iPhone MagSafe Car Mount and Desk Stand Review – ESR HaloLock

by Robb Sutton
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A little while back, ESR sent over their MagSafe compatible iPhone car mount and desk stand. The term HaloLock is because it isn’t an officially licensed “MagSafe Product”. What does that mean? They don’t pay Apple to use their branding and you can’t buy it at Apple stores. You can only buy these on their website or online on Amazon. Before we get into what I thought about the combo, let’s look into the specs.

ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Car Mount

HaloLock™ Magnetic Wireless Car Charger Mount for iPhone 12 and 13

  • ONLY FOR IPHONE 12 and 13: Designed exclusively for the iPhone 12 and 13 series phones compatible with Magsafe, HaloLock iPhone 12/13 cases, and official MagSafe iPhone 12/13 magnetic cases. Not compatible with non-magnetic cases.
  • SECURE MAGNETIC ATTACHMENT: Powerful HaloLock magnets lock onto your iPhone 12/13’s built-in magnets for a secure hold even through the roughest terrain.
  • STABLE & ADJUSTABLE: Rotate between portrait and landscape mode or any angle in between. A lockable clamp keeps your iPhone 12/13 firmly in place.
  • 7.5W FAST CHARGING: Supports 7.5W fast wireless charging for the iPhone 12/13. NOTE: Fast wireless charging requires an adapter or USB port that supports 18W PD/QC fast charging.
ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Desk Stand

HaloLock™ Adjustable MagSafe Compatible Wireless Charging Stand

  • MagSafe-compatible ring provides easy place-and-go wireless charging compatible with the iPhone 12/13 series; requires a caseless iPhone 12/13 or a HaloLock/MagSafe-compatible magnetic case
  • 4 stable pivot joints let you adjust the stand to your most comfortable angle
  • Raised stand keeps your phone closer to eye-level for comfortable and ergonomic viewing
  • Powerful built-in magnets securely hold your phone in place even when it vibrates
  • Quickly and easily rotate from portrait to landscape or anywhere in between with a 360-degree ring of magnets
ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Car Mount

The HaloLock MagSafe iPhone Car Mount

There are two versions of the car mount. There is the vent mount as you see in this review and the suction cup mount that is also available. They use the same HaloLock mount on both with different arm configurations.

The installation in my F150 was obviously very easy. I have really tall vents that lend themselves very well to mounts that use this mounting solution. The clip goes on one of the vents and the support stand leans against a vent of the plastic at the base of the vent. You then have a ball mechanism that attaches tot he HaloLock plate that allows you to adjust the viewing angle and then tighten it down to stay put. After that…connect a USB cable to the bottom and you get wireless charging.

ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Car Mount

The ESR HaloLock iPhone Car Mount Review

So after several months worth of use, what did I think of the ESR iPhone car mount? Let’s get into it.

ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Car Mount – The Good

Keeping to our normal format here at Robb Sutton…let’s get into what I liked about the mount first before we address the other side of things.

Ease of Use

The installation, adjustment and daily use of this mount is great. I rarely have to adjust the mount. It stays put and as long as you tighten the rear mechanism correctly, it doesn’t sag or have to be readjusted. When I get into the car, I just slap the iPhone 12 Max up there and I am ready to drive.

I have used a lot of mounts in the past that would sag over time or require a lot of readjusting so it was nice to have a secure mount that can hold the heaviest phone Apple has to offer.

ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Car Mount

Wireless Charging and MagSafe

It is great that it charges your phone and the MagSafe compatible magnet is strong enough to know that your phone is secure enough. As long as you have a fast charging compatible port (I do in my F150), you get fast charging while you drive. That is a great feature…but…

I don’t have wireless car play in my truck. I end up plugging my iPhone in and then using the ESR stand as just…a stand. I did test the charging feature and it works perfectly. I really need to get a wireless CarPlay adapter like you can find on Amazon so I don’t have to worry about that anymore.

The MagSafe magnet also worked great with the bare phone as well as with a MagSafe case. I felt a little bit more secure with the case as it is the silicone Apple case that provides more grip to the mount. That said…it worked great with the glass on the back of the bare iPhone.

Price

At just under $40, it is cheap in the world of iPhone accessories. When you look at the version from Belkin (same price but no wireless charging) and some others that are MagSafe compatible…the pricing is great.

ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Car Mount

ESR iPhone MagSafe Car Mount – The Bad

Now let’s get into the dark side of things and I’ll tell you what I didn’t like about the mount.

It can shake on the dash

I really expect this out of just about any vent mount as the surface that they mount to moves. You can see the phone shaking as you drive unless you are on a super smooth highway or not in a lifted truck like I am. It isn’t a huge deal…but it is there.

Part of the reason for this is because the mount does stick out farther from the vent than some others. That is down to how the mount is designed. But…I gladly give up some of that to have a mount that doesn’t sag or move over time so it is a trade off that works.

ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Car Mount

It is a LARGE Mount

The mating surface/puck of the HaloLock is large. If you are looking for something that is lower profile when you are using it…this isn’t it. ESR did a great job of minimal branding and neutral colors to try to make it less obtrusive but you can tell it is there.

The other part about having a larger mount is that it blocks more of your air vent when not in use. When I am using it with my phone, it covers the entire vent. That is not a knock against this mount as that is true of any vent mount. It is a trade off for having your phone at that level and easy to mount.

ESR HaloLock Magsafe iPhone Car Mount

Overall Thoughts on the ESR MagSafe Mount

It’s staying in my truck. That is actually a lot to say if you know me. I am very particular and picky about car accessories and modifications. This fit the bill for me on several fronts.

  • It was a secure fit that doesn’t require tape or some other more destructive/permanent fitment.
  • It isn’t attached to my glass. I can’t stand anything in my field of view. I don’t know how people drive around with stuff hanging from their rear view mirrors.
  • It is fast charging for when I finally upgrade to CarPlay through a wireless connection.
  • It isn’t overly priced.

The small things I don’t like about it doesn’t matter much in real world use. They are aspects I need to point out as there is nothing that is perfect but that is just life.

ESR also sent over their desk mount that features everything I said above but on my desk. That is where I actually use the wireless charging feature and it is great to have a mount that I can keep my phone in view while I am working. It keeps it centered in either portrait or landscape positioning. If you are looking for an option for your house, you can expect the same performance I mentioned above out of the surface stand solution.

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