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Review: Aukey Graphite Lite Q 10W wireless fast charger – a budget juice booster

At only $8, it is hard to pass up.

Aukey wireless charger
The Good
Super cheap
Tiny footprint
10W fast charging
The Bad
Only 10W fast charging
You need a Qi adapter to fast charge at 10W
7
Overall

I have to say, I really like Aukey. It is a great electronics brand and none of its devices ever break the bank. Yet, it consistently delivers on quality. From smartphone mounts to smart plugs, Aukey knows its stuff when it comes to charging your plethora of devices.

Aukey’s Graphite Lite Q 10W Wireless Fast Charger is one of its latest practical devices. We had the chance to try one out recently and while it has some hiccups, it definitely gets the job done. So, let’s see what this little power pack is capable of, shall we?

A neat little space-saver

Aukey wireless charger

Image: Ste Knight / KnowTechie

I’m a big fan of wireless charging. The ability to charge your smartphone just by placing it down is great. That is because it negates having to fumble around with a USB charger. Therefore, this is a great device to pop on your bedside table. You can have it plugged in permanently. So, you won’t have to worry about your smartphone being out of juice when you wake up in the morning.

The Aukey Graphite Lite has a fairly small footprint, only measuring 3.43 x 3.43 x 0.47 inches. As most bedside tables are small, this means it won’t take up much real estate. The same with your desk, because nobody wants their workspace full of clutter.

A brand-bearing, textured rubber surface covers the top of the charger. This is (obviously) where you place your phone and the mottled surface does a good job of keeping your phone in place. This means it won’t slide off the charger during use, adding extra peace of mind to charging your phone.

The base and trims come in a metallic-finish plastic. The front of the trim houses the LED power indicator, which lights up when you connect the charger to the mains. On the underside of the device are four rubber feet to keep the charger itself securely in place.

The rear of the charger is where you pop the included micro-USB lead. The charger will convert 5 volts of mains input into 10 watts of output, providing wireless charging for a wide range of smartphones.

Mighty morphin’ power booster

Aukey wireless charger

Image: Ste Knight / KnowTechie

As mentioned, the charger can deliver up to 10W of power to any Qi-enabled Android devices. These include the likes of Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and above, along with phones from Sony, Honor, Huawei, Google, and LG. The iPhone 8 and above (hopefully the iPhone SE will be included here too) can be charged at a rate of 7.5 W.

According to Aukey, its Graphite Lite can cut charging times by around 25%. There is a caveat to this, though. If you plan to use Qi fast charging with the charger, then you must use a Qi fast charging adaptor to plug the micro USB into. Otherwise, the phone will only charge at a standard rate. I didn’t actually realize this, at first, and the instructions don’t give mention of it, so I was wondering why my phone wouldn’t fast charge.

However, this still didn’t help. My smartphone supports 15W wireless charging and even then, this is no match for the 40W super-fast wired charging it is capable of. Personally, I’m not really that bothered by this shortfall. As I have mentioned, I’ve installed my Aukey next to my bed. So, I’d be concerned if it hadn’t reached a full charge during the seven hours through which I’m spitting out Zzzs, but it does. It is fine for what I want to use it for, but if you have a top-spec phone, I’m not convinced you’d get a fast charge out of the Aukey.

Do I buy one, or what?

Wireless charger on table

Image: Ste Knight / KnowTechie

Well, look, this is a wireless charger and it comes from a respectable company with plenty of chops. So, with that in mind, plus the fact that it is only $7.99, it is worth grabbing one or two and popping them around the house for ease and convenience.

It is well-made and takes up very little in terms of space, so what isn’t to like? As long as you aren’t expecting it to wirelessly fast-charge a phone that requires more than 10W, you’re good.

If you’d like to shop around before you part with your cash, why not check out this wireless charger from Anker? It doubles up as a phone stand, too!

Editors’ Recommendations:

Just a heads up, if you buy something through our links, we may get a small share of the sale. Click here for more. A sample unit was provided for the purpose of this review.

The Good
Super cheap
Tiny footprint
10W fast charging
The Bad
Only 10W fast charging
You need a Qi adapter to fast charge at 10W
7
Overall

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Super hot for tech-nostalgia. Loves retro-futuristic artwork and music. Tech-wise enjoys gaming, audio and, for some unexplained reason really enjoys cleaning tech.

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