UAG Monarch Mag2 review: the magnetic ring stand that finally stays put

The UAG Monarch Mag2 is the best magnetic phone grip we have tested, and it earns 9/10. It is a metal ring that snaps onto the back of a phone with magnets and does three jobs: it gives you a finger grip, folds out into a kickstand, and its outer face sticks to any metal surface. We put it up against other grips of the same kind, with and without a case, and it clearly wins on build quality and holding power.

Urban Armor Gear, the US brand best known for rugged phone cases, sent us the unit to test. It is the gunmetal version, and it has lived on an iPhone 18 Pro Max every day since it arrived. It lists for $54.95 on UAG's own store.

How it holds on to your phone

The ring attaches through MagSafe, the circle of magnets Apple has built into every iPhone since the iPhone 12 lineup so chargers and accessories always land in the same spot. On Android it works the same way if the phone has Qi2 magnets, the wireless charging standard built on that idea, or if you add a magnetic case. If you are not sure what your phone supports, our Qi2 and MagSafe explainer walks through it.

Holding power is where it pulled furthest ahead of the similar grips we tested. It holds firmly on a bare phone and on a cased one, and its magnet keeps its grip where other rings give way. That is the whole point of the accessory. A grip that lets go at the wrong moment puts the phone at risk instead of protecting it.

UAG says it is made from aluminum alloy with cast zinc parts. Retail listings put it at roughly 2.2 by 2.3 inches and 1.8 ounces. You can feel that in the hand. The materials and finish are by far the best we have seen on a grip like this.

A ring, a stand and magnets on both sides

The ring rotates a full 360 degrees, and the kickstand holds the phone upright or sideways at plenty of angles. Sideways, you can watch a video on a café table or take a video call hands-free. Upright, you can follow a recipe or keep an eye on a chat while doing something else.

The second magnet is what sets it apart. The outer face is magnetic too, so the phone can hang on a fridge, a gym machine or a toolbox while your hands stay free. UAG also built a bottle opener into the stand.

There are trade-offs. At about 0.4 inches thick, it stops the phone from lying flat on a table and makes it bulkier in a tight pocket. Because it sits where the magnets are, you have to take it off to use a magnetic wireless charger or a MagSafe car mount. It comes off in a second, but you should know before buying.

9/10: pricey for a ring, cheap insurance for a phone

We give it 9/10. It is the sturdiest magnetic grip we have used. It holds on with or without a case, it is well made, and it adds genuinely useful tricks, like mounting the phone on any metal surface, that other rings do not offer.

The price is the main thing keeping it from a perfect score. At $55 it costs a lot more than a generic ring, and it adds thickness and weight to a phone that is already heavy enough. If you use your phone one-handed, prop it up often or simply want a grip you never have to second-guess, we recommend it without hesitation. If you only need an occasional stand for videos, something simpler will do. For another everyday-carry pick, read our CUKTECH 10 Plus power bank review.