Scosche MagicMount ProCharge Window and Dash REVIEW Mount it and Charge it
I personally find it disconcerting that people will spend so much money on a smartphone to leave it sitting on a dash or center console. Even more, I am physically dumbfounded that people would leave their smartphone without some form of protective case. As many States push for hands-free laws, many of us look for tech that helps to keep us compliant. From suction windshield mounts, to vent mounts, to cup holder mounts, from physical mounts to magnetic mounts and multiple varieties of chargers, how do we choose the best system for our needs? The Scosche MagicMount Pro Charge device may be that device that fulfills most of our needs The MagicMount ProCharge Window/Dash arrived in a white 4 5/8 inches wide by 6 1/4 by inches tall by 3 inches thick retail box. The cover displayed 3 1/4 inches tall by 3 3/4 inches wide glossy image of an iPhone X attaching to a magnetic base. Instead of a flat lifeless image, Scosche used a green tractor beam and small lightning bolt outlines to provide a lifelike magnetic experience. The Qi certified mount will work with all Qi-enabled smartphones and cases/battery covers. This system was designed to be universal, providing options for both the case lover and those that love to keep their phone au naturel. The right side panel provided a top-down, descending, gradient from dark grey to medium grey to white. The upper panel detailed the MagicPlate and the various attachment options. The middle panel detailed the ability to securely mount the system to your dash, window, desk and to any other flat surface. Simply plug your device into a power source, affix the mount, and enjoy a secure charging experience.
The MagicMount Pro Charge can be used in your car for on-the-go charging, or at your workstation for at-home charging. The rear panel of the box provided five icons, which promised maximal wireless charging, an included car adaptor, an adjustable viewing angle, and a securely affixed base. If the packaging details were not enough to entice a purchase, simply turn it back to the cover and open the front magnetic panel. Along the inside flap, you can enjoy a 2 3/16 inches wide by 4 1/4 inches tall image of a phone with a 2 5/8 inches tall metallic plate. If you glance towards the right, you can directly view the MagicMount through a rounded window and learn that the setup has a magnetic mount zone and a wireless charging zone. Cut the tape at the top of the box and remove the large clear plastic tray donut from the packaging. Within the tray, I found a plethora of items beyond the 3 3/8 inches long by 2 1/4 inches wide charging surface, swivel and 2 1/4 inch diameter sticky mount surface. I found a 3 1/4 inches long by 1 3/8 inches wide single USB-A car charger, a 60 inches long USB-A to USB-micro cable, a cleaning wipe (CAUTION! may discolor vinyl/plastic), a 3 3/8 inches long by 1 5/16 inches wide charging plate, and two 7/16 inches wide by 15/16 inches long cable guides. I found a 5 3/4 inches long by 1 7/16 inches wide case mounting guide, with dual 1 1/8 inches long by 3/8 inches wide case magnets. I found a 2 inches long by 1 1/8 inches wide flat, straight, sticky mount, which can replace the larger suction cup base. I found an iPhone 8/Gs8, iPhone X, iPhone 8+/GS8+/Note8 template guide, and a 32-page multi-lingual instruction manual. For $60 you get a car charger, an amazing dash/windshield/desk mount, a low profile mount, a cable management system, a five-foot-long charging cable and plates for a phone or case. It is not hard to see why they state that they are the “#1 Mount Brand.”
The manual was easy to utilize. The second and third pages were the most useful, providing a parts list and labeled diagram guide. Page four showed how to install the large metallic plate to a case-less phone as well as a phone with a case. Page five warned about the wireless charging placement and provided helpful positioning information. Page six discussed how to change the mounting bases, and page seven discussed how best to attach the dash mount. The kit included a cleaning wipe to clean the desired location of dust/debris. Peel off the wrapping from the bottom of the mount, press the 2 1/4 inch diameter sticky base to the desired surface and then press down the base wipe. The manual also warned of the dangers of the cleaning wipe, and the concern that the chemical could damage your plastic surfaces. Page eight further detailed the low profile mount and page nine discussed how to use the wireless charger. To use the charger, plug the 90-degree angled micro-USB charger into the back surface of the mount. Interestingly, Scosche did a great job at hiding the cable within the housing. Use the included sticky cable management clips to tame the five-foot cable. To install the metallic plates onto my Catalyst case, I followed the instructions on the back of the case mounting guide. Step 1 recommended that you remove the white paper backing from both plates. Step 2 recommended to line up the arrows on the template guide to the bottom of my phone. Step 3 recommended that you press the plates down securely and step 4 recommended that you remove the template guide. Personally, the installation of the metal plates onto the case was very straightforward. I loved that no metal was positioned in the middle of the charging field. The larger charging plate mounting technique was very similar to the steps detailed above. In this instance, you would need to align the included template guide and then remove the backing sticker and affix it directly to your phone.
Once the plates were installed, I plugged the USB-A into my laptop and the car charger in my Chevy Silverado. Using a Drok USB multimeter, my iPhone X charged at 4.8–5V/1.21–1.38A, providing maximal 7.5W power to my iPhone X. This may not provide the 50% in 30-minute charge, like the USB-C/Lightning cable and 85W MacBook charger setup. However, the convenience of avoiding a search for a lightning cable to plug into your phone and the ability to simply lay your phone down cannot be overstated. As a mount, the suction cup proved to securely attach to my dash, to my windshield and beautiful to the surface of my new NOOK Desk. The charger provided my iPhone X with adequate power to charge at about 1% every 2–3 minutes. Having tested numerous wireless chargers, I can attest to the “Maximal” rate claim. I was pleased with the versatility, with the accessories, with the packaging, the quality of build and enjoyed the ability to test this kit. If desired, you can remove the metallic plates from the back of your phone/case by simply using a credit card to slide under the plate. Unfortunately, each of the plates can only be used once. Throughout the testing, my phone never fell off the charger. Also, while charging wirelessly, I did not find my phone to heat up. This was true with the MagicMount, Choetech wireless charger and with the Ventev Wireless Charge Stand. Overall, I was pleased with the versatility of the Pro Charge MagicMount.
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Originally published at macsources.com on August 16, 2018.
