Brady Snyder / Android Authority
Android users, starting with owners of the Google Pixel 10 series, are finally experiencing the beauty of native Qi2 and MagSafe support. The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL in particular supports Qi2 25W, a charging spec that offers faster wireless charging speeds. Whether you’re using Qi2 25W on a Pixel or Qi2 Ready 15W on a Samsung Galaxy, you can enjoy faster base wireless charging speeds than the older Qi standard, which only guaranteed 5W speeds (aside from some Qi chargers with an updated spec of 10 or 15W).
The faster speeds make wireless charging even more convenient, but they also amplify the drawbacks that come with using it in the first place. Wireless charging is less efficient, slower, and creates more heat than wired charging.
I almost gave up on wireless charging for these reasons — until I tried Belkin’s UltraCharge Pro 3-in-1 Qi2 25W charging station ($129.99 on Amazon). It features an active cooling fan that blows ambient air toward your phone’s wireless charging cooler, helping it avoid overheating and excessive battery degradation while charging faster.
Do you charge your Android phone wirelessly? 12 votes Yes, I use wireless charging often 58 % Yes, but only occasionally 17 % No, it charges my phone too slow 25 % No, it makes my phone too hot 0 %
Why I used to avoid wireless charging like the plague
Brady Snyder / Android Authority
Wireless charging is a controversial subject because it’s a choice between convenience and efficiency. When charging your phone wirelessly, electricity is being transferred between the charging pad and the coils within the smartphone. However, wireless charging’s power efficiency hovers between about 50% and 80% in real-world conditions. Compared to using a cable, wireless charging wastes energy that gets lost during the transfer process.
This limitation is single-handedly responsible for a few drawbacks of the charging method. The inefficiencies are just one of the reasons why wireless charging is often slower than wired charging. Additionally, the energy lost in the wireless charging process is transformed into heat. This extra expenditure can cause chargers and phones to overheat. When a phone or its battery gets too hot, performance and charging speed are throttled, prolonging wireless charging sessions.
I experienced this firsthand across flagships from Apple, Samsung, and Google. Using wireless chargers in poor real-world conditions — like the one in my hot car — resulted in overheating and thermal throttling that made me question whether it was worth it. Eventually, I started reaching for cables instead.
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