Pictek Wireless Charging Pad (review)

Wireless chargers are something I didn’t think I needed until I got my hands on the Pictek wireless charging pad. I’m an iPhone guy so wireless charging just became available to me when I upgraded to the iPhone 8 Plus. I’ve got to say, wireless charging is awesome. It isn’t the fastest option for charging an iPhone. That is reserved for Apple’s USB-C to Lightning cable that can charge your iPhone 50% in only 30 minutes. However, most people charge their phones at night where it doesn’t matter if a full charge takes 3-4 hours. If you want to take advantage of the small luxury that a wireless charging pad provides, you should check out the Pictek wireless charging pad.

Design

The Pictek wireless charging pad is about as simple as it gets. It only comes with a USB cable that connects to the charging pad. If you don’t have a desktop USB charger, you’re going to have to get an adapter that will plug into an outlet. The actual charging pad itself is very thin and light. The footprint is slightly larger than the palm of my hand. The charging pad has the words “Fast Charge” in the middle of the charger. However, it is important to note that it will not be able to fast charge every phone. Only the Samsung Galaxy series is able to take advantage of the fast charge. You must have the Adaptive Fast Charger that comes with your Galaxy device to get the fast charge feature. If you have an iPhone like me, you’ll need to have at least an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X to charge your phone directly. This is because the newer iPhone models have a glass back which allows wireless charging. If you have an older iPhone just make sure you have a compatible Qi wireless receiver.

Impressions

Using the Pictek wireless charging pad is really easy to use. Just put your phone in the center of the pad and like magic, it starts charging. A blue light will illuminate around the charging pad and will go away after a couple of seconds. This is a great feature because it visually lets you know your phone is charging but doesn’t light up your room when you are trying to go to sleep. The wireless charging pad is pretty picky about the placement of your phone. You have to make sure it is in the center of the charging pad. If it’s off to the side or not completely on the charging pad, your phone will not charge. Don’t make the mistake I made and wake up to a dead phone.

The best time to use this wireless charging pad is right before you go to bed. My iPhone 8 Plus took around 4 hours to fully charge from around 15% battery. This is about the standard time it will take if your phone doesn’t have fast charge capabilities. However, you’re most likely going to be sleeping for more than four hours so charging speeds really don’t matter in that regard.

Overall

The Pictek wireless charging pad is an awesome no-frills option for anyone who wants a cheap, reliable wireless charger. The simple and lightweight design makes it extremely easy to take with you wherever you go. For standard charging speeds, you can expect to have your phone fully charged within 3-4 hours so it is best to charge your phone overnight. If you have a Samsung Galaxy with fast charge capability, you can expect the speeds to be much faster. The Pictek wireless charging pad can be found on Amazon for only $13.99 if you use the coupon code WC7AJJST.