There are many ways to charge our devices, as we use our smartphones and a bunch of other wireless devices nearly every day. Most of us just use USB wall chargers, but at the same time, there are many people that also use portable chargers and car chargers. Perhaps one charging electronic that is still very widespread but quite different than many of the other charging electronics are wireless chargers. The way that they’re different is because there’s no charging cable that’s going into your smartphone.
Even with wireless charging being very popular these days, it’s simply not as powerful as wired charging. So is there really a reason to purchase a wireless charger? Well, yeah but you should make sure that the wireless charger that you’re purchasing is more than just a simple wireless charger and has a bit more to offer.
Aukey, a brand that we’ve done quite a few products review from, has this 5W wireless charger stand. Stand types of wireless chargers are very popular on the market and that’s because most of them feature more than just a single charging coil, and they make it easier to use your smartphone while it’s charging.
Power
Output Charging:
Surge Protector from Aukey being used in the image below: Aukey Surge Protector
You should not be expecting very fast charging speeds at all and that’s because wireless chargers are not as powerful as the charging that wall, portable or car chargers are able to offer. This wireless charger in particular actually has standard wireless charging and therefore it’s not very fast at all.
Standard wireless charging is done when a wireless charger is powered by a 2 Amp wall charger and therefore it has a output wireless charging speed of 5V/1.0A. A 1 Amp charging speed is very slow in comparison to the very fast charging technologies such as Quick Charge and USB-C Power Delivery. That’s where this charger suffers the most because it has a lot of things down but the main part, is the charging, It isn’t all that powerful.
What could Aukey have done better? They could have made this a Fast Wireless charger. Fast wireless charging is done when a wireless charger uses a Quick Charge wall charger to power it and that makes it output 5V/2.0A. This one doesn’t have the ability to do that. 2 Amp charging still isn’t faster than wired charging for most smartphones, but it’s double the speed than what this wireless charger has to offer.
However, if you don’t own iPhone X, iPhone 8 or a Samsung Galaxy smartphone, but do own another Android smartphone that is compatible with Qi wireless charging then we say it’s okay to purchase this wireless charger. That’s because Fast Wireless charging is only compatible with Samsung smartphones and iPhones such as the iPhone 8 and iPhone X.
Input Charging:
You have to use a 2 Amp wall charger or higher to power this wireless charger, or else it won’t be able to function. The input on this charger is Micro-USB and the charger actually comes with a Micro-USB charging cable, but it does not come with a USB wall charger.
Design
Size and Weight:
The size of this Aukey wireless charger is what you can expect from most wireless charging stands and that would that it’s very small and it can fit onto your computer desk. It has a height of 5.6 inches, a width of 3.5 inches, and a depth of 1.7 inches from the front all the way to the back of the charger. The weight of it is 8 Ounces.
So there are no problems moving it around or placing it wherever you want.
Functional Components:
Using this wireless charger is basically like using any other wireless charger, that said, we’ll go over everything that it features so there are no surprises.
The charger actually comes in two pieces, with the black charging part and the other is a silver stand that you connect to the charging portion. It clicks right into place. Once that’s done, the charging stand is fully built and ready to use and then you can connect a Micro-USB charging cable to the side of the charging portion and then the charger will turn on.
Once the charger is plugged in, you’re ready to use it by just placing your Qi Compatible smartphone on it either vertically or horizontally as this wireless charger features 3 charging coils. So you’re able to move your smartphone around quite a bit and still have it charging.
At the back of the charger, there are two lights. With one Green light that pulses light and slowly to indicate that your smartphone is charging. The other light is a White light that is constantly on to show that the charger is on and ready to be used. The Green light on this Aukey wireless isn’t so bad but the White light is actually quite bright. So bright that it can be disturbing if you’re sensitive to light while sleeping.
Just a warning.
Build
Structure and Material:
The entirety to of this charger is made of plastic, and even though this charger is really well built, just be careful not drop anything heavy on it. The separation between the charger piece and the stand part can break if there is too much pressure. Not something serious, but just something to know. Other than that, this charger has a sound structure and with very few parts being used to actually make it whole.
Tech:
It’s a stable wireless charger, but just something common that happens is that this charger becomes a little warm and so does the smartphone during wireless charging.
Reliability
It’s compatible with all Qi compatible smartphones. However, this Aukey wireless charger does not feature fast wireless charging for Samsung smartphones or for iPhones.
Summary:
Power:
They should have used Fast Wireless charging tech with this wireless charger to match the design. Unfortunately, you’re stuck with 1 Amp charging no matter what device you charge with it.
Design:
It’s very easy to use, but the White light at the back of the charger can be a nuisance if you’re not used to light while you’re sleeping.
Build:
The build quality of this wireless charger is pretty good and it does get a little warm at times, but that’s normal for wireless charging in general.
Reliability:
It’s able to charge all Qi compatible smartphones but it’s not able to make the most that wireless charging has to offer.
Specs of the AUKEY 5W 3-Coil Wireless Charging Stand:
- Output: 5V/1.0A
- Input:
Micro-USB input: 5V/2.0A
- LED Power Indicator:
White LED: Power is ON
Green LED: Smartphone is Charging
- Size: 5.6 x 3.5 x 1.7 inches
- Weight: 8 Ounces
Conclusion:
Wireless charging is a more free form of a wall charger, just without having to connect a charging cable to your smartphone. That said, the lack of Fast Wireless charging can be a deal breaker if you own a Samsung or iPhone that’s compatible with Fast charging. If not, then we say go for it.
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Since 2016, Usman has flourished as an independent tech journalist, reveling in the evaluation of diverse tech gadgets, with a particular fondness for charging technology to ascertain product performance. Besides his journalistic endeavors, he helms the Charger Harbor YouTube channel, where he extends his tech insights to a broader audience.