Axgio Empower Fast Charge Qi Pad
Wireless charging has been with us for some time and those who use it regularly love it. Many find it advantageous to have a charging pad or stand at those places where they spend a lot of time. It’s easy and convenient to just plunk your phone down and have it start charging. No wires to mess with and when you are ready to go, just grab your phone and you are off. Keep a charging pad at your desk, at your bedside, in your living room, your workspace. If you like keeping your device topped up and ready, the advantages of wireless charging become indispensable.
Qi wireless charging is a widely recognized standard and in the past couple of years Qi charging has become very common as a feature on mid and high range devices. The number of available Qi chargers has exploded and there are so many options it is sometimes hard to sort through them all. If you are like me, you’ve tried a few and are always on the lookout for the next advantage.
A More Modern Approach
Qi chargers are evolving. The new generation is looking for ways to stand out from the crowd and I believe the Axgio Empower is loaded with great features to help it rise above the challenges that Qi pads faced in the past. It’s a forward thinking device that is ready to integrate into your charging routine.
Size:
The first thing that struck me when I unboxed my Axgio was the very welcome and generous size of the pad. I’ve used and moved on from pads previously for being too small and the Axgio fits the modern smartphone with a large 3.6” (95mm) landing pad. This makes a stable base to hold your phablet and also makes it easier to hit the target every time. If you are an experienced Qi user you just know where that receiver is on your phone and trying to judge the landing when the pad is dwarfed beneath your device is often a frustrating experience. Not so with the Empower, I was able to accurately judge just where on the pad I was landing and had no worries about hitting the sweet spot every time. For the record I have a Lumia 1520 which is a big boy phone for sure. At 6.41” x 3.36” (162.8mm x 85.4mm) without a case, I’ve finally found a Qi pad that feels proportional to my device.
Design:
The Axgio is full of thoughtful design features. The entire body is soft touch. It just feels nice to handle and the material gives it a great matte finish. No overly shiny plastic so it should slide tastefully into almost any décor. The top of the Qi pad has a very grippy rubber ring that makes you feel secure about leaving your phone on the pad and the four large feet keep the Empower just where you placed it on your desk or nightstand. The microUSB port has a small shelf over the top to help the cord blend in.
Soft Glow LED:
I’ll admit I was skeptical about the soft glow LED feature. Having used the Axgio Empower at my bedside for the past few nights I’m now a believer. It really is a very well executed feature and the LED is not intrusive at all. I have another charger I was using on my nightstand and I had the LED covered with electrical tape because it was way too bright. The people at Axgio really have this dialed in perfectly. You can tell your charging status at a glance without having the light disrupt your sleep. The LED glows Red when the pad is waiting for a device, Blue when it is charging and Purple when your device is charged. If you ever put an incompatible device on the pad it blinks Red to alert you. Just for laughs I put a phone on the Qi charger that I know doesn’t have any wireless charging capability and sure enough, I got the blinking Red LED.
Adaptability:
Fast charging is rapidly coming on as a new standard, but maybe you are still on the older Quick Charge 2.0. Or perhaps you have devices that are split between charging speeds. No worries, the Empower has you covered either way. It supports both standards and is smart enough to detect what your device needs. Input can be 5 volt and up to 2 amps (which outputs 5v 1a) or 9 volt and up to 1.67 amps (which outputs 9v 1.1a). You need the faster 9 volt charger to get fast charging, but you won’t have to swap chargers to swap which device you put on the pad. I paired the Axgio Empower with an adaptive 5v/9v charger and it worked beautifully with my 1520 which is on the Quick Charge 2.0 standard. My phone charged as it normally would and didn’t get hot. The Empower has protection from overheat, over voltage, under voltage and short circuit. I also tried several 5v chargers and they all worked equally as well. In short, charging on the Axgio is exactly what you expect without any fuss or surprises. It even works with cases up to 5mm in thickness.
The Axgio Empower provides fast charging with compatible phones including the Samsung Galaxy Series S7, S7 Edge, S6 Edge Plus, Note 7 and Note 5 models.
Wrap-up:
Here’s where I get picky. There is no charging block included. For a Qi pad of this type I’d love to see Axgio include a 5v/9v adaptive charger. Yes many of us do have a lot of chargers and cords lying around, but let’s take the guesswork and experimentation out of the equation and just supply the charger that fits best. I will say, however, that I found the Empower very willing to pair with any charging block and cable I threw in the mix and that absolutely is not the case with some other Qi pads I’ve tested. And let’s talk about the supplied cable. It is one meter long. If you are like me, you get easily frustrated with short cords. Especially for an application like this. Your Qi pad will not necessarily be that close to an outlet if it is at your workstation. Bedside is likely to have a handy outlet, but on a larger desk in a home office, in your home workshop or at your place of business you probably need something more generous in length. I’d like to see a five foot or even a six foot cord. Buck the trend of giving short cables and no charging block. Make this the complete package from the moment you unbox it.
Other than the charger/cable, which I could complain about with any comparable product, there was absolutely nothing I could fault the Axgio Empower for. Great look and feel, generous size and it just worked effortlessly. I love the soft glow LED. This is easily the best Qi pad I’ve tried and I’ve been through at least a half a dozen in the past two years. The Axgio Empower is definitely a keeper.
Pros:
Generous size and easy targeting
Soft Glow LED really works
Adaptable to many chargers and cables without missing a beat
Doesn’t overheat my phone
Good looks and great functionality
Cons:
A longer cable would be very useful
You have to supply your own charging block
The Axgio Empower Fast Wireless Qi Charging Pad is available through Amazon and is $23.99 USD. Axgio has allowed me to offer a discount code for Mobile Nations readers to get the Empower Qi Pad for $19.99 + shipping. Please use the short URL below and apply the code at checkout. The offer is valid through September 30th, 2016.
URL: Axgio Empower on Amazon
Promo Code: R26ROXW4
Wireless charging has been with us for some time and those who use it regularly love it. Many find it advantageous to have a charging pad or stand at those places where they spend a lot of time. It’s easy and convenient to just plunk your phone down and have it start charging. No wires to mess with and when you are ready to go, just grab your phone and you are off. Keep a charging pad at your desk, at your bedside, in your living room, your workspace. If you like keeping your device topped up and ready, the advantages of wireless charging become indispensable.
Qi wireless charging is a widely recognized standard and in the past couple of years Qi charging has become very common as a feature on mid and high range devices. The number of available Qi chargers has exploded and there are so many options it is sometimes hard to sort through them all. If you are like me, you’ve tried a few and are always on the lookout for the next advantage.
A More Modern Approach
Qi chargers are evolving. The new generation is looking for ways to stand out from the crowd and I believe the Axgio Empower is loaded with great features to help it rise above the challenges that Qi pads faced in the past. It’s a forward thinking device that is ready to integrate into your charging routine.
Size:
The first thing that struck me when I unboxed my Axgio was the very welcome and generous size of the pad. I’ve used and moved on from pads previously for being too small and the Axgio fits the modern smartphone with a large 3.6” (95mm) landing pad. This makes a stable base to hold your phablet and also makes it easier to hit the target every time. If you are an experienced Qi user you just know where that receiver is on your phone and trying to judge the landing when the pad is dwarfed beneath your device is often a frustrating experience. Not so with the Empower, I was able to accurately judge just where on the pad I was landing and had no worries about hitting the sweet spot every time. For the record I have a Lumia 1520 which is a big boy phone for sure. At 6.41” x 3.36” (162.8mm x 85.4mm) without a case, I’ve finally found a Qi pad that feels proportional to my device.
Design:
The Axgio is full of thoughtful design features. The entire body is soft touch. It just feels nice to handle and the material gives it a great matte finish. No overly shiny plastic so it should slide tastefully into almost any décor. The top of the Qi pad has a very grippy rubber ring that makes you feel secure about leaving your phone on the pad and the four large feet keep the Empower just where you placed it on your desk or nightstand. The microUSB port has a small shelf over the top to help the cord blend in.
Soft Glow LED:
I’ll admit I was skeptical about the soft glow LED feature. Having used the Axgio Empower at my bedside for the past few nights I’m now a believer. It really is a very well executed feature and the LED is not intrusive at all. I have another charger I was using on my nightstand and I had the LED covered with electrical tape because it was way too bright. The people at Axgio really have this dialed in perfectly. You can tell your charging status at a glance without having the light disrupt your sleep. The LED glows Red when the pad is waiting for a device, Blue when it is charging and Purple when your device is charged. If you ever put an incompatible device on the pad it blinks Red to alert you. Just for laughs I put a phone on the Qi charger that I know doesn’t have any wireless charging capability and sure enough, I got the blinking Red LED.
Adaptability:
Fast charging is rapidly coming on as a new standard, but maybe you are still on the older Quick Charge 2.0. Or perhaps you have devices that are split between charging speeds. No worries, the Empower has you covered either way. It supports both standards and is smart enough to detect what your device needs. Input can be 5 volt and up to 2 amps (which outputs 5v 1a) or 9 volt and up to 1.67 amps (which outputs 9v 1.1a). You need the faster 9 volt charger to get fast charging, but you won’t have to swap chargers to swap which device you put on the pad. I paired the Axgio Empower with an adaptive 5v/9v charger and it worked beautifully with my 1520 which is on the Quick Charge 2.0 standard. My phone charged as it normally would and didn’t get hot. The Empower has protection from overheat, over voltage, under voltage and short circuit. I also tried several 5v chargers and they all worked equally as well. In short, charging on the Axgio is exactly what you expect without any fuss or surprises. It even works with cases up to 5mm in thickness.
The Axgio Empower provides fast charging with compatible phones including the Samsung Galaxy Series S7, S7 Edge, S6 Edge Plus, Note 7 and Note 5 models.
Wrap-up:
Here’s where I get picky. There is no charging block included. For a Qi pad of this type I’d love to see Axgio include a 5v/9v adaptive charger. Yes many of us do have a lot of chargers and cords lying around, but let’s take the guesswork and experimentation out of the equation and just supply the charger that fits best. I will say, however, that I found the Empower very willing to pair with any charging block and cable I threw in the mix and that absolutely is not the case with some other Qi pads I’ve tested. And let’s talk about the supplied cable. It is one meter long. If you are like me, you get easily frustrated with short cords. Especially for an application like this. Your Qi pad will not necessarily be that close to an outlet if it is at your workstation. Bedside is likely to have a handy outlet, but on a larger desk in a home office, in your home workshop or at your place of business you probably need something more generous in length. I’d like to see a five foot or even a six foot cord. Buck the trend of giving short cables and no charging block. Make this the complete package from the moment you unbox it.
Other than the charger/cable, which I could complain about with any comparable product, there was absolutely nothing I could fault the Axgio Empower for. Great look and feel, generous size and it just worked effortlessly. I love the soft glow LED. This is easily the best Qi pad I’ve tried and I’ve been through at least a half a dozen in the past two years. The Axgio Empower is definitely a keeper.
Pros:
Generous size and easy targeting
Soft Glow LED really works
Adaptable to many chargers and cables without missing a beat
Doesn’t overheat my phone
Good looks and great functionality
Cons:
A longer cable would be very useful
You have to supply your own charging block
The Axgio Empower Fast Wireless Qi Charging Pad is available through Amazon and is $23.99 USD. Axgio has allowed me to offer a discount code for Mobile Nations readers to get the Empower Qi Pad for $19.99 + shipping. Please use the short URL below and apply the code at checkout. The offer is valid through September 30th, 2016.
URL: Axgio Empower on Amazon
Promo Code: R26ROXW4
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram