Twelve South ButterFly SE Review: An Extremely Portable 2-in-1 iPhone Charger

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

The Twelve South ButterFly SE 2-in-1 Qi2 Charger is a picture-perfect example of how gimmicks flourish most when they complement simple functionality. This portable wireless charger gets the fundamentals right with slick polish and a bonus configuration that lets your iPhone and Apple Watch pull double duty as clocks.

A Portable 2-in-1 wireless charger for the iPhone and Apple Watch that folds on itself to create stands for both devices.

The Twelve South ButterFly SE 2-in-1 Qi2 charger retails for $99.99 and comes in white, black, and pink colors. Each unit comes with a 3-foot USB-C to USB-C cable that matches the chosen color, but you’ll need to supply your own 30W adapter.

There’s an undeniable sense of “been there, done that” upon first using the ButterFly SE. Like many portable multi-charger units, it unfolds to expose its 15W Qi2 iPhone charging pad and 5W Apple Watch charging pad. These perform entirely as you'd expect. Like most chargers of this style, the Apple Watch pad pulls up to stand at a 90-degree angle. None of this breaks ground, but it all works.

However, it’s the sleekness and sturdy build quality of the ButterFly SE that elevates it above its many dime-a-dozen competitors. The soft finish on all its materials, flexibility of the band connecting its two charging pads, and the firmness of its magnetic clamp make the charger pleasing to use. It’s also the perfect palm-sized device to toss in a backpack without having to worry about too much space or weight. You can tell that Twelve South put a lot of thought into user experience when designing the charger.

Well, for the most part. One issue with the design—and it’s a fairly prevalent one—is that you need to use your fingernail to pull up the Apple Watch pad. It takes enough force to do so that people with fragile or long nails may risk nail damage in the process. Even as someone who doesn’t fall into either category, it’s not particularly comfortable to lift. It’s worth noting that you can lay the Apple Watch flat along the pad if you can’t or don’t want to lift it up.

The real secret sauce to the ButterFly SE is the additional ways it can be used that are enabled by the ability to clasp the external shells of both pads together. Though you can only use one pad at a time for charging when doing this, the additional use cases make up for it.

My favorite of these is using the Apple Watch pad as a portable bedside clock. The Watch is propped up at the perfect height and angle for this purpose. In a similar manner, the charger can be used to rest the iPhone in landscape mode, which also makes for a decent makeshift clock. This is particularly true given that your iPhone becomes a clock when charged in landscape mode. It’s worth noting that the angle that the iPhone rests at isn’t good for media viewing.

As an aside, the iPhone pad can also charge AirPods that are compatible with this manner of charging. It works as expected, though you probably won’t want to leave the case on there any longer than necessary as it heats up quickly. If you need to charge AirPods alongside your iPhone and Apple Watch, I recommend seeking out a 3-in-1 charger instead.

The USB-C to USB-C cord that comes with the ButterFly SE is 3 feet in length and color-coordinated with the unit. This attention to detail is once again commendable, but a shorter cord would’ve better fit the charger’s portability. I can’t really knock the device for offering “more” by way of its cord length, but at the same time I ended up opting for a much shorter one that was easier to fit into my backpack.

My real bugbear with the ButterFly SE is that it doesn’t come with the 30W power adapter required to use it. This means you’ll need to buy one separately if you don’t already own one. It’s a hidden cost that leads to a poor user experience for many customers. Check out our USB-C adapter recommendations if you're in need.

If you’re in the market for a 2-in-1 wireless charger for your iPhone and Apple Watch, the Twelve South ButterFly SE is pretty easy to recommend. It’s amazingly portable and can fold over on itself to make for a fantastic nightstand clock, both for your Apple Watch and iPhone. Just make sure you have a power adapter on hand (or if not, that you buy one alongside the charger).

A Portable 2-in-1 wireless charger for the iPhone and Apple Watch that folds on itself to create stands for both devices.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the thread below and remember to keep it respectful.

Your comment has not been saved

This thread is open for discussion.

Be the first to post your thoughts.

Sign In / Log In Nowto Start or Join a Discussion

This December, iOS 18.2 will unleash six more Apple Intelligence features.

Older iPhones are a great choice if you're on a budget.

This AirDrop killer works with anything.

I can't keep anything installed on my iPad, and I'm tired of it.

Your future self will thank you.

Get the best gaming headsets for an immersive gaming experience.