Charging my Apple Watch 6 is as much a part of my daily routine as making my bed every morning. That’s because the smartwatch can only go about 18 hours (occasionally a full 24, depending on use) before needing juice.
As long as I’m home or sleeping in the same bed every night, keeping my Apple Watch powered up is an easy task. I charge it a little before I pass out, so I can use the Apple Watch sleep tracking feature. If needed, I top it off in the morning before my workout.
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But what if I don’t have a charger handy? While I usually have an iPhone cable tucked into my backpack for my iPhone 12 Pro Max, spare Apple Watch cords are sparse. It’s also less likely a friend or relative has one handy if I visit their house and forget mine.
You can find a USB port just about anywhere, though. That’s why when I stumbled upon this Newdery portable Apple Watch charger on Amazon, I coughed up $10.
I’m usually a little wary of random, third-party Apple accessories — especially ones with mixed reviews. Some shoppers seemed impressed by the convenience of this keychain-friendly gadget, while others complained it didn’t meet expectations.
So I set my expectations low. Maybe it’s good I did, because this little charger has impressed the hell out of me. And it’s already paid for itself by helping me maintain my cherished movement streak when a dead battery placed it in jeopardy.
I, like many other Apple Watch users, am adamant about closing my activity rings every day. I take extra walks at odd times of the day if it means meeting my goals. I stand up and swing my arm around at the dinner table if, yes, it means I bank my hourly minute. You don’t need to tell me it’s extra — I hear it from my family enough.
In fact, it’s when I was staying with my parents that my accessory came in clutch. Somehow an Apple Watch charger didn't make in overnight bag. I didn't realize until towards the end of the day, when my smartwatch met me with the dreaded "10% battery remaining" message.
Coming up empty in my search around odd drawers in my old bedrooms, and still an evening walk away from closing my move and exercise rings, I started to panic. That is, until I remembered I had a backup attached to my keyring.
Not knowing the battery status of the charger itself, I plugged its USB-A port into compatible wall adapter. I then rested my Apple Watch on top of the base, and sure enough it gave me enough power to get through the rest of the day.
Now it definitely doesn't charge an Apple Watch as fast as the charger that comes in the box, or any Apple-certified cord. But it suffices in a pinch. My Apple Watch went from about 10% to 40% in about an hour.
In situations where I don't have a wall adapter, this accessory can charge my Apple Watch independently, too. It's perfect for topping off a day trip, especially if I left home at a lower battery level than usual.
Again, you won't get as fast a charge as you would with a standard charger. But if you often find yourself in search of an extra Apple Watch cord or can't stand the thought of a dead battery ending your activity streaks, consider adding this $10 puck to your keychain. Or you can wait to see if the Apple Watch 7 gets a battery life boost, I guess.
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