REVIEW – The Wand Company has done it again! In 2014, they released a Star Trek Phaser replica worthy of any TV or movie production. In 2016, they released an almost perfect version of the Communicator. Then, a few years later, in 2020. The Wand Company announces it is finally making every Star Trek fan’s fantasy come true by completing the 3-piece away team set for grown-up children with adult money. However, a little global pandemic in 2020 happened. Then numerous production and design setbacks, and finally, the trade war of 2025. Well, I am happy to say it is finally here. The Wand Company’s Star Trek Tricorder. And it is fabulous.
⬇︎ Jump to summary (pros/cons)
Price: $415.00
Where to buy: Amazon
What is it?
The Wand Company’s Star Trek Tricorder (TRI-function reCORDER) is a screen-accurate, 1:1 replica of the Original Series Star Trek Tricorder used primarily by Mr. Spock and Dr. McCoy. It is Starfleet’s handheld computer, commonly used for engineering, scientific, and medical purposes. It scanned, recorded, detected, and sometimes predicted, to aid the landing party in whatever way the story called for.
What’s included?
- Tricorder with Shoulder Strap
- 8 Data Discs
- Magnetic Display Stand
- Protective Carrying Case
- Lower Compartment Partitions
- USB-C charging cable
- Instructions
Tech specs
- Highly Accurate: Created from 3D scans of the last known hero prop
- Authentic Function: Seven environmental sensors, digital voice and audio recording
- High Quality: Authentic materials – machined and extruded aluminum
- Immersive Features: Dynamic ship status, authentic planet statistics, personable
- Screen: 320 x 240 pixel full-color LCD TFT (not touch-screen)
- Power: Rechargeable/replaceable 18650 Li-Ion battery
- Dimensions: 5.12 x 1.97 x 6.89 in (13 x 5 x 17.5 cm)
- Weight: 24.69 oz (700 g)
- Materials: Aluminum, plastic, synthetic leather
Design and features
The Wand Company’s Star Trek Tricorder is an almost exact replication of the last known hero prop used during the making of Star Trek: The Original Series in the mid to late 1960s. It was part of a set of props used when characters would beam down to a planet. Along with the Phaser and Communicator, the Tricorder was the necessary gear to keep the away team safe and informed while away from the USS Enterprise.
The Tricorder was also used onboard the ship for diagnosing problems with the ship, and to scan for lifeforms. It was an essential piece of equipment and always a fan favorite during and after the show was canceled in 1969.
The Wand Company took very special care to make as accurate a prop replica as they could. They used 3D scanning to capture every detail of the last remaining hero prop that survived after the production of Star Trek ended. They wanted to make sure the Tricorder they produced came out as perfect as possible.
The Wand Tricorder is made from ABS plastic and machined aluminum. The top of the Tricorder has a “hood” that pivots open to reveal a 2-in (5 cm) full-color LCD screen, 2 push buttons, a 4-way selector button, and a small speaker behind a brass grille. The screen is not touch-sensitive, as most device screens are these days. The prop used in the TV show had a static gray screen, and any images on it were done with special effects.
On the left side of the hood is a somewhat hidden micro-SD card slot that Wand says will be used, in the future, for software updates.
The lower part of the Tricorder has two compartments behind doors that open downward. The upper compartment hides eight removable data discs, and the moirè “screen” that is reminiscent of the Communicator, which has a similar design.
The data discs are a slight departure from the original Tricorder. Although there is something behind the upper door on the TV prop, its function was never explored in any episodes. Wand took some liberties with their purpose and style. Wand made each disc to be color-coded and tied to a specific function of the Wand Tricorder. With functions like audio logs, ship status, atmospheric readings, etc., the discs activate these functions on the Tricorder to make it have real-world functionality, and not just a static toy for a display shelf.
Also in the upper compartment is the moirè disc. This swirling piece of psychedelic imagery harkens back to the age when Star Trek first came out. The swirling pattern is also part of the original Communicator design, which was also designed by the same person who designed the Tricorder.
The lower compartment is mostly empty, but it looks like it has been designed for future or owner embellishment. Included in the package are three dividers that can separate the lower compartment into smaller sections. The dividers are made in such a way to house a handheld scanning device, often seen in the TV show along with the Tricorder. Wand has not released a scanner to fit in this compartment, but I’m sure some enterprising makers will be making and selling one very soon.
The Tricorder has an attached “leatherette” shoulder strap attached to its sides, just as the original had.
The back has a single screw that, when removed, allows the back to open and reveal a single Li-ion battery (18650), which is replaceable. This is a nice design feature, as the Communicator and Phaser’s batteries are internal and require almost complete disassembly to replace.
Also on the back is a USB-C port for charging the internal battery.
The Tricorder comes with a magnetic display stand that it rests upon when on display. The bottom of the Tricorder has a shallow recess to fit on the stand. The stand is made from fairly thick metal and weighs enough to help hold the Tricorder in an upright position.
Setup
After several hours of charging the Tricorder, I powered it up. After a few seconds, the first thing to set up is the current date and time, and the owner’s name. I used “Mr. Spock”. That’s all that is required at first start-up.
The Settings screen also has a few more things you can adjust, the screen’s brightness, volume level, a start-up passcode, etc.
Performance
The Wand Star Trek Tricorder is the perfect combination of obsessive attention to detail, craftsmanship, and fan service. The Tricorder just exudes quality. It feels stout, but not too heavy. It neither looks like nor feels like a toy. It’s as if retro and future tech had a baby. It brings about the same feelings I had when I first bought the Wand Communicator back in 2016. (You can read my review of the Wand Communicator here.) It feels just as it should, if the Star Trek universe were real.
The included magnetic display stand is a nice touch. It perfectly complements the display stands for the Wand Communicator and Phaser. However, the magnet in the Tricorder stand isn’t very strong, and the Tricorder can very easily be knocked off the stand. In contrast, the magnets in the other display stands for the Communicator and Phaser are very strong and securely hold them in place.
Hood
The hood of the Tricorder, located on the top of the unit, flips open easily to reveal and screen, buttons, status lights, and the speaker grille. Pressing the middle buttons starts the Tricorder, which takes a few seconds until the main screen is displayed.
The buttons are responsive and feel well-engineered. Unfortunately, maybe a little too well. As you press the buttons, located at the bottom of the hood, the hood rotates toward the closed position. I have to hold the hood open as I press the buttons.
From the main screen, you have three options: activate the selected data disc (see below), put the screen into Prop mode, or go to the settings screen (described above).
Prop mode puts the Tricorder into a state that mimics the way the Tricorder was displayed on the TV show. A blank gray screen. In prop mode, pressing another button changes the lights’ colors and such.
Data discs
Under the hood, in the upper compartment, there are eight data discs that are removable. The data disks are machined aluminum and labeled/color coded for their assigned function. The discs are kept in a little rack within the upper compartment, and are removed by pressing them to release them, and then can be pulled out, one by one. The level of engineering here is very impressive and satisfying.
Each disc has a different color and function. Each is labeled with the corresponding function it invokes. Think of them as old-school floppy discs on 1970s home computers. Pop one in to run a program, and put in another to run a different program. The disc in the right-most slot is the function the tricorder will run. These functions can also be run from the Settings screen, but it is much easier to remove them and pop them into the “run” slot. There are nine functions, yet only eight discs. The Engineering function does not have a corresponding disc. It is run from the Settings menu only.
The 9 functions are described here:
- Status: displays the Tricorder’s status (battery level, internal temperature, and other info. You can also see the status of the USS Enterprise. Things like dithium crystals, shields, and hull integrity.
- Planetary: shows images and facts of the planets and some moons within our solar system.
- Logs: An archive of every Captain’s and ship’s log from the TV episodes. All 233 of them! Also, the ability to record six personal logs of up to 30 seconds each.
- Archive: images shown on the Tricorder screens during episodes. Does anyone remember “The City on the Edge of Forever”? Jim, Edith Keeler must die…
- Orientation: A compass done Star Trek style.
- Atmosphere: Displays real-world temperature, relative humidity, and barometric pressure.
- Radiation: Detects and displays electromagnetic (EM) radiation, such as from electrical wires.
- Audio: An ambient audio analyzer.
- Engineering (no disc): An internal Tricorder system diagnostic and display function.
Here is a gallery of the individual screens for each function (click on each image for a closer view):
An issue I found in the Logs function was when recording personal logs. If the upper compartment door is open and the moirè disc is spinning, the recording would have noise in the background from the moirè disc motor. Not a huge issue, as it is easily solved by closing the upper compartment’s door before recording.
Another small issue is that the rightmost button on the hood takes more effort to press than the other two buttons. Again, not a huge issue, but I’m sure it wasn’t designed that way.
Final thoughts
If Star Trek is an obsession of yours, as it is to me, the Tricorder is a must-have purchase. It’s not a cheap toy, but a museum-quality prop replica, and its price confirms that. Originally announced to cost about $350.00, the tariffs in 2025 put the final price at $415.00. I had waited nine years after the Communicator’s release and five years after its announcement for the final piece of the away team set. I wasn’t going to let the cost keep me from buying it. The Wand Company’s Star Trek Tricorder is my 56-year-long answer to this fan’s prop trifecta.
What I like about The Wand Company Star Trek Tricorder
- An exact replica of the original prop
- All the nostalgia
- Obsessive attention to detail and craftsmanship
- Functional data discs
What needs to be improved?
- One button is finicky
- The hood is a little too loose
- Moirè disc motor interferes with recordings
- Expensive (but worth it – IMO)
Price: $415.00
Where to buy: Amazon
Source: The sample of this product was purchased by the reviewer. The Wand Company did not have a final say on the review and did not preview the review before it was published.
