Nomad Base Station Apple Watch Edition Is the New Apple-Geek’s Best Friend

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I recently reviewed the Nomad Base Station Hub Edition. I love the sleek design, quality build and materials and the ability to wirelessly charge two phones and wired devices. Sadly, it doesn’t charge my Apple Watch. The new $119.95 Nomad Base Station Apple Watch Edition has the same great design, and it charges my Apple Watch.

The Nomad Base Station Apple Watch Edition looks similar to the Base Station Hub Edition. It has the same low-profile design, the same black padded leather service and the same ambient light sensor that dims the LED indicator lights at night. However, unlike the Base Station Hub Edition, the Base Station Apple Watch Edition has an integrated charger for the Apple Watch.

Nomad describes the Base Station Apple Watch Edition this way:

Designed to be the premium personalized charging experience for Apple Watch and iPhone owners. Base Station Apple Watch integrates a sleek, modern design with a functional wireless charging hub. With 3 high-power charging coils and a built-in Apple Watch charger, Base Station Apple Watch creates a frictionless charging experience.

The accessory is made from high-quality black plastic with a padded leather charging surface that looks great and provides a sleek, soft surface for your iPhone. On the bottom, there are no-slip rubber feet that raise the Base Station just a bit and keep it from sliding even on the slickest of glass or metal surfaces.

Beneath the padded leather surface, there are three wireless charging coils that output 7.5W per coil. That means it will charge your iPhone as quickly as possible or, if you prefer, it can charge two iPhone’s at once although the placement of the Apple Watch charger makes charging two phones a bit less refined than it is one the Base Station Hub edition. Ideally, this version of the Base Station charges your phone, your Apple Watch and either EarPods with a wireless charging case or another small device with wireless charging. In my case, for example, I use it to charge my phone, watch and my Rowkin Ascent Charge+ with a wireless charging case. It is also worth noting that the Apple Watch Charger supports Night Stand Mode. The Base Station Apple Watch Edition will, of course, charge any Qi-certified phone.

The integrated Apple Watch Charger works with all generations, versions, and sizes of Apple Watch.

The LED wireless charging indicator lets you know the charging status of your phone. It glows white when the device is fully charged and amber when it is currently charging. There is one LED per coil. As noted, the ambient light sensor dims the LED at night, making this an ideal charging station to keep next to your bed.

Features:

  • Integrated MFi-certified Apple Watch Charger
  • 3 Qi-certified coils at 7.5W wireless charging each
  • Padded leather wireless charging surface
  • LED charging indicators
  • Ambient light sensor dims LED’s at night
  • Designed for Apple Watch Series 4 and compatible all previous versions of Apple Watch
  • Supports nightstand mode

The company even includes wall adapters so you can use the Base Station pretty much anywhere in the world.

I love the way this charging station looks and appreciates how it works even more. The design is clean, it doesn’t take up too much space, and it holds my Apple Watch in a secure manner that lets me still see it when charging. I was, however, a bit bummed that unlike the Hub Edition, this Base Station doesn’t have USB-A and USB-C ports at the back for connecting additional charging cables. But, while that’s a feature I love on the Hub Edition, the fact that the Base Station won’t charge my Apple Watch was a bit of a bummer. It made the Base Station Hub Edition amazing but not the right charging station for bedside use. The fact that the Base Station Apple Watch Edition has an integrated Apple Watch charger solves the issue of my Apple Watch and makes it great bedside. In my perfect world, however, Nomad will follow-up with a Base Station that combines these two features into a Base Station that does it all.

If you have an Apple Watch, you will love the Base Station Apple Watch Edition. If, however, you don’t have an Apple Watch, the Hub Edition is likely the right Nomad Charging Station for you. Either way, though, you can’t go wrong. Both look great, work perfectly and were designed by people who love their gadgets as much as I, and you, do. Check it out here. There’s also a walnut and leather version available for $124.95.

Source: The $119.95 Nomad Base Station Apple Watch Edition review sample was supplied to me by the manufacturer

What I Like: Sleek; Looks great; Fantastic build-quality; Charges a Qi-enabled phone, an Apple Watch and an additional small device with wireless charging at the same time; LEDs let you know the charging status; Ambient Light Sensor dims the LEDs at night

What Needs Improvement: Adds charging for Apple Watch but loses the USB-A and USB-C charging ports

 

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About the Author

Dan Cohen
Having a father who was heavily involved in early laser and fiber-optical research, Dan grew up surrounded by technology and gadgets. Dan’s father brought home one of the very first video games when he was young and Dan remembers seeing a “pre-release” touchtone phone. (When he asked his father what the “#” and “*” buttons were his dad said, “Some day, far in the future, we’ll have some use for them.”) Technology seemed to be in Dan’s blood but at some point he took a different path and ended up in the clergy. His passion for technology and gadgets never left him. Dan is married to Raina Goldberg who is also an avid user of Apple products. They live in New Jersey with their golden doodle Nava.