Intelli StepUp Magnetic Wireless Charging Station review: A modern, portable way to charge all the things

The sleek, black Intelli StepUp is an excellent complement to the modern bedside table. Its shiny black lines will meld into minimalist, modern, or even industrial spaces with quiet efficiency. Even better, it works great too!

The Intelli StepUp is a wireless, multi-device charger that works with MagSafe to elevate your (MagSafe-compatible) iPhone in a comfortable viewing position while it charges. If you need to charge an Apple Watch and AirPods as well, there are two collapsible charging docks that slide out of each side for easy charging. The charging station works beautifully to charge all three at the same time, and you can collapse the smaller charging docks back inside when you don't need them.

Although this multi-device charger is pretty great, it is missing one thing, which we'll go over in this review.

Intelli StepUp Charging Station: Price and availability

At this moment, the Intelli StepUp is only available on the official Intelli website. It comes in one black colorway for about $120. If the charging station becomes available elsewhere or goes on sale, we'll post an update here or on the iMore Deals section.

Intelli StepUp Charging Station: Sleek, shiny, and serviceable

The obvious advantage to the Intelli StepUp is that it can charge three devices at once; a MagSafe-compatible iPhone, an Apple Watch, and AirPods. Because of embedded magnets, it holds the iPhone up in a favorable viewing position, as well as the Apple Watch. For this reason, it also supports Night Mode on the Apple Watch. Since it implements MagSafe technology, the StepUp can charge at a full 15W capacity, much faster than a standard wireless charger, but still slower than wired charging.

The polished, modern form factor means that this charging station doubles nicely as an iPhone stand. If you need to use it as a stand without charging the phone, just disconnect the charging wire and collapse the small charging docks on either side. What you're left with is a shiny black iPhone stand that is small enough to move and use easily. It's great for hands-free FaceTime or for streaming videos. It also has a thin, subtle form factor that won't take away from the aesthetic of modern or minimal interiors.

Once the two little docks are folded down, the StepUp becomes smaller and more streamlined, making it easy to carry in one hand or even throw into a bag. So if you want to travel with fewer cables and chargers, this charging station is a great solution to take on the go as well. There's just one thing missing from this nice charging setup, but it is an important factor.

Intelli StepUp Charging Station: Charging station without a charger?

When I buy a charging station, I expect it to come with, well, a charger. So I was a bit surprised to find that there was no wall charger in the box. The StepUp comes with a USB-C cable, but no wall adapter. You'll have to buy a wall charger separately to use it. I suggest a more powerful 20W adapter to get the fastest charging speeds out of this charging station. But either way, I would have expected a charging adapter to be included in the package, especially at this price point.

Besides the charger, the only improvement I could suggest would be an additional USB-C port built in somewhere on the charging station. This would make it possible to add a fourth device for wired charging alongside the existing three charging docks. This is not necessary to its functionality, of course, but I do think it would be a nice touch.

Intelli StepUp Charging Station: Competition

The most obvious competition I see is the Belkin 3-in-1 Wireless Charger. This unit has similar functionality in a very different form factor. The Belkin charging station also charges three devices at once, suspending the iPhone and Apple Watch in an easy-to-see position. The major differences between this and the Intelli StepUp are the stainless steel build and the static form factor. Unlike the StepUp, the Belkin doesn't offer collapsible charging docks or the resulting portability. The Belkin does come with a 15W wall adapter though, so it's up to you to decide if it's worth the additional $30 in price.

If a portable wireless charging station is what you're after, then the competition in this arena would be the mophie 3-in-1 Travel Charger. This one also charges all three devices at once and it is compatible with MagSafe. The mophie comes in a smaller, more portable form factor, so while it might not look as sharp as the Intelli StepUp on your bedside table, it is definitely the more travel-friendly option of the two.

Intelli StepUp Charging Station: Should you buy it?

• You want to declutter your charging situation
• You have multiple devices that need to charge at once
• You'd like a portable charging station

• You don't want to buy a wall adapter separately
• You were hoping to charge more than three devices at once

To me, the Intelli StepUp is an excellent companion for any Apple enthusiast. If you have multiple Apple devices to charge on a daily basis, a charging station like this simply makes sense. The design of this Intelli charging station is perfect for minimalist and modern spaces, with a sleek, shiny form factor that looks slick but doesn't call too much attention to itself. Since the two smaller charging docks fold down into the main body of the unit, this charging station is also easily portable for travel. Even though it doesn't come with a wall charger, it's still a pretty sweet deal overall when compared to similar charging stations on the market.