iPhone 8, iPhone X Wireless Chargers: How To Choose The Right One

If you use a newer iPhone, chances are you would want a wireless charger for it. The good news is that Qi — the wireless charging standard which Apple uses has been adopted by a large number of companies in the industry.

This means that finding a wireless charger for the iPhone X or iPhone 8 is not just easy but the purchase could be surprisingly economical as well — the latter being so because the more the number of companies offering something, the lower the prices tend to get.

Though Apple would be launching its own wireless charger called AirPower, it would be released only sometime next year. In the meantime, users would have to rely on a third party alternative to charge their iPhone 8 or iPhone X.

Since there are a large number of wireless charging options out there, here is a list of things to keep in mind while looking for one.

Qi charging: This may sound obvious. But there are other wireless charging standards too. So, it’s best to ensure that the charger you buy supports the Qi standard.

Standard connector: Wireless charging pads usually plug into an adapter so that you could connect it to a wall outlet. Some brands have proprietary jacks to plug the pads in while others use standard jacks like UCB-C or MicroUSB. It’s always better to opt for a standard connector. A damage in the cable may result in having to replace the entire unit.

7.5 watts power: Both the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 charge at the highest power of 7.5 watts. Chargers with lesser output would also charge them, but to get the best performance, you should go for a charger rated the full 7.5 watts.

Wall adapter: Some of the charging pads in the market come with wall adapters. But if you have to get your own, ensure that it could charge at the highest power. Even if you have a 7.5 watts pad, if the wall adapter is of 5 watts, the phone will only charge at 5 watts.

Brand: Since you are buying a device that would send electricity through your expensive phone, you better make sure that the charger comes from a reliable brand. You could check out the ones from RavPower, Belkin, Samsung and Anker — but there are also better brands out there.

Visual appeal: Since this is an entirely subjective matter, all we would say here is that wireless chargers come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Aside from the small and big variants, there are even some that would charge the iPhone at an angle. Consider how a charger would look on your desk or table before buying it.

Future proofing: Though the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X support only up to 7.5 watts for charging, the newest Qi 1.2 standard offers up to 15 watts if the device is compatible (eg: Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and Note 8). So, it won’t be a bad idea to look for a more powerful wireless charger that would support future devices too. Also, a more powerful charger wouldn’t damage lower power-rated devices.