Is wireless charging worth it?

[etad putta]

I wouldn't buy a phone without it. The weakest point on any phone is it's charging port. Very easily damaged.

 

[rkarolak]

It's kind of nice to just put the phone down on something and have it charge rather than trying to find the USB cable and plug it in, especially if you tend to have lots of cords or you're doing it in the dark, like on a nightstand.

On the other hand, you have to buy more equipment - you need a charging station and a charging case (depending on the phone) and it can be a bit slower to charge.

Wireless charging can be nice and convenient, but it may not be worth it for everyone.

 

[psiu_glen]

I have 3 wireless charging points (one is the Nokia stand, 2 are Nokia plates). All bought on sale, so pretty cheap.

My 928 and Icon both use it.

The only real con I see is the expense of the charging stands, but you can find them for around $10 (even quality Nokia ones at that price if you stay alert).

Most of the other cons are exaggerated or made up:

Slower charging -- With these battery capacities, it will take a couple hours wired or wireless for a full charge. I get about 37% per hour on my Icon and 43% on my 928 according to Battery Sense on the Qi pads. Of course...I get that with wired charging as well.

Heat -- (mythical) faster charging on wired isn't going to make more heat? Woot!

Battery size -- I'm SURE the COST of buying a bigger battery has nothing to do with these decisions. And the bulk...oh my. I can barely hoist these behemoths. Seriously, you can jam the charging coil into a 925, it basically adds NOTHING. Did AT&T give their 1520 a bigger battery to make up for removing Qi? No, they halved the storage! *chortle*

Size -- 920 was big...but that was the style. 928 was slimmer yet, and included Qi. 925 was slimmer yet...and it's been shown that having Qi external was more of a "sell accessory" ploy. Or when the phones can have a battery cover with or without it, and the carriers remove it so they can sell you a $25 cover with added back on (look at something like the LG G3 for this in America).

Real advantages to me:

Quicker. Plop on, plop off, Daniel-san.
Less wear on micro-USB port. Less chance of getting yanked down, or having plug/cord at a high tension position.
No scratches around it from fumbling around with the cord.

 

[BuckeyeCelt]

I have 3 Qi chargers and I love it.

Now that ATT has started ripping the Qi out of the phones I had thoughts of moving to Verizon just to keep that feature. I thought I was being dumb. So I talked to my wife who immediately said without question that we will be keeping Qi no matter what...

We will soon be switching carriers now just to keep Qi. It really is that big of a deal...

 

[Rodrigo Mendes]

I have 3 wireless charging points (one is the Nokia stand, 2 are Nokia plates). All bought on sale, so pretty cheap.

My 928 and Icon both use it.

The only real con I see is the expense of the charging stands, but you can find them for around $10 (even quality Nokia ones at that price if you stay alert).

Most of the other cons are exaggerated or made up:

Slower charging -- With these battery capacities, it will take a couple hours wired or wireless for a full charge. I get about 37% per hour on my Icon and 43% on my 928 according to Battery Sense on the Qi pads. Of course...I get that with wired charging as well.

Heat -- (mythical) faster charging on wired isn't going to make more heat? Woot!

Battery size -- I'm SURE the COST of buying a bigger battery has nothing to do with these decisions. And the bulk...oh my. I can barely hoist these behemoths. Seriously, you can jam the charging coil into a 925, it basically adds NOTHING. Did AT&T give their 1520 a bigger battery to make up for removing Qi? No, they halved the storage! *chortle*

Size -- 920 was big...but that was the style. 928 was slimmer yet, and included Qi. 925 was slimmer yet...and it's been shown that having Qi external was more of a "sell accessory" ploy. Or when the phones can have a battery cover with or without it, and the carriers remove it so they can sell you a $25 cover with added back on (look at something like the LG G3 for this in America).

Real advantages to me:

Quicker. Plop on, plop off, Daniel-san.
Less wear on micro-USB port. Less chance of getting yanked down, or having plug/cord at a high tension position.
No scratches around it from fumbling around with the cord.

Finally some sense here! Thanks!

 

[psiu_glen]

But you know what -- I can TOTALLY get why some people just don't care.

Some people don't care as much about a camera, or the speakers, or maybe the headphones mean a lot, or a memory card slot, or they live to load Android builds on a phone, or tinker with the inner workings, or they have a set of apps on iOS that their business runs on and they HAVE to have them. Or maybe they just started with something and they are comfy there.

It's all cool -- for me, wireless charging "fits" perfectly with what I want my phone to be. But most of the arguments against it are specious at best. It would be interesting to hear from a manufacturer rep what it adds to a phone (cost/weight/size).

Edit: FWIW, before I tried it, I was definitely in the "cool but probably a gimmick" camp.

 

[gomezz]

I have a pad by my armchair and another charger pad on my nightstand that doubles as a bluetooth speaker and also has a large clock and temperature display that I can read from the bed without needing to hunt for my glasses or move over right up close. Still looking for a decent car charger pad though and also carry a charger lead in my bag for use in the work van (needed to maintain charge when sat-navving and streaming radio) and carry a mains charger travel lead with me when out and about for the day though rarely need it. Would never want to go back to a phone without wireless charging.

 

[scalpetti]

From my experience, the wireless charging is worth it. I have been using wireless charging for about 1 year and i wouldn't go back to a usb charger. The charging times are about the same in wireless and usb charger, not that much heat and i love that i just put the phone on the stand and it charges without needing me to do anything else. It's very convenient to use

 

[SAM 77]

Its so worth it...

My mini usb port was getting worn out. I was getting poor charging rates with it so I thought I plunk out for a white charging shell and a DT 910. I just recieved the DT910 today and all I can say is damn why didn't I do this when I got my 820 19 monhs ago. The charge rate is within 10% less than when hooked up to the normal usb port charger.

The new white shell has improved the look of my 820 that I can hold out for a better phone come upgrade time. I was thinkin of the 830/930 but now I can wait till mid 2015

I really hope there is a decent flagship released next year.

 

[jason hendry1]

its nort a gimmick. I have used my lumia 930 with wireless charging now for 8 months, and no mater what phone I get in the future it has to have wireless charging, its been that convionient for me. The stock suplyed charger with the 930 sucks but the wireless p[late that also comes free with a lot of nokia 930s is pure bliss. The point of having wireless charging is so you don't have to plug it in and yeh when your not using the phone it tends to stay on the charging plate and because I don't have to plug in a charger leaving it on the plate is like leaving it on the table lol. If you haven't used wireless charging before then wait till you actually try it. I forget I'm even charging my phone these days. The battery in any phone could always be biger and yes it would be nice but my 930 battery life is the best I have ever had and easily sees me through the day sometimes 2 if I'm heavey using eg gaming then depending on the game it can last up to 8 hours. 12 with Netflix solid, or 26 hours for my normal, you tube, net, uinstaGRAM, MESSAGING, ODD GAME so its all pretty decent.

 

[KllR007]

Deffinitly its worth of it!
I cant imagine now phone withou Qi, tried it and never go back to cable charging.

 

[Tonio78]

I fully agree, the 930 is the first I have and for the future, absence of wireless charging will be a deal breaker.


Via Tapatalk de mon splendide Lumia 930

 

[Blake Seaman]

I think you'll find your answer in a generic post that continues to be repeated, "I tried it then never went back."

You don't really see or care about the difference it makes until you've seen the difference through experience. I get to work and set my phone down on the desk. I don't have to plug it in, run a wire, or fiddle with a wire when I want to use the device. I just pick it up again when I leave.

It's mindless, eyeless, and fiddle-less. Try it for yourself!

 

[tmoore71]

I got my first wireless charger with my 920, bought the charging back for my 925, and now use it all the time on my 930. Sure is convenient. I just walk into my computer room, drop the phone on the plate and that's it.

 

[Tonio78]

Once you have it, you can't live without it

Via Tapatalk de mon splendide Lumia 930

 

[captaincalamity]

I have wireless chargers in a few places, office desk, bedside cabinet, lounge...I have two wireless devices, that i can simply pick up and place at any time, a Nokia 930 and Nexus 7 2013 tablet, the Nokia i simply place it on the charge pad, without thinking these days, had a nexus 5 before and did the same with that, its probably not essential, but it becomes just so easy, its second nature to grab your phone, without unplugging and then plugging back in again.

 

[infinidim]

Its not going to charge as fast and it puts out more heat.
But for me, its worth the sheer convenience of not having to plug it in, unplug it, especially in the dark.
The sheer cool factor.
Less wear on the plug, not that its a big deal.
And I don't have to worry about a cable sticking out the bottom

Totally agree.

Regards

Infinidim