The Kuxiu M30 Magnetic Smart Connector Charger for iPad Pro/Air clings to the back of Apple tablets and charges them without taking up the computer’s sole USB-C port.
It could be a real boon for those who wish their iPad included more ports.
Charge your tablet with Kuxiu M30 Magnetic Smart Connector Charger for iPad Pro/Air
You can plug an external SSD into an iPad Pro or iPad Air to access work files, movies … whatever. The problem is, that takes up the tablet’s only USB-C port. One can’t, for example, watch a movie being pulled off the SSD while keeping the iPad juiced up at the same time. Ethernet adapters free your iPad from the vagaries of Wi-Fi, but you can’t charge the tablet while you use one.
There are workarounds. The most obvious is to plug a hub into the tablet that adds multiple ports, then connect your accessories to that, along with an external power cable to the hub.
But the Kuxiu M30 Magnetic Smart Connector Charger is an even simpler option. As its name indicates, it takes advantage of the Smart Connector that Apple builds into the back of its iPad models. That’s the three metal dots just above the USB-C port.
Place Kuxiu’s accessory on the iPad’s Smart Connector, and up to 35W of power begins flowing. That’s roughly as fast as a cable can charge the tablet. And the iPad’s USB-C port remains open for other accessories.
The charger includes a 6.65-foot braided USB-C cable — plenty of length to reach a wall charger.
Of course, there are drawbacks to the design. Many (but not all) iPad cases cover the Smart Connector, so you would need to remove them to charge. Even some desktop stands can be too wide to make using this accessory easy. Something slimmer, like the Satechi Aluminum Desktop Stand, would work.
Photo: Kuxiu
Price and availability
The Kuxiu M30 Magnetic Smart Connector Charger supports all recent iPad Pro and iPad Air models, but not the budget iPad.
It sells for $39.99.
Buy it from: Amazon
A new way to charge for iPad. The Kuxiu M30 combine PIN Smart Connector with MagSafe-style charging. It eliminates frequent plugging and unplugging, protecting your Thunderbolt port while also leaving the USB-C port open for other accessories.
- Charge iPad without taking up USB-C port
- Reduces wear on the port
- Not suited for all iPad cases and stands
