Being born in the early/mid 80’s, I have been very fortunate to experience some of the greatest technological leaps in the history of mankind. Of course, I’m still being tormented by the fact that we don’t have self-drying shoes or hoverboards, but… we did get the clapper – check it out on YouTube. I can remember back to the days when my first computer didn’t even a hard drive. Yup. You heard me right… no hard drive, no mouse; all we had was DOS (look that up too), and two 5 1/4" floppy disk drives (look that up), and you would have to switch the disks all the time for each individual program and type in all of your commands on a prompt screen. However, these were essential building blocks to get us to where we are today. Within just 8 short years I had my first Pentium processor, my first modem to connect to the internet, and Doom… As time progressed, we moved into the world of cell phones, high-powered gaming consoles, internet that didn’t get interrupted when your Mom picked up the phone to make a phone call, and now… we have wireless charging for our phones – it’s madness. Well, being the latest and greatest in technological trends, I have taken it upon myself to review some of these guys, which leads me to the latest one, the AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger.
Presentation: The AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger is a 5W charger, which is a nice change of pace from some of the other models that I have seen/tested. This charger actually uses a USB-C type charging cable, which is fantastic because that’s what most Android based phones use now ‘days. I recently tested out an Incipio wireless charger, and it worked well, but it had traditional AC adapter; not that there’s anything wrong with this, but it means it’s less portable and less utilitarian. Being able to use the same charging cable for my wireless charger that I normally use to charge my phone means a) one less cable and charging base to carry around, and b) a significantly larger chance of me using it at home. I liked the Incipio charging base because I could install it permanently at work, but… having the added flexibility of using the same charging cord means that I can easily toss this sucker in my backpack and use it on the go, or at home on my night stand when I feel the need – extra cool points here. The design is also pretty sleek and modern, balancing the graphite color around the edges with the black plastic center. There is a blue LED light that illuminates when your device is charging, and there are clever little rubber grips on the bottom of the charger that help keep it seated. Also, Public Service Announcement (PSA) time... the powdery mess on the charger is from the plastic bag that it came in. I took another picture after using it for a week and it has other stuff that it's managed to pick up on the surface. It has a very grippy texture, that's basically a giant lint roller. Your phone definitely won't slide off of the charger, but neither will dust, dirt, lint, fuzz, or any other small particulate matter.
Performance: It’s no secret that wireless chargers are slower than Quick Charge capable chargers (The AUKEY charger chargers at 5V/1A). As much as the technology is convenient and trendy, it’s no substitute for the old reliable method of connecting it to your charging cable. The technology has come a long way and there are faster wireless chargers available now. However, the AUKEY Wireless charger is not a fast charger. It works well and is on par with the other charger that I reviewed previously, which is fine. Like I said in my previous review, I use the wireless charger as more of a battery maintainer than a batter charger. Sure, when I have spare time or I’m in meetings while I’m at work, I will toss it on the wireless charger for a bit, but it’s definitely not the way to go for a quick top-up. I tested the charger out on my Samsung Galaxy S9+ and my LG G7 ThinQ, and they both charge at about 30% in one hour… which means it will take 3 hours to fully charge… eek.
Applicability: So, if it’s so slow, why get one? Well, when you’re on the go all of the time at work, or don’t want to keep plugging your phone in and unplugging it over and over between trips to your desk, it’s a really solid option for convenience. Being able to set your phone down and instantly start preserving battery life, all while slowly recharging it is a luxury that many people can really benefit from. Sometimes it’s not always about trying to get a rapid charge, especially if your phone is already at 80-90%. However, being able to maintain that status quo is definitely up the alley for the AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger, which also helps maintain some dollars in your wallet – It costs $29.99. Working in a professional environment, having the ability to set my phone down briefly when I’m working on a quick email or running in and out of the office is priceless, because it saves me steps, saves me time, and saves me the hassle of continually plugging my phone in all day. At home, I still use it some on the weekend or in the evening when I’m using my other phone. It’s also nice because it’s like a community charger at the house. Several members of my family have phones that charge wirelessly, and this charger helps facilitate charging for several people. I don’t get asked “hey, can I borrow your phone charger?” We have a standing rule; if there’s no phone on the charger, you can use it.
What's In the Box: The AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger comes complete with a short USB-C cable, the product documentation, and the shiny gold A 24-month warranty card! Yup, it comes with a two year warranty!
Conclusion: The AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger is a nice little piece of modern technology that fills several niche spaces in my tech catalog, and also helps make life a little bit more convenient. It’s always in the same spot, I never have to look for cords, and I can drop my phone off throughout the day as I please. Would I pay $40-50 for this luxury? No… but for $29.99, I definitely think splurging for one is worth the while, especially if you’re a business professional or constantly on the go and don’t care to be bothered with tethering your phone to a cable all the time. It works well; albeit a little on the slow side. But, it doesn’t really have to be fast, because that’s not it’s designed for. As we move further into the future I’m sure the technology will mature even more, but for right now… this is definitely suitable.
If you’re interested in picking up one of AUKEY’s Graphite Wireless Chargers, you can find them on AUKEY’s website, and Amazon. AUKEY works directly through Amazon for sales, and you can click the appropriate region-specific drop-down option for your area, and it will link to the specific Amazon site. They are currently selling for $29.99. https://www.aukey.com/products/graphite-wireless-charger-lc-c5
Presentation: The AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger is a 5W charger, which is a nice change of pace from some of the other models that I have seen/tested. This charger actually uses a USB-C type charging cable, which is fantastic because that’s what most Android based phones use now ‘days. I recently tested out an Incipio wireless charger, and it worked well, but it had traditional AC adapter; not that there’s anything wrong with this, but it means it’s less portable and less utilitarian. Being able to use the same charging cable for my wireless charger that I normally use to charge my phone means a) one less cable and charging base to carry around, and b) a significantly larger chance of me using it at home. I liked the Incipio charging base because I could install it permanently at work, but… having the added flexibility of using the same charging cord means that I can easily toss this sucker in my backpack and use it on the go, or at home on my night stand when I feel the need – extra cool points here. The design is also pretty sleek and modern, balancing the graphite color around the edges with the black plastic center. There is a blue LED light that illuminates when your device is charging, and there are clever little rubber grips on the bottom of the charger that help keep it seated. Also, Public Service Announcement (PSA) time... the powdery mess on the charger is from the plastic bag that it came in. I took another picture after using it for a week and it has other stuff that it's managed to pick up on the surface. It has a very grippy texture, that's basically a giant lint roller. Your phone definitely won't slide off of the charger, but neither will dust, dirt, lint, fuzz, or any other small particulate matter.
Performance: It’s no secret that wireless chargers are slower than Quick Charge capable chargers (The AUKEY charger chargers at 5V/1A). As much as the technology is convenient and trendy, it’s no substitute for the old reliable method of connecting it to your charging cable. The technology has come a long way and there are faster wireless chargers available now. However, the AUKEY Wireless charger is not a fast charger. It works well and is on par with the other charger that I reviewed previously, which is fine. Like I said in my previous review, I use the wireless charger as more of a battery maintainer than a batter charger. Sure, when I have spare time or I’m in meetings while I’m at work, I will toss it on the wireless charger for a bit, but it’s definitely not the way to go for a quick top-up. I tested the charger out on my Samsung Galaxy S9+ and my LG G7 ThinQ, and they both charge at about 30% in one hour… which means it will take 3 hours to fully charge… eek.
Applicability: So, if it’s so slow, why get one? Well, when you’re on the go all of the time at work, or don’t want to keep plugging your phone in and unplugging it over and over between trips to your desk, it’s a really solid option for convenience. Being able to set your phone down and instantly start preserving battery life, all while slowly recharging it is a luxury that many people can really benefit from. Sometimes it’s not always about trying to get a rapid charge, especially if your phone is already at 80-90%. However, being able to maintain that status quo is definitely up the alley for the AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger, which also helps maintain some dollars in your wallet – It costs $29.99. Working in a professional environment, having the ability to set my phone down briefly when I’m working on a quick email or running in and out of the office is priceless, because it saves me steps, saves me time, and saves me the hassle of continually plugging my phone in all day. At home, I still use it some on the weekend or in the evening when I’m using my other phone. It’s also nice because it’s like a community charger at the house. Several members of my family have phones that charge wirelessly, and this charger helps facilitate charging for several people. I don’t get asked “hey, can I borrow your phone charger?” We have a standing rule; if there’s no phone on the charger, you can use it.
What's In the Box: The AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger comes complete with a short USB-C cable, the product documentation, and the shiny gold A 24-month warranty card! Yup, it comes with a two year warranty!
Conclusion: The AUKEY Graphite Wireless Charger is a nice little piece of modern technology that fills several niche spaces in my tech catalog, and also helps make life a little bit more convenient. It’s always in the same spot, I never have to look for cords, and I can drop my phone off throughout the day as I please. Would I pay $40-50 for this luxury? No… but for $29.99, I definitely think splurging for one is worth the while, especially if you’re a business professional or constantly on the go and don’t care to be bothered with tethering your phone to a cable all the time. It works well; albeit a little on the slow side. But, it doesn’t really have to be fast, because that’s not it’s designed for. As we move further into the future I’m sure the technology will mature even more, but for right now… this is definitely suitable.
If you’re interested in picking up one of AUKEY’s Graphite Wireless Chargers, you can find them on AUKEY’s website, and Amazon. AUKEY works directly through Amazon for sales, and you can click the appropriate region-specific drop-down option for your area, and it will link to the specific Amazon site. They are currently selling for $29.99. https://www.aukey.com/products/graphite-wireless-charger-lc-c5
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