Peak Design Car Vent Mount review: Adjustable but sturdy

A vent mount that really works.

Car vent mounts never work so well, and phones wobble. With the new Peak Design Vent Mount, you don’t have to worry about that.

Car phone mounts with suction cups or sticky pads are clunky and fiddly, and air vent mounts are no better. If you’re looking for a rugged phone mount for your car, one with optional wireless charging, MagSafe, and hassle-free, look no further than the new Peak Design Car Air Vent Mount.

This is not your typical vent mount. Peak’s solution has a unique two-part blade clamp and hook to securely attach to two vent blades, making it incredibly stable and you’ll love the results.

What is in the box

The Peak Design vent mount is quite expensive, starting at $64.95 for the regular model, or you can spend $99 for the wireless charging stand we’re using, but it comes with everything you need.

In the box, you’ll find the main phone holder body, swivel arm, and magnetic mount head, all assembled and ready to use. For those wondering, it’s made from high-quality machined/anodized aluminum and high-temperature neodymium magnets that work great with MagSafe.

If you get the wireless charging car vent mount, it will also come with a fast-charging 12V charging port plug, a 1m USB-C to USB-C cable, and three small convenient cable clips for a clean installation .

Installation and adjustability

We are all familiar with installing car phone mounts. Most use a suction cup which is often impossible to mount due to all the textures, fabrics, and curves on many car dashboards. Or add a permanent 3M adhesive somewhere, which often has the same problems as a suction cup.

Between the textured dash of my Toyota Tacoma and the hot 115 degree summer months in Las Vegas, nothing works. The vent mounts are not stable enough and cover my vents which is obviously not ideal. And in some states, windshield mounts are illegal.

Fortunately, the Peak Design Car Vent Mount solves all of those problems in one easy-to-use design. Plus, it’s highly customizable thanks to being able to rotate 360 ​​degrees, so you can position the mount and your phone away from AC vents to maintain airflow.

Installation is easy. Turn the round rotary knob at the center front of the stand to line everything up. Then behind it is an extendable hook. Fully extend the hook, then place it on a ventilating sheet. Below the hook is the typical rubber alligator clamp that slides over the vent blade, which is also adjustable to fit a wide range of vehicles.

Slide the clamp into place on one vent sash and turn the knob to tighten the hook to a second sash. The result is a secure fit that won’t budge like most vent braces. Be sure not to overtighten the hook as this could damage the breather. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to adjust the ventilation much once installed.

From here, you adjust the mounting arm and magnetic head where you want it and snap your phone into place. It is easy. Unfortunately, due to design, it only works with standard air vents that have straight horizontal or vertical blades. Will not fit select newer vehicles with round, curved or slimline vent openings.

Stable, robust and optional wireless charging

Our vehicle only has three vents and it fits very well. Honestly, this is possibly one of the best vent mounts I’ve tried. Once you snap it into place, the entire device is exceptionally strong and you don’t have to worry about it coming loose or your phone bouncing around while you’re driving.

Press materials claim that it is “strong and stable enough for off-road driving”, and I am happy to confirm that this is the case. I take my 4×4 truck up some gnarly off-road trails in the Nevada desert, and the Peak Design vent mount handled it all like a champ. And yes, the magnets are incredibly strong for those who have never tried Peak’s mobile system, so your phone won’t fall off either.

You can choose between a normal magnetic model or wireless charging. And while comfort is great, my only real complaint is speed. Depending on your phone, the wireless output is 5W/7.5W/10W/15W, which is technically classified as fast wireless charging.

And while wireless speeds are faster than most competitors or regular Qi chargers, my Galaxy S22 Ultra was still pretty slow. I guess I got around 9-10 W, but the phone screen never said “fast wireless charging”. It wasn’t all that fast.

Still, wireless charging is great for those who don’t want to have to plug in a cable every time they get in the car. Now all I want is for Peak Design to make this same mount with a clamp head for everyone who doesn’t have a magnetic case or new iPhone.

Should you buy one?

Peak Design’s Car Air Vent Mount is the first one I’ve ever used that gives me the confidence that my phone or mount won’t go flying off. Honestly, I hate air vent mounts because they are usually wobbly, covering up my air conditioner, or making the phone too hot during the winter.

This vent mount has none of those issues and it fits better than anything I’ve tried. Should you buy it? Absolutely. It works great and is built to last.

You don’t have to worry about suction cups and adhesives causing damage or coming off, and with the 360-degree adjustable arm, it’ll work anywhere. If you’ve been looking for a better car phone vent mount, this is the one to buy.