Defined Corp’s Dome ($99) was first introduced on Kickstarter and is now shipping to the general public. The dock/stand is designed to hold and charge an Apple Watch and iPhone simultaneously. A minimalist circle dock, Dome is made from anodized aluminum. It does require a bit of assembly to properly fit an Apple Watch charging cable and/or Lightning cable, but Dome does support Nightstand mode for Apple Watch, and it offers iPhone case compatibility, as well. Dome comes in silver, black, gray, gold, and rose gold.
Dome is about 4.75” in diameter, and it’s shorter than an inch in height, making for a small overall footprint. Setup does require a bit of work, so make sure you know whether you’d rather keep your Apple Watch docked in Nightstand mode or lying flat when it’s docked. If charging normally, the Apple Watch’s charging puck is placed in the center of Dome and the bottom is screwed back on. An adapter is included for Nightstand mode purposes, and sticky foam discs are used to keep the charging puck in place. Lightning cable insertion is more straightforward. The included tool — a thin hex key which is also used to remove the small screws on the bottom of Dome — is used to keep the cable secure.
Dome’s base lets users wrap both Apple Watch charging cable and iPhone cable around it in order to reduce cable length. Which is nice, but you’re still going to have two cables poking out from the bottom of the dock if you’re planning on charging both Apple Watch and an iPhone. Charging works fine for both devices — we were able to dock even an iPhone 6s Plus with a case. However, there’s no support for the iPhone, which is only supported by the Lightning connector. And we know that’s a big issue for some users. We definitely don’t suggest using Dome to charge any iOS device larger than an iPhone.
Dome is an attractive, minimal dock that can charge two devices at once. It’s also expensive, considering that it doesn’t come with any cables. The aesthetics of a low, lightweight aluminum disc may be somewhat offset by two cables poking out of the back, as well. While Dome is more affordable than something like Belkin’s Charge Dock, it’s not as much of a complete solution, and it doesn’t feel as sturdy, either. Griffin’s WatchStand is similar to Dome — and notably cheaper — but lacks the refined presentation of Defined’s effort here. Overall, Dome settles in as a decent option in between those two offerings.
Our Rating
Company and Price
Company: Defined Corp
Model: Dome
Price: $99
Compatible: Apple Watch, Lightning-based iPhones
