Nomad Base and Nomad Stand Review: Familiar Looks with Serious Upgrades

Nomad’s wireless charging solutions are as elegant as they are efficient. We’ve enjoyed watching the evolution of their offerings and, after releasing the refined Base One and Stand One wireless charger, wondered what they would do next. Well, now there are the Nomad Base and Nomad Stand wireless chargers; they may look familiar but looks can be deceiving.

Last year, I reviewed the Nomad Base One and was impressed. The glass and metal construction looked great and felt more solid than any wireless charger I’ve used. Designed for MagSafe, the Base One grabs hold of the iPhone and aligns it perfectly for optimal charging, thanks to the magic of magnets.

With the Nomad Base One, the days of going to bed, thinking my phone was properly set on its wireless charging stand — only to wake up to a phone that had been misaligned and was close to empty — were gone. And I loved the fact that the Base One was heavy enough that it stayed in place when you went to grab your phone from it. Since the review, we have used it constantly.

We also reviewed the Nomad Stand One and were equally impressed. It used the same materials as the Base One and employed the same design language as the Base One while being an upright charging solution.

The Nomad Stand One made sense for anyone wanting to see their phone while charging. Its metal and glass construction was gorgeous, and the magnets built into it were strong enough to grab secure hold of my phone; I never worried that the phone would slip from the charger and tumble.

I used the Nomad Stand One for some time, but when my wife Raina wanted a new wireless charger that allowed her to see incoming messages, it found a new home on her desk.

The new Nomad Base and Nomad Stand look similar to the Nomad Base One and Nomad Stand One; both come in your choice of black or white, both are constructed from a combination of glass and metal, both have strong magnets that align the phone, and keep it in place, and both look fantastic.

If you didn’t know the Nomad Base and Nomad Stand were new offerings, you might think they were “just” the older Nomad Base One and the Nomad Stand One, but they are entirely new.

Both the Nomad Base and Nomad Stand have an integrated 2.0m Nylon Braided USB-C cable rather than depending on a detachable USB-C.

Sure, you’ll have to supply your own 20W USB-C wall adapter, but, as luck would have it, Nomad offers those too! And both the Nomad Base and Nomad Stand are now “MagSafe compatible” rather than “Made for MagSafe.”

That may sound like mere semantics, but by moving to MagSage compatible, Nomad was able to increase the power output of the new chargers. They both still charge iPhones at the (arbitrary Apple-imposed) maximum of 7.5W, but when paired with an appropriate wall adapter, they will charge other devices at up to 15W.

That’s a significant difference, and with many Android phones now offering fast charging at 15W, it will be a welcome change. And while Nomad didn’t cut corners on these devices, they are also less expensive than the Nomad Base One and Nomad Stand One.

The new Nomad Base weighs 1 pound 2.9 ounces, and the new Nomad Stand weighs 1 pound 5.7 ounces.

I’ve had both in hand for just a few days, and I appreciate the familiar experience they offer, but I’m partial to the Stand since its vertical design is ideal for topping off my phone when I sit at my desk.

In addition, once iOS 17 is released and my iPhone gains the new “StandBy mode” that turns the phone into a bedside alarm clock, I’ll appreciate having the ability to set my iPhone on the Nomad Stand in either portrait or landscape.

Nomad’s wireless charging solutions have always delivered a premium experience, and the new Nomad Base and Nomad Stand are no exception. They look great, are solidly built, and deliver a fast, safe, wireless charging experience. We’re fans, and we think you will be too.

The Nomad Base sells for $70; it is available directly from the manufacturer. The Nomad Stand sells for $80; it is also available directly from the manufacturer.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review samples

What I Like: Made with high-quality materials to have a refined fit and finish, and they look amazing; They each have enough heft to stay put when you lift your iPhone from it; They each offer 7.5W charging for iPhones and up to 15W charging for Android phones; The charging cable is now integrated; Each is now “MagSafe Compatible” versus “Made for MagSafe

What Needs Improvement: Bear in mind that because the Stand relies on MagSafe to hold the phone in position, despite its new Android charging speeds, it is still an iPhone-centric charger; Base works fine with Android phones, but you don’t get the alignment assistance of the MagSafe compatible magnets; Neither comes with a wall charger