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Nomad's Wireless Hub charges 5 devices at once

Multidevice charging hubs are all the rage. Nomad's new one incorporates a wireless charging top with four ports.

David Carnoy Executive Editor / Reviews
Executive Editor David Carnoy has been a leading member of CNET's Reviews team since 2000. He covers the gamut of gadgets and is a notable reviewer of mobile accessories and portable audio products, including headphones and speakers. He's also an e-reader and e-publishing expert as well as the author of the novels Knife Music, The Big Exit and Lucidity. All the titles are available as Kindle, iBooks, Nook e-books and audiobooks.
Expertise Mobile accessories and portable audio, including headphones, earbuds and speakers Credentials
  • Maggie Award for Best Regularly Featured Web Column/Consumer
David Carnoy
2 min read
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Nomad's promotional image for the $80 Wireless Charging Hub (its nice, branded cables aren't included).

Nomad

With homes filling up with mobile devices that constantly need charging, more accessory companies are releasing "charging hubs" that allow you to charge multiple devices at once. Some of the latest ones, like Nomad's Wireless USB Hub ($80), incorporate a wireless charging top along with multiple charging ports that allow you to connect various charging cables.

Nomad's wireless charging component has a maximum output of 7.5W, which makes it compatible with Apple's fast wireless charging feature once Apple enables it (currently Apple caps it at 5W). However, you can wirelessly charge Android devices using the full 7.5W.

The Hub has three USB A ports (one a high-output 2.4A for charging tablets), as well as a single high-speed 3A USB C port that can be used to charge a Nintendo Switch.

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My real world test was a little uglier. Shorter cables would help tidy things up.

David Carnoy/CNET

Nomad doesn't throw in any cables, which is kind of a shame, but ideally you'd use shorter ones to avoid the picture above.

From its promotional materials Nomad makes it seem like you can create a neat and tidy setup (I suppose it's possible), but my real-life charging scenario turned into a bit of an unruly mess. That caveat aside, all the devices did manage to get charged up at the same time.

Here are the Nomad Wireless Hub's key specs:

  • Charges 5 devices simultaneously
  • Max output of 30W
  • Qi-enabled wireless charging top has max output 7.5W
  • USB C Port: High speed 3A output
  • USB A Ports: One high-output 2.4A and two standard 1A USB ports (designed for Apple Watch, AirPods, or wireless mice)
  • LED charge status indicators
  • 1.2m cable from wall power source
  • Price: $80
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The Nomad Wireless Hub's underbelly and ports.

David Carnoy/CNET