We all love our AirPods, and for good reason. They have unbeatable sound quality, they look cool, and they’re durable as well.
The case that AirPods come with is an added bonus – not only does it keep the actual earbuds clean and safe, but it can charge them too, thereby extending the listening time of your AirPods by allowing you to top-up their battery life on the go.
Of course, you have to charge the case as well before you leave the house – obviously! But how you charge the case has changed.
Apple now offers two different options when it comes to cases: the classic lightning cable which plugs into the bottom of the case and charges it via a wired connection, and the MagSafe case, which allows wireless charging by just placing the case on a charging dock.
So if you’re in the market for a new set of AirPods, and you can’t decide which case to go for, we’ve taken a look at both options to help make the decision easier!
Table of Contents
MagSafe vs Lightning – The Main Differences
Now I’ll break down the main differences between these two cases, looking at the pros and cons of both, price differences, and if there is a clear and obvious choice when it comes to which case you should buy.
Charging the Case
Let’s start with the obvious difference first – the MagSafe case can be charged wirelessly! You’ll need a MagSafe charging dock or any other Qi-certified wireless charger.
To use it, you can simply place the charging case face up (status light facing up) on the dock. The magnets in the case and on the dock will hold the case in position to ensure continuous, uninterrupted charging.
When you first place the case on the MagSafe dock, the status light will turn on briefly to show that charging has been initiated, and then it will go blank for the duration of the charging.
If you don’t have a charging dock, or it’s broken, or you’re away from home and didn’t bring it with you, you might be thinking there’s a huge problem – how will you charge your case? Well, the MagSafe charging case can also be charged via a lightning cable!
When it comes to the standard lightning cable charging case, the only option you have is to use the cable! It’s simple and easy, and it’s the way we charge most things (at the moment!), so there’s really nothing wrong with it.
Just bear in mind that the main difference here is the option to charge either wirelessly or wired that you get with the MagSafe case. The lightning case is still fine, it’s just limited.
Charging Your AirPods
Now we know the differences in cases when it comes to charging them up – but how do they work when your AirPods are inside them and charging?
Well, exactly the same as each other, in this instance! Once your case is charged, either partly or fully, whether it’s MagSafe or lightning, it will charge your AirPods exactly the same way as any other AirPod case.
The means by which the case can be charged has no bearing on how it then delivers that charge to your AirPods. So if you thought either case was going to charge your AirPods faster and that was going to factor into your decision, then disregard it!
When it comes to charging your AirPods, both the MagSafe case and the lightning case will work exactly the same.
Charging Speed
So what about charging speed? Does a wireless connection offer any advantages when it comes to how long you’re going to have to wait for a fully charged case?
Well, unsurprisingly, MagSafe wireless charging is actually slower than a wired connection. Compared with other wireless charging systems available, MagSafe is a faster option, but because there is no actual physical contact between charging prongs, wireless charging is generally slower than using a lightning cable.
Of course, if you have a MagSafe case, you have the option for either charging method. If you’re in a hurry and need to charge up before you leave, you can use a lightning cable. Charging overnight? Stick it on the MagSafe dock!
Battery Health – Something to Note
Another thing worth bearing in mind, though not strictly related to charging speed, is that a MagSafe (or any wireless charging device) charging mat creates more heat than traditional wired charging.
While many perceive the slower charge rate as a benefit in terms of battery health, the excess heat generated by wireless charging can negatively impact the lifespan of your AirPods Case’s internal battery.
Though the impact may be minor, and some dispute that it does more damage than other poor charging habits, be prepared to replace your devices sooner if you consistently use wireless charging!
Price
And finally, let’s take a look at the price difference between a Lightning AirPods Case and a MagSafe AirPods case.
All in all, there’s not much difference. As you can see using this comparison tool on the Apple site, there’s only a ten-dollar price difference between the MagSafe charging case and the Lightning charging case.
In my opinion, that’s totally worth it, and it seems like a no-brainer to give yourself more charging options for an extra ten bucks!
Final Thoughts
Really, the only difference between a MagSafe case and a Lightning case is the option to charge wirelessly if you’d like. It’s not an enormous plus, but it’s definitely a benefit. And for only an extra ten dollars, it’s totally worth it (in my opinion).
Also bear in mind that you can get MagSafe charging cases for different devices, including iPhones and Android cell phones, so once you’ve got the charging dock, you can charge loads of things without having to plug them in!
