The Pitaka MagEz Slider 2 combines a desktop stand for your iPhone with a MagSafe power bank, so your handset can get juiced up wherever you go. Just slide the external battery out and take it with you. As a bonus, the swiveling stand also includes an AirPods charger.
It originally launched in 2022, and there’s second-generation version out with an improved design. I put the updated charging stand on my desk to test it out in everyday use. Here’s what I found.
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Pitaka MagEz Slider 2 review
A MagSafe desktop stand keeps your iPhone charged while holding it so you can see the display. The handset sticks to the stand so removing it is as about easy as picking it up.
A MagSafe power bank clings to your iPhone magnetically so it can juice up the handset when you’re on the move.
The Pitaka MagEz Slider 2 is both. It’s an external battery that fits into a desktop stand. The battery is always ready to go because it’s kept plugged in.
Plus, there’s an AirPods charger built into the back of the stand. And a USB-C port gives a place to plug in an Apple Watch charger.
- An iPhone stand that’s MagSafe compatible
- An iPhone MagSafe battery pack, too
- iPhone power bank performance
- Power for your AirPods charging case, too
- An extra USB-C port, too
- Pitaka MagEz Slider final thoughts
- Pricing
An iPhone stand that’s MagSafe compatible
Touch a MagSafe-compatible iPhone to the front of the Pitaka MagEz Slider and they’ll magnetically cling together. The connection is strong – I can tap the screen and the phone shows no sign of slipping off.
While the iPhone is on the stand, the handset is charging. It’s quick and easy. There’s no need to plug in a cable to power up your phone.
The stand holds your iPhone up at 30 degrees past vertical. I find that a useful angle for video, FaceTime calls or just checking incoming messages. But the angle isn’t adjustable.
The MagEz Slider 2 sits on a round base with bearings in between, so you can easily rotate it to point the screen toward you. The new version adds a locking switch to the base so you can keep it facing toward you if you prefer. I can see how some people might get irritated that a slight bump causes the stand to spin. If that’s you, lock it down.
And that’s not the only adjustment possible. Because the handset is to the stand attached magnetically, you can easily switch the display between landscape and portrait. When in landscape mode, your iPhone will go into Standby mode in iOS 17.
The exterior of the MagEz Slider Dock is dark gray. It looks professional and takes up little room on my desk.
The accessory connects to the wall via a USB-C cable. There’s a 20-watt wall charger in the box, too.
An iPhone MagSafe battery pack, too
Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac
The “slider” in the name of this product apparently refers to the MagEZ Battery Pack, which slides into the stand. The 4000 mAh power bank has a MagSafe charger built into it.
When your iPhone is charging in the stand, it’s actually clinging to the external battery. You can grab the top of the power bank and your iPhone at the same time, slide them up, and you’re ready to go.
Pitaka’s battery pack is pleasantly curved. When I’m using it with my iPhone, I haven’t found a MagSafe battery that’s more comfortable to hold than this one.
It does add some bulk, of course. It’s 3.8 inches by 2.4 inches by 0.5 inches, and weighs 4.1 ounces. But the power bank looks good. It’s mostly black with a black/gray pattern on the rear panel.
There’s a power button hidden against the back of the iPhone when the power bank is being used. That’s fine, but the four LED battery status lights are next to it. This means you need to take the battery off your handset to see how much charge is left in the accessory.
Just so there’s no confusion, the MagEZ Battery Pack comes with the stand. And the MagSafe charger in the battery is the only one in the Pitaka MagEz Slider that can charge an iPhone. If you take the battery out, the stand can no longer juice up your handset.
iPhone power bank performance
Of course, I tested the real-world performance of the MagEZ Battery Pack. I did so in the simplest way possible: I connected it to my iPhone 13 and tracked the battery level.
In half an hour of charging, the power bank raised the battery level by about 12%. That’s not particularly quick, but not painfully slow, either.
Putting the battery pack in the Pitaka MagEz Slider 2 doesn’t increase the charging speed. It’s always about 12% every 30 minutes.
The external battery pack was able to raise the battery level in my iPhone 13 by 70%. That’s a lot of extra hours of use.
Power for your AirPods charging case, too
Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac
The back side of the MagEz Slider is open, and Pitaka built a wireless AirPods charger into it.
There’s a small shelf that can be connected to the stand magnetically. Rest the AirPods charging case on this and wireless power will start flowing. It’s very convenient.
If you don’t own AirPods, leave the magnetic shelf in a drawer.
An extra USB-C port, too
Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac
On one side of the MagEz Slider 2 is an open USB-C port. Plug Pitaka’s Apple Watch travel charger ($59.99) into this port and the stand can charge three devices at once. I also found that the Satechi USB-C Magnetic Charging Dock ($39.99) works just as well.
If you don’t have an Apple Watch, the USB-C port is always there for you to charge something else. Just plug in a cable.
Pitaka MagEz Slider 2 final thoughts
Pitaka’s MagSafe charging stand has a unique design. It’s small but can simultaneously juice up your iPhone and AirPods. And the MagEZ Battery Pack is surprisingly comfortable when attached to an iPhone.
With the right Apple Watch charger (sold separately), the stand can handle three of your devices at the same time.
★★★★☆
I like the combination of iPhone stand and battery and AirPods charger. I do miss adjusting the viewing angle of my iPhone display, though. Some additional color options would be nice, too.
Pricing
The MagEz Slider 2 is $129 on the Pitaka website. That’s a higher price than many rival products, but it does offer a few unique features.
Buy from: Pitaka
Amazon sells it bundled with Pitaka’s Apple Watch charger I mentioned earlier. The price for this combo is $179, a bit less than buying them separately.
Buy from: Amazon
If you want to shop around, don’t miss the Belkin Boost↑Charge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charger Stand ($99.95). This is fully MagSafe compliant for much faster charging, and includes an AirPods case charger. Don’t miss my review.
Or there’s the more basic Mophie Snap+ Wireless Charging Stand ($29.95). I reviewed it, too.
Pitaka provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out more in-depth reviews of Apple-related items. We originally published this review on April 29, 2023. We updated it to include info on an updated version of the Pitaka MagEz Slider.
