Comprehensive Nomad

Key Takeaways

• Nomad’s 65W Power Adapter Apple Watch Edition combines a laptop-class and Apple Watch charger into one compact, minimalist design.
• The adapter is ideal for travelers and Apple ecosystem users, offering fast charging for multiple devices.
• Priced at $100, the adapter may not be cost-effective, but it’s a clever solution to cover just-in-case charging needs.

Maybe Nomad is running out of ideas for tech gadgets because its latest one is the realization of the question: What if an Apple Watch charger was bolted to a laptop-class power adapter? The answer is the 65W Power Adapter Apple Watch Edition . It has a slightly off-putting visual quality that’s counteracted by extreme usefulness. Even after spending time with it, I’m deeply conflicted by its existence. But it works well and will likely find a home in my travel pouch.

Nomad 65W Power Adapter Apple Watch Edition

7/ 10

Built with GaN technology, this adapter features a magnetic fast charger for your Apple Watch and two USB-C ports for your iPhone, AirPods, iPad, MacBook, or anything else you wish to charge.

Pros

• Combined charging for up to three devices
• Relatively small and compact
• Smart USB-C ports for redirecting power

Cons

• Pricey for a 65W power adapter
• Potentially divisive aesthetic

$100 at Nomad Goods

How We Test and Review Products

Price and Availability

The 65W charger retails for $100 and is available starting July 9th. It’s compatible with Series 1 Apple Watches and newer.

Specifications

Output

65W

Color

Drak gray

Charging Ports

Two USB-C; Apple Watch charger

Smart Features

Nomad’s ProCharge Power Philosophy

A Charger For Multiple Apple Devices

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

I’m not sure how much sense it makes that a power adapter capable of charging my MacBook Air faster than its default Apple charger also has an Apple Watch charging puck built into the top of it. Those seem like two strangely distant things to combine into one. But Nomad has connected those dots, and it’s presumably the frequent traveler who benefits the most.

The 65W Power Adapter Apple Watch Edition has two USB-C ports on the front. If using a single port, a device can receive the full 65W. But with multiple devices plugged in, the top is capable of 45W and the bottom 20W. I’m told that the fast-charging Apple Watch charging spot on top has no impact on power consumption, even when using both USB ports.

That means with this single power adapter and a couple of cables you could be charging a MacBook Air, iPhone, and Apple Watch all at a decent clip. (An M2 MacBook Air’s minimum fast charging power is 67W and an iPhone can do around 27W, for reference.) Since AirPods Pro 2 can be powered from an Apple Watch charger this adapter top spot can handle that task too. It’s an ideal accessory for people deep in the Apple ecosystem.

I’ve tried nearly all of Nomad’s previous chargers and this new one falls in line with those. It’s quiet and provides a steady stream of juice. It’s compact and minimal, including folding prongs. It works as advertised.

The only consideration for it comes when plopping an Apple Watch on top. There’s a chance the extra weight will dislodge it easier from a loose wall socket than without a watch sitting on top of it. I didn’t experience that at my house, but hotel outlets also get lots of wear and tear.

Why Am I Reminded of Frankenstein’s Monster?

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

There’s not much to this product. It’s essentially Nomad’s previous 65W Power Adapter made slightly wider to accommodate the width of an Apple Watch charger on the top. It’s the same depth and height as the other 65W adapter. There’s nothing else hidden about the design. It is what it looks like.

What it looks like though is a fancy, polished DIY project. It’s a valid product choice and hearkens back to some of the company’s first products like a power bank made for a wallet or a USB cable made like a key. It’s just a stark design change from the company’s recent Slim Power Adapter —which I gawked over. That product’s size (and shape) make it feel elegant.

It’s not possible, as far as I know from talking to different manufacturers, to customize the color or shape of an Apple Watch charging component. In that case, I kind of wish Nomad would have designed around the white circle and released this power adapter in white to match or lessen the top circle’s visual impact. But maybe that’s the point the company was after, to make it stick out.

For better or worse, the product embraces its what’s-wrong-with-this-picture aesthetic.

Should You Buy the Nomad 65W Power Adapter Watch Edition?

Tyler Hayes / How-To Geek

The Nomad 65W Power Adapter Apple Watch Edition is squarely made for minimalists and travelers who like to pack light. If not for its $100 retail price, I would recommend it to anyone with an Apple Watch for those “just in case” moments. As it stands, it’s a steep convenience cost. Still, if cable clutter is a pet peeve or you can never find your extra Apple Watch charger the few times a year you need it, this adapter is a clever solution.

Nomad 65W Power Adapter Apple Watch Edition

7/ 10

Built with GaN technology, this adapter features a magnetic fast charger for your Apple Watch and two USB-C ports for your iPhone, AirPods, iPad, MacBook, or anything else you wish to charge.

$100 at Nomad Goods

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