Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Nomad Launches 65W Dual USB-C Power Adapter With Built-In Apple Watch Charger

MacRumors

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
68,189
38,981


Nomad today announced the launch of its latest product, the 65W AC Power Adapter Apple Watch Edition. Ideal for travel, the power adapter includes two USB-C ports and an Apple Watch charging puck.

nomad-charger-1.jpg

Like most modern chargers, Nomad's 65W Apple Watch Power Adapter uses Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology, so it's compact. It's a little thicker than Apple chargers, but it's much smaller than the comparable 61W charger from Apple and overall more portable. The prongs fold down when the charger is not in use, which increases portability.

The two USB-C ports offer up to 65W total power, so if only one is in use, you get the full 65W. If two are in use, the top port can charge a device at 45W and the bottom port can charge a device at 20W. There is an Apple Watch charging puck at the top, and it supports fast charging for charging Apple's latest Apple Watch models at the maximum speed.

We were able to test Nomad's new power adapter ahead of launch, and it works as expected. Pop it into an outlet and the top can charge an Apple Watch (or the AirPods) with the magnetic charging puck, while the two USB-C ports can charge a MacBook, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, or other device that charges over USB-C. At 65W max, you're not getting the best charging speeds for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, but it's enough for slower charging, and plenty for an iPhone, iPad, or smaller MacBook.

The power adapter works best in a wall outlet where the Apple Watch charging puck is at the top of the device, but it can be used with tabletop chargers where the charging puck is at the side because of the magnetic attachment. Nomad does not include USB-C cables with the power adapter, so you'll need to supply your own.

nomad-charger-2.jpg

With some short cables, it makes for a useful travel charger. It's more compact than a lot of other travel charging options, and it can fast charge an iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, which isn't true of on-the-go MagSafe chargers. It's also versatile, because the two ports can charge other devices like Samsung phones and handheld game consoles.

Nomad is known for premium devices, and the main downside to the Apple Watch Power Adapter is the price. It's $100, and that's expensive for a dual-port USB-C charger that maxes out at 65W. You're getting the benefit of a built-in Apple Watch charger, a portable build, and a sleek design at that price point, but the cost is going to turn away some buyers. Still, Nomad makes reliable products and this is a high-quality power adapter that's worth checking out if you're in the market for something that's useful for travel or bringing between locations like home and work.

Nomad's 65W AC Power Adapter Apple Watch Edition can be purchased from the Nomad website for $100.

Article Link: Nomad Launches 65W Dual USB-C Power Adapter With Built-In Apple Watch Charger
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2024/07/09/nomad-usb-c-power-adapter-apple-watch/
  • Like
Reactions: Justin Cymbal and Michaelgtrusa
Agree with the comments made thus far, the typical challenges that I have experienced with outlets in hotel rooms being in inconvenient locations or orientation or being worn out so much that power supplies fall out of them makes this product a non-starter for me. The price seals it as a hard pass.
 
  • Like
  • Love
Reactions: kltmom, LockOn2B, markrath and 3 others
Its neat but in my experience these types of adapters can't consistently deliver its advertised power for long due to thermals. Say you charge a phone, iPad and watch at the same time that 65w gets divided then becomes a trickle charge after it gets hot even the Anker ones.

I want to say the early Samsung fast chargers had fans in them. I know the wireless pads do.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jovijoker and G5isAlive
muzzy996 said:
Agree with the comments made thus far, the typical challenges that I have experienced with outlets in hotel rooms being in inconvenient locations or orientation or being worn out so much that power supplies fall out of them makes this product a non-starter for me. The price seals it as a hard pass.
Click to expand...

most of the Hotels I go to have desks with plugs, most but not all. I will wait for it to go on sale :)
 
Iphtashu Fitz said:
Nice in theory. My only issue is that it seems like whenever I travel I can only find electric outlets available behind bed headboards or other heavy furniture...
Click to expand...
Most hotels I visit have outlets as part of the side table although two recent ones only had wireless charging bedside.
 
G5isAlive said:
most of the Hotels I go to have desks with plugs, most but not all. I will wait for it to go on sale :)
Click to expand...
And most of those desk plugs are in the orientation of the desk surface (horizontal plug) so if I plug this in then the watch would be sideways and would fall off. It's a dumb design because it seems to only work with vertical plugs but then you risk the brick falling out.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: kltmom, ZZ9pluralZalpha, centauratlas and 1 other person
What would be nice is if the Apple Watch puck simply accepted a USB-C cable instead of it being permanently attached.

That way, even with a 2 port charger, you have some flexibility of the devices that could be charged, without reaching behind the headboard or other large furniture to continually swap what’s plugged into the charger. As long as you have 2 USB cables attached you would be able to charge your phone, watch, AirPods, just about anything.

It would also reduce ewaste as it would give the expensive Apple Watch charging puck (which is ONLY good for the Apple Watch, and AirPods I guess) a longer lifespan instead of rendering it useless if the cable ever gets damaged. You’d just buy a new cable. But given how much Apple charges for it, I guess that would not be in Apple’s best interest, despite their claimed desire to make eco-friendly products.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TheMountainLife, ApplesAreSweet&Sour, 7thson and 1 other person
fromgophonetoiphone said:
And most of those desk plugs are in the orientation of the desk so if I plug this in then the watch would be sideways and would fall off. It's a dumb design because it seems to only work with vertical plugs but then you risk the brick falling out.
Click to expand...

My experience has been different. most of the plugs I have seen in desks are vertical. You have a point about falling out, when that happens I spread the plugs a bit wider. So I gather if you were designing it you would have put the charger pad on the side of the device? Oh well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SFjohn
I’d be concerned about the watch’s long term heat exposure. My experience with Gallium Nitride chargers is that they can easily reach over 125F (52C).
 
Sold.

One nice feature of the Anker chargers is that they come with these removable suction-cup gaskets… kinda of daffy, but helps prevent the charger from falling out when there's a lot of weight on it. Hoping this can get by without that.

What I'd really like to see, though, is hospital-grade electric plugs, which are designed to hang on to the socket for dear life.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drumcat
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back