Remember Apple’s MagSafe Duo? Because Twelve South sure does. The company just launched its new ButterFly portable charger earlier in the month with a design that looks and feels like the next-generation of Apple’s 2-in-1 charger. I’ve been using it the past few weeks and have to say that it really is everything I’ve wanted from a portable MagSafe and Apple Watch charger.
There are so many reasons that I have fallen in love with the new Twelve South ButterFly, but the design has to be the thing that I keep coming back to. There’s tons of other chargers on the marker that have the same actual power specs as the company’s new release, but none of them have been able to develop a form-factor quite as compact as this handy little travel companion.
I’ve been referring to this as a travel MagSafe charger both in this review so far and in my own head for the past few weeks, but it’s not just about travel. More and more frequently I’ve just been throwing it in my bag for use out and about. The design is small enough that it has been worth keeping around – especially when paired with something like Anker’s Nano USB-C Power Bank that has a built- cable.
But I’m getting a bit ahead of myself.
The Twelve South ButterFly arrives with an aluminum design that is complemented by some leather accenting. It’s the same kind of premium build we’ve come to expect from Twelve South over the years, but really levels up the experience to something that is even more luxurious than the official Apple charger that inspired it. The whole design has a very hefty feel, and one that is incredibly well put together. There’s even magnets inside that allow the whole thing to clasp together when not in use, folding into a small size that fits right in the palm of your hand.
Even after a few weeks of daily use, it still has held up very well. The aluminum barely has any scratches on it even after living in my bag with some keys and other gear, and the leather hasn’t begun to wear down too much. It’s about what I would hope from a device of this caliber and price, but is nice to see from real world usage.
The compact design is of course made even more impressive by how little Twelve South compromised on the charging tech. And by that I mean there’s no compromise here. The ButterFly has a full 15W MagSafe charging pad on one side and then an Apple Watch fast charger on the other. It can hold an Apple Watch either entirely flat, or can fold up to support the Nightstand mode. The whole charger can also be folded up into something of a stand for taking advantage of StandBy mode, too. Either side can also refuel Apple’s AirPods Pro or Pro 2, so long as you have the MagSafe case option.
Another one of my favorite parts is that the charger uses a standard USB-C for power. The company could have easily gone with some proprietary charging jack like it has done in the past. But to keep the perfect report card going for the ButterFly, there’s just a universal port that can be powered by the included cable and power brick, or with your own existing solution.
All that brings me to the price tag. The Twelve South ButterFly is now available for purchase at $129.99. It just went up for pre-order earlier in the month and is officially shipping now ahead of the holidays. That’s definitely on the more premium side of things for a 2-in-1 charger, and in fact what you’d pay for a 3-in-1 model in a lot of cases. Still, my main takeaway is that it’s very much worth the price.
I’ve gotten my hands on a lot of charging tech over the years. 2023 has really stepped up the quality, but there’s still tons of more affordable and even cheap releases that ensures something like the ButterFly just completely stands out. Let alone the fact that it’s one of the few truly portable releases around.
9to5Toys’ Take
Twelve South met with me back in October where they showed me one of the first ButterFly chargers to exist. Since then, I’ve been waiting to get my hands on the new release and spend enough time with it to review. Now the accessory is officially shipping too! So it’s about time to finally make some kind of official decree that the new release is amongst my favorite iPhone and Apple Watch chargers around.
If you remember my best StandBy chargers post from earlier in the fall, you’ll know that Twelve South already has earned some accolades of its own in the MagSafe space. I adore its HiRise 3 Deluxe and still use it as my go-to option at home. And just like its nightstand-friendly model, the Twelve South ButterFly has now arrived to claim the throne of best MagSafe charger from the portable variety.
It has proven to be more than just a handy travel charger, but an all-around great option for a compact iPhone 15 companion. This should be high on anyone’s list for streamlining their charging setup into 2024, but especially anyone who is missing MagSafe Duo and wants a successor. There’s no need to wait on an official release from Apple, because Twelve South has already delivered everything I’d want and more. It’s practically perfect for my needs, and I’m sure many of you will agree.
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