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Best accessories for your iPhone XS or XS Max

Here are the very best accessories to help you get the most from your new iPhone.
By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Contributing Writer
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Anker PowerWave 7.5 Pad

While I think that USB-C charging is the best way to charge an iPhone, wireless charging is a good way to recharge the iPhone at night, or when it's sitting on your desk.

The PowerWave 7.5 Pad features WaveBoost technology, which makes use of advanced components and a state-of-the-art cooling system to charge up to 30 percent faster than other wireless chargers. The silent cooling fan not only keeps the charger cool, but also allows the charger to keep charging at the fastest speed possible.

Charge times are also pretty good. While many wireless chargers take 4.3 hours to recharge the iPhone X, the PowerWave chargers cut that to 3.1 hours (the supplied wired charger takes around 3.2 hours), and it can recharge a Samsung Galaxy S8 in 2.6 hours (the supplied wireless charger takes around 3 hours).

You can currently save 10 percent on Anker wireless chargers by checking out the promotion over on Amazon.com and using the coupon code WIRELESS10.

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Anker USB-C In-Car Charger

Once you get used to the speed of USB-C charging, you'll want it everywhere. That will mean not only needing more USB-C-to-Lightning cables, but also chargers. And one place you'll need one is the car.

Not only can this charger be used to charge USB-C smartphones, but it will also charge bigger devices, such as the newer MacBooks.

Apple USB-C fast-charge cable
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Apple USB-C fast-charge cable

No one has the time to wait ages for an iPhone to charge up using a regular USB charger. You need to switch to USB-C to get a 0 to 50 percent charge in 30 minutes.

As much as I hate paying $19 for a cable -- $35 if I wanted to supersize up to the 2-meter version - Apple's USB-C-to-Lightning fast charge cable really is the best way to charge up a new iPhone.

Note that there are no third-party USB-C-to-Lightning cables that support fast charge (no matter what the Amazon or eBay listing says).

Anker PowerPort+ 5 Ports USB-C
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Anker PowerPort+ 5 Ports USB-C

To go along with Apple USB-C-to-Lightning cable, you need a charger capable of supporting Power Delivery.

If you have a lot of devices to charge, you need a charger with plenty of outputs, and the Anker PowerPort+ 5 is the perfect charger.

Not only does it have four 2.4A USB-A ports and a single USB-C Power Delivery port that's capable of charging the newer USB-C-equipped MacBooks and MacBook Pros, as well as the new iPhones (with a compatible USB-C-to-Lightning cable).

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Unicorn Beetle Pro Rugged Case

There's no shortage of cases out there for the new line of iPhones, but I keep coming back to the one that works for me.

Over the years I've tried a lot of iPhone cases, and settled on the Unicorn Beetle Pro. It's tough and stylish, and offered a high level of protection against both drops and the elements.

It also adds much-needed grip to the iPhone, which is about as grippy as a wet bar of soap.

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Apple Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Adapter

Apple no longer ships this dongle with new iPhones, so if you're still using wired headphones then you'll need this dongle (unless you have one from your previous iPhone).

That'll be $9.

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Moshi IonSlim 10K USB-C Portable Battery

What's the point in investing in a new slim and sleek iPhone if you need to carry around a bulky power bank to keep it going?

The IonSlim10K USB-C Portable Battery has two outputs - USB-A and USB-C that supports Power Delivery - and a 10,300mAh battery capacity that can also be used to recharge your USB-C MacBook.

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Jabra Elite 65t

It would be a no-brainer to suggest that you pair your new iPhone XS or XS Max with a pair of Apple AirPods, but to be honest they are not my favorite earbuds.

I've tried a lot of earbud-type headphones, and nothing comes close to the comfort, quality, and performance of the Jabra Elite 65t. They're great for both music and making and receiving calls, feature wind noise cancellation, and the iOS app allows for advanced features, such as allowing ambient sounds to be mixed with the audio from the iPhone.

The buds have a five-hour battery life, with the recharging case offering two more recharges. And recharging is fast, with the buds getting 1.5 hours of battery life with only a 15-minute recharge.

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Totallee Ultra thin iPhone Case

If you want a minimalist case for your new iPhone, take a look at the ultra-thin, branding-free cases from Totallee.

Minimalist design for sure, but still offering subtle protection that will keep your iPhone protected from bumps and scratches.

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SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick

Where you too cheap to go for an iPhone with more than the base level of storage capacity? Don't worry, all is not lost!

While I like the "flash drive" type accessories that plug into the Lightning port, I find the SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick to be far easier and less hassle to use. This is a flash drive - with capacities ranging from 16GB to 256GB - that has built-in Wi-Fi connectivity and battery, allowing you to access the data when you're out and about.

The drive can be recharged using a USB-A port, and can stream to three devices simultaneously.

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