Buying a Wireless Charger? Keep an Eye Out for These Features

In an era where cutting the cord is a top priority for many people, wireless phone chargers are a hot commodity. That’s why the market is flooded with them. But not every wireless charger is created equal, so here are some purchase pointers to help you navigate the market.

Qi2 is the Industry Standard (That May Change Soon)

WPC / Apple

When searching for wireless chargers, you’re going to come across the term “Qi2” consistently. Qi2 is the open magnetic wireless charging standard based on Apple’s MagSafe wireless charging technology. It charges iPhones and other devices that support it at 15W, which means your iPhone will charge from near-nothing to full in 2–3 hours, model-dependent.

Any MagSafe products released by Apple prior to iPhone 16 function identically.

You’ll want to make sure that the chargers you’re buying are certified under the Qi2 or MagSafe label as there are a plethora of shoddy wireless chargers out there that may not do what they advertise and could damage your devices.

It's not worth trying to save some money only to discover that the charger won't charge at Qi2 speeds, won't charge at all, or worse of all could cause damage to a device.

iPhone 16 Owners May Want to Wait for 25W Chargers

Apple

Here’s an important catch to the previous category: the iPhone 16 is going to shake up the wireless charging landscape due to its industry-leading 25W wireless charging capabilities (touting 50% phone charge in 30 minutes). By being first to the punch, Apple is offering a leap forward with its new phones. Unfortunately you’ll have virtually no options to use this at release.

Third-party manufacturers haven’t announced any compatible chargers as of the time of writing (right before the iPhone 16’s release). The one option currently on the market is Apple’s MagSafe charging puck, though it’s a far cry from the charging hubs that most consumers are looking for.

It’s therefore a good call to hold off on buying a new wireless charger until more options are inevitably made available. Your iPhone 16 will still charge at 15W on existing chargers.

Get Enough Charging Pads

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

The first question to ask yourself before buying a charger is how many devices you need to charge.

Many charging hubs offer additional 5W pads for your AirPods and Apple Watch. If you own either or both of these devices, it’s worth considering a hub that can also accommodate them. This is the critical choice that can instantly help you decide which wireless charger is right for you.

Jerome Thomas / How-To Geek

Some hubs will also come with extra ports to charge other devices via a wired connection, adding immense versatility.

For example, if a charging hub has dedicated iPhone and AirPods pads, as well as a USB-C port. This port could be used to charge an Apple Watch through that device’s stand-alone puck, or any other USB-C device supported by the port’s wattage. Consider other headphones, portable consoles, and whatever other devices you may need to charge.

It can also allow you and a partner or friend to charge your phones at the same time. For travelling, being able to take a single charging device with enough wireless and wired outputs to cover everything is liberating.

This isn’t a common feature among wireless charging hubs, but when it does show up it always feels like a true value-add. The only obvious caveat is that you’ll need to have an extra wireless cord on your person, which does run counter to the point of a wireless charger. A small price to pay, I reckon.

AirPods Overheating Solutions

Satechi

Among the many wireless charging devices I’ve used, one of the biggest differentiators has been how they handle charging AirPods.

A flat charging pad is typically a bad fit for AirPods as it can cause them to overheat to uncomfortable degrees. While some heat build-up is to be expected with any wireless charging solution, the best manufacturers find ways to integrate airflow into their AirPods charging solution.

The most common example of this is a concave pad that the AirPods rest atop of, allowing air to flow beneath the case. If this or an equivalent isn’t present, it may be worth considering other options first.

Desk Piece vs. Portability

Sergio Rodriguez / How-To Geek

Let’s move on to the design of the charger itself as your daily needs may require certain form factors over others. As I see it, there are two categories of wireless charging hub designs.

First are desk pieces that are optimally designed to save desk space and provide ideal viewing angles from a seated position. If you work from home or spend a lot of time behind a desk in an office, this solution gets the job done best while also looking sleek. They also double as excellent clocks if you have an iPhone Pro model with an always-on screen in StandBy mode. Some even offer adjustable viewing angles so you can customize your experience.

The next category is portables. These come in a variety of lightweight shapes and sizes. Some of these hubs fold or otherwise condense, while others are simply compact shapes that are easy to throw into a backpack. If you’re traveling regularly or have a daily routine that sees you on the move constantly, this is an option worth looking at.

I’d also throw MagSafe battery packs into this category, which are power banks that magnetize to the back of your phone.

Does It Come With a Power Adapter?

Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek | Yuriy Golub / Shutterstock

Most wireless chargers don’t come with their own power adapters, which means you’ll need to provide one of your own that’s the right wattage for the job. For example, if a charger has a Qi2 15W pad and two 5W pads, you will likely need a 30W adapter to power everything at once, though you should consult the manufacturer's specifications on a per-product basis.

However, chargers that do come with a power adapter offer immense value because—aside from not requiring that potential extra purchase—these adapters can double as charging sources for other electronics on your person. For example, a 30W charger could feasibly support many lightweight laptops to an acceptable degree. This opens up the option to cut down on the amount of power bricks you need to pack.

I wouldn’t suggest using extra ports on a hub for this purpose though, as they aren’t likely to provide enough power. We’re specifically talking about plugging another device’s cable into a wireless adapter’s power outlet which is itself plugged into a power outlet.

Wireless Chargers are Worth It

Though you may have to put some thought into what you're buying and shop around for the right product, charging wirelessly is liberating. As new products like the iPhone 16 up the ante in terms of wattage, we're heading towards a future where fast charging your devices is no longer dependent on a cable.

Still rocking an iPhone 13 or iPhone 14? You might be surprised to hear that your smartphone's charging speed doubled via a software update in 2023.