With the release of the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus, Apple now supports Qi-based wireless inductive charging on its latest phones, and that means charging pads have quickly become a popular accessory.
Apple's favored partners for wireless charging pads are Mophie and Belkin, and Apple is carrying a $60 charger from each company in its own online and retail stores. But there are lots of other options available on the market, and we've had a chance to try out a number of them, so we're rounding them in this guide, which we'll continue to update going forward.
One thing to note is that Apple's new iPhones currently support 5-watt inductive charging, but the upcoming iOS 11.2 update will raise that to 7.5 watts for faster charging.
In practice it's not a huge difference in speed, and many users may not even notice it considering how easy wireless charging makes it to keep your phone topped off, but it's worth keeping in mind that some wireless chargers only support 5 watts while others support the upcoming 7.5-watt standard and even higher 10-watt or 15-watt capabilities seen on some other devices.
The glass backs on the new iPhones are incredibly slippery, and many users have reported their phones sliding out of alignment with wireless chargers due to vibrations from notifications. I've even seen my iPhone X slowly slide out of position on chargers simply due to a desk surface not being completely level.
I do use my iPhone X with Apple's leather case, which provides significant extra grip compared to a naked phone. Most of these chargers also have some sort of non-slip ring or full surface to help mitigate the issue, but it's something to be aware of if you don't like to use a case on your phone.
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Mophie
- Wireless Charging Base ($59.95) - This is one of the "Apple-approved" options, supporting up to 7.5 watts for full compatibility with the new iPhones. The round puck-shaped charger comes in black and includes a proprietary one-piece power adapter/cable combination that plus into the rear of the charging pad. It has a fairly bright white LED that comes on while your phone is charging, but its placement under the front edge of the charger means it's not too distracting in dark rooms. Overall this is a nice option, but it comes with a hefty price tag. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 44%)***
- Charge Force Wireless Charging Base ($39.95) - This rectangular charging pad has been around for quite a while as part of mophie's charge force series of wireless charging cases, which I've used on my iPhone 7 Plus for nearly a year. It's a nice, slim form factor that matches that of an iPhone, so it doesn't take up extra space on a desk or nightstand. The charge force base and cases include magnets that keep things aligned for optimal charging, but this obviously won't help with any of the new iPhones that have the wireless charging built in. On the downside, this pad only supports 5-watt charging, and while it comes with a short micro-USB cable that might be enough to reach a nearby computer or dock on a desk, it doesn't come with a power adapter and many users will find they need a longer cable. Fortunately, micro-USB cables are easy to come by. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 39%)***
- Charge Force Powerstation ($99.95) - This is an interesting option that combines a 10,000 mAh external battery with built-in Qi inductive charging, so you can recharge your new iPhone on the go without a cable. Like the charge force pad, the powerstation uses magnets to help align phones with compatible charge force cases, but you won't have that luxury with a bare iPhone. That makes it tricky to use on the go unless you can set it down on a surface while charging, but that might work for a lot of people. The powerstation also includes a USB-A port to support wired charging, and you can in fact charge two devices at same time -- one wireless and one wired. A one-meter USB-A to micro-USB cable is included to recharge the powerstation through its micro-USB port and to power micro-USB devices from the battery's USB-A port. I haven't seen the powerstation's wireless charging wattage specified anywhere, but in my testing it's on par with or even a little faster than other chargers rated at 5 watts. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 40%)***
Belkin
- BOOST?UP Wireless Charging Pad ($59.99) - Like the mophie wireless charging base, Belkin's charging pad is an "Apple-approved" accessory, supporting up to 7.5 watts of charging power. Its white color stands out among most of the other black options, and at 4.5 inches in diameter it's quite a large charger. A small green LED near the edge of the charging surface lights up when charging, and the chargers uses an included proprietary power adapter/cable. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 40%)***
RAVPower
- Fast Wireless Charger for iPhone 8, 8 Plus, X ($49.99) - RAVPower is a popular charging accessory brand, and the company's fast wireless charging pad is a black, 3.5-inch diameter puck that offers up to 10 watts of charging power, although iPhones will obviously be limited to 5 watts for now and then 7.5 watts once iOS 11.2 launches. At $50, it's a little cheaper than the mophie and Belkin options, but still near the high end for these chargers. On the plus side, everything you need is in the box, including a 24-watt adapter and a high-quality 1-meter braided micro-USB cable. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 38%)***
Anker
- PowerPort Qi 10 ($25.99) - This charging pad is about as small as it gets, coming in at roughly 3.25 inches square and only a quarter of an inch thick. A series of blue LEDs around the edge light up when you place your phone on the charger, but they quickly go out and so are not disturbing. The pad supports up to 10 watts of charging power, and it comes with a 3-foot micro-USB cable but no power adapter. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 41%)***
- PowerPort Wireless 5 Pad ($23.99) - This is a pretty straightforward mid-size round wireless charging pad. It's a little under 4 inches in diameter and has some fairly small Anker branding on the charging surface. There's a small blue LED near the edge of the top surface that lights up for a few seconds when the pad is plugged in and then shines solid when your phone is on the charger. The light blinks if a poor charging connection is detected or if an overheating condition develops. This is only a 5-watt charger, but in practice the speed difference is pretty minimal. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 42%)***
- PowerPort Wireless 5 Charging Stand (unavailable) - This is currently my favorite stand style charging pad. It's a simple plastic stand with some Anker branding on the rear support, and it has a small blue circular LED that lights up only your phone is charging. The stand has two charging coils built into the rear support, offering flexibility in size and orientation of phones used with it. As a result it can charge your iPhone not only upright in portrait orientation but also in landscape, which is handy for watching videos. This is only a 5-watt charger, but it performed nearly on par with most other chargers, and any slowness in charging is a non-issue for my usage pattern where I typically keep my phone topped off on the charger at my desk throughout the day. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 38%)***
- PowerPort Wireless ($18.99) - Anker's budget charger offers only 5 watts of charging power and includes a very prominent wireless charging logo on its surface, so it's not one of my favorite picks. In addition to the large logo, it has a ring of non-slip material near the edge, and a ring of silver color just outside that, so it really does stand out when sitting unused on a desk or table. The PowerPort Wireless is quite compact at just 2.25 inches in diameter, and it comes with a micro-USB cable. There are a couple of small LEDs in the edge of the charger, one that shines red when connected to power and a second that shines blue when a phone is on the charger. Once your device is fully charged, both the red and blue lights will be on. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 43%)***
Aukey
- LC-Q1 Wireless Fast Charger ($24.99 Amazon, $35.99 list) - Aukey's top entrant for iPhone wireless charging is the LC-Q1, which supports up to 10 watts of charging power. The LC-Q1 uses a USB-C cable, and a 1.2-meter USB-C to USB-A cable is included in the box, although you'll have to supply your own power adapter. USB-C doesn't give you much of an advantage over the micro-USB connectors seen on most other wireless chargers, but if you're all-in on moving to USB-C it's perhaps a way to cut down on the number of cables you need to have on hand. And USB-C has the reversibility advantage, so it's easier to plug it into the charger, although that's typically not something you're going to need to do very often. The LC-Q1 has a rather unique rounded triangular shape to it and measures just over 4 inches across at its widest points. The round charging surface is raised ever so slightly above the main body of the charger, and there's some gray Aukey branding on the pad. There's also a small LED on the surface of the charger that shines white while connected to power and green while charging a phone. The LC-Q1 even includes a built-in fan underneath the charging surface, which exhausts through the bottom of the charger, although it only kicks in when charging at 10 watts to prevent overheating, so you won't see that in action with an iPhone. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 43%)***
Choetech
- T520 ($20.99) - Like the similar offering from Anker, Choetech's T520 is a stand-style charger, offering up to 10 watts of charging power with 2 coils for some flexibility in aligning with devices and thus allowing for charging in landscape orientation. The T520 includes a micro-USB cable but no power adapter, and has Choetech branding on the rear support. It has an LED strip along the bottom front of the charger that shines blue whenever the charger is connected to power and green when a phone is charging. Depending on your preference, this can either be a rather cool lighting effect or a distraction. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 42%)***
- T511 ($15.99) - The T511 is a fairly basic 7.5-watt charger, with a simple square design that's roughly 3.5 inches on each side. It's black with a slightly raised dark gray wireless charging symbol on its surface, and there's a blue rectangular LED in the front edge of the charger that lights up during charging. A micro-USB cable is included. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 46%)***
- T513 ($18.99) - Choetech's T513 is a rectangular charging pad measuring about 4.75 inches by 2.5 inches, with a matte black plastic top and a large gray wireless charging icon on the surface that's slightly raised to give a little bit of grip. A blue LED at one corner of charging pad lights up to let you know when your phone is charging and goes off when charging is completed. With 7.5 watts of output, this is touted as a three-coil charger, which should give you more flexibility in where you place your phone on the pad. In practice, however, I found this to be among the most frustrating pads, as I was unable to get it to charge my phone when it was centered on the pad. Only when I slid my phone down so the top edges were roughly even could I get a charge to work, which isn't the most stable arrangement. I'm not sure if this intended or if my unit is defective, but based on my experience I have a hard time recommending this one. A micro-USB cable is included. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 42%)***
- T811C-S ($15.99?) - This a fairly compact 10-watt charging pad that uses a USB-C connection and includes a USB-C to USB-A cable but no power adapter. The T811 is squarish pad just over 3.25 inches across with non-skid strips along each of the four sides and subtle Choetech branding. An LED on the front side shines blue while standard charging and green while fast charging at 10-watts, which again you won't see when using an iPhone. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 42%)***
- T517 ($14.99) - This is a round 7.5-watt charger with a rather unique look to it in a combination of black, white, and silver colors, with the unfortunate inclusion of fairly prominent Choetech branding on the charging surface. A translucent edge around the entire perimeter of the charger allows a diffuse blue glow to shine through around the front edge while your phone is charging. An ambient light sensor in the charger allows that glow to brighten or dim depending on the environment, which makes the light easy to see during the day yet subtle in the dark on a nightstand, for example. ***(1-hour charge test: 10% -> 42%)***
Article Link: Wireless Chargers
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