Baseus PicoGo AF21 3-in-1 Qi2.2 Wireless Charger review: More than meets the eye

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating

Pros

3-in-1

Compact and foldable

Fastest iPhone wireless charging

Apple Watch fast charging

Adjustable iPhone pad

Cons

25W only for iPhone 16 and later

Our Verdict
This versatile 3-in-1 charger has the looks of a desktop charger but the portability of a travel charger. Its neat design is a pleasure to adjust, and the speed is as fast as you can get from a wireless iPhone/Watch/AirPods charger.

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With the PicoGo AF21, Baseus has created a Transformers-like multi-device charger that unfolds into a highly adjustable and super-speedy iPhone charging stand that also powers up the Apple Watch and AirPods case.

Unlike most 3-in-1 charging stands, you can set it into quite different positions depending on how and where you are using it to charge your favorite Apple devices. As soon as you unfold it, you’re sure to get a few admiring glances.




Simon Jary

PicoGo AF21: Design

Before we investigate the charger’s impressive performance, the most notable thing about the PicoGo AF21is its size in conjunction with its features. Folded up, it measures just 2.97 x 3.15 x 1.5 inches (7.5 x 8 x 3.8cm) and weighs 9oz (254g), small enough to slide into a pants pocket.




Simon Jary

It can be used as a flat iPhone charger in its folded state—and even charge a Watch when flat—but comes into its own when gently unfolded. The iPhone charging pad raises on a single arm to about an inch above the desktop. There are taller iPhone charging stands, for sure, but few are as lightweight and portable as the PicoGo AF21.

The brace bracket is adjustable from 0-55 degrees, and the charging pad 0-115 degrees.




Simon Jary

The cleverest design element is the Apple Watch charger that slides out from behind the iPhone charging pad and can sit vertically at 90 degrees or fully horizontally at 180 degrees.

PicoGo AF21: Performance

The PicoGo AF21 utilizes the latest and fastest Qi 2.2 technology that pushes wireless charging to near the same speed you’ll get from jamming a charging cable into the iPhone’s port. The most basic MagSafe-compatible wireless chargers can output 7.5W of power, while a certified MagSafe or Qi2 charger doubles that to 15W. But the very latest MagSafe/Qi 2.2 chargers push out 25W of power.

In real terms, this equates to an iPhone recharging from 0-50 percent in around half an hour, which would take some 45 minutes at 15W. In our test recharging an iPhone 16 Pro on the PicoGo AF21, we got to 50 percent in 27 minutes, which equals the fastest speeds we saw on the less-portable Anker Prime 3-in-1 Charging Stand. If charging overnight, that speed jump won’t matter, but it will certainly save you time when you’re in a hurry to get your iPhone back to life as quickly as possible.

After reaching 50 percent, all chargers slow down in order to protect the device’s battery, which is why we usually quote comparable charging times at the start of the cycle. Note too that only the iPhone 16 and iPhone 17 families support full 25W charging, while the Air can handle 20W. Older iPhones using a 25W-capable charger are pegged back to the previous 15W maximum. See our feature on which wireless charging tech is best for each iPhone for more details.

Some 25W chargers introduce active-cooling elements—such as ESR’s CryoBoost, Belkin’s ChillBoost, and Anker’s AirCool—to reduce the charging heat that can push the iPhone to switch off charging to protect its battery. Baseus hasn’t incorporated any active cooling into the PicoGo AF21, so it’s possible that charging could be slowed in harsher conditions, but we didn’t notice any issues.

Alternatives to the PicoGo AF21

The closest rival to the PicoGo AF21 is Kuxiu’s X40 Turbo, a similar foldable 3-in-1 charger that charges at 25W. The metal X40 Turbo is even smaller folded up at just 2.5 x 2.5 x 0.7 inches (6.4 x 6.4 x 1.8cm) when folded up and weighs less too at 5.2oz (148g), compared to the AF21’s 3 x 3.15 x 1.5 inches (7.5 x 8 x 3.8cm) and 9oz (254g) weight.

However, the PicoGo AF21 is more adjustable, especially the nifty Watch charger at the back. The X40’s design features a more traditional stand arrangement and is available in a wider choice of four colors.




Simon Jary

PicoGo AF21: Price

The Baseus PicoGo AF21 3-in-1 Qi2.2 Wireless Charger is priced at $90 and is available only in the U.S. at the time of writing. That’s a good price for such a portable and adjustable 25W charger. Baseus ships a 45W USB-C wall charger and charging cable in the box.

The rival Kuxiu X40 Turbo has a pricier $100 MSRP, but can usually be found at a discount. Check out all our reviews of the best 3-in-1 magnetic wireless chargers for a wide variety of choices.




Simon Jary

Should you buy the Baseus PicoGo AF21 3-in-1 Qi2.2 Wireless Charger?

This versatile 3-in-1 charger has the looks of a desktop charger but the portability of a travel charger. Its neat design is a pleasure to adjust, and the speed is as fast as you can get from a wireless iPhone/Watch/AirPods charger.