The new iOttie Velox Pro
iOttie Velox Pro
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The iOttie Velox Pro may lack Apple's MFM certification, but active cooling and wide range of adjustments make it a worthy contender in the search for a reliable MagSafe car charger.
For years, iOttie has been putting out great car mounts and accessories, but it's pivoted with its Velox lineup. Its original massively popular OneTouch series is solid, if not utilitarian-looking.
Conversely, the Velox line seems to represent the premium line for iOttie, with less plastic, polished metal components, and luxurious soft-touch finishes. They also were the first to bring MagSafe support.
We were fans of the original Velox car charger, which connected to your car's vent and charged your phone at up to 7.5W of power.
The new Velox Pro looks similar, but the Pro model uses a suction mount, is far more adjustable, and has a removable USB-C cable.
In the box, iOttie includes the charger, an optional plastic mounting plate, a USB-C cable, and a power adapter. It's unusual for a power adapter to be bundled in the box, so we appreciate iOttie's inclusion.
We prefer a dual-output car charger so we didn't need it, but many want the whole package when buying a car charger. Plus, USB-C is less common on car adapters so many may not have a Type-C model available.
The iOttie Velox Pro can be mounted on your dash using the suction cup, but if your dashboard is textured, you can attach the plastic mounting plate first. This sticks to the dashboard then the suction cup sticks to the plastic mounting plate.
If you'd rather, you could mount the iOttie Velox Pro to the windshield. It can be mounted upside down and the magnetic plate rotated so it can orientate the correct way.
The arm moves up and down, locking in place with a thumb screw on the base. The magnetic face is attached to a ball and socket joint so it twists to face the driver.
Our favorite part is that it can pull out to extend the arm. It makes a big difference in situating the charger where it is in clear view but doesn't obstruct the road, and the cable can still reach it.
In our MagSafe crash test, the original iOttie Velox held up very well and the Velox Pro seemingly has the same magnet strength.
We mentioned this isn't Apple Made for MagSafe certified, which means it will only deliver a maximum of 7.5W of power to your iPhone while on the road. But this charger has a big distinction — it's actively cooled.
There is a fan behind the Qi charging plate so that while you're powering up your phone, it keeps things cool. This is especially important on the road where your phone gets heavily taxed by navigation, and also heated by the sun.
That means despite the slower maximum output, the Velox Pro is incredibly efficient and may charge faster than an official MagSafe charger.
Should you buy the Velox Pro?
The Velox Pro is a fantastic Qi car charger that works with MagSafe. The active cooling sets it apart from the large swath of similar MagSafe-compatible chargers and has a wonderfully simple design.
It's part of a broader Velox line from iOttie for 2023, including the also-available Velox Mini vent mount. The only thing that gives us pause is the looming Velox Elite.
Velox Elite was also announced at CES 2023 and is fully Apple certified. Velox Elite will have a similar design but with up to 15W of power.
Because of the higher output and Apple certification, it will also carry a higher price tag. Velox Pro may be the sweet spot where you get an efficient charger with active cooling at a more affordable price point.
iOttie Velox Pro — Pros
- Lovely premium look and feel to match your iPhone
- Tons of adjustment options
- Active cooling makes it faster than any other Qi charger without it
- Strong magnetic hold
- Removable USB-C cable
- USB-C car charger included
iOttie Velox Pro — Cons
- Not MagSafe certified so only delivers 7.5W of power
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Where to buy
You can pick up the iOttie Velox Pro from the company's website for $79.95 and it will also soon be available on Amazon.
