Patriot FUEL iON Magnetic Charging S4 Case and Stand Review

1. Introduction, Specifications, Pricing & Availability
2. A closer look, What's Hot, What's Not & Final Thoughts

TweakTown's Rating: 91%

The Bottom Line

As long as you're a fan of the Patriot FUEL iON Magnetic Charging S4 Case and Stand design, this extremely handy and sturdy product will become an invaluable investment.

Introduction, Specifications, Pricing & Availability

The product in this review is the actual back panel case and stock stand that comes as a package, the whole Patriot FUEL iON series features a plethora of different charging accessories which I will be releasing in future reviews, however, this specific review will cover the case which you need to install in order for any of the accessories to be functional.

There is certainly a wide range of Samsung Galaxy S4 cases available these days. Does the magnetic charging function help set it apart from the rest enough to justify the purchase? Read on to find out.

Specifications

This back panel will completely replace the standard Samsung Galaxy S4 offering, connecting to your device through two little metal prongs that stick into an awaiting socket on the inside of the device. This connection is then wired to a strong magnetic backplate connection on the outside of the cover, helping you securely fix your device onto any metal object.

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Thanks to the magnetic connection, you can charge your device at any angle (as long as the connection is continued), meaning that there is no issue of cables or sockets breaking when plugged in and removed.

The stand itself outputs a 1A 5V charge rating, weighs in at 0.33 lbs and measures 3.1" (D) x 2.2" (W) x 4.1" (H). The solid base features a large non-slip rubber surface and gathers its electrical output through a regular micro-USB cable input. I have also tested this product with third-party cables with success.

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If you're worried about safety, the charging stand has in-built surge protection and provides charging speeds exactly as seen through a direct cable-to-phone connection.

Pricing & Availability

The price-point for phone cases is always a very argued talking point. There's a plethora of random import cases that can be bought off various websites and local market stalls for next-to-nothing, however, for something of great purpose and quality, I think the $49 with free shipping price listed on Amazon is a reasonable.

What's in the box?

Featuring an extremely simple package containing a user manual, charging cable, charging stand and the case itself, the product as a whole is very well presented and looks neat.

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If you're wanting to pack up this product and send it to a mate, you should really just forget it. It's not always that you're going to be putting technology products back into their box, this is one of those that doesn't fit back easily at all.

PRICING: You can find the FUEL iON Samsung S4 Magnetic Wireless Charging System for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The FUEL iON Samsung S4 Magnetic Wireless Charging System retails for $49.09 at Amazon.

Australia: Find other tech and computer products like this over at PLE Computer's website.

Canada: The FUEL iON Samsung S4 Magnetic Wireless Charging System retails for CDN$77.54 at Amazon Canada.

A closer look, What's Hot, What's Not & Final Thoughts

Touch and feel

The case feels quite nice to the touch and has a very solid backbone, but as some Amazon user reviews point out, it's a little disappointing that there is only one design option available. I'm not always a big fan of the 'front flap' as seen on this product, alongside many other phone owners requesting use of heavy duty or waterproof cases only. Unfortunately, there's only one option available here, so it must suit your style and needs to be of use to you.

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All ports available on the phone have plenty of clearance and the case doesn't hinder use whatsoever. For those not used to the front flap, you're likely to hate it at first (as did I), but after a while to really grows on you.

The case I used before this was a $2 one that I bought off a Chinese website. It was made of silicon and only covered the back of the case. Now after using this offering, I doubt I could go back.

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As for the charging stand itself, it's extremely solid and has a firm grasp on the micro-USB connection that provides it with power. If you're not interested in displaying your phone vertically, you can turn it to face horizontal - the power of magnets!

Further Analysis

The magnetic connection is extremely strong. You can hang the phone off the stand and shake it without worrying about a disruption of charge - sitting your phone on top of your car comes as a surprise at first too as you hear the 'clunk' of a solid connection. However, as solid the connection may be, it's still easy to remove when needed.

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I've been provided with two samples and sometimes there are small issues with the front flap not closing completely at times. This means that your phone is going to lock and unlock as the flap moves. Maybe it needs to be stretched a little, I'm not exactly sure.

I think the price is perfectly justifiable as long as you like the case design. This thing is extremely useful, solid, well-built and with a few accessories, invaluably handy. I can't believe I haven't heard of this product before, there's no way I'll go back to a normal case now. If you're 'over' the magnetic charging ability or forget the accessories, you can still use a cable connection as per normal.

What's Hot

Sturdy: This case will provide some good protection for your fragile Samsung Galaxy S4.

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Easy to use: Simply replace your existing back cover and you're good to go.

Strong connection: The magnet has a very solid connection to the base - or any other metal object you wish.

What's Not

Only one design: If you're not a fan of the design, you're out of luck as it's the only model available for this phone. Patriot does provide different cases for different phones, all with a very similar design, however.

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The case doesn't always close properly: Sometimes your phone will lock and unlock while sitting on your desk because the front flap hasn't closed securely.

Final Thoughts

If you're a fan of the case design and have $50 spare to spend on a technology accessory, I really can't think for a reason as to why you shouldn't get one of these for yourself.

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The stand itself makes for extremely easy charging and removes the broken cable and socket issues that has plagued everyone since the dawn of the iPhone. The solid connection also means you can view your phone at whatever angle you wish.

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PRICING: You can find the FUEL iON Samsung S4 Magnetic Wireless Charging System for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.

United States: The FUEL iON Samsung S4 Magnetic Wireless Charging System retails for $49.09 at Amazon.

Australia: Find other tech and computer products like this over at PLE Computer's website.

Canada: The FUEL iON Samsung S4 Magnetic Wireless Charging System retails for CDN$77.54 at Amazon Canada.