Remember when Apple announced that the iPhone 15 lineup would finally be getting USB-C and, during all of the excitement, quietly killed the MagSafe Duo Charger? A lot of people thought the company was simply about to re-release the product with USB-C (because iPhone 15), but three months later, we’re still waiting for it to resurface.
The MagSafe Duo was a great product for anyone who wanted an all-in-one, compact, and portable charging solution for their iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods when they were traveling. The only problem with the charger was that — like a lot of accessories that Apple is still selling — it didn’t use USB-C.
While we’re waiting to see if Apple re-releases the MagSafe Duo Charger with USB-C, Twelve South has gone ahead and beat Apple to the punch with the ButterFly, its own all-in-one portable MagSafe charger for the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. And, of course, it comes with a USB-C port.
I personally could travel with an iPhone, MacBook Air, iPad mini, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro. After looking into it, I think this is the portable charger of my dreams. Let’s dive into it.
This charger hits the big three really well
Okay, first up is the iPhone. I have an iPhone 15 Pro, so I’m looking for a charger that supports MagSafe charging. The ButterFly does just that. It includes a 15-watt MagSafe charger — which is currently the fastest charging speed you can get with MagSafe. Check.
Next up is the Apple Watch. I personally own the Apple Watch Ultra 2, so I’m looking for a charger that supports the latest charging technology offered in the Apple Watch. Twelve South says that the ButterFly sports an Apple Watch Fast Charger (learn more about Apple Watch fast charging here), so that takes care of that. Check.
Third in line are my AirPods Pro. Like some maniac, I upgraded to the USB-C version of AirPods Pro, so they also support charging with MagSafe or an Apple Watch charger. The ButterFly contains both of those chargers, so I can choose whether to charge my iPhone and AirPods or Apple Watch and AirPods as I need to. Check.
This thing even covers my MacBook and iPad
Next up are my MacBook Air and my iPad mini. I’m going to throw both of them into the same category because the ButterFly takes care of both of these with the same accessory. The iPad mini comes with a 20-watt charger, and the MacBook Air comes with a 30-watt charger. While both devices are capable of charging even faster with higher wattage chargers, I personally haven’t needed to invest in that.
Thankfully, the ButterFly comes with a 30-watt USB-C power adapter, so if I need to, I can unplug the included USB-C cable from the MagSafe charger and use the same cable and power adapter to charge my iPad or MacBook. Of course, that means if I’m charging my iPad or Mac, I’m not charging anything else, but I don’t need to, so that’s fine by me. Check and check.
The only weak part of the ButterFly is the charging cable. While it is a USB-C to USB-C braided cable, so the quality is there, it is only a 1-meter cable. This could cause an issue if you need some extra length to reach behind that hotel desk or nightstand, but even I have gotten quite used to using the usual 1-meter cable that came with my iPad, so I think I’ll personally be fine here.
All in all, the ButterFly looks like a product that could replace all of the charging cables that I take with me when I travel, so I will definitely be picking this thing up at some point. In addition to everything I mentioned, the ButterFly also includes US, UK, EU, and AU Plug Adapters as well as a travel bag.
The ButterFly is available to preorder for $129.99 at Twelve South today and will start shipping next week. It will also be available to purchase on Apple’s website and in your local Apple Store.
