I love the OnePlus 13, but the official wireless charger is just maddening

Android Authority

5 days ago

Robert Triggs / Android Authority
I'm a chaotic gadget charger, topping up my phone as and when rather than sticking to a rigorous overnight routine like a normal person. As such, you might think that wireless charging would be right up my street — pop the phone down, give it a little juice, and be back on my way.
Unfortunately, wireless charging is notoriously slow, meaning that even half an hour on the dock is seldom enough for me. Thankfully, a few brands, mainly from China, offer fast(er) wireless charging capabilities — including OnePlus. These bulky and often noisy docks put me off, but I've been testing out the brilliant OnePlus 13 and its tiny AIRVOOC 50W Magnetic Charger accessory for a few days to see if it can change my mind.
It's an interesting product to look at: think HAL 9000 meets hockey puck. There's a fan on one side and a magnetic pad on the back. It's not quite a charging pad, but certainly not a dock either. Still, as it's a magnetic setup, lining up the ideal charging position on the OnePlus 13 magnetic case or any other gadget with a magnetic placement ring or case is a cinch, ensuring it can charge as quickly as possible.
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Before we get to the vital charging bit, there are a few stars you have to carefully align before the OnePlus 13 will charge optimally with this official wireless accessory. After all, what sort of idiot (me) would simply plug the charger in, slap it on the back of the OnePlus 13, and expect it to pump out the juice?
Nono, for optimal results, you need a few things first. Exhibit A: a compatible power plug. Any old USB Power Delivery plug won't do, even if it's a high-end charger that works with basically everything else.
OnePlus told me you need a SuperVOOC plug with specific 5- 11V, 9.5A capabilities. Thankfully, I had a 100W SuperVOOC charger that shipped with the China-only OPPO Find X7 Ultra that meets the requirements. The chances of US consumers having one of these lying around are essentially zero, though OnePlus' latest dual-port 80W GaN charger should also do the trick. At least in theory, I don't have one to verify.
I also tried a 65W OnePlus USB-C charger and an Anker Prime 100W, which should deliver 45W to 50W via USB PD PPS at 11V. Unfortunately, that universal spec is not fully compatible, as neither provides more than 26W.
You have to jump through more hoops than Sonic to hit 50W charging.
Second, you need to put the OnePlus 13's magnetic case on — I couldn't exceed 36W without it. Currently, OnePlus is giving these away as a free gift with the phone, but that might not always be the case. The magnets help align the charger, and although you wouldn't think this is strictly necessary when placing it on a horizontal phone, it apparently is.
Third, and definitely most odd, owners of the Arctic Dawn or Black Eclipse colorways need to insert the supplied 'wireless charging cover' between the phone and case. It's essentially a black and transparent plastic hotel door hanger that I was about to throw in the trash. Bizarrely, the Midnight Blue doesn't need the insert, according to OnePlus.
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
I thought the insert would be complete hokum, but only with this little sheet in between could I hit the advertised 50W of wireless power and even exceed it, peaking at 73W. What does this sheet do? I have no idea. Perhaps it helps disipate heat or reduce signal absorption. Maybe it's magic. None of this is in the manual, by the way, it only vaguely hints at the charging specs and recommends using a case in instances where the phone isn't magnetic.
Once you've finally finished this Hokey Pokey, it's time for the little robot vacuum-looking charger to shine. It took my OnePlus 13 from empty to full in 83 minutes, just over the advertised 75 minutes. Heat is the limiting factor, charging power throttles back quickly once the 40°C mark is reached. The phone took over 100 minutes on a second charge, so it's rather temperamental.
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
The AIRVOOC 50W Magnetic Charger is not particularly fast, but it's not far off the pace of the Pixel 9 Pro or iPhone 16 Pro Max over a wire. However, I think that says more about their sorry state of fast charging. Still, if you want to charge the OnePlus 13 as quickly as possible, just use a cable — it takes only 35 minutes to fully charge.
50W wireless isn't exactly quick, but it's faster than Qi at least.
Returning to temperatures for a moment, the little fan is not exactly quiet during charging. It's suitable for my work desk, but having it whirr away for well over an hour is not ideal. I certainly wouldn't put it on my nightstand; it's far too distracting.
Robert Triggs / Android Authority
Equally annoyingly, you can't set the phone face-up to use it while charging, as the fan doesn't allow the puck to lie flat in this position. You can try it, but the whole setup wobbles about. You could lie the phone on its side, but a little kickstand would be nice to angle the phone more reliably. Coincidentally, OnePlus will happily sell you an additional stand for $20.
Instead, I suppose you're supposed to lie the phone face down and snap the charger on the back. But that means you can't see your screen while it's slowly charging, and risk scratching the display on whatever junk might be cluttering your desk. Given the puck is too small to remain fixed in place, you might as well grab a USB-C cable for faster wired charging and avoid these drawbacks.
Wireless charging is supposed to be convenient. This is anything but.
The AIRVOOC 50W Magnetic Charger looks the part, and I quite like its compact design, but it's just a nightmare to use. You need a proprietary charger, a case, and an insert before it delivers its full potential. Add that all up, and this setup could cost you $150 or so… yikes.
This all takes the shine off the supposed convenience of wireless charging. Although you can use it to charge your iPhone, OPPO Find X8 Pro, and many other smartphones too, OnePlus' magnetic charger is definitely not the answer to MagSafe.