A few years ago, wireless charging was still a fringe feature that only a handful of phones had and an even fewer number of people who wanted it. As the new technology matures, however, more and more flagships have started to get the feature on their phones as well. Even Apple's iPhone notoriously known for arriving late at the scene of innovation has already adopted it going all the way back to the iPhone 8. This nod from Apple is a clear statement attesting to the technology’s stability and reliability.
The question now is which one to buy.
There is an endless variety of wireless chargers these days. First-party hardware is often good enough but there are third-party hardware that gives better features such as wireless fast-charging and tilt functions. At the end of the day, you're going to choose according to your needs. To help you out a little bit, I've compiled a list of things to consider when buying a wireless charger.
Power Delivery Rating
To begin with, not all wireless chargers are made equal. There are some that have superior power delivery than others.
The standard for the wireless format is 5W charging which is good enough for the most part. But most flagship phones are designed to be charged at a higher wattage to allow for faster charge time. Buying a wireless charger that's less than the capacity of your phone will certainly charge slower than your device's potential.
Considering that smartphone battery technology is progressing pretty fast these days, it may be best if you purchase a 10W now. This will effectively futureproof your wireless charger for your next phone in a couple of years. It's a relatively inexpensive difference between the 5W and 10W and the savings in the long run, of course so long as you don't mangle your device for some reason, would cover that difference. The joy of being able to take your phone out after just a few minutes of charging is something you'd appreciate especially in today's fast-paced world.
Power Brick
Some wireless chargers don’t come with a power supply to bring the cost down. This is a bit of a disappointment because these are crucial to delivering power to the pad and on to your smartphone. And, if you happen to have a power supply that is rated lower than the charger, then you’re still going to have to deal with the frustration of a slower-than-possible charge.
Generally, if a power brick comes in the box, it’s exactly the same rating as the wireless charger. However, if you’re considering to buy a wireless charger that doesn’t come with a power brick in the box, then you better make sure that you have the properly rated power brick laying around.
Connector
Wireless chargers usually connect to the power brick via USB-C, MicroUSB, or a brand-specific proprietary connector. They all accomplish the job of providing power to the charging pad.
Generally, USB-C can transfer more power but some proprietary connectors and MicroUSB can also deliver fast charging when indicated.
However, it may be wise to purchase a wireless charger that you can get the cable from just about anywhere. Proprietary cables can be difficult to come by if ever you need to purchase one. The other two connector formats are available almost everywhere. Not to mention that you may have a spare lying around because they’ve been the connecting standard for so long.
Coils
Some charging pads can charge one device. Others can charge multiple. All of this hinges on the number of coils. The higher the number, the more devices you can charge.
It’s fairly simple. If you need to charge more than one device, get a multi-coil wireless charger. Get a one-coil one if you’re willing to settle with just one device at a time.
There's a little-discussed advantage of having a multi-coil set-up though. It can be more generous with errors in placing your device down on the pad. A single coil wireless charging can be limiting because you have to perfectly alight your phone and your wireless charging pad all the time.
Form-Factor
There are also various form factors to choose from when you’re shopping for a wireless charger. Which one you should get depends on where you’re using the device.
If you intend to keep your phone on your desk while working, you might want to consider getting a tilted wireless charger. The benefit here is that you can see the phone at all times, and you can immediately respond to urgent notifications.
If, on the other hand, you intend to put the wireless charger on top of your nightstand right next to your bed, a flat one should do the trick. You don’t want notifications unnecessarily bugging you as you’re getting into your REM cycle.
There are some that can be adjusted from flat to tilted and vice versa. The choice in this category is hinged on personal preference more than anything.
LED Lights
Speaking of helping you get to your REM sleep, it’s not just the phone notification that you have to worry about, there are also wireless chargers that have bright LED lights that could prevent you from sleeping at night. So stay away from these if you’re putting it in your bedroom.
The LED shouldn't be a problem on your work desk where you have to stay awake at all time anyway. It often indicates if your device is fast charging. There’s nothing more frustrating in the modern world than going out thinking that the quick charge juiced up their devices to an acceptable battery level and figuring out only later that it wasn’t properly aligned for fast charging.
While all of these are features that you have to look out for, there are other factors that you might consider when choosing one for yourself. The materials, for example, also often varies between each unit. Some come with fabric, plastic, or metal charging pads. At the end of the day, these are all a matter of preference more than anything so I’ll leave all those up to you.
The question now is which one to buy.
There is an endless variety of wireless chargers these days. First-party hardware is often good enough but there are third-party hardware that gives better features such as wireless fast-charging and tilt functions. At the end of the day, you're going to choose according to your needs. To help you out a little bit, I've compiled a list of things to consider when buying a wireless charger.
Power Delivery Rating
To begin with, not all wireless chargers are made equal. There are some that have superior power delivery than others.
The standard for the wireless format is 5W charging which is good enough for the most part. But most flagship phones are designed to be charged at a higher wattage to allow for faster charge time. Buying a wireless charger that's less than the capacity of your phone will certainly charge slower than your device's potential.
Considering that smartphone battery technology is progressing pretty fast these days, it may be best if you purchase a 10W now. This will effectively futureproof your wireless charger for your next phone in a couple of years. It's a relatively inexpensive difference between the 5W and 10W and the savings in the long run, of course so long as you don't mangle your device for some reason, would cover that difference. The joy of being able to take your phone out after just a few minutes of charging is something you'd appreciate especially in today's fast-paced world.
Power Brick
Some wireless chargers don’t come with a power supply to bring the cost down. This is a bit of a disappointment because these are crucial to delivering power to the pad and on to your smartphone. And, if you happen to have a power supply that is rated lower than the charger, then you’re still going to have to deal with the frustration of a slower-than-possible charge.
Generally, if a power brick comes in the box, it’s exactly the same rating as the wireless charger. However, if you’re considering to buy a wireless charger that doesn’t come with a power brick in the box, then you better make sure that you have the properly rated power brick laying around.
Connector
Wireless chargers usually connect to the power brick via USB-C, MicroUSB, or a brand-specific proprietary connector. They all accomplish the job of providing power to the charging pad.
Generally, USB-C can transfer more power but some proprietary connectors and MicroUSB can also deliver fast charging when indicated.
However, it may be wise to purchase a wireless charger that you can get the cable from just about anywhere. Proprietary cables can be difficult to come by if ever you need to purchase one. The other two connector formats are available almost everywhere. Not to mention that you may have a spare lying around because they’ve been the connecting standard for so long.
Coils
Some charging pads can charge one device. Others can charge multiple. All of this hinges on the number of coils. The higher the number, the more devices you can charge.
It’s fairly simple. If you need to charge more than one device, get a multi-coil wireless charger. Get a one-coil one if you’re willing to settle with just one device at a time.
There's a little-discussed advantage of having a multi-coil set-up though. It can be more generous with errors in placing your device down on the pad. A single coil wireless charging can be limiting because you have to perfectly alight your phone and your wireless charging pad all the time.
Form-Factor
There are also various form factors to choose from when you’re shopping for a wireless charger. Which one you should get depends on where you’re using the device.
If you intend to keep your phone on your desk while working, you might want to consider getting a tilted wireless charger. The benefit here is that you can see the phone at all times, and you can immediately respond to urgent notifications.
If, on the other hand, you intend to put the wireless charger on top of your nightstand right next to your bed, a flat one should do the trick. You don’t want notifications unnecessarily bugging you as you’re getting into your REM cycle.
There are some that can be adjusted from flat to tilted and vice versa. The choice in this category is hinged on personal preference more than anything.
LED Lights
Speaking of helping you get to your REM sleep, it’s not just the phone notification that you have to worry about, there are also wireless chargers that have bright LED lights that could prevent you from sleeping at night. So stay away from these if you’re putting it in your bedroom.
The LED shouldn't be a problem on your work desk where you have to stay awake at all time anyway. It often indicates if your device is fast charging. There’s nothing more frustrating in the modern world than going out thinking that the quick charge juiced up their devices to an acceptable battery level and figuring out only later that it wasn’t properly aligned for fast charging.
While all of these are features that you have to look out for, there are other factors that you might consider when choosing one for yourself. The materials, for example, also often varies between each unit. Some come with fabric, plastic, or metal charging pads. At the end of the day, these are all a matter of preference more than anything so I’ll leave all those up to you.