Most major flagship smartphones in 2019 offer some form of wireless charging. However, some chargers only work with certain phones, while others have extra features like fast charging.
When wireless charging first came on the scene, it was a bit of a nightmare. The Wireless Power Consortium created the Qi (pronounced “chee”) standard, while accessory manufacturer Powermat and the Airfuel Alliance pushed its competing PMA standard. For a few years, manufacturers battled back and forth over which one to use. Then Apple threw its considerable weight behind the Qi standard and that was pretty much the ballgame.
What that means for you is that if you have a new-ish phone, you can probably buy just about any wireless charger. However, some older Android phones aren’t compatible with newer charging mats. To make matters more confusing, some phones support fast charging, but not every wireless charging phone does. With that in mind, we have a few recommendations based on what phone you have and what you need.
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For Basic Wireless Charging
Supported phones:
- iPhone 8/8 Plus/X/XR/XS/XS Max
- Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+/Note 8/Note 9
- LG G6/G7
- Nokia 6.1
- Most other major Android phones
Wireless chargers cost considerably more than basic charging cables, so you probably don’t want to spend a fortune putting one in your bedroom, office, and everywhere else you want a charger. To that end, Samsung’s Qi wireless charging mat costs an accessible $30. It works with any Qi-compatible phone, which at this point is most of them. Its one major downside is that it doesn’t support fast charging. That won’t matter much if you use it to charge overnight, or while you work, but if you want fast charging you might need something else.
For Fast Wireless Charging
Supported phones:
- iPhone 8/8 Plus/X/XR/XS/XS Max
- Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+/Note 8/Note 9
- LG G7
This charging mat from mophie costs almost twice as much as the Samsung one above, but it has one major advantage: fast charging. If your phone supports fast wireless charging, it offers up to 10W of output. Notably, not every phone that supports wireless charging necessarily supports fast wireless charging. If your phone supports both, though, this mat will get your phone charged up as quickly as possible, no wires needed.
For Easy Desk or Table Viewing
Supported phones:
- iPhone 8/8 Plus/X/XR/XS/XS Max
- Samsung Galaxy S9/S9+/Note 8/Note 9
- LG G6/G7
- Nokia 6.1
- Most other major Android phones
If you’re phone’s going to sit on a charger on your desk or table, why not make it a little easier to see? This RAVPower charging stand props your phone up so you can glance over at it to see your notifications, check your email, or watch a video. At $35, it’s slightly more expensive than Samsung’s basic charger, but it’s cheaper than mophie’s and it still supports some fast wireless charging phones.
For the Google Pixel 3
Google’s own Pixel line only recently added support for wireless charging. In an effort to make it more appealing than charging your phone without a cable already is, the company introduced a charging stand with extra bells and whistles. When you put a Pixel 3 on the Pixel Stand, it can be used as an alarm clock that will slowly light up in the morning and show you your agenda for the day, or it can be turned into a photo frame showing your albums. The Pixel 3 only has these special features when using the Pixel Stand, so it might be worth considering. However, at $80, it’s considerably pricier than most other charging stands. Even more frustratingly, the Pixel 3 can’t charge at max speed on most wireless chargers. If you’d like to save some money, we’d at least recommend the Belkin BOOST UP mat. It’s $20 cheaper than the Pixel Stand and can still get up to 10W fast charging on the Pixel 3.
For Older, PMA-Compatible Phones
At this point, almost any phone you can buy on the market will support Qi. However, if you’re still using an older phone that’s not compatible with the now-universal standard, then you might want to check out this Duracell Powermat. You can charge two devices at once on it, assuming you have two PMA devices. This is really a last-resort, but if you find yourself in a bind with older technology, Duracell can help you out.
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