With the release of Apple’s wireless charging iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and the release of the all new iPhone X just around the corner, you may be on the lookout for a Qi wireless in-car charger to pop your shiny new iPhone onto as soon as you jump into your vehicle.
Thanks to Google’s Android and their support for Qi wireless charging standard over the years, there are plenty of solutions on sale already that will work with Apple’s new trio of wireless charging devices.
We’ve looked at some of the most highly rated and reviewed wireless chargers on sale today to give you and idea of what’s out there, and maybe get a head start before your new iPhone 8 or iPhone X arrives.
1. Windscreen mounted Qi wireless chargers
Likely to be the most popular position to mount your iPhone 8 or iPhone X, the on-screen solution already has a few Qi supported wireless chargers on sale today. One of the most popular designs comes from Auckly.
The Auckly F100 Qi fast wireless charger for £27.99 from Amazon
We’ve found the Auckly F100 with its 14 5-star reviews to be a decent looking wireless charger for your new iPhone. Made for Androids, the positional arms can be adjusted to suit either an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X. The USB-C connection to the mount allows for fast charging up to 10W (5W max as standard). It’s USB connection is conveniently at the bottom to allow the ability to create a fairly discrete cable run to your power source.
2. Vent / Dashboard mounted Qi wireless chargers
The next most popular position to mount your iPhone is on the dashboard. Whether you’ll mount onto your vehicle’s air vents or directly on the top of the dashboard, there are a few solutions on sale today for vent mounted wireless chargers, with one of the best reviewed is from Antye.
The Antye Dashboard Qi Wireless car charger for £34.99 from Amazon
The Antye Wireless Qi charger comes in two flavours, one is vent mounted, and the other is dashboard mounted. Both cost the same amount, and with 20 reviews, 17 of them giving 5-stars, the general impression of the Antye is pretty good. The down sid, seems to be charging through thick cases. The Antye claims it does not support wireless charging through cases over 3mm thick, however with a thin or < 3mm case you maybe lucky – some reviewers claim they are receiving charge through their own cases.
The Antye Vent Qi Wireless car charger for £34.99 from Amazon
From my own personal experience, a vent mount is a perfect solution that commonly uses magnet attachments. There is no need for arms or feet to position and hold your phone, the magnetic pad also allows you to position your phone how you like and they also take any size or form factor. One caution however, is how these mounts attach to your vent. Some come with a four-finger pinch type mounts, which in my experience can be hit and miss, so it is recommended you look for one that clamps and locks onto your vent, like the Antye does, if you want a hassle free experience without the need to reposition the mount every few days.
3. Compartment / Console mounted Qi wireless chargers
Maybe you would rather wirelessly charge your new iPhone by placing it onto a wireless charging pad sitting inside a compartment, ashtray or a specific area on your dashboard console. There are even more solutions for you here, because you are mainly looking for a desktop Qi charger that works with a high-powered USB connection from a 12v USB adapter, which most of them will do.
Knowing the size of the, usually round charging plate, is key here, and whether it will fit inside your chosen compartment in your car. Most come at around 90-100mm in diameter, which may rule out a number of compartments on your vehicle. Your iPhone has to sit on top of this also, so make sure there is sufficient room for the iPhone to sit on top and that it will not be nudged off the plate whilst on the move. Being able to easily place the iPhone on and off the plate easily is also something that needs some consideration too.
It is also important to know where the USB cable port is on the plate and how you can run the supplied USB cable sufficiently to a powered USB port in your car, or whether you need to purchase longer cabling. Some chargers are also beginning to arrive with USB-C connections to the charging plate. So any existing cable that runs around your car may need replacing.
Make sure the plate has a rubber surface or at least some rubber parts that will grip your new iPhone whilst you’re on the move. With the new glass backing, your iPhone has become more slippy than ever, so something that grips your phone will work best in this situation.
The Choetech Wireless Qi Desktop charger for £14.99 from Amazon
The Choetech Qi wireless charger is such a desktop Qi charger that could work with many in-car compartments. Measuring 70mm wide and 120mm long, the Choetech could fit well in a centre console, or tuck away compartment in your dashboard. The USB connection port is located on the shorter edge of the charger, increasing its length by an additional 20-30mm, so placing the charger across the width of a centre compartment may become a problem. With the iPhone 8 measuring 138.4mm (158.4mm iPhone 8 Plus, 143.6mm iPhone X) your iPhone has to fit in this compartment more than a smaller wireless charger will need, so wherever your iPhone fits, the charger should fit in too.
Once downside to the Choetech is the lack of fast charging. How much the lack of fast charging effects the speed of charging, whilst streaming bluetooth or running wireless CarPlay from your iPhone, remains to be seen. A trickle charge of 5V 1000mA may be enough to keep your iPhone topped up whilst its being used. Powering a fast charging compatible Qi charger in the car my be hard and totally dependant on the source of power to the charger.
With 3 charging coils inside, to not worry about placement, 323 reviews with 243 giving five-stars; retailing at a mere £14.99, the Choetech seems like a decent induction charger worth taking a punt on to enable wireless charging in your vehicle.
If you’ve done a wireless Qi charger install in your car, let us know in the comments below, or send us a photo to our Facebook channel or on Twitter.