iMore Verdict
The Ampere Unravel is a nifty, fun take on charging multiple devices at once from one gadget. Folding to make it travel-friendly, all it’s missing is MagSafe and a wall plug.
Pros
- +
+ Charges three devices at once, including iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods
- +
+ Doubles as a stand
- +
+ Folds away to a compact size
Cons
- -
– Would benefit from MagSafe charging
- -
– Doesn’t ship with a wall plug.
- -
– Doesn't support Apple Watch in nightstand mode
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iPhone. Apple Watch. AirPods. Passport. Wallet. Sunscreen? Traveling can be a mess of things to remember, and as our gadget collections grow, your bag can quickly become a mess of charging cables, travel adapters and power packs, too.
The Unravel from Ampere is designed to streamline keeping your gadgets juiced up, whether sitting comfortably at your desk or on-the-go around the world. It offers wireless charging of your three most portable Apple devices (right up to iPhone 14, AirPods Pro 2 and Apple Watch Series 8) and folds away into a compact unit for easy storage wherever you are.
It’s an inventive and truly portable device, and one that’s easy to recommend. Here’s our full Ampere Unravel review to help you figure out if it’s what you need in your suitcase.
Ampere Unravel: Price and availability
The Ampere Unravel is available now and costs $69 / £59 for the version that allows wireless charging of an Apple Watch, AirPods, and an iPhone. It’s available in an all-black design, a design with white accents, or a design with red accents. That price doesn’t include a USB-C cable or wall charger, which can be bought separately, or you can provide your own. The black version of this model is the one we’ve been testing.
A second, slightly cheaper model is also available for $49 / £44. It too supports wireless charging for up to three devices but doesn't feature wireless charging for Apple Watch. Instead, it offers an additional USB-C port for plugging in the Watch’s own charging puck.
Considering Apple’s MagSafe Duo charger costs $129, and that charges just two devices, and is less flexible in its use than the Unravel, that feels like a bargain deal. Yes, the Unravel doesn’t feature MagSafe, but it still manages to charge its trio of devices without much hassle.
Ampere Unravel: What I love
The Ampere Unravel has a really nifty design. With two hinges separating its three wireless charging zones (one for Apple Watch on the left, and either AirPods or iPhone on either of the remaining two), it folds up into a tight cube for packing away easily when traveling. You’re looking at measurements of 88mm x 88mm x 30mm when the Unravel is stacked, and 270mm x 88mm x 10mm when laid flat.
With just one cable powering all three, this is about as simple as multi-device travel charging gets. No more juggling loads of cables and wall adapters – just the Unravel, one USB-C cable, and a wall plug and you’re good to go.
If you only need to charge one of your devices, you can do so with the Unravel folded up, too – the charger will continue to provide power to the one exposed charging zone, meaning you can leave one of your devices charging when it stacked up, saving surface area on your desk or bedside table.
Fold the three zones into a pyramid shape, with the edge clasping magnetically together, and the Unravel also doubles up as a stand for your iPhone too. There’s a mini-shelf hidden recessed near the charging ring, ready to be flipped down when you want to prop your phone up. It’s handy for placing your phone in landscape mode as a video stand, and the angle at which the iPhone rests means it retains the wireless charging connection.
It adds up to what we think is one of the best wireless chargers for multiple devices, especially if you're a frequent traveler.
Ampere Unravel: What I don’t love
The Unravel gets lots right, but there’s room for improvement should there either be a second generation of the device.
Firstly, though it’s not a deal breaker, MagSafe inclusion would have been appreciated. It’d drive the price up, but a sturdy magnetic connection for your devices is reassuring, and it’d mean the little fold-down stand supports wouldn’t be needed. It’d be a boost for the convenience of the gadget.
It’d also mean the rubbery grips on the Unravel, designed to stop your devices from moving around, wouldn’t be needed. These are a bit of a dust magnet and can get unsightly if the Unravel is left out and open for a few days.
Apple Watch must be laid flat to charge on the Unravel. That means if you’re used to using a charge that props the Watch face up to be used as a nightstand clock, you’re going to lose that functionality with the Unravel.
And though it’s a wireless charging limitation that Ampere isn’t the only manufacturer to come up against, the 10W charging limit is a bit slow. It’s fine for an overnight charge, but if you want to juice all three devices in a hurry, you’ve got a few hours of wait ahead of you. It’s another area where MagSafe connectivity could help, upping the wattage a tad.
Ampere Unravel: Competition
Multi-device wireless chargers are easy to come by for Apple devices, but travel-friendly options are a little harder to come by. The closest to what the Unravel offers is the Mophie 3-in-1 travel charger with MagSafe, priced at $149.95 / £169.95. It’s significantly more expensive than the Unravel, and should be considered a premium alternative, but does answer all the drawbacks that Ampere’s model has, from its MagSafe connectivity to its nightstand support for Apple Watch. It also comes with a charger, and charges slightly faster at 15W. It’s nearly three times the price though, and for many people, the Unravel will suit their travel needs just fine.
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You should buy this if…
- You need a reliable, compact travel charger
- You travel with the trinity of mobile Apple devices at all times – iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods
- You watch videos on your iPhone a lot, as the Unravel doubles as a handy stand
You shouldn’t buy this if…
- You need MagSafe support. The Unravel won’t magnetically lock your devices into place
- You need fast charging, as the Unravel is clocked at 10W
- You don’t already have a wall charger, as it’s not included here and can drive the price up depending on which you go for.
Ampere Unravel: Verdict
It may not have MagSafe connectivity or the option of a nightstand prop for Apple Watch, but the Ampere Unravel is an otherwise excellent travel companion. Folding up tightly and reliably, safely charging three devices at once, it’ll remove at least one packing headache the next time you’re planning a big trip.
Bottom line: A great travel charging companion for your everyday Apple devices.
