Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand & SPC Battery Strap: An Honest Review

Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand and SPC Battery Head Strap Review – Introduction

Let’s get straight to the point – if you’re keen on having your headset look sleek on your desk while ensuring it’s always charged for quick use, this product might be just what you need. Here’s the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand Review.

Now, let me briefly share my thoughts on this product. The main goal of the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand is to improve how your headset presents itself on your desk (or anywhere you want to place it) and ensure it’s always fully charged, encouraging more frequent use. Right from the start, I can affirm that it does a pretty good job in that. What’s more, it’s not limited to just holding your headset (which can be any headset, not just the Quest 3) but can also accommodate your headphones and more.

And there’s also Kiwi Design’s new SPC Battery Head Strap. Essentially, it’s their classic and top-tier battery Head Strap for the Quest 3 but has now been upgraded with Single Point Charging (SPC) to complement their RGB Vertical Stand seamlessly. This addition is important, as without it, the Stand has one noticeable problem – but more on that later.

So, how do their new products function, what issues might they have, and are they worth considering? This review will provide all the information you need.

Hey, short disclosure here: Kiwi Design provided me with both RGB Vertical Stand and SPC Battery Head Strap, but had absolutely no input on this review. All opinions are my own.

Unboxing and Installation

As is usual in my reviews, I’ll begin with the unboxing and installation of the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand and their new SPC Battery Head Strap.

I must say, both products feature distinct packaging compared to Kiwi Design’s previous offerings. This difference could be attributed to their Vertical Stand being a “Made for Meta” product, motivating the company to pursue the best and most premium appearance for the packaging.

Until now, all Kiwi Design products came in simple, wooden-like colored boxes adorned with the Kiwi Design logo. The new packaging has it as well, but now it also features a full sleeve, similar to what we’ve seen on the packaging of products like Quest 3 or Quest 2. But yeah, we could talk endlessly about the box, however, the most important thing is what lies inside, right?

While the SPC Battery Head Strap is packaged similarly to other Kiwi Design head straps, the RGB Vertical Stand is quite different. Inside, we will find numerous components of the stand that need to be assembled, which is quite understandable considering the complex design of the product in contrast to Kiwi Design’s previous offerings, such as head straps or controller grips, which are relatively simple in terms of construction.

When I began unpacking the components of the stand from the box, my initial reaction was, “Oh wow, this thing is heavy!” The weight of some components is necessary to make the whole Stand stable and steady, so it shouldn’t be a surprise, but it still gave me the feeling that I am holding a premium product, not something cheap.

The installation process is quite straightforward, taking just a minute or two. You’ll need to connect a few parts, locate the two USB-C ports (one for connecting the stand to power, the second for charging the headset), and voila – you’re ready.

Appearance

Now, before delving into the actual usability of the RGB Vertical Stand, let’s discuss another compelling aspect of this product – its aesthetics and appearance.

I must admit, before getting the RGB Vertical Stand, my Quest 3 and Quest 2 were simply lying on my desk or the shelf next to it, without any sense of order. I think many of you find yourselves in a similar scenario. While it may not be essential to have your headset look good when not in use, if you appreciate maintaining a clean desk, I believe this Stand performs well.

It comes in an all-black color scheme (which, in my opinion, is the ideal color for such a product). As the name implies, it also features RGB lights, which, combined with the black color, give it a stunning appearance both during the day and at night.

Just below the section of the stand that supports the front of your headset, you’ll find three buttons: the power on/off button (specifically for the RGB lights, not the charging function), and the left/right buttons, functioning as switches for various RGB light options. You have a range of choices, from light blue, purple, yellow, or red to a dynamic color-changing setting. While more of a gimmick than a necessary feature, it significantly enhances the stand’s aesthetic appeal.

The Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand also includes an anti-slip mat, ensuring that your headset stays securely in place during charging and preventing it from slipping out of the stand, if such a situation would appear in the first place.

Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand also accommodates your controllers and various other items, providing excellent organization for your headset and your desk or any preferred location for the stand.

Usability

However, the standout feature of the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand is its charging capability, significantly reducing the effort needed to use the headset. I keep the headset almost always charged on the stand, allowing me to pick it up, put it on, and launch a game in a matter of seconds. Literally.

It was so mind-blowing to me how this product minimizes friction. I was used to either turning off my headset by holding the power button for several seconds (resulting in a minute-long wait for the headset to turn on) or leaving it somewhere and then putting it on only to discover it had 30% battery and an update. Now, it takes me five seconds to put on the headset and launch the game with a full 100% battery.

Furthermore, another excellent feature of the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand is its capability to store various other devices, such as headphones. If you are using on-ear headphones with your Quest, you can simply place them on the stand, and they will fit perfectly.

The Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand is compatible with the three main Quest headsets available. I tested it with Quest 3 and Quest 2, and it worked seamlessly on both headsets. Additionally, it is compatible with Quest Pro, as it is “Made for Meta,” meaning it has official authorization from Meta for use with their devices. However, I am not sure about compatibility with other standalone headsets like Pico 4, as I don’t have one and couldn’t test its performance.

However, I encountered one issue with this stand – it cannot charge the battery head strap simultaneously with the headset. While this isn’t a problem if you have Quest’s stock fabric strap or just an elite strap without a built-in battery, it becomes an inconvenience if you do have such a strap, as you’ll need to charge it with a separate cable. I don’t want to nitpick about minor issues, but dealing with an additional cable for the head strap was a bit troublesome, even though it doesn’t significantly detract from the overall product experience.

However, this problem is addressed with Kiwi Design’s latest product – the SPC Battery Head Strap.

Kiwi Design SPC Battery Head Strap

While working on this review, Kiwi Design reached out to me and introduced their new Battery Head Strap designed to complement their RGB Vertical Stand perfectly. This head strap addresses the issue with the stand I mentioned earlier, though not entirely.

But first, let’s discuss the Head Strap itself. The SPC Battery Head Strap is essentially Kiwi Design’s Battery Head Strap for Quest 3, with a slight modification in the USB-C cable to offer Single Point Charging. I reviewed Kiwi Design’s Battery Head Strap for Quest 2 a while ago, and, in my opinion, it still stands out as one of the best (if not the best) head straps available, particularly if you enjoy fast-paced games that involve a lot of head movement, as its stability on your head is unparalleled.

Their new SPC Battery Head Strap is no exception. It provides significantly improved comfort, especially for those going from the stock fabric strap, along with outstanding stability, balance, and extended battery life. I managed to gain an additional 3 hours of playtime while playing Asgard’s Wrath 2, and the head strap’s battery proved to be powerful enough to keep my Quest 3 charged. With the built-in battery of the Quest 3, I could enjoy a continuous 5-hour gaming session, which should meet the needs of the majority of Quest 3 users.

Now, aside from its role as a Battery Head Strap, what other functions does it serve? Its primary purpose is to complement Kiwi Design’s primary new product – the RGB Vertical Stand. As mentioned earlier in the review, my main issue with the Stand was the inability to charge my existing Battery Head Strap while simultaneously charging my Quest 3. This is a feature present in Meta’s Charging Dock but was lacking in Kiwi Design’s Vertical Stand.

However, with the SPC Battery Head Strap, this problem is, well, partially resolved. If you have an SPC Battery Head Strap and the stand, then everything works as intended. The head strap and Quest 3 are charging simultaneously, and everything is great. However, what if you have a Quest 2 or any other third-party Battery Head Strap? Then you are limited to the RGB Vertical Stand functionality, which only allows you to charge the headset.

And don’t misunderstand me here. Most of the time with the RGB Vertical Stand, I used it without the SPC Battery Head Strap, so I needed to charge my battery head strap with a second USB-C cable. Despite this problem, I still loved the stand. It was effective enough to noticeably minimize the friction of grabbing my headset, and it looked very premium on my desk. So, it was still doing its job almost perfectly.

Safety – Can Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand Damage your Quest 3?

This is likely the question on many people’s minds before even considering buying this product. Kiwi Design claims that the RGB Vertical Stand features high-quality circuit boards and safe charging, which, based on my two-month testing period, I believe to be true. I often left my Quest 3 charging on the stand for the entire day and night, and it was never overheated or damaged.

However, there is no electronic device that can guarantee zero charging problems. With this in mind, I would advise against leaving your headset charged for the entire day and night. Whenever possible, unplug it when fully charged. You don’t need to worry about battery drain when the headset is not charging and not in use – Quest headsets are optimized to be in sleep mode rather than fully off, and the battery drain is very, very slow, trust me.

How long does it take to charge your Quest 3?

Throughout my testing, the KIWI Design RGB Vertical Stand always took around 3 hours to charge my Quest 3. The SPC Battery Head Strap also took about the same time, though it could be a bit longer. It charges with 12V of power, which is a few volts lower than using Quest 3’s dedicated charger. This could be a concern if you’re looking to quickly jump into the headset, but in my case, the headset was charging for 3 hours while I was engaged in other activities, so it wasn’t a big issue for me.

Is it better to buy Meta’s Charging Dock or Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand?

Now, there’s another product that essentially replicates the functions of the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand and offers additional features, and that’s Meta’s first-party Charging Dock for Quest 3. If you own a Quest 3, you might be aware of the three-pin wireless charging point located under the front of your headset, designed for wireless charging capabilities. As you’ve gathered from this review, Kiwi Design’s RGB Vertical Stand doesn’t utilize these three pins. Instead, it relies on USB-C charging, akin to the approach taken by other third-party “charging dock” devices for Quest headsets in the past.

The charging port of Kiwi Design’s stand consists of two pieces: the longer one is attached to the stand, and the second one is connected to the headset. Both parts are magnetically linked, enabling wireless charging for the headset. However, when you remove the headset from the stand, the second part of the charging port remains connected to the headset through a USB-C port.

This could be an issue if you are using a Battery Head Strap (except for an SPC Battery Head Strap from KIWI Design, it is built to work with the Stand of course) or any other accessory that relies on a USB-C connection during gameplay, as you will always need to disconnect the USB-C charging part from the headset whenever you take it from the Stand.

Meta’s Charging Dock utilizes the three pins under the headset for charging, eliminating the need to disconnect accessories from the headset before starting the charging process.

Meta’s Charging Dock also charges your controllers, a feature not present in the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand. Nevertheless, this isn’t a significant concern for me. In over two months of owning my Quest 3, I’ve only had to change the controller batteries twice. Hence, while controller charging is convenient, it’s not a crucial factor for me in minimizing the friction of using the headset.

Meta’s Charging Dock also charges your Battery Head Strap, but only if it’s an official Meta accessory. Similarly, the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand has this capability, but it’s limited to Kiwi Design’s compatible headstrap. So, we encounter a similar situation in both products.

However, Kiwi Design has a significant advantage over Meta’s Charging Dock, and it’s a substantial one – the price. Meta’s first-party accessories come with exorbitant prices. Both the Charging Dock and Battery Head Strap from Meta are priced at $130 each, making the combined cost $260 if purchased together.

Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand is priced at $80, but with a limited-time deal of 25% off, it comes down to $60. This is already more than half the price of Meta’s Charging Dock. Additionally, Kiwi Design’s new SPC Battery Head Strap also costs $80 and is currently off down to $70. If purchased together, you will pay $160 (or currently $130, as there is another sale if you buy two together). The simple point is, that you’ll pay much less for Kiwi Design’s offering than for what Meta offers.

Conclusion and Score

I can confidently affirm that the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand is an excellent product. It significantly reduces the friction of using the headset to nearly zero, enhances the aesthetics of your setup, and contributes to better desk organization. When paired with the Kiwi Design SPC Battery Head Strap, it seamlessly charges both the head strap and headset simultaneously. The only drawback I can identify is that it doesn’t charge your controllers. However, for me, this isn’t a significant concern, given the infrequent battery changes required for Quest 3 controllers.

I highly recommend both the Kiwi Design RGB Vertical Stand and the SPC Battery Head Strap – they work with each other perfectly. Kiwi Design’s Stand is a premium product compatible with Quest 2, Quest Pro, and Quest 3. The new SPC Battery Head Strap offers one of the most comfortable and stable experiences for your Quest 3, making it an ideal addition to minimize friction and enable simultaneous charging of both the headset and the head strap.