‘Tinkering Review’ — Still Charging by Cable? Do You Really Need Wireless Charging? Baseus Wireless Charger
Translated from the Chinese original.
Wireless Charging
This technology did not appear until 2010, but it did not really take off. The fundamental reason was that early wireless-charging technology was inefficient and offered too little power.
As the technology gradually matured, wireless charging became a standard feature on today’s flagship phones. It frees us from cables while improving efficiency, and it is bound to become the dominant direction as all smart devices eventually support wireless charging. After Apple canceled AirPower, all kinds of wireless charging pads appeared on the market, with a bewildering range of protocols and standards.
As one of Apple’s most closely watched accessories, AirPower attracted a lot of attention from its announcement to its cancellation. But AirPower ultimately failed.
To achieve the “multiple devices, place them anywhere” charging experience, Apple packed more than 20 layered, stacked induction coils into AirPower. That made “alignment” the biggest challenge. Apple also did not want to add a fan inside because of the product’s appearance, which became the reason it was canceled. It is easy to imagine how difficult the wireless-charging industry is today!
It was not until I received this Baseus “ultra-thin” wireless charging pad from Zealer that I gained a new understanding of wireless charging pads!
Now that we have covered some background on “wireless charging,” I will share my experience with this wireless charging pad over the past few days. First, thanks to Zealer for giving me the chance to review the product.
Baseus Card Ultra-Thin Wireless Charging Pad 15W
The packaging is very clean and extremely slim, so its 0.3 cm thickness naturally becomes one of its selling points.
There is also another clever bit of tech that I will test myself and introduce later in the article.
My first impression of this wireless charger was that it had a strong Apple feel. At least in the wireless-charger category, its appearance can hold its own. The packaging is also very clean, and the rigid paper gives it a high-quality feel. A small line of text is printed inside the box—“15w Quick Charge as Thin as Paper”—indicating support for 15W wireless fast charging. The box is simple, but the design has a strong literary, artistic quality.
I received the white version. The charger is made from zinc alloy and tempered glass, and the tempered-glass panel dissipates heat effectively to reduce the amount of heat produced. Besides the wireless charger, the package thoughtfully includes a storage pouch, warranty card, and more…
Compared with a bank card, its ultra-thin design is immediately obvious!! This little charger is extremely convenient for charging my AirPods when I go out. Unfortunately, that only applies to the AirPods; my Apple Watch’s magnetic charger is not compatible with it. And when charging my phone, I still choose PD fast charging because I want speed.
Once you have seen the exterior, what is inside is the real test. In actual use, I barely noticed any heat, perhaps because of the materials used. The charging cable is 1 meter long, and there is a nice touch at the charging head: when I charged it at night, I was surprised to find that the USB plug could light up. This thoughtful little detail immediately raised my opinion of Baseus.
It is worth mentioning that I learned the charging circuit board is not inside the charging pad. It has been moved to the USB connector, which neatly solves the problem of the phone-side coil overheating! The white breathing light is elegant and soft, and it is not especially glaring.
Solid white light: charging or fully charged. Flashing white light: the phone is off-center or blocked by a foreign object.
The back uses four anti-slip rubber feet to increase friction with the desktop. It is a very clever design.
Next, let’s look at the included adhesive storage pouch. The manufacturer claims that you can charge while playing and that “gaming while charging won’t block your hands.” To be honest, I initially thought it used magnets and could attach directly to the back of the phone. When I opened it and found that it was adhesive, I was very unhappy with it.
Using It
The devices I had on hand were an iPhone 11 running iOS 13.1.2 and AirPods. Because Apple limits charging below iOS 13.3, this charger could support only 5W on my iPhone 11. Fortunately, upgrading to iOS 13.3 removes the charging-power limit. The manufacturer’s friendly reminder is that a QC3.0 charger is required to trigger the maximum 15W fast-charging speed!
Of course, it has more than enough room for my AirPods. Its arrival means I no longer have to worry about charging my earbuds: just place them down and they charge. The all-white combination is almost breathtaking.
Poor Apple Watch—it has nothing to do with this charger. Just imagine how nice it would be if the watch could use it too.
Pay attention!! The key bit of tech is here!!
If you have not carefully researched this product, you will not believe that it supports IP67-level dust and water resistance. Among all the wireless chargers I have used, this is the first one that supports water resistance, so you can fearlessly keep it near a cup of water on your desk.
Back to the point: as a wireless charger, I do not think adding water resistance does much. Would you really be bored enough to charge your phone while throwing it into water?? Or throw it into a cup of water as a decoration?? Why not focus the product on supporting more charging protocols and charging multiple devices at once? In that respect, I think Apple’s idea may be more mature.
More and more companies seem to have moved away from the positioning and real purpose of products like wireless chargers. Without a clear purpose, adding a lot of flashy features that look impressive is ultimately just a way to attract attention.
What Does Wireless Charging Look Like Right Now?
From the moment it appeared, wireless charging was heavily criticized. Slow charging and charging restrictions made it feel like a useless compromise. Perhaps it should not have appeared in phones at all, but in phone accessories—wireless earbuds, wireless watches, and so on…
We keep complaining about it, but what is wireless charging actually good at?
Anyone who works at a desk will basically fall in love with it! Put your phone down and it starts charging immediately.
No more forcefully plugging and unplugging the connector.
If you occasionally get up to use the restroom or answer a call, just pick it up and go!
A sudden flash of inspiration led me to turn it into a vertical wireless charger, making it even easier to operate and use.
There is also one small benefit: phones without a headphone jack can charge while you listen to music! Of course, I may be an exception; I would still choose the more convenient wireless earbuds.
What Should Wireless Charging Look Like in the Future?
I am sure everyone understands wireless charging’s pain point: the device has to stay in one place, and you cannot pick it up and play while it charges. Actually, you can charge without placing the phone directly on the pad as long as you move it slightly closer. This is a problem with the principle of inductive charging, and there is currently no good solution.
But it will certainly be solved in the future. Future wireless chargers will surely let you move around and charge wherever you play. That brings us to “magnetic-resonance wireless charging,” but its power consumption is high and its radiation to the human body is also very significant!
There is currently a wireless-charging alliance called AirFuel that specializes in researching this.
Conclusion
Baseus’s ultra-thin wireless charger really can make things more convenient to a certain extent, especially with its 0.3 cm thickness. It fits easily in a backpack and is very convenient to carry. With its simple, generous design, I am still willing to recommend it for my desk even if it is somewhat pointless—its looks alone make it a great decoration!
The most reliable wireless-charging solution right now is still inductive charging, and its development is accelerating. Future designs will move closer to magnetic resonance. With technological progress, that future may not be far away after all. Wireless charging still has its uses in certain areas!
That is all for this review! If you have better ideas, feel free to leave a comment below. For more great content, follow and like the page, and I will try to bring you something new next time!