I finally found the perfect 3-in-1 chargers for my Google Pixel devices

Since the launch of the first Pixel Watch, I’ve been keeping my eye on Amazon, AliExpress, Etsy, and various accessory makers’ sites to see if any of them would release a wireless charger that fits my Pixel phone, Watch, and Buds Pro, but it was slim pickings out there. It’s just not easy to find good 3-in-1 chargers for the Pixel ecosystem, similar to the hundreds of options available for Apple’s devices. For a while, the only choice was a Wasserstein unit with a fixed USB-C port that you had to slide the phone into, which, based on my experience with similar stands, was bound to either break or break my Pixel’s charging port at some point.

Then Google switched from wireless charging on the original Watch to the four-pin system on the Watch 2 and 3, and we were back to square zero. Accessory makers had to rethink their chargers again, which delayed the arrival of good 3-in-1 options even further. I kept my eyes open, though, and saw a few no-name options pop up here and there, but nothing looked good enough. That is, until a few months ago when I landed on SwanScout’s new releases.

The company makes a lot of chargers, including 3-in-1 models for Google’s ecosystem, and some specifically for the Pixel Watch 2/3. Two of these caught my attention, the 708G2 and 710G2, and after using them for the past month, I can tell you they’re perfect — or nearly perfect — for any Pixel lover.

The simpler and more portable of the two chargers is the SwanScout 708G2 ($42.97 at Amazon). It’s made of matte slate grey sturdy plastic with a shiny iridescent black front. That front plate is a 10W wireless charger that’s good enough to top up my Pixel 9 Pro XL at night (or at a desk). Obviously, the charging speed isn’t fast enough if I need a quick power boost before walking out the door, but when I have a few hours anyway, like when I’m sleeping, it’s nice to prop the phone on there and not fiddle with wires.

I’ve found that it works well for me as a bedside charger because I don’t have to worry about unplugging and replugging my phone if I wake up at night or someone calls me early in the morning.

The main wireless plate lifts to become a free-adjusting stand and reveal a secondary, smaller 3.5W wireless pad for earbuds, which has worked well for my Nothing Ear and Pixel Buds Pro and Pro 2 whenever they needed a quick boost. And finally, there’s a third element that flips from behind the main pad, rotates, and reveals a 2.5W Pixel Watch 2/3 (or Fitbit Versa 3/4 and Sense 1/2) charger with the famous four POGO pins.

My first experience with the watch element wasn’t the best because I missed the fact that it doesn’t just flip, but also rotates to a horizontal position. I’d kept it in the diagonal position (left pic below), so my Pixel Watch 3 would attach magnetically, but it wouldn’t charge every time, and it felt finicky and unstable. Sometimes, charging would immediately start when I put the watch on it; other times, I had to lift and drop my Watch 3 several times to get the charging animation to show up. And when I didn’t pay attention, I happened to walk away a few times and leave the watch for an hour without getting a single percent of charge. Yikes.

After reaching out to SwanScout to ask what’s up, they reminded me to make sure I rotate the charger to its horizontal position (right pic above), which ensures the watch stays still. D’oh. The company also explained that because of the slim design and the need for this charger to tuck away behind the main wireless pad, it had to use slightly shorter metallic pins, which is why they don’t work just as well when the watch isn’t perfectly aligned with them. This also explains the need to give it a good head start by opting for the horizontal position.

Ever since I rotated the watch charging pad to a more horizontal position, I haven’t had any charging mishaps with my Watch 3. I top it up daily while I get ready, and it’s full when I take it off the charger.

Beyond the fact that it’s a good 3-in-1 charger that supports all my Pixel gear, what I really like about the SwanScout 708G2 is how neat it looks on my bedside table. I’ve moved from a loose USB-C cable to charge my phone — and occasionally my buds — and a messy Pixel Watch 3 charger that always makes the watch fall on its screen (if you know, you know) to a single unit and no loose wires. Only one USB-C cable plugs into the back of this charger.

Better yet, I can make this as compact as I want, dropping the main pad to transform it into a flatter charging mat, or even collapsing the watch charger to become a single and straightforward wireless charger. This has made it perfect for travel and sleepovers, too, instead of carrying and leaving multiple chargers and wires on my hotel’s or host’s bedside table.

To be honest, though, I’m looking forward to future iterations of these chargers, as SwanScout learns to miniaturize the tech further and opts for more streamlined designs. I’ve seen some excellent travel-friendly 3-in-1 Apple chargers, like Anker’s MagGo UFO 3-in-1 ($89.99 on Amazon), Belkin’s 3-in-1 Qi2 travel pad ($134.99 on Amazon), or Mophie’s 3-in-1 travel charger v2 ($149.95 on Amazon), and the SwanScout 802G2 looks huge and clunky in comparison. To be fair, it’s more meant as a desk charger than a portable one, and it is significantly cheaper, but it doesn’t mean the company gets a blank pass. It should look for more ways to either make this more compact or make a different model specifically for travel.

If you ask me, the first thing I would take out is the unnecessary clock display at the bottom, which bulges out of the unit. Pixel phones, and most modern phones, have an always-on display that can show the clock even when the phone screen is off, so having an extra clock here is a redundant waste. At least you can dim it or completely turn it off, which is what I did. On the upside, I do like the three green indicators that confirm I’m actively charging a phone, a watch, and a pair of buds. But they’re so faint that it’s impossible to tell which is which.

So, SwanScout, take out the unnecessary clock and the three buttons to set it up, keep the indicators and make them more visible, and see about creating a more travel-friendly version of this charger, and you’ll have a perfect unit that I’d recommend with my eyes closed. With the Pixel 10 series also rumored to get Qi2, faster wireless charging on the central pad is another must-have. It doesn’t necessarily have to be magnetic, but I wouldn’t say no to that.

As it stands, though, and at a very realistic retail price of $42.97, often discounted with extra coupons, the SwanScout 708G2 ticks many boxes for Pixel fans like me who own the Watch 2 or 3 and want a more streamlined charging setup for all their gear.

Moving on to the SwanScout 710G2 ($45.95 at Amazon), this is a larger and more powerful 3-in-1 wireless charger for the Pixel ecosystem. The unit is matte black from the front, white on the back, and you’ll immediately notice the biggest difference here: two large wireless pads instead of a large one and a smaller one.

Both have a 10W output, so they can top up two Pixels (or any two other phones with wireless charging) at the same time. This makes the unit much more versatile and more suited for shared rooms instead of bedside tables or personal desks. I’m using mine in the kitchen now, where both my husband and I can plop our phones to charge when needed. Once again, not fiddling with wires when my phone rings while I’m chopping onions or wearing oven mittens is a huge perk. And the stand aspect is nice to keep the phone propped up while we video chat with our parents and friends.

The 2.5W watch charger props up from the back, and there’s no fiddling here. It just locks horizontally, and I haven’t had any issues using it with my Pixel Watch 3 besides always trying to figure out which direction to place it in (crown inward, in case you’re wondering). Once the magnets align, though, it locks in and tops up my Watch 3 or my husband’s Versa 2 when needed.

The entire stand folds flat, but the feature is not optional in the 710G2’s case because it’s essential to charge wireless buds. Due to their small size, most buds like my Pixel Buds Pro 2 and Nothing Ear weren’t tall enough when standing to reach the bottom charging coil on the mat and wouldn’t top up. But once I folded it flat, I was able to align my buds perfectly with the coil and they instantly started charging.

This feels like a bit of a compromise on the 3-in-1’s usability, since you can only charge your phone with your buds when it’s flat, not your watch, but it’s not something I’ve needed in the last month or so. When you consider that earbuds don’t need daily top-ups and that this is a charger meant for communal areas more than personal spaces, you understand why. In my kitchen, I have more need to charge two phones and a watch than a phone, a watch, and a pair of buds. (The latter are often topped up at our desks because that’s where we use them.)

While that design quirk is not a dealbreaker for me, there are two other changes I’d love to see in future iterations of the SwanScout 710G2. For one, the clock display is not needed for the same reason I mentioned with the 708G2. I’d rather have a small flip-up plastic that holds the phones in stand mode and folds flat in pad mode. The charging indicators are nice, but once again, I’d rather the symbols were easier to read.

And finally, I’m really not a fan of the USB-C cable sticking out from the side in stand mode. It just ruins the charger’s aesthetic and forces me to leave several empty inches next to it, so I can’t put it up next to a wall for example. The USB-C port’s position is essential for flat-pad use, though, so I wish SwanScout offered two port options. One at the back when the charger is standing, one at the side or top when it’s lying down. That’d be more versatile.

And finally, I really wish the next version evolves with the Pixel 10 series and offers faster wireless charging, potentially with some magnets to help align phones better, even if I didn’t have any trouble aligning my phones on the stand.

Despite coming with a 30W USB-C charger out of the box (unlike the 708G2, which doesn’t have any), and offering a faster second pad, the SwanScout 710G2 is surprisingly just as affordable as the 708G2. I’d gladly pay $45.95 for the convenience of having a wireless charger in my kitchen or living room that looks nice and is this versatile, but there are often coupons and discounts that drop the price lower.

If I had to choose one of these, I think the SwanScout 710G2 is the more interesting proposition, especially since it has the charger out of the box and can handle two phones simultaneously. The 708G2 is better if you live by yourself or want a bedside charger with a more compact footprint.