Patriot Memory’s Fuel iON Magnetic Charging Case ($80) for iPhone 6 comes with a charging pad for wireless magnetic charging. Unlike a few other magnetic charging cases we’ve seen in the past, Fuel iON is not a battery case. It simply uses the magnetic connection on the back of the case to link to the pad for easier charging. Fuel iON isn’t a very protective case — it lacks button coverage, has two other gaps near the bottom of the case for phone removal, and only the top and bottom of the case feature a slight lip that would offer any screen protection.
The appeal for the case comes from its affordable, easy charging system. In addition to the case and charging pad, Fuel iON’s package comes with a headphone port extension and a micro-USB cable for supplying power to the charging pad.
Like we’ve seen in battery cases, it’s easy to install an iPhone 6 in Fuel iON using the sliding Lightning connector. Slide the connector down, put the phone in the case, slide it back up to connect, and you’re good to go. The case does add a bit more thickness than some users may prefer.
We found the magnetic charging didn’t affect the iPhone’s charging speed; the iPhone 6 charged in about the same time as it did during our initial test of the device. The magnetic connection was strong, and charged the phone fully with no issues.
But the question is: how much easier is it to put your phone on a magnetic pad, as opposed to just plugging it in? For those users who constantly find themselves unplugging and plugging their iPhones at night, it could be useful, but for others, it seems like a luxury — especially considering there’s no extra battery or other attractive features incorporated into the purchase.
Patriot Memory’s Fuel iON magnetic charging solution for iPhone 6 is a rarity thus far, but it comes with some compromises, most notably the lack of an included battery, and the case itself, which adds thickness and isn’t much more protective than a shell. Fuel iON does work well, and we also received a charging car mount ($50) from the company, so there’s at least one more accessory within the system that works with the case.
