Twelve South ButterFly SE 2-in-1 Qi2 Charger review: minimalist beauty

Macworld

At a glanceExpert's Rating
ProsCharges Watch and iPhone (can swap Watch for AirPods)Fast-charge Watch15W Qi2 for iPhoneCompact and portableColor choicesConsExpensiveLighter colors can scuffOur VerdictThe Qi2 ButterFly SE is a great alternative to the original MagSafe ButterFly charger. It’s highly portable and looks fantastic. People will love the new color choices (especially the fun pink version), and it charges at the same fast speeds as the original.

The ButterFly MagSafe Charger is one of our favorite 2-in-1 Apple Watch and iPhone chargers, and Twelve South has now released a new, more affordable, colorful SE version that uses MagSafe-matching 15W Qi2 wireless charging technology.

The ButterFly Charger is a beautiful piece of design. Apple is so impressed with it that you can find it on sale in its stores.








Simon Jary / Foundry

Simon Jary / Foundry


Simon Jary / Foundry

Design

It’s called the ButterFly because its round shape unfolds to display its two wireless charging wings: one 15W wireless charging pad for iPhone or AirPods, and one 5W adjustable pad for charging an Apple Watch.








Twelve South

Twelve South


Twelve South

It is compact and lightweight: 0.9 inches (2.35cm) high and 2.4 inches (6cm) wide and deep. It weighs just 4.2oz (104g), which is about 15g lighter than the metal ButterFly. Folded, it’s about the size of an AirPods Pro case.

ButterFly will easily slip into a pocket, but remember that it does require a cable to connect to a USB-C wall charger.








Twelve South

Twelve South


Twelve South

It’s a flexible design—folded back on itself, you can still use it to charge either iPhone/AirPods or Watch. Or you unfold it to charge both at the same time.








Twelve South

Twelve South


Twelve South

Or you can fold the charger 180 degrees and place the Watch in Nightstand mode. Flip it around, and you can set the iPhone in landscape StandBy mode using the ButterFly like a stand.

The original MagSafe ButterFly comes in just one aluminum color, while the ButterFly SE is available in three: Black, White and Pink. It has a more soft-touch finish than the metal original. Read our original Twelve South ButterFly Charger review.








Simon Jary / Foundry

Simon Jary / Foundry


Simon Jary / Foundry

Each SE version comes with a 3.3ft (1m) color-coordinated braided USB-C charging cable but not a wall charger (which is included with the original $129 ButterFly).

While the soft silicone feel of the ButterFly SE is less prone to scratches than the original MagSafe ButterFly, it can scuff quite easily when slung into a bag or coat pocket. A small felt pouch would have made a welcome addition to the package.

Performance

As beautiful as it is, the Twelve South ButterFly SE is not a form-over-function device.

While the original ButterFly charger employed Apple’s MagSafe wireless-charging tech to enable fast 15W charging with a strong magnetic connection, the ButterFly SE uses the newer Qi2 (pronounced “chee too”) tech that matches MagSafe at 15W. It’s based on MagSafe so there’s no real difference except for price—again more on that later in this review.

See our explanation Is Qi2 is as good as MagSafe?.

Both ButterFly models are also certified by Apple for Watch fast charging, too.

For more options check out our reviews of the best MagSafe Chargers for iPhone and best Apple Watch chargers.








Simon Jary / Foundry

Simon Jary / Foundry


Simon Jary / Foundry

Price

The Qi2 ButterFly SE costs $99.99 / £95 / AU$169.95 / €109,95, which is $30 cheaper than the MagSafe ButterFly. It is also available via Amazon and Amazon UK.

That price difference is explained not just by the use of Qi2 rather than MagSafe. The SE doesn’t come with the 30W wall charger and 5 international outlet adapters that ship with the original.

We love the ButterFly enough to justify its price, but this isn’t a cheap accessory. There may be cheaper alternatives, but we haven’t yet found any that match it for quality and convenience.

If you have a spare USB-C charger you can save money buying the SE. If you don’t, then you’ll need to buy one—and you can get a high-quality charger for under $20, such as the Anker 30W Nano Charger 511, available for Amazon and Amazon UK. Check out the best iPhone wall chargers for more options.

Should you buy the ButterFly SE?

The Qi2 ButterFly SE is a great alternative to the original MagSafe ButterFly charger. It’s highly portable and looks fantastic.

People will love the new color choices (especially the fun pink version), and it charges at the same fast speeds as the original.

It’s a minimalist accessory that we recommend to all Apple Watch wearers (presuming they all own an iPhone) both for the home and as a highly portable travel charger.