AUKEY Model: LC-C6 Wireless Charging Pad
Did you just get a new phone for Christmas? Does it support wireless charging? If so, read on!
I just received a new wireless charger courtesy of AUKEY. This product segment is pretty crowded and it’s hard to really differentiate one product from another; about the only major differentiator is price. I do think it's possible for even humble products in humble segments to set themselves apart though.
Look at the placement of the LED indicator. Image/ AUKEY
Does this little wireless charger stand out? Yes and no.
You can’t beat the price. Well, you can with some other AUKEY chargers like this one for $12.99 with free Prime shipping (AUKEY appears to sell their goods exclusively on Amazon). It’s also a nice size, astonishingly light, and definitely works as a wireless phone charger. Luckily I have another charger that I can compare it to.
Anker on left. AUKEY on right. They both charge phones well.
Earlier this year I purchased a similar product from Anker - again on Amazon but their products are available in all the stores you’d expect to find electronic devices. I spent eight more dollars for the “Power Port Wireless 5” as well. The job it has is simple: charge my phone when I’m at my desk.
If I had to choose between the two, is the Anker product worth an extra hour of minimum wage work?
Yes, and here’s why.
Notice the convex shape of the AUKEY charger. When it initially put your phone on the charger, it wobbles. Image/ AUKEY
1 - It’s flat. The AUKEY product has a convex shape. When you placed on the device your phone moves on it like a teeter-totter. It’s not the end of the world and maybe it’s just a personal preference, but it annoys me.
Having a flat surface is better.
See the LED? It's on the side. Perfect placement to keep an eye on if it is charging (if you are right handed).
2 - The LED on the Anker product is on the side. So if you have this charging pad on your right the indicator is visible so you can see if it’s working. The AUKEY charger has the indicator on the front, which is covered by the phone (if you place your phone on the charger in portrait mode - which is how I expect the vast majority of people set their phone on a charger). Thus, the phone covers the indicator. Again, not the end of the world and you can tap your phone to see if it’s charging but this is annoys me too.
(In my opinion the best solution to this first-world problem is to have an indicator ring that goes around the edge of the charger. That way the placement of the phone doesn't matter.)
See the LED hiding under the phone? Image/ AUKEY
CONCLUSION
For me personally, I would not buy this AUKEY product as my primary wireless charger BUT, I would definitely buy it as my secondary charger, for say a nightstand. If you want your phone on your nightstand (which is a mixed blessing) portrait mode is sideways so the LED placement on this charger works great. The wobble issue is no longer an issue because once the phone has stopped moving, it’s not going to be touched until the morning - hopefully.
LC-C6 on nightstand. Image/ J. Burnich.
I think that AUKEY would be wise to include two cords, a long one and a short one (or maybe even a USB extender) depending on placement. A long cord is nice to have for nightstand duty because of the likelihood you’ll have a longer run to an outlet - whereas if it’s by your computer a short cord usually suffices. (NOTE: the cord AUKEY shipped their charger is longer than the one Anker shipped with theirs.) The additional cord probably won’t affect their bottom line much and it would be a nice and inexpensive way to add real value.
So, should you buy it? Definitely . . . if you need a second charger (Or don't mind not seeing the charge indicator).