Powermat Wireless Charging Unit and Receiving Unit Review

Performance
Of course this is an item we can’t benchmark so instead we have tested it as thoroughly as we can. I like the idea of this device but there are some huge flaws with this device. Firstly, not all the tips come with the device and will in fact set you back a lot more money. This means for us, we were only able to use it with a very limited set of devices. For instance, it was capable of charging my Nokia N8 mobile phone, except this was of course through the USB port and not the main charging port which unfortunately means it takes longer to charge. Due to the length of the cable of the Powercube it was also hard to place the phone – as the USB port is on the side – in a sensible position where it could still be reached easily without blocking the rest of the Powermat.

On the other hand this device does work and it is more energy efficient than most charging units because as soon as the device is fully charged it switches off the induction loop and so then doesn’t waste any energy trying to charge up a full battery. This is unlike standard mains chargers which just keep charging relentlessly. It is also in the long run compatible with nearly every device out there, it just means you have to spend more money.

If you are lucky enough to have a Blackberry or an iPhone then this could be a good device for you as you only need to replace the back cover (Or add a cover on)with a special Powermat one and you will be able to charge it wirelessly. But for those of us that have other devices, it seems pointless to have a wire going to a different tip to plug in, especially when it doesn’t charge as quickly as the alternatives.