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New York Times
31-03-2025
- New York Times
How to Add Magnetic Wireless Charging to (Almost) Any Phone
An iPhone SE with an iOttie Universal MagSafe Ring Adapter (right) and phone case. Sarah Witman/NYT Wirecutter The most widely available option is a magnetic ring adapter, which is exactly what it sounds like: a ring of magnets with adhesive backing that sticks to either the back of your phone or the outside of your phone case (as long as the material is relatively smooth). Most come with a handy template to help you properly align the ring with the wireless charging components inside your phone, which is an important factor in getting a consistent charge. Some are also packaged with disposable wipes to clean the surface of your phone or case, which can help the adhesive stick to it better. Included in the box are two black adhesive magnetic ring adapters, four disposable cleaning wipes, and an alignment template. One of our favorites is the iOttie Universal MagSafe Ring Adapter. The package has two black adhesive magnetic rings, four disposable cleaning wipes, and an alignment template. Plus, the adapter is backed by a two-year warranty. This package includes a black adhesive magnetic ring adapter, a disposable cleaning wipe, and an alignment template. Another clear standout is the Scosche MagicRing. The black adhesive magnetic ring comes with a disposable cleaning wipe and an alignment template, and Scosche backs it with a one-year warranty. If the iOttie ring adapter is unavailable, or you want to save a few bucks—and you don't mind getting fewer rings, fewer cleaning wipes, and a shorter warranty—this Scosche adapter is a good alternative. Mophie's package includes two black adhesive magnetic rings and an alignment template. It doesn't provide disposable cleaning wipes, though. We also like the Mophie Snap Adapter. You get two black adhesive magnetic rings and an alignment template, and the adapter is covered by a two-year warranty. Disposable cleaning wipes aren't included, so you have to make do with a microfiber cloth (sold separately), but this adapter is otherwise on a par with the iOttie one if that model is unavailable. An iPhone SE, with the help of a Scosche MagicRing Disc, is able to stick to a variety of metal surfaces—from a magnetic wireless charger to a fridge. Sarah Witman/NYT Wirecutter An iPhone SE, with the help of a Scosche MagicRing Disc, is able to stick to a variety of metal surfaces—from a magnetic wireless charger to a fridge. Sarah Witman/NYT Wirecutter An iPhone SE, with the help of a Scosche MagicRing Disc, is able to stick to a variety of metal surfaces—from a magnetic wireless charger to a fridge. Sarah Witman/NYT Wirecutter Magnetic plate adapters are rarer than ring adapters, but since they have more surface area—they're shaped more like a biscuit than a doughnut—they have more adhesive to remain stuck to your phone or case. The package includes a black adhesive magnetic ring adapter, a black adhesive magnetic disc adapter, two disposable cleaning wipes, and an alignment template. One of our favorite magnetic plate adapters comes as part of the Scosche MagicRing Kit. The kit includes the Scosche MagicRing described above, as well as a MagicRing Disc, which is essentially the same thing but in a solid disc shape. Also in the package are two disposable cleaning wipes and an alignment template. The adapters are backed by a one-year warranty. The center of the MagicRing Disc is made of plastic, so it has no additional magnets (no more than the MagicRing has, that is) to hold your device in place on a charger. It does have a bit more adhesive, though, and some people might prefer the look of the circle over the ring shape. At about $30, the Peak Design Universal Adapter is pricier than the other adhesive adapters we tested, but it offers a more luxurious look and feel. Shaped like a square bandage with a small divot in the center, it's encased in a weatherproof, charcoal-colored nylon canvas. It's larger and thicker than most adapters we tested, and it's not designed for use on a bare phone, but its adhesive and magnets are especially strong. Plus, like all Peak Design products, it has a lifetime warranty. Most adhesive magnetic adapters can be used on either a bare phone or the back of a phone case, as long as the case is made of a smooth material. Sarah Witman/NYT Wirecutter Even if your phone has built-in magnets, you can still stick any of these adhesive magnetic ring or plate adapters on the back of a thick phone case to help reinforce the magnetic connection between the phone and a wireless charger. The phone likely won't charge at top speed, but it will adhere better to the charger. Or, if you simply want to add a magnet to a non-wireless-charging device—such as a wired power bank, Bluetooth tracker, or card holder, or an older phone such as an iPhone 7, Pixel 4a, or Samsung Galaxy S6 series—an adapter offers a cheap way to do so. For instance, New York Times enterprise productivity manager Cory Hartmann cleverly stuck a magnetic adapter to his TravelCard Plus power bank (which doesn't charge wirelessly but has two built-in charging cables) so that his phone firmly adheres to the power bank while charging in a pocket or backpack. A magnetic adapter lets you add a magnet to any object, such as this iPhone SE and TravelCard Plus power bank. Sarah Witman/NYT Wirecutter To remove any adhesive magnetic adapter, use a piece of dental floss or a razor blade to gently peel it away from your phone or case. Use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol to wipe away any remaining residue.
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Best Wireless Car Chargers for 2025
Each wireless charger on this best list is compatible with any wireless charging-enabled mobile phone, whether it's an iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy, a Google Pixel or any other Qi-enabled phone (some magnetic mounts include stick-on metal plates for Android devices to make them adhere to the mount). I've personally tested all the devices in this roundup and have tested over 20 wireless phone chargers in my car over the last four years. I'll continue to evaluate new wireless car chargers for your phone as they hit the market to determine the top models, including the best values. Read more: Best Car Phone Mount iOttie's "autosense" automatic clamping wireless car charger with a phone mount is one of the best out there. While it's fairly pricey, we've seen some nice discounts on it recently. The Auto Sense Automatic Clamping Qi Charging Car Phone Mount is available in a dashboard mount version or a CD and vent clip version. (I tried the dashboard wireless charging mount.) This wireless car charger mount has a nicely designed telescoping arm with a strong suction cup, and the wireless charging mount feature is compatible with most phone cases. You get 7.5-watt charging for an iPhone and 10-watt for Android phones, which is considered fast wireless charging. This Qi wireless charger comes with a dual-charging USB cigarette lighter adapter. My only gripe -- and it's a small one -- is that the included cable is Micro-USB and not USB Type-C. Once this Qi charger is plugged into the wireless car charging mount you can basically forget about it, but if the cable accidentally becomes unplugged (which does happen), it's easier to plug in a USB-C cable for phone charging, especially when you're driving. See at Amazon If you don't mind going with a no-name brand like ZeeHoo, its wireless car charger has most of the features you want for phone charging, including auto clamping and a secure suction cup that can be installed on your car's air vent, windshield or dashboard. It has USB-C and up to 15-watt fast charging for Android phones that support it. (iPhones are capped at 7.5-watt charging.) This upgraded version has a sleeker design than the original (see below), and it costs about $20 less than the iOttie above. This wireless charger doesn't come with a cigarette lighter adapter -- only a USB-C cable. This wireless car mount charger is one of the more popular generic wireless car chargers with an autosensing telescopic arm, and the original version I tried worked well overall, attaching securely to my car vent mount and giving my smartphone or QI-enabled device a quick charge. I liked that the wireless car charger came with both a phone mount for my car's air-vent mount (if you want just the air-vent mount, there is an air-vent-only version that costs $30). Note that to get fast charging, you will need a power adapter that supports it (not included). See at Amazon If you've already got Apple's MagSafe wireless charging puck, this Spigen mounting accessory is a good option for bringing it into your car. As I said, the MagSafe wireless charger isn't included. Nor is a USB-C cigarette lighter adapter, but at $22, this is a fairly affordable magnetic mounting accessory. Note: Just make sure to get the right cigarette lighter adapter with it to get the maximum 15-watt charging speed. Also, since this relies on the magnets from the wireless charging puck for your phone to stick to it (MagSafe case required if you are using a case), this isn't recommended for the larger iPhone 14 Pro Max as it's more likely to slip off the mount -- especially if you hit a bump -- because of its weight. See at Amazon The Scosche MagicGrip FreeFlow Autogrip has two key features: an auto-sense arm that opens automatically when you place your phone in front of the mount (and closes around your phone when you place it on the mount), plus an articulating swing arm that offers flexible viewing options for your device, including landscape and portrait modes. This wireless car charger offers up to 10-watt charging speeds for Android devices and 7.5-watt for iPhones. A 12-volt power adapter is included. See at Amazon OK, so this isn't a wireless charger, but a lot of the wireless car chargers on this list don't include a cigarette-lighter power adapter, so I thought I'd throw this on the list at the end. I originally had an Aukey power adapter on this list, but it's out of stock, and this low-profile Ainope mini fast USB Car Charger offers even faster charging (up to 24 watts) and costs less. It has both a USB-C and USB-A port so you can charge two devices at the same time, but to get 15-watt wireless charging you're going to be better off charging one device. Note that to get the fastest wired charging for iPhones, you'll need to use a USB-C-to-Lightning cable. That cable isn't included. See at Amazon Before anything else, you'll want to figure out how much you're willing to spend on a wireless car charger. Value-priced chargers continue to improve, so you can find a decent wireless charger for less than $40. But if you're looking for a more premium model, you'll likely have to pay more than $50 and even more for MagSafe-certified chargers. Typically, wireless Qi chargers that are designed to charge both iPhones and Android smartphones offer faster charging speeds for Android devices with speeds capped at around 7.5 watts for iPhones. If you have an iPhone and want faster charging speeds, make sure to review the charging specs for iPhones before buying. Some wireless chargers come with a cigarette lighter power adapter, and some don't. Some have the cable and power adapter hard-wired into the mount. It's best if the power adapter has a second port for charging additional devices and ample wattage to charge two devices at the same time at high speed. Some mounts stick to your dashboard. Others clip into your car's air vent mount or sit in a cup holder. Some have adjustable or rotating arms or pedestals. Pay careful attention to the type of mount because it will determine where your phone rests while charging and whether you can view it easily. We evaluate wireless car chargers using a few different criteria, including design, features, performance and value. When we look at the design, we check whether the mount adheres securely to either the dashboard or air vent (certain mounts also fit in CD slots or cup holders) and test how durable it is over at least two weeks of use. For features, we look at including an auto-clamping mechanism, MagSafe compatibility and what sort of power adapter and cable are included. An auto-clamping mechanism can be especially helpful while driving as it offers fewer distractions when placing your phone on the mount. One product on this list, the Scosche MagicGrip FreeFlow Autogrip, comes fitted with a ball and socket joint that allows for a full 360-degree rotation of your device. For wireless charging, a few products on this list come equipped with Apple's MagSafe technology, which allows for fast charging on compatible iPhone devices. Those with Qi charging will still charge your iPhone, but not as quickly as it will an Android phone. To charge the mount itself, some cables are integrated into the charger's design while others have a detachable cable. Some power adapters also have additional ports for plugging in a second cable, allowing you to charge a second device. Many of the wireless car chargers on this list come equipped with USB-C cables and ports, which has become the standard for universal charging in the last five years. When using the wireless car chargers, we consider each of these features in making our decision. When it comes to performance, we look at how strong a magnet might be on the mount and what the wireless charging speeds are for iPhones and Android devices. A weak magnet can cause your phone to fall when rounding a curve or going over a bump and charging speeds can impact your phone's battery life. We also look for ease of use and general reliability when testing car phone mounts. In selecting best products, we also take into account how much bang for the buck they offer. Value is determined by the quality of the product in relation to its price. If a product has several advanced features for a lower price, it'll likely make the list. Conversely, expensive products with poor performance are left off. We're sure to keep in mind everyone's budget when curating our list of phone mounts. Belkin Car Vent Mount Pro with Magsafe: Belkin also has a wired charging version of this (it costs $40 and $60 ), but you'd have to connect a cable to it anyway for charging. The advantage of a wireless version would be that unlike with this vent mount, you wouldn't have to plug a cable into your phone every time you want to charge it. iOttie Easy One Touch 5: iOttie's tried and true Easy One Touch 5 is a solid mount for just under $25. You can pick up the first-gen version of the mount for $23, but this improved model has a telescoping arm. Scosche Magic Mount Pro 2: The main advantage the Magic Mount Pro 2 has over other magnetic car mounts is the arm design. I use the car-vent option but you can mount it on a dashboard. Most people will use the air-vent option, though. Wireless charging doesn't mean there aren't any wires involved. You'll still need to connect the charger to your vehicle. Once it's set up, all you need to do is pop your phone in when you want to juice up. For the fastest charging speeds, you should opt for the wired route and use a USB-C or Lightning cable with a high-wattage cigarette lighter power adapter and fast-charging USB-C ports. Going wireless is clearly more convenient. With a wireless car charger, you just place your phone in your car mount -- or on it -- and your phone automatically starts charging. You don't have to worry about plugging a cable into your phone every time you get in your car. No. Any magnetic mount will allow your iPhone (with MagSafe) to adhere to the mount. Only MagSafe-certified wireless chargers allow you to charge your iPhone at top speed (15W). They are typically more expensive. Generally, a 15-watt wireless car charger is better than a 10-watt wireless charger because it delivers more power and charges your phone faster. But the maximum amount of watts accepted for charging is capped by the manufacturer, so you should always check your phone's compatibility to make sure it can handle a higher wattage. 9 watts is the current capped maximum for Samsung Galaxy devices, so a 10-watt wireless charger will be enough to charge your device quickly. The same is true for iPhones up to the iPhone 11 series, where just 7.5 watts is the limit. For the iPhone 12 series and later, the maximum wattage is 15 watts for official Apple MagSafe chargers only. If your charger's power is greater than that which your phone can absorb, the charger will automatically adjust the power output to the maximum wattage of your phone, so there's really no harm in choosing something a bit stronger in case you upgrade your device down the line. Theoretically, yes -- wireless phone chargers can drain your car battery. But it's very unlikely to cause any serious damage. Charging your phone uses only a small amount of power from a car's battery. As long as your vehicle's engine is turned on, the alternator will replenish your car's battery and generate enough power to mitigate any damage. If you're still concerned, many newer-model vehicles contain USB ports or even built-in wireless chargers to keep the battery as safe as possible.
