Nomad Base Station Mini Review: Wireless charing just makes life a little easier and the slimline, lightweight Base Station Mini is the perfect size for any tech travel pouch.
{Tech} for Travel
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Nomad Base Station Mini Review
Having put the new Base One MagSafe charger through its paces, it’s only fair that the Base Station Mini gets a chance to shine.
After all, at less than half the weight and thickness, the Mini should be a better fit in your travel tech bag.
The Base Station Mini does share one point with its bigger sibling, a lack of ac adapter being included!
So be sure to check out our latest travel adapter reviews or Nomad’s new 65W USB_C adapter.
Nomad Base Station Mini Review// Features
The Base Station Mini has been made to the highest levels of craftsmanship we’ve come to expect from Nomad Goods.
A leather pad sits on top of a single piece of aluminium, forming a robust and gently weighted chassis. To the rear is a single USB-C port, and on the leading edge, a pinhole LED indicator.
On the rigid plastic base is two non-slip feet, which, when combined with the modest weight of the charger, stop it from sliding around when you place or remove devices from it.
Hidden Feature
Underneath the leather pad is some magnets. Instead of the whole MagSafe experience and needing the large MagSafe puck, Nomad has cleverly incorporated these to offer some magnetic alignment for your iPhone.
There’s little to no benefit from them for other non-MagSafe devices.
But for iPhone owners with MagSafe, the magnets give a reassuring pull as you place your phone on the Base Station Mini.
Nomad Base Station Mini Review// Power
How the Base Station Mini performs for you will depend on the device you need to charge. For this review, I was using an iPhone 13 Pro.
Apple restricts wireless charging on 3rd party chargers to 7.5W.
Similarly, if you have the latest Galaxy S22 Ultra, Samsung has a charging rate restricted to 10W.
With this in mind, the Base Station Mini is not for rapid charges; instead, it’s perfect for bedside and overnight charging.
My iPhone 13 Pro took 5 hours from flat to fully charge, and there was no overheating or excessive warmth on the device throughout.
And there’s no need to remove any MagSafe compatible or slimline cases as the Base Station Mini can wirelessly charge with them on.
During this review, I tested a heavy-duty travel case that did need to be removed.
Nomad Base Station Mini Review// Design
I could write a whole review on the beauty in the design of any Nomad product, and the Base Station Mini is no exception.
It looks and feels much more than its $69 asking price, yet the Base Station Mini is strong enough for frequent travel.
The metal frame hasn’t chipped or scratched throughout the review despite constantly going in and out of my travel pack.
Even after two months of use, the leather pad still looks new.
No Bright Lights
Next to the single USB-C port on the rear edge is a small light sensor which automatically dims the front charging LED.
So when your hotel room light goes out, there’s no annoying bright light coming from the Base Station Mini, just a faint light to reassure you that your phone is charging.
Nomad Base Station Mini Review// Specifications
| Dimensions | 91 x 91 x 8mm |
| Weight | 231g |
| Colour Options | Black |
| Materials | Leather Pad Metal Body |
| Connections | USB-C |
| Charge Speed | Up to 15W |
| Protocols | Qi Wireless Charging |
| In the Box | Base Station Mini 1.5m USB-C cable |
| Website | nomadgoods.com |
Nomad Base Station Mini Review// Price
The Base Station Mini Wireless Charger with Magentic Alignment is $69 from Nomad Goods.
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