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The Mars Docking Station is an affordable Lightning dock with a built-in FM radio and alarm clock. It’s made by budget radio brand Majority, whose products are designed in Cambridge, England. It is compatible with Apple products that use a Lightning connector rather than the older 30-pin connector. Let’s see what it can do…
Features
- Lightning dock
- 3.5 mm aux-in for connecting a non-Apple phone or MP3 player
- 8 W speaker
- Dual alarm (lets you set two independent alarms)
- Dimmable LCD screen
- Plugs into the mains using a 240 volt plug, and can’t be battery powered
Dimensions: 19 cm wide x 11.8 cm deep x 8.4 cm high
Weight: 540 g
Compatibility
The Mars Docking Station is only compatible with Apple products that use a Lightning connector. This includes the iPhone 5, 6 and 7 as well as the iPod Touch 5th and 6th Generation. It’s not compatible with older iPhones like the iPhone 4, or with other brands of phone such as Samsung, except by connecting it via the aux-in port to play music.
Using the docking station
The docking station is easy to use, though you need to remove your phone’s case to use it. The Mars Docking Station can be used to charge your phone and play music stored on your phone or streamed from the internet.
Pros
- Small and compact—a good size for a bedside table
- Low price
- Display can be dimmed
- Decent sound quality for the size and price
Cons
- You need to take your phone’s case off
- Display is still quite bright even on the lowest setting
Verdict
The Mars Docking Station
Similar docking stations
If you’re willing to spend more money to get better sound quality, you should consider the AZATOM Home Hub. It has a good amount of bass and an adjustable EQ so you can get the sound you want. It’s one of the most popular Lightning docks in the UK at the time of writing.
For more docking stations to consider, check out our roundup of the best iPhone docking stations under £50.
The Mars Docking stiaton instructions are just about the worst, most incomplete and confusing I have ever used. Would love to find a clear English version.