(Last Updated On: March 13, 2018)

Charging our smartphones is something that we do every day. Most of the time we use wall chargers to charge our devices as they feature powerful charging, and they’re what we’re most used to using when it comes to charging our portable devices. That said, there’s a different type of wall charger that has become quite popular on the market and that would be wireless chargers. Yes, it does sound strange but wireless chargers are basically just like wall chargers when it comes to charging our smartphones but in this case, there’s no charging cable going into the phone.

Of course, there are more differences than that, and ultimately you have to know what type of wireless charger you’re going to be purchasing. Such as this Kroma wireless charger that’s quite popular on the market, but let’s see if the hype is all worth the purchase.

Power

Output Charging:

Charging speed for wireless chargers is ultimately slower in comparison to wired charging. However, wireless charging does have fast charging with certain chargers, but this Kroma wireless charger is not one of them. So that’s one of the reasons that it might not be the best purchase for wireless charging.

This Kroma charger features standard wireless charging speeds and that means it has an output charging speed of 5V/1.0A. This charging speed is open for all Qi compatible smartphones, and you cannot charge wearable watches such as the Apple Watch with this charger since it doesn’t use the same charging tech.

With all that said, there are two smartphones that are compatible with two faster wireless charging speeds. There are Qi compatible Samsung smartphones that can charge faster with Fast Wireless charging, but this Kroma wireless charger does not feature that. Neither does this Kroma charger feature fast Wireless charging for the iPhone X or the iPhone 8. Fast charging for Samsung smartphones is 5V/2.0A and then fast charging for the iPhone X and iPhone 8 is 5V/1.5A.

So if you own either type of those smartphones, then it’s best to look for a charger that has fast charging capabilities. If you own a Non-Samsung Qi compatible smartphone, then this Kroma charger will be able to charge at its max wireless charging rate.

Input Charging:

To ensure that you’re getting the fastest charging rate with this wireless charger you have to use a 2 Amp USB wall charger (or higher) to power it, and that’s how it outputs 5V/1.0A. The input that this charger uses is a Micro-USB input port.

Design

Size and Weight:

The size of most wireless charging pads on the market is quite small and the reason for that is because most of them use just a single charging coil. It has a length/width fo 3.2 inches and the thickness of the charger is 0.7 inches. The weight of this charger is 7 Ounces. So the size of this charger is not large at all and it’s going to be very easy to place it on nearly any surface that you’d like.

Functional Components:

Using this charger is very simple, as it is with most other wireless charging. Since this Kroma charger comes with its own Micro-USB charging cable, you can just plug it into your USB wall charger to be powered and then you can just set your smartphone on top, in the center and the smartphone will start charging.

One thing that we should say is that since this is a very small wireless charger that uses just a single charging coil, using your smartphone on this charger can be annoying if you’re used to tapping hard on your smartphone when using it. It’s a problem because it can move your smartphone and offset it from the center of the charger. Many small wireless chargers that use just a single coil have this problem.

Once your smartphone is charging, there’s a very small blue light that comes from the corner of the charger to indicate that it’s charging. The light isn’t very bright at all and won’t be a disturbance while you’re sleeping.

Build

Structure and Material:

The build quality of this charger is very good, and that’s not to say that it’s a surprising thing. As this is simply a wireless charging pad that you set your smartphone on to charge.

Tech:

The wireless charger does get a little warm when you’re wirelessly charging after an hour or more. It’s a normal occurrence though and that’s because the charging coil in your smartphone and the one in the wireless charger generate heat during charging.

Reliability

This wireless charger is reliable for any Qi compatible smartphones as they’re actually able to charge wirelessly. However, if you own either a Samsung Qi compatible phone or the iPhone X and iPhone 8; then it’s best to look for a more powerful alternative because those smartphones are compatible with Fast Wireless Charging.

Summary:

Power:

Charging power is standard and can charge all Qi compatible smartphones. But if you own a smartphone that can charge with Fast Wireless charging, then we recommend a different charger as this Kroma wireless charger doesn’t feature Fast Wireless charging.

Design:

It’s very small and even though it’s very small and you can place it anywhere, using your smartphone while it is on this charger isn’t the best experience.

Build:

Build quality is good, and the charger does get a little warm during long-duration charging.

Reliability:

It’s compatible to use with all Qi compatible smartphones, but if you’re someone that can take advantage of Fast Wireless charging, then this charger will be less reliable in the charging speed department.

Specs of the Kroma Wireless Charging Pad:

• Output:

Standard Wireless Charging: 5V/1.0A

Fast Wireless Charging: 5V/2.0A

• Input:

Micro-USB input: 5V/2.0A

• LED Power Indicator: Small Blue LED Light
• Size: 3.2 x 3.2 x 0.7 inches
• Weight: 7 Ounces

Conclusion:

Wireless charging may not be the fastest charging speed but it is useful for when you just want to charge and forget. This Kroma wireless charger has the basics of wireless charging down and is great if you want to see what wireless charging is like for your smartphone.

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