The Best Wireless Charging Dock

Buying Guide

Wireless chargers are a great way to juice up your devices without dealing with the clutter, compatibility and wear-and-tear issues that come with wired charging. While different devices have different connectors, such as USB-C, Lightning or various magnetic charging points, all modern devices that can be charged wirelessly follow the same wireless charging technology standards.

All the major phone and smart-device manufacturers, such as Apple, Samsung, LG, Sony, Google, Motorola and Huawei, use Qi technology for wireless charging. Because of this, any modern wireless charger should be compatible with your phone or smart device.

Since compatibility is generally not an issue, there are other considerations when choosing wireless chargers. One aspect to consider is whether you want a charging pad where devices can lie flat, or a wireless dock that props your phone up so you can continue to use it while it’s charging. Some such docks let you revive your phone in either portrait or landscape orientations, enabling a variety of uses while it’s charging. Some docks even feature the ability to fold flat and charge that way, for a multifunctional, all-in-one experience.

Another consideration is what type of device the wireless charger is optimized for. The charging speed and power of a wireless charger is usually indicated by the wattage at which it can charge particular devices, usually 5W, 7.5W, 10W or even 15W. The charging speed of your phone may also depend on its operating system — for example, an iPhone running iOS 12 or higher charges faster than the same phone running an older version of iOS.

Because of this, charging speeds can vary, but many wireless charging stations are engineered to work best with a specific type of phone, such as Samsung or Apple devices. Choose a wireless charger that is the best fit for the devices in your household.

• Keep in mind phone-case restrictions when choosing a wireless charger. Most case-friendly chargers will specify what thickness and materials of cases it can charge through.
• Most chargers are not able to charge phones through cases that are made of metal, have magnetic parts or other holders or that contain credit cards.
• Some cases specify the type of power adapter they require. Some use your device’s native adapter, while others require that you use the adapter packaged with the wireless charger itself.
• If you have an older device, it may follow a different wireless charging standard. Previously, there were two wireless charging standards: the Power Matters Alliance (PMA) standard, and the Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi standard. Now, all modern devices follow Qi, but some older phones, such as older Android models, used the PMA standard. Check your older device’s charging standard and look for a compatible wireless charger.