The Peak Design Mobile Tripod is designed for use on mobile phones and mounts via magnetism. It can mount directly onto iPhones with MagSafe technology built-in, or via one of Peak Design’s mobile cases or the Universal Adapter. It’s handy for supporting your phone in portrait or landscape orientation, whether you’re capturing an image or watching Netflix.
Our Verdict
Forget the cheap plastic stands and fiddly phone clamps you see on sale in tourist shops and everyone’s favourite online retailer. The Peak Design Mobile Tripod is a high-quality product that’s sleek and well-made. Granted, its anodised finish shows signs of wear after a few weeks’ use, but it’s so slim that you’ll see no reason to take it off, and it stays attached well, so it’s always ready to support your phone in landscape or portrait orientation.
If you buy the Peak Design Mobile Tripod, people will ask you about it when you pull your phone out. The next time you see them, they will have one too.
For
- Easy to attach and remove
- High quality build
- Slim profile and no need to remove
Against
- More expensive than many other mobile tripods
- Anodised finish wears off quickly in places
- Short, fixed-length legs
What is the Peak Design Mobile Tripod?
Specification
- Product type: Tripod for mobile phones
- Materials : Machined and anodised aluminium body and legs, silicone mounting pad with Tinuvin 770 UV-stabiliser, PVD coated stainless steel hardware, high-temp neodymium mounting magnets, moulded TPU anti-slip, vibration-damping feet
- Compatibility: MagSafe iPhones, MagSafe cases including Peak Design’s Mobile Case, Peak Design Universal Adapter
- Dimenions: 9.7cm x 5.5cm (3.8″ x 2.2″) Thickness (bottom) 4.75mm (0.2″) Thickness (top): 7.5mm (0.3″)
- Weight: 76g (2.68oz)
Features
Peak Design’s Mobile Tripod was developed by engineers who also worked on the popular Peak Design Travel Tripod, which gets our vote as the best travel tripod around.
Designed specifically for mobile phones, the camera we never leave home without, the Peak Design Mobile Tripod folds down to a thickness of 4.55-7.5 mm, so it slips into your pocket along with your phone. It’s thickest at the bottom with the ball head.
Peak Design’s magnetic attachment, SlimLink, snaps onto the back of your phone or its case if it’s MagSafe-compatible or a Peak Design Case. It mounts around the centre point of the phone and can support the phone in portrait or landscape orientation.
When not in use, the tripod folds flat, resembling a 4.55-7.5 mm-thick black pack measuring 9.7cm x 5.5cm – about the size of a credit card. It can sit on the back of the phone, ready for when you need it. When you want to use it, you just need to pull the three legs away from their surround so they pivot on the built-in micro ball head.
A tool is provided in case the ball head tension needs to be adjusted. This simple tool sits neatly on the tripod’s centre leg and is held in place by a magnet.
Build and handling
Peak Design has a good reputation for the craftsmanship of its products, and the Mobile Tripod doesn’t disappoint in that respect. It’s made from robust, machined and anodised aluminium, which feels great, but it weighs 76 g (less than 3 oz).
The magnetic attraction between the tripod and a Peak Design Case or a MagSafe phone or other MagSafe case is also strong. It means the tripod snaps onto the phone with a satisfying clunk.
In addition, the legs are tipped with vibration-dampening TPU feet that give grip when you want to pull the legs out for action and on the surface the tripod is to stand on. The legs can be splayed like a regular tripod or positioned to make a single kickstand.
Performance
The Peak Design Mobile Tripod does its job brilliantly. It fits so neatly onto an iPhone that I rarely remove it and it’s always ready to support my phone.
Naturally, Peak Design is very keen for the Mobile Tripod to be paired with one of its Mobile Cases, but it can be used directly on MagSafe phones such as the iPhone 13 Pro or 14 Pro. However, the magnetic attraction is stronger with a case, and the tripod is less likely to slip across the surface.
Although Peak Design supplies a tool to tighten (or loosen) the movement of the ball head, I’ve only really needed to use it once or twice. The mechanism isn’t prone to slackening off significantly.
However, the black anodised coating starts to rub off the edges around the leg housing and the bottom corners after a couple of weeks’ use. It doesn’t affect the performance of the tripod, but it doesn’t look as smart as it did on day one.
After dropping my phone flat onto tarmac with the Peak Design Mobile Tripod facing down, I discovered that the magnet that holds the tool in position had come loose and wouldn’t stay put in its hole. A dab of glue resolved the issue, but the magnet doesn’t sit as flush as it should. Fortunately, Peak Design’s products come with a lifetime guarantee.
Verdict
The Peak Design Mobile Tripod is a winner for anyone looking for some support for their mobile phone, either for photography or to give a more comfortable viewing experience. Its magnetic SlimLink attachment is convenient, snapping onto the back of your MagSafe-enabled iPhone or case. It’s highly portable and folds down neatly to slip into your pocket with your phone.
Its build quality is solid with machined and anodised aluminium ensuring it will last. However, it’s not without its minor flaws. The black coating tends to wear away at the edges, and I had an issue with the tool magnet after a tumble. That said, Peak Design’s lifetime guarantee comes to the rescue.
In a nutshell, if you’re looking for a mobile tripod that’s extremely convenient, impressively designed, and always ready when you are, the Peak Design Mobile Tripod takes some beating.