ADATA Elite CE700 Qi Wireless Charging Station

Introduction

ADATA is brand synonymous with memory and storage solutions. For more than a decade they have established a strong relationship with their customers that consists of average consumers and business professionals around the world. With constant innovation and a determination to produce only high quality products that will exceed consumer expectations, ADATA will continue to be at the forefront of our culture’s technological growth.

Anyone that keeps up to date with their technology news can already see that most manufacturers are targeting the mobile device segment no matter the relevance to their core product stacks. Mobile devices have become such a critical part of our everyday lives and I for one still have a hard time fathoming how our culture was able to survive without things like email, instant messaging, or even mobile computing. We are a culture that constantly has our eyes glued to our phones and tablets to get through each day.

But how exactly are we constantly powering these devices? Traditionally the standard charge cable is the primary method of choice. But with technology constantly evolving we are always looking to improve the experiences that we have with these products. What is the obvious next step for charging your devices? Wireless charging of course. A freedom from the cluster of cables that we are so used to dealing with. That’s where ADATA comes in and brings us the Elite CE700 Qi Wireless Charging Station.

After a quick opening of the packaging you can see the the contents are pretty basic, but that’s okay because there’s not much needed to use this type of product. The box contains the user guide, micro USB charge cable, and the unit itself.

A Closer Look

Upon removing the CE700 from the packaging you will first notice the very attractive piano black finish of the plastic. At 12mm thick it’s very portable and easy to store.

A closer look reveals that the unit is actually comprised of two pieces; the backing which is made of a sturdy aluminum with nice rubber feet and the device platform itself. Sadly, the unit only comes with neon green rubber that not everyone will be a fan of.

Just to the left above the Qi logo  you will also notice the LED indicator that will flash when a device is charging as well as other indicators that you can see in the chart below. I will go over  a few of these later on in the review.

When fusing the two pieces together you get a very unique looking wireless charging platform and it’s actually quite sturdy to my surprise.

On the back is the standard spec list as well as a number of logos representing the devices various certifications.

There is only a single port that is required to operate this device and that is the micro USB port located towards the bottom. Simply connect any micro USB cable to this port and have the other end plugged into a USB AC adapter that you can find at almost every retailer that sells any sort of electronics. Unfortunately one is not provided with the unit.

I was only able to test with a small variety of phones. with the Nokia Lumia 920, Samsung Galaxy S4, Galaxy Note 3, and the Google Nexus 5 as my test subjects. An important thing to mention to those on the cusp of moving towards wireless charging is that you must have a device that is Qi wireless charging capable or wireless charging ready. The Lumia and Nexus devices have Qi wireless charging already built in, but most of the newer entries to the Galaxy lineup require the user to purchase the device specific receiver that can be found through most online retailers. Now that I have that out of the way let’s talk about my usage with the phone that I use as my daily; The Galaxy Note 3.

Every other phone I tested worked without any issues but the main reason why I’m singling out the Note 3 is because of it’s size. As you can see from the image above and below, phablets (5.3″ and over) need to be adjusted a little differently compared to its smaller brethren. The wireless charging point (Tx) on the CE700 is the distinguishable Qi logo that the receiver (Rx) of your device would need to be aligned with. But larger phones force the alignment to be slightly off. Now granted, by WPC (Wireless Power Consortium) specifications the charging range can extend up to 40mm, but that range can vary depend on a number of factors. In my particular situation with the Note 3, I had to play with it in a number of different positions and angles before I could properly achieve wireless charging activity. Though I will add that the CE700 can be configured to lay flat for situations like mine.

Performance

Charging

Wireless charging stations currently output 5V 1A and this unit is no different, so pretty much expect the relatively slow charge of standard charge cables. It’s not entirely bad considering most users will use this sort of device in their office or on their nightstands at home. High speed charging with 2A USB adapters is of course plenty faster but I honestly believe that it’s only really 100% necessary when charging your phone in your car, when you want to get as much juice as possible during short drives. Especially if you plan on using the battery hungry GPS on your phone. Generally you can expect about 5% of charging every 10 mins or so for most devices. One thing most consumers don’t know is that trying to charge an Android based device through a computer’s USB port is limited in speed, but ADATA has compensated for this by tweaking the transmission mode of the unit which in turn gives it the ability to charge a little faster than a direct cable from the computer. Of course if you plan on using a standard outlet to plug the unit into this doesn’t really apply.

The Elite CE700 is also feature packed. ADATA has seen fit to include Over-Heat Protection, Over-Voltage Protection, and a Power Saving Mode. According to the ADATA documentation, if the temperature reaches an unacceptable level the unit will shut the unit off as a safety precaution. Over-Voltage is a standard I’ve seen in other units that basically protects your device from being charged with an excessive amount of voltage, and as for Power Saving Mode; it will simply put the unit into a low power state if the device is not in use.

The last feature is actually quite nice to have and is one that I hate to admit that I never thought would be useful. Foreign Object Detection can sense when there is a metal object between the charger and the device being charged. It will cut off charging your device and will notify you via the LED indicator.

Final Thoughts

Pricing

At $39.99 from Amazon, the Elite CE700 is actually a pretty decent deal considering Qi Wireless Chargers from Nokia and Google run for $49.99. Other Qi chargers on the market can reach completely unacceptable price points. It’s definitely a value since you get the added benefit of being able to stand your phone up while charging which is something I’ve been wanting a manufacturer to release for a while. Right now it’s readily available via Amazon with Prime shipping.

Overview

The ADATA Elite CE700 was a pleasure to use. I’m in love with wireless charging right now and it’s because of one small feature that this unit has that others don’t that will keep it on my nightstand next to my bed. The ability to stand my phone vertically and still be able to charge. The only other Qi charging station that I know of that is somewhat similar is the Tylt Vu, but it can only hold your device at a 45 degree angle. It’s also $69 which makes the Elite CE700 an even better choice.

The charging performance was good but nothing special because most similar units output the same 5V 1A. The added benefit of quicker charging of Android devices through a computer USB port is great too. One thing I did notice is that this unit ran a little cooler than other Qi chargers I’ve tested. So that’s another plus in its favor.

In the end I can only give ADATA my praise for finally releasing a Qi charger than I know I will use because of its ability to stand devices vertically. Added with its various built-in safety precautions it’s a product that gives the owner a lot for their money. When it comes to choosing my mobile accessories I’m a firm believer that it’s the small features that really add most of the value to what I am buying and I’m sure that most would agree. ADATA has taken a very simplistic device and has given it an added touch that will keep me looking forward to what else they have planned for their products in the pipeline.

Pros

• Nice black piano finish
• 12mm slim
• Great Build. The aluminum back plate was a great choice.
• $39.99 makes this a steal
• Multiple charging angles (depending on device)

Cons

• Oddly placed charge port
• Wish it came with a small pouch
• Only comes with neon green rubber

“The ADATA CE700 Qi Wireless Charging Station is a must-have accessory with some unique features and for the money is an absolute steal. A slim, stylish and sexy design will leave it looking great no matter the location. A choice of colours would be great, but the neon green does stand out and make it easy to find if sitting next to your bed at night.”

Thanks to ADATA for providing this review sample.