Many homes and offices have a collection of iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods that need charging every night. Rather than a collection of these cluttered together, the RapidX Modula5 system offers wireless chargers that magnetically snap together and run off a single cable.

I used Modula5 in my multi-device home. Here’s why I like it.

RapidX Modula5 review

Most families are familiar with the sight of a desk or kitchen counter cluttered with chargers. And power sockets jammed with cables. There’s several for iPhone, more for AirPods, and then there’re an Apple Watch charger or two.

RapidX created Modula5 for just this situation. Get a charging module for each device, clip them together, and the clutter is gone. Plus, there’s the convenience of wireless charging.

And it’s for more than Apple gear. The system uses Qi so it’ll work with Android too.

Hardware and design

A Modula5 Phone Pod is a 3.5 inch by 3.5 inch square. A pair of raised, rubber semicircles shows you where to aim the center of your handset. Place your iPhone here and inductive power will start flowing.

RapidX designed the accessory before MagSafe was announced, so the charger doesn’t include magnets to automatically align the handset. But it’s not really necessary — placing my iPhone on the unit always makes a wireless connection as long as it’s generally centered. And a MagSafe-compatible unit is in development.

A Watch Pod has the same general design as the Phone Pod but includes a flip-up Apple Watch charger. Like all such, it includes magnets to firmly hold the wearable and keep the charging coils aligned. It can be used with any Apple Watch version.

The only color option is black plastic. The look of the Modula5 is unobtrusive. Functional. You won‘t be embarrassed to have it in your kitchen.

Daisychaining

On the the left and right edges of both modules are connectors that allow the Modula5 units to be daisychained. There are magnets that snap the pieces together and hold them solidly. They won’t come apart casually — I can pick up one module and the magnets will support the full weight of another.

A total of seven modules can be in a chain with one power adapter. Five of these can be Phone Pods. Just remember that lengthy chains require a hefty power adapter.

The Modula5 units are relatively small, so even a daisychain doesn’t take up a huge amount of space.

Power

The Modula5 Phone Pod offers 7.5 watts of power to an iPhone 8 or newer. Androids can get up to 10W. There’s a USB-C port on the back of the unit, and RapidX includes a high-quality charging cable.

You’ll need to supply your own USB-C wall power adapter, however. I did my testing with a RapidX Mini PD 65. This can provide 65W, and has a fold-down power prongs.

The Modula5 Watch Pod provides 1.5 watts. That’s the same as the standard Apple charger for the Apple Watch.

RapidX Modula5 performance

I tested the Phone Pod with an iPhone 12. Starting with a flat battery, the handset’s battery level was at 46% at the end of an hour. During most of that time, the battery level was going up 7% every 10 minutes. That’s the same speed as other Qi-compatible wireless chargers.

Next I tested the Modula5 Watch Pod. It raised the battery level on my Apple Watch 10% in 10 minutes. That’s the same rate as the charger that’s bundled with the wearable.

RapidX Modula5 final thoughts

Families with a collection of Apple products can clear out clutter with the Modula5. The same goes for small businesses. It lets you replenish up to seven devices — iPhone, Apple Watch or AirPods — with a single power cable.

The usual alternative is mess of wall adapters and cables that looks like electric squid died on your kitchen counter.

I found RapidX’s system to be reliable and well designed.

Pricing

A Modula5 Phone Pod is $29.99 on the RapidX website. A set of two bundled with a 30W power adapter is $79.99.

The Watch Pod is $59.99. Add a Phone Pod and a 30W power adapter and the total is $99.99.

As noted previously, the standalone units come with a charging cable but not a wall power adapter. The RapidX Mini PD 65 is $34.99 on the RapidX website.

Comparable products

The Scosche BaseLynx Modular Charging System is the best direct competitor I’m aware of. It uses the same concept: a collection of wireless chargers that daisychain together. The The iPhone charger is $49.95, while the watch charger is $69.95.

It’s not modular but the Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat ($149.95) can handle plenty of Apple devices.

RapidX provided Cult of Mac with a review unit for this article. See our reviews policy, and check out other in-depth reviews of Apple-related items.

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