Huawei Wireless Charger review: Is 'world's fastest wireless charger' fast enough?

Huawei recently launched its quick wireless charger in India for Rs 3,999, available exclusively on Amazon India. Touted as the world's fastest wireless charger, Huawei Wireless Charger turned many heads with its simplistic looks packed with immense power. But is it as good as the company claims it to be? Let's find out.

Wireless charging is still a niche and far from hitting the mainstream as it doesn't match the fast charging solutions available with wired chargers. We've seen some incredible fast charging technologies, ranging from Oppo's VOOC and SuperVOOC to OnePlus' Warp Charge 30 and Huawei's SuperCharge. All these address the dormant state of battery innovations, bringing a much-needed solution for those who need to charge their phones often due to excessive usage.

After having tested Huawei's 40W SuperCharge on the Mate 20 Pro, we were convinced the fast charging technology is at its best. But Huawei also offers quick wireless charging to pave a new path of innovation in the ever-changing smartphone industry. But the real question is whether wireless charging is the solution we need?

Huawei Wireless Charger priced at Rs 3,999 certainly takes affordability seriously. Google Stand is priced at Rs 6,900 but tries to attract consumers with more than wireless charging. Huawei is pretty straightforward with its wireless charger – quickly charge phones wirelessly.

To make that happen, Huawei integrated its SuperCharge technology in its wireless charger. It delivers 15W output, which is the highest any wireless charger currently offers. So we decided to test the fast charging on Huawei Wireless Charger by placing a fully drained Huawei Mate 20 Pro flagship.

Huawei Mate 20 Pro [Review] is one of the best smartphones where the battery is concerned. While it can fully charge in less than an hour's time, as per our tests, the wireless charger by Huawei doesn't come even close. But it's worth pointing out that the Huawei Wireless Charger is not competing against the wired fast charging solutions out there.

That said, we fully drained the Huawei Mate 20 Pro's 4,200mAh battery before testing the quick charging in the real world. As per our tests, it took a little over two hours to charge the phone 100 percent. While it's not ideal, it must be understood that the test was charging conducted from 0-100 percent, where the speed slows down towards the end.

But if you are to charge the phone from let's say 30 percent to about 75 percent, it would take just about an hour. This is still an achievement for a wireless charger, but I see myself switching back to the SuperCharger that came with the Mate 20 Pro for much faster charging.

Besides the charging speed, the Huawei Wireless Charger looks like a regular tea coaster. The simplistic design of the Huawei Wireless Charger is commendable and takes little space even when it is sitting on a populated desk. The charger's circular pad can identify foreign objects such as keys and immediately stop charging as a safety precaution, but it charges any Qi-enabled devices effortlessly.

There's a USB Type-C port on the charger that lets you connect the charger to the wall socket via the charger. Sadly, the charger comes only with a USB Type-C cable and not an actual adaptor, forcing users to stick to their Huawei SuperCharge adaptor from the Mate 20 Pro box.

I'm not a huge fan of wireless charging, simply because it consumes a lot of time. But when I'm working from my desk in the office, having the Huawei Wireless Charger plugged in certainly changes the perspective. It's as simple as placing the phone on the charging pad when not in use and picking it up when needed.

Huawei Wireless Charger makes perfect sense for those who work out a desk. It's also my favourite desk accessory.

My only problem with wireless chargers, in general, is not being able to use the phone for gaming or simply use it in hand. But that's just one person's opinion against those who like to talk about the risks of using phones while they're charging. Most phones and chargers come with necessary safety, so they do not pose a risk if a user decides to use it while charging.

Verdict

Huawei Wireless Charger is one of the better ones out there. The minimalistic design is a major reason why it demands your attention and the affordable price tag makes it a compelling choice. All that paired with 15W charging on a wireless pad, you have yourself a winner in the wireless charging department. But it's not mandatory to own a wireless charger if your phone comes with fast wired charging technologies. 

There will come a time when wireless charging will be the trend, until then it's best to stick to the current trend of wired charging. For those who like to live in the future, Huawei Wireless Charger is a no-brainer.