Best wireless chargers for iPhone X and 8
Jason Cross reveals the features, specifications, and design considerations to keep in mind when buying a wireless charger
With the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, Apple has finally joined the wireless charging revolution. For years, many Android users have had the ability to simply place their phone on a pad to power
it up, but to do that with an iPhone used to require a special (and bulky) case.
Wireless charging isn’t always a great substitute for plugging in, but it’s a very convenient way to keep your phone topped off through most of the day. A wireless charger on your desk means no more plugging and unplugging throughout the day and a full charge when you head home from work. A wireless charger next to your bed makes it easy to grab and go in the morning, or just pick up your phone to ‘check one thing’ without fussing with the lightning cable.
Over the following pages we round up our favourites, but first look at the different technologies on offer.
Qi versus PMA
There are two major standards for wireless charging: PMA (Power Matters Alliance) and Qi. If you see a charger that only supports PMA, keep moving. The new iPhones only support Qi. Fortunately, Qi is by far the most common standard for consumers, so you shouldn’t have much trouble finding a compatible charger. What’s more, every Qi compatible charger should work just fine with the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X, even if it doesn’t specifically list support for them on its packaging or marketing materials.
5W versus 7.5W performance
The new iPhones shipped with initial wireless charging limited to just 5 watts. That’s slow, but then again, the in-box power adaptor is also only 5 watts. So wireless charging really isn’t any slower than the (admittedly pitiful) power adaptor that comes in the box.
The iOS 11.2 update increased the maximum wireless charging speed to 7.5 watts. That’s 50 percent faster, but charging speeds vary, and they slow down a lot as the battery gets full. Still, if you want the best performance in a wireless charger, look for one that can support 7.5 watts or more. Some pads support faster charging speeds only on some Android phones, but are limited to 5 watts on iPhones.
For pads that don’t come with fast-charging adaptors, you’ll want to look at the store pages to see what is required to enable higher-speed charging. Some enable faster charging only when using an adaptor with Qualcomm’s Quick Charge technology, some work with any high-wattage USB power adaptor (like the iPad adaptor Apple sells).
Flat or standing?
You’ll see two types of wireless chargers on the market: flat pads, and angled stands. A flat pad is simple and easy, but you might want to consider a stand. With a stand it’s a lot easier to use your phone while it’s
charging up. And with the iPhone X, a standing charger makes it easy to unlock your phone with Face ID without picking it up.
Portrait and landscape orientation
If you get a stand instead of a flat charger, you’d be wise to make sure it’s made to work with your phone in both landscape and portrait orientation.
Most of the time, you’ll plop down your phone standing upright. And Face ID on the iPhone X only works when the phone is upright, too.
But a charger that works well with your phone in landscape mode makes it easy to play certain games, and of course watch videos, without taking your phone away from those precious free electrons.
Case concerns
If you keep a case on your phone, you shouldn’t worry too much about whether it will work with a wireless charging pad or stand. The vast majority of cases will work just fine. There are three types of cases that can pose problems, though
The first is a case with a metal back. That Betteck battery case (£21.99 from fave.co/2nrgZh4) may seem attractive with its extra 5,200mAh of power, but it won’t work with wireless chargers.
The second is a wallet case. A particularly thin one like this Silk iPhone X Wallet Case (£23.45 from fave.
co/2nsEJ4O) might actually work, but electromagnetic induction and credit card stripes just don’t mix. If you don’t want to screw up your cards, don’t put them between your phone and a wireless charging stand.
The third is especially thick cases. Most chargers will work fine on any case up to 3mm thick, and some can go through a 5mm case with ease. But maybe you’re a demolition derby racer and also work construction plus you’re a rodeo clown on the weekends. Maybe you have an extra-rugged case. If so, it’s probably too thick to get a wireless charge going, even if it doesn’t have a metal back (as many extra-rugged cases do).
Wait for AirPower?
Of course, if you bristle at the idea of buying nonApple stuff, you can just wait for the AirPower wireless charging pad. Apple’s pad uses Qi charging together with its own custom extensions that let it charge several different devices at once, along with reporting charge levels. You can charge your iPhone, Apple Watch Series
3, and AirPods (you’ll have to get a new wirelessenabled charging case) all at the same time.
Unfortunately, Apple has not yet revealed the price nor release date for the AirPower pad nor the wireless case for AirPods. Both are coming in 2018, and that’s all we know.
The best wireless chargers
Wireless chargers tend to come in two variants: stands and pads. A pad is great for your bed-side table or lying inconspicuously on your desk, but there are times when a stand makes more sense. In particular, they’re useful for those with an iPhone X, as a good stand with a steep angle will point your phone and your face enough for Face ID to work. This makes it a lot easier to unlock your phone to quickly check something without taking it off the charger.
Stands are great for reading your phone while it charges, but sometimes you want it to lie flat. It’s less conspicuous on your desk or bedside table, and easier to just plop it down in any direction. Wireless charging pads tend to be a little less expensive than stands, too.
RAVPoPwer Fast Wireless Charger + QC3.0 Adaptor
Price: £29.99 from fave.co/2ntOnDW Not to be confused with the other, less-expensive ‘Fast Wireless Charger’ by RAVPower, this other ‘Fast Wireless Charger’ includes a Quick Charge 3.0 compatible adaptor (up to 24 watts on supported Android phones) and has an entirely different design. Despite the higher
price, it’s a better buy. The design is a little plain, but it’s unobtrusive and highly functional. The pad is heavy and wide enough to be really stable, and there’s a nice wide rubberized ring around the top to rest your phone on and prevent sliding or scraping. It’s fast, too. On iPhones it supports the 7.5W charging speed, and up to 10W fast-charging on other compatible phones.
The £30 price seems a little high, but you get a high-quality USB power adaptor along with it, and it’s cheaper than most of the other alternatives that include a power adaptor.
Anker PowerPort Wireless 10
Price: £17.99 from fave.co/2nrSUH0 Anker’s skinny little PowerPort Wireless 10 is a pretty slick item. It’s easily one of the thinnest charging pads
I’ve seen, and can disappear into a bag with you even noticing. It supports charging speeds up to 10 watts on compatible phones, which is great, but you need a Quick Charge USB adaptor to get that performance. Unfortunately, there’s no USB adaptor in the box. That’s a shame, because the price is the only thing giving me pause. I like the ring of blue LEDs that ‘breathe’ for about 10 seconds before turning off, to let you know a charging connection has been made. We like the size. We like the grippy top that your phone won’t slide around on. If you find this on sale, or have an extra Quick Charge USB adaptor lying around, it’s a great buy.
Samsung Fast Charge Wireless Stand
Price: £49.99 from fave.co/2nrnv7M Like its flat charging pad cousin, Samsung’s fastcharging wireless stand isn’t much of a looker. The
round shape is all wrong for a stand, as it sticks out awkwardly to the sides when you put your rectangular phone on it. Still, at least it loses the clear plastic coating in favour of a uniform glossy black finish.
This stand supports fast charging – both the iPhone 7.5-watt limit and faster speeds for Samsung’s phones – and it comes with a Micro-USB adaptor powerful enough to enable it. There’s even a little fan inside that keeps the charging coils cool. Don’t worry, you can’t hear it unless you really strain in a very quiet room.
The angle is appropriate for activating Face ID, and the stand resists tipping well enough that a little gentle phone use won’t cause it to wobble.
Other wireless chargers tested
While these other chargers weren’t our favourites, they may suit your own needs. There are only so many different ways you can wrap a copper coil in a hunk
of plastic, so it’s safe to say that your own personal sense of style and pricing sensitivity might a different charger the right choice for you.
RAVPower Fast Wireless Charger
Price: £12.99 from fave.co/2nroJjo RAVPower makes two wireless chargers that essentially have the same name. Depending on where you look, they’re usually just called ‘Fast Wireless Charger’. This one is extremely inexpensive at £12.99, while the other one costs almost three times as much. Believe it or not, that one is the better deal.
This charging pad does not come with a power adaptor, but at this bargain-basement price we can hardly hold that against it. This pad only charges iPhones at a 5W rate, and other quick-charge Qi enabled devices up to 10 watts (if you use the right
power adaptor). It’s heavy and stable, and comes with a nice flat Micro-USB cable.
But raised rubberized bumps on the top of the pad only cover the left and right side. Depending on how sloppy you are about placing your phone, you could easily miss part of it – why not just make it a complete circle as most other pads do? It’s a minor design flaw, not a deal-breaker. But the slower iPhone charging speed makes it hard to recommend.
Samsung Wireless Charging Pad Price: £22.95 from fave.co/2nrzfqW
If you’re not opposed to the big Samsung logo staring up at you from your desk, you could do a lot worse than this inexpensive pad. For less than £25 you get a solid, no-slip pad with a generous size – it’s easy to drop your phone on and start a wireless charging connection
without needing to be too fussy about placement. Best of all, Samsung throws in a 2A Micro-USB power adaptor, so you don’t need to repurpose one of your own or buy a new one. While this is not a ‘fast charging’ wireless pad, it wasn’t really much slower than the fastest chargers we tested; at least, not when charging iPhones. Some Android phones can handle faster wireless charging speeds.
This is one of the uglier charging pads we’ve used, but it’s inexpensive, solid, and works well.
Anker PowerPort Wireless 5 Stand Price: £29.99 from fave.co/2ntslBh
Anker’s PowerPort Wireless 5 stand is a decent choice for iPhone X users who want something with the right angle for Face ID, but a number of small annoyances
keep it from being a clear winner. First, there’s charging speed. Anker employs two charging coils for excellent coverage, and as a result the stand works great whether your iPhone is in portrait or landscape orientation. But it’s limited to 5-watt speed, not the 7.5 watts supported by iPhones. And of course, that’s a bit slow for Android phones, too.
Second, the base is just a little bit too short. The result is that, when you try to use your phone while it’s on the stand, your tapping will constantly cause it to tip back a little. If the base extended back even a half inch more, this would probably be avoided.
And finally, while the price tag looks pretty good, that’s without a Micro-USB adaptor. It’s still not overpriced, but it’s not the bargain it seems at first.
Mophie Wireless Charging Base Price: £74.99 from fave.co/2rYLJuT
One of the very few wireless charging pads sold at Apple Stores, Mophie’s wireless charging base is a quality piece of gear. But I still don’t like it all that much. It’s a good size, heavy, with a nice rubberized outer coating that prevents slipping. It’s easy to drop your iPhone on it and get a good charging connection without thinking about it. And it supports 7.5W charging, too.
But it has two big strikes against it. First, it’s sixty bucks. You can get good quality wireless charging pads, with adaptor, for half that price. Second, the AC adaptor connects to a little round DC barrel connector, while most other wireless charging pads use Micro-USB. Using
USB would be far more flexible and convenient – you could plug into dozens of different products, like your laptop, and Micro-USB cables are everywhere. We have a drawers full of them.
Belkin BOOST UP Wireless Charging Pad Price: £54.99 from fave.co/2nv64TQ
Belkin’s Boost Up shares a lot in common with Mophie’s Wireless Charging Base. Both are sold at Apple Stores ($59.95). Both are large, with a rubberized non-slip bottom (the Mophie has non-slip coating all over). Both support 7.5W charging on your iPhone, too.
But the Boost Up shares the Mophie’s downsides, too. It costs about £55, nearly double the price of many other wireless chargers. And it includes an AC power adaptor that connects to the charger via DC barrel connector rather than Micro-USB. Again, USB would
be far more convenient. The main difference between the Belkin and the Mophie, then, is your own personal sense of aesthetics. Do you like the matte black rubberized circle of the Mophie base, or do you like the glossy white Belkin, with its reversed slope giving it a sort of ‘floating’ look? It’s really up to you, but we wouldn’t recommend either, based purely on the price and lack of USB connection.
Spigen Essential F303W Fast Wireless Charger Price: £18.99 from fave.co/2rZxwxv
Spigen’s fast-charging wireless stand has a nice A-frame design, but the extra-large lip at the bottom is a bit of an eyesore. More importantly, the angle is not steep enough. It’s very stable to be sure, but we found that an iPhone X is often positioned too far back to easily
work with Face ID. One feature we really like is the way Spigen uses two charging coils, one above the other. This gives the stand great coverage and makes it easy to get a good charging connection whether your phone is turned to landscape or portrait orientation. Spigen’s suggested retail price of £18.99 is not a terrible price, but consider that it doesn’t come with a Micro-USB power adaptor, and it doesn’t look like such a bargain anymore. You’ll need to purchase a fast-charging Micro-USB adaptor separately to make full use of it.