Nomad Stand One Max Evaluation: Uncovering Pros and Cons of a 3-in-1 MagSafe Power Solution

Key Takeaways

• The Nomad Stand One Max is a disappointing product due to its design flaws and lack of functionality.
• Stand One Max cannot charge an Apple Watch and support a horizontal iPhone simultaneously, leading to usability issues.
• Despite its luxurious build quality, the Stand One Max’s high price and usability problems make it a poor value for consumers.

The Nomad Stand One Max is a perfect example of a beautiful, well-built 3-in-1 charging dock that seemingly got too close to the sun and let its functionality melt away. It might be a bad product in the end—I’ll let you decide—but mostly, it’s a disappointing one because it could have been great.

Nomad Stand One Max

6/ 10

Stand One Max harnesses the power of MagSafe and wireless charging to simultaneously power your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all in a single, timeless design. Machined from high-quality metal and glass and weighing in at almost 2 pounds, Stand One Max combines luxury and efficiency.

Charger Type

15W MagSafe, Apple Watch, and Qi spot for AirPods

Cable Length

2m

Materials

metal chassis and premium glass panel

Pros

• Hefty weight keeps it planted
• Great looking materials

Cons

• No StandBy mode when charging an Apple Watch
• No power adapter in the box
• Other small functional design disappointments

$180 at Nomad Goods

Stand One Max Overview

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

First, the basics. The Stand One Max is an upright version of the Base One Max that Nomad released in early September 2023. Both have the same 3-in-1 capabilities to wirelessly charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at the same time.

The Base One Max is a really great charging option, but it can’t do StandBy mode for capable iPhones with iOS 17. Shockingly, this new Stand One Max can’t do StandBy either when an Apple Watch is on its charger. It blocks an iPhone from rotating horizontally.

Even after using the device for several days, I can hardly believe this is the case. It doesn’t compute for me. Why have a vertical stand that won’t let a phone rotate horizontally?

The Problems With This Design

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

The design missteps seemingly stem from that first critical one of not supporting charging a horizontal iPhone and Apple Watch simultaneously.

There are other design problems, however, that lead me to believe the watch charger should have been on the unit’s base, in the spot where the AirPods charger is. As it is, my watch constantly rotated either left or right and always looked messy on its suspended spot.

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

My Apple Watch constantly rotated sideways and I had a hard time getting it to sit straight so it always looked messy.

The AirPods charger could have shifted back to another spot.

I do like how compact the base of the unit is. It doesn’t take up much space on a nightstand. But I would have been willing to give up a few more millimeters of room to shift charging spots around to support better functionality.

You can charge an iPhone horizontally and get StandBy mode when no Apple Watch is charging. But then why not just buy a Stand or Stand One charger?

So, my watch was always twisting and never displayed straight. The dangling band sometimes bumped the AirPods case underneath it. My phone couldn’t rotate at night while the other products were getting power. You get all these minor annoyances for a whopping retail price of $180. There is a two-meter braided USB-C to USB-C cable in the box but you’ll need to supply your own power adapter . It’s all very disappointing.

Wrestling With What Could Have Been

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

Qi charging spot for AirPods

For the money, you do get a solid build quality, though. Just like a lot of other Nomad docks and stands, this one is made from metal and glass, which gives it a luxurious heft. It stays planted when lifting the phone off. It also looks elegant, reflecting light from its glossy exterior.

The thing I don’t understand is that the ideal Stand One Max was sitting there in the Base One Max design. All that needed to happen with that one was to tilt the MagSafe charger up into a stand. Then, there would have been an option for people who want a completely flat design and one to accommodate StandBy in a vertical design.

Should You Buy the Nomad Stand One Max?

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

To be clear about the distinction here, the Nomad Stand One Max powers three devices at a time wonderfully. It looks gorgeous as a decorative item. But I think its design utterly fails the user. And with a $180 price tag attached to less-than-ideal usability, its value is in the dumps.

Unfortunately, there’s not a Nomad charger that supports powering both an Apple Watch and a horizontal iPhone at the same time. If that’s what you want or need, I would recommend checking out the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 .

The Stand One Max is peculiar. It could certainly be a case study for product reviewers. But I’ll let you decide. Is this a good product with flaws or a bad product that works well?

Nomad Stand One Max

6/ 10

Stand One Max harnesses the power of MagSafe and wireless charging to simultaneously power your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all in a single, timeless design. Machined from high-quality metal and glass and weighing in at almost 2 pounds, Stand One Max combines luxury and efficiency.

$180 at Nomad Goods

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