The Mpow iSnap X is the most popular selfie stick on Amazon with 5,645 reviews. It is the first non-sponsered option that comes up when searching “selfie stick” on Amazon. With a low price tag of $10.99 on Amazon, it’s no wonder these things sell like hotcakes. Is the Mpow iSnap X worth the hype?
How It Works
The Mpow iSnap X is a compact selfie stick that connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Simply hold the camera button for 2-3 seconds and wait for the blinking blue light. The blinking light indicates the pairing mode. Make sure to go on your phone’s Bluetooth settings and connect to Mpow iSnap X.
Once you are connected to Bluetooth, taking a picture is simple. Just go to the camera app and adjust the camera settings to your preference. Now all you have to do is click the camera icon on the selfie stick to capture pictures. If you want to shoot a video, just swipe over to the video function on your phone and press the camera icon. Press again to stop the video.
There is no button that needs to be pressed to extend the Mpow iSnap X. Just pull and extend until you have the desired distance for your photograph. The max distance you’ll be able to extend is around 3.5 feet.
The Mpow device is charged via micro-USB, located on the bottom end of the grip. I found the battery life lasted around 3-4 hours of heavy use. If you expect to use it frequently on a trip, just make sure to bring a portable power bank just in case it dies.
Durability
Durability is probably the most important quality when looking for a selfie stick. You’re going to want one that isn’t going to snap on you and drop your precious smartphone that costs hundreds of dollars.
The Mpow selfie stick features a U-shaped spring-loaded clamp to securely hold your phone. The fit is tight, which is extremely important when you are holding a $650 phone three feet above the ground. The U-shaped clamp rotates around 270 degrees, letting you find the best angle for that perfect selfie. A wrist-strap is included for extra safety.
The Mpow iSnap X has a premium feel despite the cheap price tag. The rubberized grip ensures that the selfie stick won’t slip out of your hand when taking pictures. There are also rubberized ends of the clamp to prevent your phone from slipping out as well. Even when the device was fully extended, I felt comfortable that the metal extension rod wouldn’t snap or break off at the end where the phone is attached. Peace of mind is what I need when I have my phone over a canyon taking a picture of my family.
Usage
The selfie stick has been one of the most polarizing products to become popular in the general public. Some events such as Coachella and Lollapalooza has even gone to the extremes of banning them. There is an accompanying liability when you have mass people walking around not paying attention, taking selfies of themselves with a long pole. Not to mention, there seems to be a general disdain towards people who use them, viewing them as narcissist.
I’m not a big selfie taker unless it’s for the occasional Snapchat. I used to feel the same way towards selfie sticks thinking it was stupid. After playing around with the Mpow iSnap X, I found myself having a great time taking photos. I can totally see the appeal of the selfie stick now. Photos really do come out better when you’re able to extend it a couple feet from your face. I’ve realized now that looking dumb for a couple seconds is totally worth the awesome selfie you get of all your friends.
The ease of use is a huge plus for the Mpow iSnap X. My parents aren’t the most tech saavy people on the planet. I got them a Mpow iSnap X because they go hiking every weekend and love to take pictures. It’s such a hassle to continually ask strangers to take photos of you. Those pictures usually turn out terrible. The selfie stick allowed my parents to take all the pictures they wanted of themselves, without needing the help of random strangers. I fully expect to have my texts filled with tons of pictures of them hiking all over California.
The Mpow iSnap X is able to fold into itself making it extremely portable compared to bulkier selfie sticks. In the folded mode, the selfie stick is only 7.1 inches long, which makes it easy to store in a purse, backpack, or even your pocket.
The selfie stick is supposed to fit any phone with a width of 55 mm to 85 mm. This means that any phone that doesn’t have an oversized screen should fit with ease, even with a thicker phone case such as the Otterbox. The Mpow iSnap X will fit an iPhone 7 Plus without a phone case. It gets tricky when there is a phone case on the bigger phones. I wouldn’t recommend getting this selfie stick if you have a thick phone case in combination with an oversized phone such as the S8+ or iPhone 7 Plus.
Overall
The Mpow iSnap X is the real deal and absolutely worth the hype. The most important quality when looking for a selfie stick should be durability. The Mpow iSnap X has spring-loaded rubberized clamps that fit securely around your smartphone, so can have the utmost faith that your expensive smartphone won’t slide out and smash on the ground. This selfie stick is also one of the better looking selfie sticks that I have ever seen and has a compact foldable design that can easily fit into your pocket. You can find more information about the Mpow iSnap X by clicking here.
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