I compared this $150 AirPods Max stand against a $30 one - here's my buying advice
I tried Mophie's AirPods Max wireless charging stand. Is it really worth up to five times more than budget alternatives?
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ZDNET's key takeaways
- Mophie's $150 AirPods Max stand works, but feels overpriced.
- A $29 stand delivers nearly the same charging experience.
- Missing Lightning support undermines the premium positioning.
At $549, Apple's over-the-ear AirPods Max are ridiculously expensive. Even so, and even though they're a little too small for my big head, I've found them to be worth the price.
They do two things very well: they switch between my Apple devices smoothly and mostly automatically, and they block noise. My wife and I share a family room, where we spend most of our workday. When she's on a Zoom meeting, I can put on my AirPods Max and block out her conversation. She also has a pair, and they work for her in the same way.
Sadly, as with every other noise-canceling device I've tried, they can't withstand the high-pitched barking of my little 8-pound Yorkipoo. His insistent nuclear-powered yips can cut through even the most advanced technology. For just about everything else, the AirPods Max do a great job.
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One thing that's not convenient is charging. Unlike all my other mobile Apple devices, which charge wirelessly, the AirPods Max are supposed to be kept in their case and plugged into charge. This may sound a bit silly, but I'm often holding my little dog with one arm (he likes to snuggle in on my shoulder). Plugging in the AirPods Max is beyond my dexterity with one hand.
Fortunately, there are a variety of AirPods Max docking stations that obviate the need for the case. The selection is far from what you'd find for regular AirPods, but there are some vendors out there. Most are in the under $30 price range.
Then there's the ridiculously expensive Mophie AirPods Max Headphones Charging Stand, which sells for $150 (and is currently discounted at $135). It seems to go in and out of stock every few days at Amazon, but you can also get it directly from Mophie, but only for the full $150 list price.
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Mophie sent me one of its stands to test out. It does what it's supposed to do, so there's that. But is it really worth five times the price of its competitors? I'm not so sure.
When I asked Mophie about the price discrepancy, its PR rep told me, "Mophie believes the Max Stand is hands down the best, most premium device on the market."
Mophie premium-ness
The $150 Mophie stand
David Gewirtz/ZDNET
When it comes to "most premium," the Mophie stand is certainly heavy, weighing in at a little over a pound and a half (1.61 lb, to be precise). It offers not only a robust frame, but also a padded landing area for the headphones to rest in.
Speaking of resting, the way the headphones easily drop in to charge is through the use of a tiny magnetic dongle that plugs into the USB-C port of the AirPods Max. As soon as you drop your headphones into the dock, it automatically activates sleep mode for your headphones.
Also: I put my AirPods Max away within hours of testing these headphones
And yes, I said "USB-C port." All you AirPods Max users who have AirPods Max with Lightning ports are pretty much out of luck. The Mophie stand only supports USB-C devices.
This is a silly, unnecessary restriction on the part of Mophie, especially with such a "premium" headphone stand. The $29 AirPods Max stand I've been using up until now came with both a USB-C and Lightning dongle, and it's one-fifth of the price.
Fortunately, at least according to reviewer n2alpha, who commented on the Mophie site, you can get a workable Lightning dongle four-pack from Amazonfor an additional $12. I haven't tried this, but it's an option if you're dead set on the most premium stand solution for your older AirPods Max.
There is one more feature offered by the Mophie stand that can come in clutch: The stand also charges the smaller AirPods wirelessly, with a Qi wireless charging station located between the cans.
Personally, I use a 3-in-1 wireless charging station that charges my iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods Pro, all on one stand. That stand is also $29.
The cheap seats
This is the $29 VAWVVA stand
David Gewirtz/ZDNET
Prior to getting the Mophie stand, I've been using an AirPods Max charging dock from VAWVVA. At a little more than half a pound (0.64 lb), it's a third of the weight of the premium Mophie stand. It also doesn't include an AirPods charger in addition to the AirPods Max charger.
Also: I wore the best headphones from Sony, Bose, Apple, and Sonos: Here's how the AirPods Max wins
Then again, it's $29 instead of $150. You could get the VAWVVA stand, the 3-in-1 stand, and three more VAWVVA stands for the cost of the one Mophie stand. I'm not sure why you'd need four VAWVVA stands, but you could buy them and stay under $150.
It also works and puts the AirPods Max into sleep mode. I did run into a snag a few weeks ago, where it refused to charge my AirPods Max. But I found a mention online (sorry, I don't have that link) where someone else who had a similar problem put the AirPods Max back in their original pouch, and that reset the device. I did the same thing, and my AirPods Max resumed proper charging on the VAWVVA stand.
What should you buy?
I like the heft of the Mophie stand. I had to double-sided sticky tape the cheaper stand down so it wouldn't move, but the Mophie stand has enough heft to hold its position.
But placing the AirPods Max into the expensive Mophie stand is finicky. They seem to have sized the separation of the cups for small-headed AirPods Max users. With both cans extended to their maximum, I had to drop one can into the charging side and then finagle the other can into the other receiver cup.
By contrast, I could just drop the headphones into the cheaper stand with very little finagling. In both cases, I had to carefully make sure the magnetic connection on the dongle matched up in order to charge.
The thing is, the magnetic dongle is essentially exactly the same on both devices. So it's not like the most important part of the stand, the connection, is any more premium on one device than the other.
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I'm annoyed that Mophie didn't include both USB-C and Lightning adapters with its $150 device. That cuts off what is probably the biggest part of its market, and why? The per-adapter retail price is only three bucks. Mophie's cost of goods for adding the second adapter most likely wouldn't be more than a buck or so.
Personally, based on my experience using both, if I had to go out and choose one now, I'd buy the $29 VAWVVA unit. I don't mind buying premium if there's value. After all, I did buy the AirPods Max. But I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around how the Mophie stand could be worth five times the price of the cheaper stand.
Double, maybe. But five times? That's not for me.
But that's not to say I don't think you should buy the Mophie. It's a fine product and does the job. If you like the look or want a heavier device, or you want an AirPods charger as well as an AirPods Max charger, it might be the right solution for you. Only you and your wallet can know for sure.
What do you think? Would you ever spend $150 on a premium AirPods Max charging stand, or does a $29 option make more sense? How much do weight, design, and ease of use matter to you? Does the lack of a Lightning adapter change your view? Comment below and share your experience.
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