


  • Mophie recently released a Qi-compatible charging pad that works with the new iPhones and sent me one to try.
  • It's small, works reliably, and is encased in a rubberized material that keeps your phone from slipping off the pad, and the pad from slipping on your desk or table.
  • Within a week it's become the only way I charge my iPhone at work, and its convenience can't be overstated.

Wireless charging has come to all three new iPhones this year, which means tens of millions of people are going to have the feature for the first time. Because Apple chose to support the Qi standard for wireless charging instead of inventing its own, there are already a lot of great, compatible wireless chargers out there.

I was recently sent mophie's Charging Dock to test, and it's the best wireless charging pad I've used so far. That's no surprise, given that the company brought wireless charging to previous generations of iPhone with some accessories it released last year. The old system relied on you using a mophie case, but this charging pad doesn't; all you have to do is place your Qi-compatible phone on top of it.

One of my favorite features of the Charging Dock is the subtle design choice to encase it in a rubberized material that keeps your phone from slipping off it if it's nudged. This coating also keeps the charger from slipping around on a table or desk more than the rubberized strips on the bottom of other options.

In terms of performance, the Charging Dock is rock solid. You still have to align the middle of your phone with the charging coil in the pad, but it doesn't have to be annoyingly precise. As long as your phone starts charging, you're good. Currently, iPhones can only charge at a rate of 5w (watts), but through an upcoming iOS update that'll increase to 7.5w. Mophie's wireless pad supports 7.5w charging, so you'll be able to take advantage of the faster charging when it's available.

The highest compliment I can give this charging pad is that it's seamlessly become a part of my daily routine. I put my phone on it after getting into work, and it only comes off when I go to lunch or leave for the night. My phone is always changed, and I've freed up a USB port on my multi-port hub. It's still faster to charge your phone with a larger power adapter and lightning cable, but the convenience of wireless charging can't be overstated.

In a marketplace full of choice, mophie's Charging Dock stands out by having a smart design and consistent performance. It's good enough that Apple even sells it in its stores, which can't be said for almost any other wireless charging pads.

Mophie Charging Dock, $59.95, available from and Amazon

