I have seen a few posts about the wireless charging tags working with the TPU case. I have been toying with the idea of investing in one. Can anyone confirm that the new case will still allow for the tags to function? Is there a good brand I should select over a competitor? How is the charging performance when using this type of tech? If this was all answered in the past, I apologize. There are already so many threads and I did try searching first I promise! Cheers!
I just ordered the new case from Amazon and will try it out with the wireless charging receiver as soon as it arrives and let you know.
Stay tuned…
Got my new case and the verdict is in, QI Wireless charging works with the new case! I use a thin wireless charging receiver that plugs into the C-cord receptor and is otherwise undetectable inside the case, so I’m very pleased.
Yes thank you so much! Wireless charging wasn’t a real deal breaker to me, but when my extra 10 foot usb c cord bit the dirt, I decided to get a wireless charging stand for my bed to alternate between my phone and my fire hd 8 Plus. I am placing an order now on Amazon for the tag. There is already so much to love about this phone and this will just be a caveat to the already extraordinary!
Even though we do not have wireless charging on either of our phones, I’m still curious as to the experience. Do your phones heat up while charging? Is it easy to line up the phone with the charging coil? Any other comments/issues with it?
Though I have never used a wireless charging tag, I have carefully read through many reviews of varying products on Amazon. Based on my previous and current experience with Qi enabled devices (a Unihertz Titan I was all too happy to trade out for this phone and my Fire HD 8 Plus along with older Blackberries) they will get a bit warm due to the power transfer through the casing and into the coils. From what I have read about the tags, this can happen also but not bc of the battery on your device. The tags plug in just like a normal charger and the tags are sold in short and long lengths. The instructions say to line the tag up with the center of the back of the phone for the most stability during charging. That is why I was worried about the new case and its materials. I don’t want to ruin my case or my phone by melting them lol. In a device with Qi already installed, the coils depend on battery placement. On my BlackBerry and Unihertz both, the coils were annoyingly off center making using a flat charging pad a bit of a pain. On my Amazon Fire, it is located directly center on the device (this is so you can comfortably sit it on standing Qi chargers like the one made specially for the device or any other smaller 10w Qi charge pad/stand). It is a nice feature and honestly could end up being the fix all for universal device charging, but for me it is never a deal breaker. As long as I have a 10 feet cord to comfortably top up my battery anywhere I am happy. Qi charging is just nice to have when you’re in a hurry. Just plop it down, wait for the phone to tell you it’s charging, and then go on your way. Saves a few seconds from fishing up the end of your cord and plugging it up that way. Don’t get me wrong, so far the Teracube is a fantastic device for me! I was just thinking of ways to use hardware I have sitting around bc I can’t bare to throw anything useful out.
I have found that these issues are a function of the charging pad, not the wireless receiver. On my old Samsung charging pad that was designed for one of the Galaxy models, it’s easy to line up the phone and I never notice it heating up. On some of the less expensive models and/or smaller ones I’ve purchased for travel, I have to sometimes move the phone around a little to get it to start charging and one did make the back of the phone feel warm (I got rid of it, it made me nervous.) The receivers a little thin and, fragile isn’t quite the word, but easily torn. You are best off leaving one plugged in and committing to wireless charging. Once removed, it’s garbage. I usually buy 2 at a time for that reason.
Cindy’s comments mirror my experiences. It’s all about how much power you’re trying to push through the wireless receiver. Older (i.e. less power hungry) phones didn’t warm up noticeably or very little. Newer phones which require a lot more power definitely warm things up a little. With Teracube using 2 Amp chargers, things will definitely warm up but it won’t get hot. I had a wireless Qi charger that would get close to 2A at the coil and things got a bit warm, but definitely not hot in a climate controlled room. My coil was on the outside of the phone but covered by a TPU case, so take that difference into account. I would love to have Qi charging on my Teracube One!
As far as how difficult it is to miss the pad, that is partly a function of the quality of charging pad, the wireless receiver, and if the Qi charger is integrated with the phone. My Samsung S3 was super easy to charge, had a huge sweet spot, and getting it to charge was super easy. However, phones with aftermarket chargers could take a bit of fiddling to get to charge properly depending on the charging mat and the wireless receiver.
Which is more likely to die first, Qi charging or the USB C connection?
Probably the USB C connection due to wear and tear. However we will cover it with our warranty.
Cindy, can you please send a link to the wireless charging tag that worked for you.
I just got my Teracube 2e and I am so excited!
I haven’t received my Teracube 2e yet, but here’s a link to the ones I bought for my Teracube One on eBay:
I’ll also recommend such magnetic charging cables to elongate the life of the charging port. Charging ports are prone to lot of mechanical wear and tear from daily charging and magnetic cables can prevent that from happening.
One thing to keep in mind though is that these tips are not easy to eject if you ever need to charge your phone using a regular USB-C cable (if you are outside your home for example and need an emergency charge).
I also have had issues with the magnetic cables. Two of mine just stopped working. I don’t really know anything about the technology, and it’s possible that I was less than gentle on the cable, but neither one of them lasted a year, so I gave up on magnetic. I thought they were cool when new, though.