Anker MagGo 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station review: Power ball for all

These days, we have so many things that we need to charge up on a daily basis: our best iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and even a MacBook. There are other devices too, like a Nintendo Switch or digital camera, or anything else that has rechargeable batteries. As you can imagine, with so many different things to charge, it can be a big mess with charging cables.

Enter the Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station. Not only is this a MagSafe charger for your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 device, but it is also an 8-in-1 power strip. That's right — you can charge your favorite iPhone and almost anything else, with this one product.

It's part of Anker's MagGo lineup, which includes the 622 Magnetic Battery, 623 Magnetic Wireless Charging Station, and 633 Magnetic Wireless Charger, all of which we already reviewed.

Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo): Price and availability

The Anker 637 is available from retailers like Amazon and Walmart, as well as direct from Anker's website. It comes in three color options: Dolomite White, Interstellar Gray, and Misty Blue. The retail cost is $100, though you may find it on sale every now and then.

Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo): This MagSafe charger almost does it all

Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo) has a very unique shape in terms of MagSafe chargers. It's approximately as big as a softball and is even kind of shaped like one too if you cut two slices off the top and had a flat bottom base. The product dimensions are 112-by-110-by-103 mm. There's a rubberized anti-slip grip on the base to prevent it from moving on your desk. It has a 5-foot long cable with a 45-degree flat plug, making it easy to plug into small, hard-to-reach places. This charger comes in three colors as I mentioned earlier. For this review, I have been using the Dolomite White color.

On the front of the Anker 637 is the MagSafe charging area, indicated by the small lightning bolt emblem. Since this is MagSafe, that means that it will only charge if you have an iPhone 12 or iPhone 13 device. As long as your iPhone is bare, or you're using a MagSafe-compatible case, then it should magnetically attach to the charging base with ease. The magnetic force is quite strong and secure, and your device won't be wobbling around while you use it. Even though it only charges at 7.5W, I felt that it was fast enough to get some juice as I work away at my desk. If you need faster charging, you could always just plug in your best USB-C to Lightning cable.

On the back of the Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo) are the seven other ports: three AC outlets, two USB-C with Power Delivery with Anker IQ3, and two USB-A ports with Anker IQ. For the AC outlets, you can get up to 1250W total output, making these great if you need a lot of power, as they also don't share the output with each other. However, I wouldn't recommend plugging in resource-heavy equipment like space heaters and air conditioning units — those are probably best plugged in directly to the wall outlet.

The USB-C ports have up to 65W of output, making it a good choice if you want to plug in your favorite MacBook. And since these two USB-C ports are 65W combined, that means you'll get about 32.5W for each if there are two devices plugged in simultaneously. The USB-A ports will have 12W, and since all of the USB ports feature Anker's IQ technology, you end up with optimized speeds for each device. I have found the USB-C ports good enough to keep my MacBook Pro and 11-inch iPad Pro topped off, but I'd rather use the AC plug if I need a super-fast charge.

When you're using the Anker 637 to charge, a small LED light can be found on the side of the device. If everything is working as it should, the light will be solid blue. But if there is a problem, the blue light will flash. Since this product is basically a power strip, Anker has a seven-point safety system for it, including grounded and surge protection. But as I mentioned earlier, I wouldn't recommend plugging something like an air conditioner into this, as it's not built for that.

The Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station is one of my favorite new products in Anker's MagGo lineup. Not only does it charge my iPhone 13 Pro, but I have ports and outlets for pretty much everything else I may need. I don't plan on charging eight things simultaneously very often, but it's nice that this is able to handle it if desired. Plus, it's compact enough to be a decent travel power strip too, if you really need it.

Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo): Only works for MagSafe iPhones

Unfortunately, if you don't have an iPhone with MagSafe, then this charger won't really work, since Anker did not include something like a metal plate for non-MagSafe devices. You could probably come up with a way to prop an iPhone with wireless charging up to the Anker 637 since it's essentially just a Qi-compatible wireless charger, but whether that hassle is worth it is up to you. And since this is just a magnetic wireless charging pad, you won't be able to charge up your AirPods unless you have the AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case. And no, this 8-in-1 charging station will not charge your favorite Apple Watch unless you plug in your Apple Watch charger.

For the price point, it's a little disappointing that the Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo) doesn't charge your MagSafe iPhone past 7.5W. I know that it's not officially MagSafe, but Apple's own MagSafe Charger can go up to 15W output. I suppose that Apple only allows non-certified magnetic chargers to go up to a certain output, but still, for something that's $100, you'd want charging to be a little faster, right?

It's also typical with these kinds of products, but if you want to use both USB-C ports, don't expect 65W output for both; since they share the total output, the 65W gets split up into two. So no, you won't be able to charge two MacBook Pros at 65W each if you plug in via USB-C.

Finally, while most of the other products in Anker's MagGo collection have adjustable viewing angles, the 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station does not. It's just one angle for your phone, and you won't be able to adjust it to something that suits your current position. This is of course due to the shape of the charger, so there isn't much that can be done about it. Honestly, it's perfect for your desk or nightstand, when you won't need to be looking at your phone too much.

Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo): Competition

Since the Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo) is a combination of a wall charger and power strip, there aren't really a lot of products like it on the market, especially when you throw in a MagSafe charger too.

But if you want multifunctional products, then Anker itself is its own biggest competition. The Anker MagGo 633 Magnetic Wireless Charger is a 4-in-1 MagSafe stand and charger. This one is slightly more than the 637, but the MagSafe stand/charger is also a removable battery pack that you can take on the go. It also has a spot on the base to charge your AirPods or other wireless earbuds, regardless of MagSafe or not.

For those who want a MagSafe charger that can also charge up earbuds and an Apple Watch, then you can't beat the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1. This may not have eight ports and plugs for you, but it's great for those heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem already. This elegant charger will charge your iPhone 12 or iPhone 13, AirPods (or other earbuds), and your Apple Watch. It's slightly more than the Anker 637, but it's perfect for those who want to a simple solution for charging three devices at once.

Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo): Should you buy it?

• You need a MagSafe charger
• You want to charge up to another seven devices simultaneously
• You like having all-in-one charging solutions, especially for travel

• You don't have an iPhone with MagSafe
• You want a MagSafe charger with a built-in Apple Watch/AirPods charger
• You are on a budget

If you're in the market for a complete, all-in-one charging solution with MagSafe, then you can't really beat what the Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo) offers. It's also a relatively compact size for what it has, making it a perfect power strip for travel. It even comes in multiple colors, so you can pick the one that complements your setup best. But if you don't have a MagSafe-compatible iPhone, then it's definitely something you can skip, as Anker did not include anything to make this compatible with non-MagSafe devices.

While the Anker 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station (MagGo) is a little pricey, it comes with lots of perks. You're getting a MagSafe charger, as well as three AC outlets, two USB-C, and two USB-A ports that output at 65W and 12W, respectively. The magnetic hold is also very strong, sturdy, and secure — your iPhone won't be wobbling around as you poke and prod the screen. Just keep in mind that the ports share the total output, so if you have two devices plugged in through the ports, then that output is split up evenly among them. And despite the price tag, the magnetic wireless charging tops out at 7.5W, which is half the speed of Apple's own MagSafe charger.

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