Cooler Master’s Duo Dock and Stand for iPhone and iPad – Review
Style and functionality are necessary for a mobile accessory to be interesting. A company could release the most stylish-looking dock but if it isn’t functional then it is waste of time, and vise versa.
Cooler Master’s new Duo is a new dual iPad and iPhone dock that impressed us from the moment we first saw it at Engadget+gdgt Live in San Diego.
The name Duo is used to describe a dock and stand combination that comes in a two-in-one package. The iPhone dock portion of Duo slides under the iPad stand when not in use due tothe curved body of the iPad Stand.
Cooler Master’s Duo costs about $49.95. The Duo’s concept is interesting and impressive, but does it perform well enough to justify the price? Let’s take a closer look:
The iPad stand for Duo works best for standing an iPad or other tablet at a specific angle. Due to the dual-purpose arch of the stand, your iPad or Android Tablet is fixed at about a 70 degree angle.
Keep in mind that the Duo was designed for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th generation iPad and iPad mini models. Some Android tablets also fit in Duo perfectly like our Nexus 7.
Duo’s dock and stand are made of aluminum and rubberized material. So the tablet you use with the stand will be protected from scratches. There is also a rubber grip material at the bottom of the stand to keep the tablet in place.
The stand is wide enough to hold an iPad or our Nexus 7 with a semi-thick case on it and still have a nice hold.
The stand and dock also feature a cutout in order to access your iPad and iPhone home buttons, a good extra feature.
A feature Cooler Master unfortunately skipped for the iPad stand is charging cable support. However, you could turn your tablet upside down or lay it on its side for charging.
The materials used for Duo are sturdy and have a nice grip. Unfortunately, the rubberized material also seems to catch a lot of dust and lint which is a small nuisance to an otherwise exceptional design for Duo.
The iPhone dock portion of Duo comes nestled into the bottom of the iPad stand with rubber grips to keep it from slipping out too easily.
The iPhone dock is designed to support all current generation iPhone models including the iPhone 5’s lightning cable and the old 30-pin cable. The dock also allows you to use the headphone jack while your iPhone is docked.
Underneath the dock, Cooler master included a nice cable management system. The bottom of the dock also has four rubber feet grips to keep it from moving unnecessarily.
In order to dock an iPhone, the user must snake a cable through the dock and “snap” it into place. We wish Cooler Master included a cable in the box as most users only have the one they get with their devices.
The inserted cable will securely hold your iPhone in place but it does not allow much room for a bulkier case like our NuGuard KX. Thinner cases like a bumper case will work just fine with the dock.
The top of the dock also has two cutout sections – one for the iPhone and the other for your other small accessories.
Overall, the Duo’s design is impressive. It might have been better if Cooler Master included a cable support opening below the stand. Although a tablet can only be used in portrait or landscape mode at a very specific angle, it never really bothered us
Cooler Master’s Duo is a great dock and stand combination for a reasonable $49.95. It will last long and can support future iPhones that use the lightning cable easily.
Duo offers style and functionality in one sturdy package, and is easily a recommendation for those looking for a great desk setup for their mobile devices.
Specs:
- Height: 5.83 in./14.8 cm
- Width: 2.8 in./7.1 cm
- Depth: 4.72 in./12 cm
Pros:
– Excellent materials and design
– Reasonable Price
– Cable management and extra accessories cutout.
Cons:
– Cooler Master does not include an extra data/charging cable
– No charging port cutout for the iPad stand
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