Since grabbing an iPhone X, I have also been enjoying the freedom that wireless charging provides. Yes, I know, pretty much every other handset has enjoyed wireless charging for several years. This isn’t the place for carrying on about Apple always being last to market. I have been using the Satechi Aluminum Wireless Charger for a few months and welcome the ease-of-use.
Satechi Qi charger review
Our hardware editor Andrew O’Hara took a glance over 10 different Qi wireless chargers in his video review above. The video is a great way to get a feel for this device in real time. The Satechi Qi charger was also highlighted in our wireless chargers round up. I wanted to give a little more in-depth opinion on the little puck, as I’ve been exclusively using it since November.
I was impressed with the fit and finish of the device, which isn’t something I thought I would ever say about a charger. Usually they are bulky or annoyingly over-designed. The Satechi Aluminum Wireless Charger is super thin, thinner than-your-iPhone-thin, which is great!
A real aluminum ring surrounds the thin outer wall, which comes in four colors to match your iPhone: silver; gold; Space Gray; or rose gold. I personally received the Space Gray version from Satechi for review. Honing the design, Satechi included a throwback element to the iPhone 5 days, including a shining chamfered edge around the top edge of the charging surface.
As with any Qi charging device, the coil can be difficult to hit on first go. I do find myself having to fine tune the placement of my iPhone X when laying it down. The big “+” sign gives you a target, but obviously, the center of the pad is your goal. To ensure you know the device is charging, there is a blue charging light that shines on the front of the device.
The light is incredibly helpful, especially when throwing it on the charger at night. My charger is located on my night stand and I find myself fumbling around in the dark trying to make sure I place the iPhone perfectly on the charger. When the light comes on, I know I’ve made the proper connection. Importantly, after using it for several months, I have never had it slide its way off center or miss a charge over night, which has popped up as an issue on several other chargers. Additionally, it is capable of charging through thin cases.
Conclusion
I really enjoy the convenience of Qi charging, which I doubted in the beginning. However, it is much more useful than I originally predicted and the Satechi Qi charger is Quick Charge-enabled, which is more useful than simply using a Lightning cable.
The puck keeps needless cords from wandering around on my nightstand and the finish is something that I appreciate.
My biggest complaint is the branding. Why, oh why, must Satechi slap their name and “fast charge” on the front. Having this branding almost takes away from the elegant simplicity of the device. There are plenty of other Qi chargers that are not branded, but lack the high-end aluminum materials. Annoyingly, it does not come with a charging block.
At $29.99 on Amazon it isn’t super expensive, but it isn’t the cheapest option on the market either. If you are looking for premium materials and a matching colorway, the Satechi Qi charger is a safe bet.