, which is perfect for leaving in a hurry. It charges and still maintains connections, provided you don’t yank your phone off the charger or move it suddenly so it loses the magnetic connection. After connections and case compatibilities, my next gripe is the product itself. Sure, it charges perfectly fine, provided you purchase a separate adapter rated for it’s 20+ Watt charging needs. I had to buy a Belkin adapter rated for 25 Watts in order to use it. I placed both in a socket and began charging the phone from 25% till 70%, which is when I realized the next problem. The charger gets insanely hot when on continuous charge. This is a problem for home charging. It doesn’t have anywhere to dissipate the heat. No, the adapter didn’t get hot (which is great news on Belkin’s part), but the actual MagSafe charger that was connected to the iPhone got hot. Yes, that white and gray disk. Yes, the charger itself. The charging is good, it charges fast, but not fast enough for you to miss how hot it gets. As a result, I don’t recommend this AT ALL for home use, as there’s no way of knowing when you can suddenly disconnect the charger, have it swing down and hit stuff, or remain laying on something possibly flammable should it possibly explode at some rate. If you were to want to use it at home, make sure you’ve got something that can dissipate the heat, like colder room temperature, or a metal desk that contains heat. As it stands, the only way I can see this be useful is through a temperature regulated home stand so the phone remains held up by the magnetic connection, OR by use in car stands that involve placing the charger directly into the mount and plugging into a car’s power adapter or something. Best believe me when I say that I’ll be updating the review when I get to that portion of testing. Final verdict: it’s good, but can be better. Careful when using it at home because it’ll burn pretty hot after a while, so I recommend colder temperatures or car usage so the vents can keep it cooled. Once again, I’ll revisit this review when I get other products to tie in with its usage.