Comparing Wireless Phone Chargers

Although smartphones have gotten more powerful over the past few years, battery life is one of the few areas where technology has failed to keep up. Smartphone manufacturers place an emphasis on having the latest and greatest features, but battery life has always remained a significant issue as consumers demanding increasingly powerful phones. Fortunately, a new breed of affordable wireless phone chargers is available to make powering your phone a bit less of a pain. With these chargers, you simply place your phone on the charging surface and you are good to go. No more worrying about cables and the mess that comes with them.

RAVPower Qi-Enabled Wireless Phone Chargers

Aside from getting high reviews for many of their products on review sites, the RAVPower charger makes this list because it is compatible with many phones — such as the Nexus 7, Nokia Lumia 920, and the HTC 8X — without requiring a special case. This is because these phones, as well as many others, support Qi inductive charging technology, which allows a phone to charge without cases. For other popular phones, such as the Galaxy S3 and S4 and iPhone 5s/5c, a special case is required to make the charger work.

For users who don’t need a specialized case for the wireless charger, it is important to note that cases thicker than 5 mm/0.2 inches thick can prevent charging — meaning users of heavy-duty cases will need to stick with cables for their charging needs.

Koolpad Qi Wireless Charger Pad

As with the RAVPower wireless phone charger, the Koolpad Qi wireless phone charger is designed to work with phones that are Qi equipped. Additionally, if your phone doesn’t have Qi technology built in, you can add it on by using a compatible case.

The Koolpad is different from similar chargers because, according to the manufacturer, the model has a higher energy efficiency than competing models. Also, the device runs cooler, causing it to put less stress on your phone’s battery.

Overall, when choosing between wireless phone chargers, it is crucial to look at user reviews and ensure that the technology works with your phone. As technology is always rapidly evolving, you should remember that you may need to upgrade your wireless chargers over time, to keep pace as technology evolves.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons