Spigen PowerArc for iPhone 12 Review: The MagSafe Alternative

POSITIVES

✓ Ease of use

Simple and efficient - easy to use and setup

✓ Price

Won't break the bank

✓ Small power brick

Convenient for on the go

NEGATIVES

✘ Feels cheap

Plastic feel that is lightweight, but feels cheap

✘ May need both brick and charger

You'll need a USB-C power brick if you don't have one already

✘ Short wireless charger cable

A little short for taller desks or those that need more length

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Retail Price: $24.99 (ArcField Wireless Charger)

Buy on Amazon

Retail Price: $19.00 (ArcStation Pro)

Buy on Amazon

DISCLAIMER: SPIGEN SENT US REVIEW UNITS OF THE POWERARC ARCFIELD MAGNETIC WIRELESS CHARGER AND ARCSTATION PRO BUT ALL THOUGHTS ARE OUR OWN

For quite some time now, Spigen has created high-quality and comprisable technology accessories for a competitive price point. The PowerArc series allows iPhone 12 users to fast charge their phones via wireless charging, similar to the MagSafe Charger for a lower dollar amount. How did it compare? Let’s take a look.

Initial Thoughts

We had previously reviewed Apple’s proprietary MagSafe Charger at the end of 2020 and thought it had been an overly fluffed up product. While the MagSafe charger puck retails at $39 USD, the Spigen PowerArc ArcField charger is on Amazon for approximately $20. This is nearly half the price and a much more reasonable number in my opinion. As with Apple’s Magsafe puck, the end of the cable is of the USB-C variety. This means that for iPhone users with a lightning cable brick, you’ll have to go and purchase another brick that provides a USB-C connection. Luckily for me, Spigen sent me the PowerArc ArcStation Pro ($20), which I will talk more about a little later.

Spigen has always had clean and professional packaging and the PowerArc series is no different. That’s always a good trait to have as a budget product for consumers to have a sense of trust. When set next to the MagSafe Charger, the ArcField is made with more plastic and has just a slightly larger charging circumference than Apple’s official product. The cable is also slightly thinner than the MagSafe’s. Between the two, I will admit that Apple’s MagSafe charger weighs more and has a higher quality feel to it. The ArcField has a clean look to it too and some of that is attributed to the fact that it is only available in a matte black color that goes well on any surface. The Spigen logo is hidden on the bottom of the charging puck.

The purpose of this particular style of wireless charger is to allow users continued usage of their phones while charging.

Charging Capabilities

The ArcField charger can provide up to 7.5 watts of fast wireless charging, which is a lower than the MagSafe’s 15 watts. I personally did not find any issues charging my iPhone on the ArcField charger with a case, but this may vary depending on the thickness and material of your case. Keep in mind that you will need to have a MagSafe compatible case as well. The ArcField can also magnetically charge the Apple AirPods and AirPods Pro. 

One quip I had with the MagSafe charger was the incredibly short cable that forced limited extension to my setup. Unfortunately, I was also disappointed with the ArcField charger in this capacity. Its cable length was approximately the same as the MagSafe version (about 3.3 ft) and equally frustrating to plug in and use if your wall outlet was much lower off the ground. The purpose of this particular style of wireless charger is to allow users continued usage of their phones while charging. If that is indeed the purpose of the product, it is reasonable to ask for a little more slack on these cables as the phone stays on a user’s hands.

Some Nuances

The other qualm for potential buyers is if you do not have a compatible USB-C charging brick, you will need to buy one to accompany them. This means that if you purchase the $39 Apple’s MagSafe charger and you don’t have a compatible power brick, you need to pay an additional $19 for the brick, totaling almost $60 to have this kind of wireless charging. This is a similar scenario for the Spigen PowerArc charger albeit at a slightly lower price point. Although the PowerArc ArcStation Pro charging brick is $20 as well ($17 if you’re okay with a white color), the ArcField magnetic charger is priced at only $20, making the total cost for both items to be about $20 less than Apple’s MagSafe charger and brick combination. This all could have been remedied if Apple simply provided a USB-C power brick with all iPhone purchases.

The ArcStation Pro

The Spigen PowerArc ArcStation Pro brick is impressively small and features a foldable plug, making it convenient for on the go purposes. It provides a 20 watt output for iPhone charging and up to 15 watts of fast charging for the MagSafe technology. Spigen also advertises GaN Tech, which is a special chipset allowing the ArcStation to be 30% smaller than the standard 18W iPhone charger while simultaneously operating efficiently and generating less heat. During my time with the ArcStation Pro, I was impressed with its performance and lack of heat. There’s also a blue indicator light letting users know when power is passing through. 

Similar to the ArcField charger, the black version of this brick is matte with only a subtle Spigen logo located along both sides of the brick. It’s clean, easy to store away in a purse and I’m a fan of the travel friendly size. When paired with the ArcField charger, both items create a cohesive and simplistic combination. You could very well just purchase this brick from Spigen to use with your lightning to USB-C cable out of the iPhone 12 box.

Final Thoughts

Overall, when compared to the MagSafe Charger, the Spigen PowerArc series offers a cheaper alternative for a similar product and result. The main change I would love to see the PowerArc improve on in future iterations is to have longer cable slack. Remember, this puck styled charging is meant to be held in your hand and requires more flexibility than just sitting on a table. Despite a large number of Qi chargers in today’s market, I’m more confident in the Spigen name compared to other potentially lesser known brands sold online and am more comfortable recommending them to friends and family members. If you’re looking for a MagSafe alternative without the $60 price point, the PowerArc series is a worthy consideration. 

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