6 phone families
Find the phone you actually own
Compatibility is not a property of an accessory. It is a property of the pair. Pick the family your phone belongs to and every page tells you what works, what does not, and what the awkward in-between cases are.
iPhone 15, 16 and 17
- Connector
- USB-C
- Magnetic grip
- Built-in magnet ring, no case required
- Fast charge
- USB Power Delivery over USB-C
Open the verdict6 things that work, with the reason each one does
5 that do not, starting with lightning cables from an older iphone no longer fit anything on this phone
iPhone 14 and older
- Connector
- Lightning
- Magnetic grip
- Magnet ring built into iPhone 12 through 14; none on iPhone 11 and older
- Fast charge
- USB Power Delivery, but only over a USB-C to Lightning cable
Open the verdict6 things that work, with the reason each one does
4 that do not, starting with the old usb-a to lightning cable charges slowly and never says so
Samsung Galaxy S
- Connector
- USB-C
- Magnetic grip
- Case only — no magnet ring built into the phone
- Fast charge
- USB Power Delivery with PPS; Samsung publishes its own charging figures
Open the verdict6 things that work, with the reason each one does
4 that do not, starting with magnetic accessories need a magnetic case, which many buyers discover after the grip arrives
Google Pixel
- Connector
- USB-C
- Magnetic grip
- Case only on most models — check the specific model before buying magnets
- Fast charge
- USB Power Delivery, with PPS on models where Google states it
Open the verdict6 things that work, with the reason each one does
4 that do not, starting with charging wattage claims vary by model, so the family name is not enough to shop by
Budget Android phones
- Connector
- USB-C on most current models, with micro-USB still appearing at the low end
- Magnetic grip
- Case only, and a magnetic case may not exist for the specific model
- Fast charge
- Varies widely — often a manufacturer protocol with a slow standard fallback
Open the verdict6 things that work, with the reason each one does
4 that do not, starting with the specific model decides everything here, and generic advice is worth less than usual
iPads and tablets
- Connector
- USB-C on current models, with Lightning on some older iPads
- Magnetic grip
- Magnets are for covers and stands, not for a charging ring
- Fast charge
- USB Power Delivery
Open the verdict6 things that work, with the reason each one does
4 that do not, starting with a charger that is generous for a phone can be visibly slow for a tablet
If the phone is not on this list, the two questions that settle most of it are which connector it has and whether it or its case contains magnets. Both are covered on the decoder pages.
The connector changed and the cable drawer did notMagnets that stick are not the same as MagSafe