Zens 4-in-1 Wireless Charger review: An Apple charging station with room for iPad
Macworld ·
Macworld At a glance Expert's Rating Pros 4-in-1 charging solution iPad on view while charging Fast Watch Charger 60W USB-C port Cons 15W not 25W for iPhone USB-C drops to 18W during wireless charging Our Verdict The Zens 4-in-1 Wireless Charger is a tidy charging stand that will clear your desk from straggling cables, wirelessly for the iPhone, Watch, and AirPods, plus an iPad or even MacBook via a wired connection. You can buy cheaper and faster charging stands, but the neat iPad support helps this one stand out. Just remember that the USB-C output drops to 18W when wireless charging is also in use. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: Zens 4-in-1 Modular Wireless Charger Retailer Price Check Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide What is it? A charging stand that wirelessly charges iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch, and hosts a charging port for an iPad or MacBook. Who is it best for? iPad users who want to charge all their Apple devices at the same time. Who should skip it? If you don’t have an iPad, you’ll be better off with a 3-in-1 or even 2-in-1 (if you don’t have an Apple Watch) wireless charger. There are many 2-in-1 wireless charging stands (iPhone and AirPods) and 3-in-1 (iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch) magnetic multi marvels, and we’ve tested a large selection of them in our best wireless iPhone charger roundup. If you want to charge your iPad at the same time as all the above Apple devices, you’ll generally need a second cable from the wall or even two chargers. 3-in-1 magnetic wireless chargers can hoist even the iPhone Pro Max aloft but most would buckle and fall over if you introduced even an iPad mini into the action. The iPad requires a different charging connection, so we’ll stop a moment to explain the options. How do you wirelessly charge an iPad? As it doesn’t come with built-in MagSafe charging coils, you can’t simply place an iPad on wireless chargers like you do with an iPhone. The closest you’ll get is the Kuxiu M30 magnetic smart connector charger that brings a MagSafe-like charging experience to compatible iPads by snapping magnetically to the back of the tablet and drawing power through a 3-pogo-pin Smart Connector. Because iPads with these pins have them in different configurations, you need a size-specific charger for select iPad Pro and iPad Air models—it’s a neat solution but nowhere near as convenient as MagSafe/Qi2. There are several reasons why iPads don’t do MagSafe. iPads have larger batteries than iPhones (19-40Wh vs 12-20Wh), and these generate too much heat to be safe if charged wirelessly. Also, most iPads use aluminum on their back shells compared to iPhone’s glass, and this interferes with the magnetic fields used in wireless charging. The Zens 4-in-1 is a neat stand with charging points for iPhone (raised and ready for StandBy Mode), Apple Watch (supporting Nightstand Mode), AirPods (on the other side to the Watch charger), and a bar to rest your iPad when charging via the side USB-C port. Simon Jary Zens offers a simple 4-in-1 solution The Zens 4-1 Wireless Charger looks like a standard sleek 3-in-1 iPhone charging stand made from zinc alloy but has a bar at the back to prop up an iPad, with a powerful USB-C port on one side to connect it. It’s a good-looking stand, with Apple’s badge of approval as it is one of few available at the Apple Store . At the front there’s an elevated iPhone charging pad that’s tilt-adjustable up and down, but not side to side. This is a Qi2 charger and so maxes power output to the iPhone at 15W rather than the latest and greatest 25W Qi2.2. The difference is about 15 minutes (45 vs 30 minutes) in the time it takes to wirelessly charge an iPhone from 0-50%. Compatible newer iPhones can charge faster with a suitable higher-powered wireless charger, but if you charge your devices overnight, the Zens stand’s 15W limit shouldn’t bother you. You can flatten the Watch charger when not in use. Simon Jary The pop-up Apple Watch module on the Zens 4-1 Wireless Charger can be charged at a rapid 7.5W, faster than most 5W Watch chargers that are able to claim Apple’s official “Fast Charge” status. The AirPods charge at up to 5W, which is as much power as they can take on board, so you won’t get faster. The Zens 4-in-1 ships with a 12-inch cable to connect the iPad. It will serve a MacBook too, but you can’t squeeze the laptop into the same space as the iPad slips into. Simon Jary At the side is the USB-C port for attaching your iPad, or a second iPhone or any USB-C charged device via the included 12-inch (300mm) cable. It’s rated at up to 60W when used alone, which is enough to charge an iPad or a compatible MacBook. Indeed, it’s enough to fast-charge an iPad—if you’re not charging anything else at the same time. Everyone’s in a hurry sometimes, and if you want to power-up your iPhone as fast as possible use the port and cable for faster wired charging when the wireless charging modules aren’t in use. You’ll need a Lightning cable if your phone is older than an iPhone 15. If you want to connect your MacBook further away, look for a longer USB-C cable . The Zens 4-in-1 ships with a 65W wall charger (and 5ft/1.5m cable), so you’ll need to share that amount of power around the devices when charging several at the same time. It’s not a USB-C wall charger so is proprietary to the Zens charger. Note that, as with most multi-device chargers, power output is reduced when charging several devices simultaneously. The USB-C port’s maximum output drops from 60W to 18W when wireless charging is also in use—enough to charge an iPad, although more slowly than when the port is used alone. For a MacBook, whether it can maintain the battery level will depend on the model and workload. Handily, the Zens 4-in-1 also comes with interchangeable plugs for US (Type A), UK (Type G), and EU (Type C). That doesn’t make it a convenient travel charger, mind you—it’s relatively compact at 6.9 x 5.9 x 4.3 inches (175 x 150 x 110mm) but not one you’ll likely slip into your backpack. It also weighs 23 oz (650g). In comparison, the more travel-friendly Mous 3-In-1 Wireless Portable Charger weighs 85g, although it’s painfully slow at 7.5W. Simon Jary How much does the Zens 4-in-1 Wireless Charger cost? The Zens 4-in-1 Wireless Charger is priced at $159.99 / £159.99 , although you’ll find it a little cheaper on the Apple Store ( $149.95 / £149.95 ) and maybe Amazon depending on your timing. You can certainly buy cheaper charging stations but few with the ability to charge a fourth device at the same time. One alternative is Mophie’s 4-in-1 StealthCharge Wireless Charge Stand ($179.95 / £139.95), which has a smaller footprint and 25W iPhone charging—although while it can charge a fourth device via its integrated retractable cable, it lacks the Zens charger’s neat iPad stand bar. Should you buy the Zens 4-in-1 Wireless Charger? The Zens 4-in-1 Wireless Charger is a tidy white/silver charging stand that will reduce cable clutter on your desk for up to four of your devices, wirelessly for the iPhone, Watch and AirPods, plus an iPad or even MacBook via a wired connection. You can buy cheaper and faster charging stands, but the neat iPad support helps this one stand out. Just remember that the USB-C output drops to 18W when wireless charging is also in use.