Mophie Snap+ Wireless Vent Mount Review: The Verdict
The Mophie Snap+ Wireless Vent Mount is one of those products that does exactly what you'd expect, and does it very well for the most part. It's a stable car vent mount that works with MagSafe, even though it isn't officially MagSafe certified. While you can use it with Android devices if you're willing to stick a magnetic ring to them, the Snap+ is definitely best for MagSafe-enabled iPhone owners.
What we love
- Does what it says on the tin
- Very stable, even with heavy phones
- Potentially expands MagSafe-esque tech to the Android world
What could be improved
- Expensive for a car mount
- Charging can be slow depending on your car
- Snap Rings can make your phone feel uncomfortable
80/100
$89.95
On the face of it, a car mount for your phone doesn't need to do much well to succeed. It needs to stay in place, without dropping your phone. Anything else is a bonus. Not only has the Mophie's Snap+ Wireless Vent Mount passed the "not dropping my phone" test and "not needing to adjust the mount" constantly test, it stands out from the crowd thanks to a rather unique design that theoretically expands MagSafe-like tech beyond Apple's realm.
The Snap+ is part of a new breed of car mount designed to work with Apple's MagSafe ecosystem. Instead of securing your phone in a holster, any iPhone 12 magnetically snaps to the Snap+ without needing any further tinkering. It makes an easy process a little bit easier. Most importantly, it stays in place, even when you're using it with a heavy phone with the iPhone 12 Pro Max. You don't need to adjust it due to sag when you're driving. And unlike alternatives like the Belkin Car Vent Mount Pro, the Snap+ can even charge your iPhone at the same time.
There's a catch, however. While the Snap+ Wireless Vent Mount is designed to work with MagSafe devices, it isn't actually MagSafe certified itself. The biggest trade-off is slower charging speeds. MagSafe certified chargers can juice your iPhone at 15W, while the Snap+ is limited to 7.5W. It's a pretty slow charge, that's potentially going to be slower depending on your car.
For the fastest charge possible from the Snap+, you'll want to plug it into the USB-C cigarette lighter adapter that you'll find in the box. My car doesn't have a cigarette lighter, however, just a sole USB-A port. Buying a USB-C to USB-A adapter solved the problem, but it charges my iPhone 12 Pro Max at snail's pace. Despite glacial charging, I've found the Snap+ is still enough to balance out the battery life I've burnt through if I've got Google Maps up and running when driving. It's not useful for a speedy top-up, but it will help your battery last longer on road trips.
What's especially interesting is the Snap+ Wireless Vent Mount can technically work with any phone that supports wireless charging. In the box you'll find a Snap Ring, a circular magnet you can attach to any phone. A Mophie spokesperson told me the best option is to put it inside your phone's case, the Ring itself is a few millimetres thick, so your case will need to have some give.
I couldn't make it fit on the inside of the case that came with the ASUS Zenfone 8 I was testing, so ended up slapping it on the rear. The protrusion did however make the case less comfortable in my hand; I wouldn't really want to stick a Snap Ring on the back of my phone. The result was surprisingly secure, however; the Zenfone 8 felt as safe as the iPhone 12 Pro Max.
Better yet, if you've got a cigarette lighter in your car, the Snap+ will be able to wireless charge your Android phone at 15W, assuming it supports those speeds. You'll just need to make sure you align the Snap Ring with your phone's wireless charging coils when you first install it.
The Snap+ Wireless Vent Mount is fundamentally a better pick for those with MagSafe iPhones. The Snap Ring system is cute, but it would also suck to attach one to your Android device and find your phone less comfortable as a result. Especially given the $89.95 car mount is unusable unless your device is magnetised.
$89.95 is a pretty steep price tag for the Snap+, but at the same time, it does everything you'd expect and there are very few MagSafe-compatible alternatives that actually also charge your phone on the market. For comparison, Belkin's chargeless MagSafe car mount goes for $59.95.
If you're looking for a cheaper magnetic option, Mophie also has the Snap Vent Mount which doesn't feature a charger for $34.95. That's much more in line with a traditional car mount, and also includes a Snap Ring if you want to try adding MagSafe-esque like features to your Android device without dropping quite as much cash in one hit.
Alex Choros
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