Australian-based company Kuxiu has come out with a new version of its 3-in-1 charging station that has got to be one of the neatest Apple device charging solutions for home and travel that I’ve had the pleasure of using.
The Kuxiu X40Q features a tri-fold design, allowing it to be folded into a small square for easy portability. When unfolded, it serves as a stable magnetic iPhone stand and wirelessly charges an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously.
The big difference from Kuxiu’s previous model is that the X40Q uses Qi2 wireless charging technology that supports magnetic connections and up to 15 watts of charging power, just like Apple’s MagSafe standard. In that sense, it provides 15W charging for iPhone, 5W for Apple Watch, and 5W for AirPods.
The overall package includes the 3-in-1 charging station, a 30W charging adapter (with a UK plug in my case – Kuxiu lived up to its stated claim to ship the right adapter for your country), a 3-foot long USB-C charging cable, and a carrying pouch.
At about six inches long and three inches in width, the carry case is hard and nicely compact for stowing in your luggage, and it also boasts an attractive svelte texture and a neat tri-color elastic band for attaching anything to the outside, like a passport, extra cable, or even an iPhone.
It’s plenty big enough to hold the folded stand, cable, and charger, plus there’s an internal attachment band as well as a netted pocket for anything else small enough to fit inside, like your AirPods, for example, or spare Apple Watch bands.
The charging stand I received was gray, but it’s also available in titanium gold, black, and wood grain. All of them are made from a smooth anodized CNC-machined aluminum alloy, and the Qi2 magnet still works in folded mode if you’re just charging your iPhone on the square puck.
When unfolding it, you can also feel the hinges are strong and durable enough to ensure longevity, and at full extension there’s a definite sense that the design has got the center of gravity and rigidity just right to take the weight of three devices.
In the unfolded position, the watch magnet pops out to form a base for placing your watch on the back without having to take off the band, and the magnets are strong enough to hold your iPhone in place, even with a MagSafe-compatible case on, in my experience. You can also adjust the angle of the iPhone section for a more stable affordance, or to get your view of your iPhone’s Standby mode just right.
When connected to power with your iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch, the LED indicator on the back of the X40Q lights up for five seconds when charging begins, and then it turns off, so it doesn’t get distracting in low light when you’re trying to get to sleep. I found it could charge my dead iPhone up to 50% in around 30 minutes, which is what you’d expect from Qi2 at the maximum 15W. I was also really impressed with the lack of heat generated when charging all three devices simultaneously.
Currently costing $79.99 (usually $99.99) directly from the Kuxiu website, I’d say the price right now is pretty unbeatable, especially if you compare it to something like Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Qi2 charging stand, which costs $129 and is much less portable.
Whether you’re looking for an all-in-one Qi2 charger for your desktop, bedside table, or when you’re on the road, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better solution for keeping your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods charged when not in use.
Note: Kuxiu provided MacRumors with a X40Q Qi2 3-in-1 Foldable Charging Station for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
