Recommended hardware for your iPhone farm

Updated · iFarm 1.0

For a farm of up to 15 iPhones on one Mac we recommend three things: a Cambrionix SuperSync15 USB hub to charge and connect the phones, an AC Infinity MULTIFAN S7 USB fan to keep them cool, and a ventilated multi-device rack such as the Belkin Store and Charge Go to hold them upright with space between them. For 4 phones or fewer you can plug straight into the Mac and only need the fan and a stand.

The short list

WhatOur pickWhat it doesMaker's page
Charging and data hubCambrionix SuperSync1515 USB ports that charge and connect every phone to the Mac at the same timecambrionix.com
CoolingAC Infinity MULTIFAN S7 (AI-MPF120A2)Two quiet 120 mm fans, powered by USB, blowing across the phonesacinfinity.com
Phone rackBelkin Store and Charge Go, 10 devices, fixed dividers (B2B141)Holds phones upright in separate, ventilated slotsbelkin.com

Details below are from each maker's own page, as of November 2026. Prices and specs change, so check the maker's page before you buy. iFarm doesn't sell these products and isn't paid to recommend them.

Which setup for how many phones

PhonesHubCoolingRack
1–4None: plug into the Mac's own ports (a Mac mini M4 has 5 USB-C ports)One MULTIFAN S7A simple stand with gaps, or the Belkin rack
5–15One SuperSync15One or two MULTIFAN S7One or two Belkin racks (10 phones each)
16–30Two SuperSync15, each on its own Mac portTwo to three MULTIFAN S7Two to three Belkin racks

How many phones a Mac can run depends on its memory: about 140 MB per phone, so 8 GB runs 5–10, 16 GB runs 10–20 and 32 GB or more runs 20–30. iFarm's Health page shows the real numbers for your Mac. See how many iPhones a Mac mini can run.

Cambrionix SuperSync15: charging and connection

The SuperSync15 is a professional USB hub built for charging and syncing many phones and tablets at once. For an iPhone farm it does the two jobs a cheap hub can't do reliably: it gives every port its own steady power, and it keeps a data connection to every phone so iFarm can control it.

From Cambrionix's specifications:

What you also need:

  1. One cable per phone. The hub's ports are USB-A, so use USB-A to Lightning cables for iPhones with Lightning and USB-A to USB-C cables for iPhone 15 and later. Use data cables, not charge-only ones.
  2. A way to reach the Mac. The hub connects to the computer with a USB-A cable. Recent Macs, including the Mac mini M4, only have USB-C ports, so use a USB-A to USB-C cable or a good USB-C adapter, plugged straight into the Mac (not into a monitor or desk dock).
  3. A second hub on a separate Mac port if you go past about 15 phones.

Tip: Plug the hub into the Mac itself, not into a monitor's or a desk dock's USB hub. Those often drop the phone's data connection as soon as iFarm starts its helper.

AC Infinity MULTIFAN S7: cooling

Phones that run all day with their screens on and keep charging get warm, and a hot iPhone slows down, dims its screen and stops charging. A small fan blowing across the phones keeps them comfortable.

From AC Infinity's product page:

How to place it: lay the fans on the desk behind or beside the rack, blowing across the phones rather than at one spot. One MULTIFAN S7 covers about 10 phones. Take the phones out of their cases, keep their screens dim, and on iPhone 15 and later turn on the 80% charging limit (Settings → Battery → Charging). See keeping iPhones running 24/7 for more.

Belkin Store and Charge Go: the phone rack

A rack keeps the phones upright with a gap between each one, so air can flow and cables don't tangle. We recommend Belkin's 10-device Store and Charge Go with fixed dividers.

From Belkin's product page:

Cheaper option: for 4 phones or a tight budget, any vertical stand with slots that leaves a finger's width between phones works. What matters is the gap and the airflow, not the brand.

Putting it together

  1. Put the Belkin rack on a desk or shelf near the Mac, with room behind it for the fan.
  2. Stand the phones in the slots without cases, screens facing the same way.
  3. Plug the SuperSync15 into mains power and into the Mac with a USB-A to USB-C cable.
  4. Connect each phone to the hub with its own data cable, through the rack's cable slots.
  5. Place the MULTIFAN S7 so it blows across the row of phones and plug it into USB power. Start on a low speed.
  6. Open iFarm. Each phone should appear with a green USB tag. Follow the setup guide for the first start of each phone.
  7. After an hour of running, open iFarm's Health page to check battery, temperature warnings and how much room your Mac has for more phones.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a SuperSync15 for 4 phones?

No. A Mac mini M4 has five USB-C ports, so up to 4 phones can plug straight into the Mac with USB-C cables. Get a hub when you go past what the Mac's own ports can take.

Can I use a cheaper USB hub?

You can, as long as it has its own power supply, enough power for every port at once, and data on every port. Many cheap hubs share a small power budget between ports or are charge-only, and phones then drop off or drain while iFarm uses them. That's why we recommend the SuperSync15 for bigger farms.

Does the SuperSync15 work with a Mac?

It connects to a computer with a standard USB cable and passes each phone through as a normal USB device, which is what iFarm and Xcode need. Because the hub's host connection is USB-A, use a USB-A to USB-C cable on Macs that only have USB-C.

Is iFarm affiliated with Cambrionix, AC Infinity or Belkin?

No. These are products we recommend because they suit the job. iFarm doesn't sell them and isn't paid to recommend them. All product names are trademarks of their owners.