Twelve South PowerPic Mod Wireless Charger Review: A Photo Frame That Hides a Powerful Charger

Some time ago, I reviewed Twelve South’s PowerPic. A traditional wooden frame that doubles as a Qi wireless charger, it’s rather inspired. Now the company has released their new Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger. It is an elegant lucite frame for a 4″ by 6″ picture that hides a secret; it is also a 10W Qi charger.

Twelve South describes their latest offering by stating, “wireless charging never looked so good.” I have to agree.

The Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger has a frameless design. The back block of thick lucite has a series of embedded magnets that hold a thinner lucite cover in place.

To “frame” your picture, you simply remove the thin cover, place your photograph on the thicker portion of lucite and then replace the cover. The magnets hold the picture in place.

The Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger base is a heavy piece of black or white plastic. A U-shaped channel is lined with soft rubber with just enough “give” to hold the lucite frame in place securely. It takes a bit of muscle to get it properly positioned, but the hold is solid once the frame is set in place.

The lucite-framed PowerPic mod can be positioned vertically or horizontally and is even customizable with any 4×6 photo or room-matching graphic. Just remove the magnetic front of the lucite frame, add a photo and you’re done. You can use any portrait or landscape image to match your room’s decor, rep your favorite team or flash your current vibe.

One nice thing about this design is that it means you can use any picture regardless of orientation. If the picture was shot in portrait orientation, you could set the frame into the base vertically. If the picture you chose is in landscape orientation, you simply rotate the frame and insert it horizontally. Best of all, because the frame simply uses magnets to hold the picture in place, you can swap out the photo as frequently as you want.

Obviously, what makes the Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger special is the wireless charger built into the frame. To use it, you simply plug the included 5′ USB-C cable into the back of the frame and plug it into a wall outlet. (The product does not come with a wall adapter, so you will have to supply your own 20W adapter.)

Wireless charging in a gorgeous package: PowerPic mod brings wireless charging to your world in a beautiful room-enhancing design. This elegant wireless charger looks right at home on your desk, bedside table or kitchen counter. Set your phone vertically or horizontally to charge in either orientation. Need to check a text or a weather app? You can lift your iPhone off of this charger with one hand. Instead of a grey plastic dock or techie-looking gadget cluttering your space, you’ll have a modern design element that looks beautiful and charges your phone at the same time.

The Qi wireless charger can output at 5W, 7.5W, or 10W. That depends on the wall adapter you choose and the specifications of the phone or earbuds you are charging. The wireless charger is powerful enough to work with cases up to 3mm thick.

And, because the Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger is frameless, you can use any size phone with it. You can even charge Qi-enabled wireless earphones, but you will have to place the case carefully so it makes contact properly.

PowerPic mod is a world-class wireless phone charger with a design as radical as wireless charging itself. With a mix of modern elegance and versatile charging options, PowerPic mod charges all phones, including phones in cases, with an aesthetic that looks like nothing else. Wirelessly charge your phone on the stand that looks more like a work of art than a typical charging dock.

Features:

• A beautiful wireless charger that complements your interior design
• Compatible with all wireless charging mobile phones(MagSafe, non-MagSafe, Android, etc.)
• Customizable with any 4×6 photo or custom graphic
• Uses any 20-watt USB-C power adapter (not included)

Here’s a video look at the Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger:

I love the stealth nature of the PowerPic mod. It looks like a simple lucite frame but doubles as a charger without making your home or office look like a tech lab. But while it is excellent for someone like me, it is also a neat option for the local coffee shop or Airbnb owners.

You can put a picture with a QR code for more information into the frame and allow guests to charge their phones. Or, if you own a restaurant, you can put a QR code menu in the frame and enable customers to order and charge simultaneously.

Wireless charging is here to stay. I love the technology but am a bit tired of having wireless chargers all over the house and in my office at the temple. Being able to hide a charger as a picture lets me keep my phone topped off without adding even more tech to my home or office. Sure, there are less expensive Qi chargers than the Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger available, but none of them look as good or are as customizable.

The Twelve South PowerPic mod Wireless Charger retails for $59.99; it is available directly from the manufacturer and other retailers, including Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample of the Twelve South PowerPic mod

What I Like: Can accept any 4″ by 6″ picture in either landscape or portrait orientation; Easy to swap out pictures thanks to the design; Charges phones and Qi-enabled wireless earphones

What Needs Improvement: Doesn’t ship with a wall adapter; Charging Qi-enabled wireless earphones requires a bit of finesse to get the battery case to “speak” to the wireless charging coils