Shootout of eight wireless charging stands

(Clockwise from top left) Anker Powerwave Stand, Belkin Boostup Wireless Charging Stand, Huawei Supercharge Wireless Charger Stand, Mophie Wireless Charging Stand, Uniq Vertex Duo, Samsung EP-N5200Wireless Charging Stand, Native Union Dock Wireless Charger, Moshi Lounge Q Wireless Charging Stand PHOTOS: ANKER, BELKIN, HUAWEI, MOPHIE, UNIQ CREATIONS, SAMSUNG, NATIVE UNION, MOSHI

HOW WE DO THE TESTS

To keep this shootout fair, we used the power adapter and charging cable that come with the wireless charging stands.

For devices that do not come with a power adapter, we used the Innergie PowerJoy 30C USB-C Wall Charger but with their included cables.

We used the PowerJoy as it features both USB-C and USB-A ports and has an ample 30W power output.

For this test, we used the Apple iPhone SE 2020, which supports up to 7.5W wireless charging.

We drained its battery to 10 per cent, then turned on its Airplane mode and charged it to 60 per cent on each wireless charging stand and noted the time taken.

ANKER POWERWAVE STAND

PHOTO: ANKER

SPECS

Price: $69.90

Power output: Up to 10W

Weight: 114g

RATING

DESIGN: 3/5

PERFORMANCE: 3.5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 3.5/5

OVERALL: 3.5/5

The Anker PowerWave Stand (available on Amazon, Lazada and Shopee) does not come with a power adapter but includes a USB-A-to-micro-USB charging cable.

Its design is pretty ordinary and simple, with an all-grey plastic exterior. It has a fixed stand tilted at a 60-degree viewing angle, with a long base for stability.

A large rubber pad on its bottom keeps this light, plasticky stand from moving around.

Plug the charging cable into its rear micro-USB port and it is ready to use. You can place a smartphone in either the portrait or landscape orientation for charging.

It took 1 hour 12 minutes for the iPhone SE 2020's battery to go from 10 per cent to 60 per cent, for the fourth fastest timing in this roundup. This is pretty good considering that the PowerWave Stand is the second cheapest in this roundup.

My only gripe is Anker not opting for the more popular USB-C port. That said, this is a no-frills and effective wireless charging stand at an affordable price.

BELKIN BOOSTUP WIRELESS CHARGING STAND

PHOTO: BELKIN

SPECS

Price: $99

Power output: Up to 10W

Weight: 110g

RATING

DESIGN: 3.5/5

PERFORMANCE: 3/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 3/5

OVERALL: 3/5

Available in black (version tested) and white, the Belkin BoostUp Wireless Charging Stand (available on Amazon, Lazada and Shopee) has a rather unique design compared to the rest in this roundup.

It has a circular charging pad propped up at 60 degrees with an inverted L-frame.

The longer side of the L-frame extends behind the charging pad for stability, while the L-frame's shorter sides hold the smartphone in place.

This design allows for the smartphone to be placed in either the portrait or landscape orientation for charging. Rubber grips on the frame prevent the stand from slipping on the surface it is placed.

The BoostUp comes with a USB-A-to-micro-USB cable and a 10W power adapter. The rear micro-USB port is inside an indentation at the rear of the charging pad, so you will want to use the bundled cable to ensure a stable connection.

It took 1 hour 20 minutes to charge the iPhone SE 2020's battery from 10 per cent to 60 per cent, for the sixth spot in this roundup.

Considering its price though, this is a rather mediocre performance. However, you probably can get this stand at a price that is cheaper than its $99 retail price, on online retailers like Lazada or Shopee.

HUAWEI SUPERCHARGE WIRELESS CHARGER STAND

PHOTO: HUAWEI

SPECS

Price: $148

Power output: Up to 40W

Weight: 203g

RATING

DESIGN: 4/5

PERFORMANCE: 4.5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 3.5/5

OVERALL: 4.5/5

The Huawei SuperCharge Wireless Charger Stand (available on Amazon, Lazada and Shopee) is the most expensive model in this roundup.

But it also blew the competition away with its dual-coil charging design and maximum 40W wireless charging power.

However, its 40W wireless charging capability currently only works with the Huawei P40 Pro+. And you need to use the included USB-C cable and the 65W power adapter to achieve that.

This all-black charger stand also looks exquisite, with its glass-embedded charging panel and aluminium-alloy base.

The stand is fixed at a 60-degree viewing angle. It allows for both horizontal and vertical placements of your smartphone for charging.

Furthermore, it comes with a heat dissipation fan with an air vent at the bottom to keep your smartphone cool during charging.

The iPhone SE, which did not heat up during charging, took 1 hour 6 minutes to go from 10 per cent to 60 per cent battery level. This is the second fastest timing in this roundup.

If you don't mind spending extra moolah to future proof your gadgets, this is the wireless charging stand to get.

MOPHIE WIRELESS CHARGING STAND

PHOTO: MOPHIE

Price: $74

Power output: Up to 10W

Weight: 298g

RATING

DESIGN: 4/5

PERFORMANCE: 2.5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 3/5

OVERALL: 3/5

Unlike most wireless charging stands, this Mophie model (available on Lazada and Shopee) does not use a regular USB cable. Instead, it uses an included 24W power adapter with a power cable that plugs straight to rear of the stand.

The charging pad has a sleek polished finish, but I found the build to be little lightweight at the base. The charging pad can be laid flat or tilted up to 60 degrees to be a stand.

But it is not easy to tilt up the charging pad with one hand due to the lightweight base. You have to press down the base and push up the charging pad.

On the bright side, when used as a stand, you can charge your smartphone in both the portrait and landscape orientation.

Furthermore, if you lay the charging pad flat, you can use it to charge your AirPods (second-generation) or AirPods Pro.

It charged the iPhone SE 2020 from 10 per cent to 60 per cent battery level in 1 hour 36 minutes - the slowest in this roundup.

MOSHI LOUNGE Q WIRELESS CHARGING STAND

PHOTO: MOSHI

Price: $129

Output: Up to 15W

Weight: 280 g

RATING

DESIGN: 4.5/5

PERFORMANCE: 4.5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 4/5

OVERALL: 4.5/5

The Moshi Lounge Q is probably the best-looking wireless charging stand in this roundup.

Unlike the conventional rectangular slab design of most wireless charging stands, it has a grey aluminium circular dish as a base. A round charging pad slides up and down along a stainless steel rail stand that sits on the base.

Viewing angles of your smartphone during charging can go from 45 degrees to 58 degrees. But at 45 degrees, you can only place the smartphone in the landscape orientation.

Both the surfaces of the base and the charging pad are clad in grey fabric for a premium look. It will certainly turn heads when you place it on your office table (when you are able to get back).

Its USB-C cable is integrated with the charging pad. So you never have to worry about losing the cable. But the Lounge Q does not come with a power adapter.

It took 1 hour 9 minutes to charge the iPhone SE 2020's battery from 10 per cent to 60 per cent. This is the third fastest in the roundup.

If you are willing to pay for its looks and charging speed, this is the one to get.

NATIVE UNION DOCK WIRELESS CHARGER

PHOTO: NATIVE UNION

Price: $109

Output: Up to 10W

Weight: 433.5g

RATING

DESIGN: 4/5

PERFORMANCE: 2.5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 3/5

OVERALL: 3/5

The Native Union Dock Wireless Charger (available on Amazon, Lazada and Shopee) is the only one in this roundup that requires assembly.

Out of the box, you get a large grey textile-textured circular charging pad with a rectangular slit near its flat bottom and a black metallic plate. Slot this plate through the slit and you get a great-looking stand.

But this design means there is no way to tilt the stand beyond its fixed 78-degree slant, which is not exactly the best angle to look at your smartphone or swipe on its display.

However, its large surface area means you can charge your smartphone in either the portrait or landscape orientation.

It does not come with a power adapter. And the USB-C port at its back is hard to reach. You have to route the included USB-A-to-USB-C cable through a hole in the metallic plate to reach it.

In terms of charging speed, it took 1 hour 26 minutes to power up the iPhone SE 2020's battery from 10 per cent to 60 per cent - the second slowest in this roundup.

SAMSUNG EP-N5200 WIRELESS CHARGING STAND

PHOTO: SAMSUNG

Price: $118

Output: Up to 15W

Weight: 192g

RATING

DESIGN: 3.5/5

PERFORMANCE: 4.5/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 4/5

OVERALL: 4/5

Samsung's latest wireless charging stand (available on Amazon, Lazada and Shopee) might have a mundane all-black exterior. But it comes with a built-in fan cooling system to prevent your smartphone from over-heating.

There are vents running around the perimeter of its charging pad and the two longer sides of its bottom, to help cool your smartphone. At the rear of the charging pad, you can see the fan through a grille.

The charging pad is tilted at a fixed 50 degrees. Its dual-coil design ensures charging whether the smartphone is in the horizontal or vertical position.

The long rectangular base has rubber strips running along its perimeter to prevent slippage. At the end of the base is a USB-C port. The package includes a USB-C-to-USB-C cable and a 25W power adapter.

The Samsung EP-N5200 charged the iPhone SE 2020's battery from 10 per cent to 60 per cent battery in 1 hour 3 minutes, making it the top performer in this roundup.

If you don't mind its bland looks and fixed stand, this is one to get if you want a cooling and fast wireless charge.

UNIQ VERTEX DUO

PHOTO: UNIQ CREATIONS

Price: $59

Output: Up to 10W

Weight: 208g

RATING

DESIGN: 4/5

PERFORMANCE: 4/5

VALUE FOR MONEY: 5/5

OVERALL: 4.5/5

The Uniq Vertex Duo is not only the only model in this roundup that can charge an iPhone and an AirPods Pro at the same time, it is also cheapest model here.

It comprises two thin slabs, with a coarse texture all around that gives it grip.

The top slab is the charging pad. You can leave it flat or lift it up at a fixed 64 degrees to become a charging stand.

The bottom slab is the base. It has a USB-C port at its rear. The package comes with a 1m USB-A-to-USB-C cable and a 1m USB-C-to-USB-C cable but no power adapter.

When you lift up the charging pad, you will see a 5W charging surface - for the AirPods Pro - at the top of the base.

To ensure fairness, this AirPods Pro charging pad was not used while the iPhone SE 2020 was being charged. It took 1 hour 15 minutes to charge the smartphone's battery from 10 per cent to 60 per cent - fifth fastest in this roundup.

With its compactness and ability to charge the two devices simultaneously, this is one wireless charging stand to take on your travels.

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