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Wired is more efficient, you can pick it up and use it while charging, and the cable usually comes free with the phone. What is the point of wireless charging pads?

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[–] dukeofdummies@lemmy.world 11 points 5 days ago

Admittedly, charging ports are the first to break on any electronic unless it has a joystick. Wireless charging is a lot more robust, more water resistant, and allows you to do sleek shit without a weird hole in it

[–] Freewheel@lemmynsfw.com 28 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I'm disabled. Wireless charging, especially when I can use the magnets that auto locate the coil, is a huge win.

(I also use charging wires with removable magnetic tips, that I leave in the device. But that wasn't the question.)

[–] ReanuKeeves@lemm.ee 6 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I said the public charging stations was the most legitimate answer I read before but this is obviously the most legitimate answer.

I've never heard of these magnetic wires before, do they work well? I feel like I would prefer that

[–] Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I've used the mag chargers for years and really love them. The little metal lug can feel a bit odd, and I had to clean metal shavings off it when I did fab for work, but it's all around great to use. It basically turns your charging cable into a coaxle cable, so it can't do data, but the cable can spin freely as you charge and can be magneted to other things when you aren't so the cord is easy to manage.

[–] ReanuKeeves@lemm.ee 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Much of a difference in charge time if any?

[–] Postmortal_Pop@lemmy.world 3 points 6 days ago

Honestly, between the two I've never noticed. The cables can die easy, but that's because I get them cheap.

[–] Freewheel@lemmynsfw.com 2 points 5 days ago

Reasonably well. The magnets aren't very strong, so the device in question pretty much has to be stationary while it's charging, also, while most of them allow data, it is almost always USB 2 speeds. Right now I'm using them to charge headsets, a Logitech trackball, and provide data for an Xbox controller.

I get them from Amazon; " magnetic USB charge wire" should be a sufficient search to get you in the ballpark.

[–] tiefling@lemmy.blahaj.zone 19 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I use one at work to passively charge my phone without having to deal with cables. Keeps my desk a bit tidier.

[–] ReanuKeeves@lemm.ee 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I like keeping my desk clean too but there is the inevitable person who says "clean desks are for simple minds and true geniuses thrive in chaos" so I have to keep a corner of loose wires to look smart

[–] tiefling@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 6 days ago (1 children)

You can certainly have both. Fewer cables means more room for chaos, like my USB powered mini handvac

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[–] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 14 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I don't trust public wired charging ports to anything other my mobile battery.

Since I can't verify if a weird charging port won't upload malware on site, I'd use wireless charging instead.

[–] morriscox@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

You should be able to use the charging only mode that's under developer settings on your phone.

[–] flop_leash_973@lemmy.world 6 points 5 days ago

I just like being able to walk by the nightstand and have the phone "lock" to the charging pad when I lay it down.

In my car it is a lot more convenient than a charging cradle for being able to use turn by turn while driving.

[–] loopedcandle@lemmynsfw.com 6 points 5 days ago (3 children)

The battery packs that are wireless enabled were the thing for me.

I can recharge my phone in my pocket, while walking around the city, without a rats nest of wires popping out of my pants.

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[–] 46_and_2@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

I bought a wireless magnetic battery recently, and what quickly turned me off was that it charges at ~2/3rd efficiency (so effectively I have only 2/3rds of my powerbank capacity) and speed compared to its wired mode, even though it's fast wireless and a solid brand and build. Also heats up my phone battery way more, so I just snap it to my phone and use the short and unobtrusive usb-c cable to charge it instead.

Now, if I was changing phones every year or two and I didn't care about keeping its battery life - sure, I'd use the wireless charging without worries, although it will still be slightly slower than wired (but still fast charging anyway).

[–] T156@lemmy.world 5 points 5 days ago

On my S5, there's a little flap that you had to open and close to maintain the IP67 rating. Constantly opening and closing it was a recipe to breaking it off, where wireless didn't put that kind of wear in.

With my newer phone, it's easier to keep the cable with a battery pack to charge when out and about, and charge wirelessly at home, since I generally don't need it done with any great speed, and it saves having to buy/replace another cable, or forgetting to unpack and take it with me.

Qi charging is also pretty standard, which is also good if I have a few devices with different cable needs, but mutually support the same wireless charging standard, since I can put an iPhone and an android on the same pad, without having to swap cables back and forth.

[–] Cethin@lemmy.zip 8 points 6 days ago

It's convenient to place my phone on at my computer and it's just always charged. It is a little less efficient, but if you're running a heater anyway then technically they're both lossless (though gas heat may be cheaper for you if you have gas heat).

[–] DrFistington@lemmy.world 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I've noticed that with the varying quality of USB cables, and them having broken/cracked wires over time, I usually get much faster charging when doing it wirelessly. If anything is way more consistent. With cords it's a crap shot. Is this a fast charge cord? Was it cheaply made, is it deteriorating? I can use 4 different cords and get different results from each

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[–] randombullet@programming.dev 4 points 5 days ago

I travel on the go often, wireless charging is too inefficient for me. I'd rather charge with my PD battery pack.

Another point, I use my PD pack to charge everything from my phone, drone, camera, to my laptop, ear buds.

Most of those don't have a wireless charger so I just stick to wired PD charging.

[–] Kit@lemmy.blahaj.zone 7 points 6 days ago

I use wireless charging at night and at work. I have a stand that charges my phone, ear buds, and watch simultaneously, which replaces three cables with one and keeps my nightstand/desk free of clutter. I use cables only when I need to charge quickly.

[–] hexagonwin@lemmy.sdf.org 8 points 6 days ago (2 children)

It makes the phone harder to use, which is ironically useful to some. tbh I don't understand lol

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 15 points 6 days ago

Most people can put their phone down long enough to let it charge, pause the doomscrolling and touch grass.

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[–] Krudler@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago (7 children)

I know people love these and I'm not going to go and break anyone's balls but the reality is, because it is inductive charging you will never get clean voltage

Anything electronic, it really doesn't matter what it is, is going to suffer basically the equivalent of "mechanical damage" when powered/charged with unstable current

An inductive charging is always going to be highly unstable, there's no way around that

Anybody who tries to tell you different just doesn't understand that this is a real thing, and yeah, really nobody should ever use wireless charging unless they're willing to accept continual device (battery) damage

[–] oppy1984@lemm.ee 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I get what you're saying but as a counterpoint I charge exclusively via wireless and my last phone lasted 4 1/2 years. The only reason I replaced it was my friends kid was playing a game on my phone and dropped and it got damaged. It was running just fine right up to the end.

Maybe it's because I only use low power wireless chargers, or maybe it's something with Samsung's wireless charging controller. Who knows.

[–] Krudler@lemmy.world 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

That's not a counterpoint, you're just describing that you had a battery that was okay for 4 years

It doesn't say anything really I'm sorry friend

[–] oppy1984@lemm.ee 1 points 5 days ago

Eh, I couldn't think of a better word so I just went with it.

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[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

This is one of those things where you either live it and love it, or never understand.

Qi charging changes your very life.

This cannot be explained in words.

[–] Mesophar@pawb.social 3 points 5 days ago

I've switched over to mostly wireless charging, but have to say I'm not completely convinced of it yet. I switched phones in part because my old phone's battery started having issues and the charging port became loose. I want to prevent that happening on my new phone for as long as I can, so I'm using wireless charging for the most part.

Though wired charging is still so much faster and more efficient. If I really need a charge, or I'm in a hurry, I plug the phone in to charge. I just try to be in the habit of setting my phone on the charging pad when I get home from work.

[–] ILikeTraaaains@lemmy.world 6 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Mainly it is convenience of not having to lug a cable and I have a bit of fear of breaking the interior of the usb-c, it feels fragile to me.

I have an iPhone with MagSafe, so I can use it while charging.

Using a charging pad without MagSafe and cannot use the phone while charging can also be a plus for some people, it forces you to not being constantly on the phone.

[–] thermal_shock@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago

it forces you to not being constantly on the phone.

That's a bingo

[–] IsThisAnAI@lemmy.world 2 points 5 days ago

It's easier than putting a cord in.

[–] Monument@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 6 days ago

My desk wireless charger is magnetic, and my keyboard is wireless and can be switched between devices. So I can switch to my phone and bang out a message on my keyboard while my phone is held up comfortably.

[–] lemming741@lemmy.world 4 points 6 days ago (1 children)

My partner hates wires and cables. A loose usb c is ugly. A puck is elegant apparently

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[–] danhab99@programming.dev 4 points 6 days ago

Maybe a bit of an edge case but I use a wallet case and I still carry a credit card. Wireless chargers have cooked my credit card a few times.. and nfc Google pay doesn't always work.

[–] skullgiver@popplesburger.hilciferous.nl 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

It's very useful in sealed devices (smart watches, ear phones). Much better than pogo pins on your skin; whatever metal they pick, someone is going to be allergic. Things like active pencils (Apple Pencil, but als the Windows open standard ones) also make a lot of sense to charge like that.

I also use a wireless charging stand for my phone. Most phone stands have an opening for a cable, but for some reason that opening is always at just the wrong space, or not right for the cable. K They're also useful when using your phone for navigation in your car. I find a cable sticking from the bottom of my phone quite a handful to manage, especially as the USB ports are all so close to my gear shifter.

For those still sporting lightning iPhones, it also provides a universal charging option.

Oh, and then there's the edge case of "I want to plug something into my phone and also charge it". Tiny flash drives, 3.5mm converters, you name it. Most phones only have one USB port, so using it for anything but charging usually means not being able to charge unless you go wireless.

Still, wired is the way to to moet of the times. Wireless is just a nice backup, and maybe a fun gimmick in certain furniture.

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