I am somewhat of an accessory hoarder: for me, it’s never enough, and in my quest for a perfectly ordered desk, I can go a bit too far. It’s not surprising, then, that from the moment I saw the Journey ALTI wireless charging mat, I needed to try it. I did, and here’s what I’ve found.
The price
Let’s start with the obvious — the mat is not cheap. It’s $129.99, which makes it one of the most expensive mats I’ve seen. It’s also not that big, so I can understand those who might get scared by the steep price. But there’s a catch (a good one): this mat also charges your devices. There are two wireless charging pads capable of charging your iPhone and earbuds at the same time. Now, consider the price of a 2-in-1 charging pad, and the price starts making sense. It’s still not cheap, but Journey is not a cheap brand — for a reason.
There are two sizes you can choose from. The ALTI setup has a desk with a length of 28.7 inches (73 cm) and a depth of 14.6 inches (37 cm). The ALTI SLIM setup has a desk with a length of 28.7 inches (73 cm) and a depth of 11.8 inches (30 cm).
Read also: UGREEN 145W Power Bank review: the one power bank to rule them all
The feel
The mat comes in a neat, tidy package and includes the mat itself, a charging pad, and a charging cable (USB-C). The mat has two surfaces: a vegan leather surface on one side, and a soft felt surface on the other side. I prefer leather: it’s durable and is not afraid of spills. In fact, I spilled my drink soon after getting the mat. It survived.
Like it often happens, the mat came to me rolled into a tube to save up space. Despite this, I had no noticeable wrinkles after unfolding it. The others, though, weren’t so lucky, so there’s that.
Read also: Curve Flex + HoverBar Duo review: perfect companions for remote work
The clever idea here is the charging part that attaches to the mat magnetically. How is it that it’s 2023, and I am still amazed by magnets? Anyway, it’s neat. Two wireless charging surfaces are great for charging your phone and your earbuds. It helps to get rid of those pesky wires and works flawlessly. The MagSafe charging puck packs some punch, too: it works even on my phone with a non-MagSafe cover. Even though it’s more of an Apple-centric accessory, it should work well with every device.
There’s also a secret place to hide your documents between the two fabrics. Very smart and tidy.
Verdict
The Journey ALTI wireless charging mat is pricy — too pricy for the most. But is it worth it? I’d say yes. The quality, the attention to detail, and just the overall smart design impressed me to no end. And after more than two weeks of heavy use, I see no signs of wear. But if you have no devices that support wireless charging, it’s an overkill. It’s still expensive, mind you, but this is a luxury item, after all.