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One of the new fads in the cell phone and portable devices game is wireless charging. Many new phones released in the last few years offer some form of wireless charging. You can even find some wireless earbud companies offering wireless charging options. With these new methods of charging, charging companies have come out with their own wireless charging products. Many of these devices are cheaper than OEM brands. Just keep in mind that not all wireless chargers are created equal and wireless charging can damage batteries faster than wire charger can. So buying a trusted and reliable brand is important. Today, I want to introduce you to the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad. I’ve been using this pad since January and love it.
Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad – Features
The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad has a lot of great features. Anker has designed this charging pad to not only wireless quick charge your device but also do it in a way that is safe for the device and does its best to preserve the life of the battery. Below are the copied features and specs taken directly from the Amazon Sales Page.
- Charge Forward: Exclusive Wave Boost technology uses advanced components and a state-of-the-art cooling system to charge up to 30% faster than other wireless chargers.
- One for All: works with all wirelessly-charged phones, including the latest iPhone (7. 5W) and Samsung flagship phones (10W). quick Charge 3. 0 wall charger (included) required.
- Superior Safety: over-charge protection, foreign object detection, and radiation shielding provide total safety for you and your devices.
- Case friendly: Don’t fumble with your phone case. Power wave charges directly through protective cases. Rubber/plastic/TPU cases less than 5 mm thick only. Magnetic and metal attachments or cards will prevent charging.
- What You Get: Power Wave 7. 5 Pad, Quick Charge 3. 0 AC adapter, Power Line Micro USB Cable (6 ft.), welcome guide, worry-free 18-month , and friendly customer service.
Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad – The Review
I’ve been using the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad since January 2019 and I find it to be my favorite wireless charger out of the four I own. It not only looks the best but its also the fastest charger I have.
Unboxing
The Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad has a lot of great features. Anker has designed this charging pad to not only wireless quick charge your device but also do it in a way that is safe for the device comes in Anker’s standard white and blue box with images and specs for it. After opening up the box I found that the charging pad was nicely displayed and secured to the box. All the parts in the box were wrapped in plastic or stored in a separate part of the box.
First Impressions
After pulling everything out of the box I found the charging, pad, the cable, and the wall charger to be made well and look good. All three complement each and are the perfect match for those that want matching products.
The charging pad is covered in a non slip rubber coating (matte white or matte black) with a bright blue status light that lights up solid when charging and blinks when its trying to connect or can’t connect. On the bottom side you will find matte white plastic (or black depending on what color purchased) with vents that has a slight curve before it goes flat. On the flat surface you will find more non slick off white rubber. Inside those vents is the small cooling fan. On the side of the pad you will find a micro-USB port to connect the Micro-USB Cable to.
The wall charger was once sold individually (or a similar model) on Amazon (I haven’t seen it in a while) at one time. When holding the charger it feels solid and is made of slick white plastic with grey accents around the base. The plug folds close making it easy to store or pack away on for a trip. The status LED has been removed on the wall charger that ships with the charging pad.
What surprised me the most was the quality of the cable that was included. Its quality is better than many OEM cellphone cables. Its thick enough that it won’t get hot while charging and the ends are reinforced so it should handle a lot of bends and twists. The newer version of the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad comes with a 6 ft cable. In my opinion this cable should be long enough for most people and as good as most premium aftermarket cables.
Charging
My current phone is a Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and it charges at 10 watts. As I mentioned before, I’ve been using this charging pad since January 2019. I haven’t had any issues and takes about 2 and half hours to charge 20% to full or from 5% to full in about 3 and half hours. When compared to my other wireless chargers, this is about 25 minutes faster.
I found that when I first placed the phone on the pad it took about a second or two to start charging. When that happened the blinking blue status light blinked until it had a strong connection. Once connected the fan turned on and the status light went solid blue.
The fan is quiet but does create a small amount of white noise. I couldn’t hear if I’m more than 3 feet away or less if the TV/Radio is on. If you need a little white noise when you sleep this would help with it. But I do not think its aloud enough to be an issue for most people.
Unlike wired charging, once the phone is full the charging pad will keep your phone charged and full until you take it off the charger. It won’t over charge your phone but it will not allow the phone to drain because of your open apps.
I have a UAG (Urban Assault Gear) case and it charges just as fast as charging without a case. However, I did find the charging pad to be picky when placing the phone on the pad. Without the case its usually starts charging on one try. With the case, it might take a couple of small position adjustments to get to start charging.
Due to the cooling fan, I found that the pad and the phone do not get hot or even all that warm. The back of the phone is does get slightly warm, but never warm enough to be concerned about.
Thoughts on Other Reviews
After looking through the reviews on Amazon I noticed a handful of complaints about the cable being around 3 feet or less, not charging their devices, won’t charge with their case/pop sockit, about the high price, and some other issues.
Many of these negative reviews were posted during the first generation of the device. After the negative feedback Anker made some changes and corrected many of the issues with the devices that were reported.
For those concerned with the length of the supplied cable. It now comes with a 6 foot cable. This is a standard length that many wired devices come with (most of my powered devices come with a 5 to 8 ft power cord). If the cord is to short then you can always purchase a 10 ft cable (Anker makes some great 10 ft cables), just get a Micro-USB Cable.
I was looking at one review (I can’t remember what site) complained that it didn’t charge their phone. The reviewer mentioned what they were trying to charge and it was on the list of phones that wasn’t supported (list of unsupported has been removed and now shows supported phones)! For others, they could have been placement issue or device issues. Anker has one of the best and best support staff to work with. You get an 18 month warranty (from an authorized dealer) so send them an email and see if the device is faulty or if its your phone/case causing issues. If there’s an issue you can return it or they will send you a new one (if its within warranty policy)
Also keep in mind that not all phone cases will work for wireless charging. Some cases are too thick while others are thin enough to work. I know most OtterBox and other premium named case brands work. But many of the generic cases won’t work. Many will even say not compatible for wireless charging. Most cases will effect how fast your phone charges wirelessly.
Pop Sockits, card holders, and folding cases will cause wireless charging issues. That is because it adds extra layers between the charging coils or pulls the phone to far away from the coils. Its not recommended that these devices be attached during charging.
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I will agree that this device can be picky for placement. I would recommend getting a cradle style if you don’t want to deal with placement. For me, its not a big deal. It takes about 5 to 10 seconds to find the sweet spot.
As to price, its not really all that more expensive than other wireless chargers. It does come with a wall charger that can be used with any USB-A cable to charge phones, powerbanks, and cellphone accessories when not connected to the charging pad. A good charger like this one along with premium cable can cost as much as 25 to 35 dollars. This kit takes the guess work out for finding the right wall charger. Using the wrong wall charger will slow down the charger.
Final Thoughts
Currently I have this setup in my living room next to the TV. The phone sits on the charger when it gets around 20% and stays on it until I need it. But I’m thinking about moving it into the bedroom and place it where I leave my phone at night. My wireless Cradle charger is to bright to leave in the room at night.
If you are looking for a reliable high quality wireless charger that has everything you need to get you started with wireless charging the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad is the one for you. Can purchase the Anker PowerWave 7.5 Fast Wireless Charging Pad from Amazon.
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