When you travel with a Mac, an iPhone, AirPods, and an Apple Watch, the charger pile starts to get out of hand fast. Most multi-device chargers focus on the iPhone side of the equation, leaving the Mac out entirely. That means you still need to pack a laptop brick, a MagSafe stand, a separate Apple Watch charger, and a cable for your AirPods, in addition to whatever other accessories you may use.
Zens is trying a different approach. Their new USB-C Pro 3 cable is designed to power a MacBook while simultaneously wirelessly charging other devices. Bring one high-watt USB-C brick and this cable, and you can keep an entire Apple setup charged for a whole trip (or even use it at your desk). It is one of the rare accessories that can charge everything.
MagSafe Monday: Every Monday, Bradley Chambers looks at the latest and greatest in the MagSafe and wireless charging industry to help you get the most out of your Apple devices that support wireless charging.
How it works
What makes this setup interesting is that it treats your laptop as the anchor for everything else charging-wise. You plug the USB-C connector into your Mac charger, and the Zens cable handles the rest. The main line delivers up to 140 watts to a MacBook Pro/Air or an iPad. Along the cable are two magnetic charging spots. One is a Qi2 pad that gives up to 15 watts of power to your iPhone or AirPods. The other is an Apple Watch puck that delivers 5 watts and supports fast charging on newer models. It feels like someone took a full travel charging setup and daisy-chained it together in a way that works.
Because it uses the Qi2 standard, the iPhone snaps into place and charges without requiring a ton of alignment. The cable stays flat, and the magnets are strong enough to remain connected even if you bump into it while moving around your hotel room or on a tray table. It is a pretty clever design that makes sense in a simple office setup or while traveling.
Overall impression
This is a slick design, and I am surprised more people aren’t copying it. Everything is daisy-chained together, but even if you didn’t need to charge your Mac, it still functions as a multi-device charger. The Mac setup is particularly well-suited for use in any office or travel bag.
Zens built it to feel more like a premium cable than a full docking/hub system. It folds neatly, doesn’t snag on anything in your bag, and weighs almost nothing. If you have ever tried to travel with a multi-device charging stand, you know they can be awkward to pack. This solves the issue by removing the stand entirely while still providing you with all the charging spots you need. The only downside if you can’t charge an iPhone and AirPods at the same time, but that is a workable trade-off for me. I rarely need to charge them at the same time anyway.
Wrap up
No complaints here from me. It essentially replaces your Mac charging cable, providing an inline iPhone and Apple Watch Charger. If your goal is to pare down your travel kit to the bare essentials, this is the simplest way that I have seen yet.
It is not flashy whatsoever, but that is the point. It is the kind of gear you forget about until you realize you have gone an entire trip without juggling a bunch of cables. Bring one charging brick, bring this cable, and everything stays powered. For anyone who travels even a few times a year, it is an easy pickup.
You can buy the Zens USB-C to USB-C Charging Cable Pro 3 from Apple or directly from Zens.
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