Why You Can Trust CNET Nexus 4 Wireless Charger review: Big on charging, low on features
The Nexus 4 Wireless Charger is convenient for Nexus 4 owners, but other solutions from Powermat and Energizer offer more extra features.
Inductive, aka wireless charging technology, is gradually working its way into today’s smartphones, and the LG Nexus 4 is one of these lucky handsets. As a result, LG has created a tailor-made inductive power solution for its popular Android device. Called the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger, and sold by Google for $59.99, this useful gadget powers the Nexus 4's battery without unsightly cords. It performs as advertised too and also doubles as a handy phone stand. It’s not as capable as competing wireless charging solutions, however, such as the Energizer Dual Inductive Chargeror the Powermat 24 Hour Power system, which can power multiple gadgets at once or charge portable battery packs for the road.
Nexus 4 Wireless Charger
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
Design The Nexus 4 Wireless Charger looks unlike any phone charger I’ve seen, and that goes for wireless chargers, too. The most similar gadget I reviewed, the Energizer Dual Inductive Charger, sports a large rectangular charging pad that’s inclined at a slight angle.
In contrast the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger is compact and orb-shaped. About the size of your average tangerine, the device is much more portable than Energizer’s unit. That said, the Dual Inductive Charger features twin charging zones to power up two smartphones at once, plus it has a USB port to offer juice via wired connection.
Of course for all the Energizer’s capabilities, the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger is crafted with a greater attention to detail and usability. It’s also clear that LG, the manufacturer of the product, built it exclusively for its Nexus handset. For instance the device’s flat, circular charging area is coated with a rubbery surface, the better to grip the slippery glass back of the Nexus 4.
One drawback to this gummy texture is that it attracts lint and dirt easily. You might want to think twice about toting the Wireless Charger in your bag unless its innards are in pristine condition or the charger is properly covered.
At a steep, almost 45-degree incline, the Wireless Charger’s platform places the Nexus 4 at a comfortable viewing angle. This coupled with the gadget’s small size make it a cinch to drop onto nightstands or cluttered desktops. A rubber ring on the bottom of the charger helps it to stay firmly put.
With a bare minimum of connections possible, the device has just one lone Micro-USB port at its rear that links to a bundled AC adapter and cable. Be advised, however, that while you may be tempted to connect the device to alien AC adapters (i.e. other than the one that came with the device), LG strongly discourages users to do so or risk phone damage.
The Wireless Charger does support the Qi wireless power standard that's available on multiple phones including the HTC Droid Incredible and Nokia Lumia 920. Google told me that you can use it to power up similarly equipped handsets, but I didn't have any other Qi-compatible phones handy to confirm this. Additionally, it will charge phones when connected to laptop or desktop computers, given power is flowing through their USB ports.
Performance Setting up the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger is a piece of cake; it's just a matter of connecting its AC adapter and finding a convenient location to deploy the unit. After that I was off to the races, either with the power system placed by my bedside or sitting atop my office desk.
I was also able to position my Nexus 4 test unit on the charger in both portrait and landscape orientation. I did need to find a sweet spot for charging to commence, though -- slightly below the phone’s halfway mark, which I presume is where the Nexus 4’s battery sits.
The Nexus 4 Wireless Charger doesn’t offer an easy way to know it’s charging the phone, such as a light or audible tone. You'll have to view the phone's screen or listen out for the Nexus 4's charging alert sound. The Energizer Dual Inductive Charger sports two LEDs for this purpose, whereas Powermat products offer both chime and light indicators.
LG says that the Wireless Charger will fully top off a dead Nexus 4 battery in about 4 hours, and my experience was in line with this claim. In fact, with my Nexus handset’s battery completely depleted, the Wireless Charger brought the phone back to 100 percent charge in 3 hours and 45 minutes.
Just like with the Energizer Dual Inductive Charger, however, I noticed that long periods of use caused the back Surface of the Nexus 4 to get very warm, almost hot to the touch. I can't help but wonder how safe this charging method is for internal smartphone components in the long run.
Conclusion I know it may sound foolish to purchase an additional charger when the one that came with your phone does the job perfectly well. Still, springing for an extra charger to keep at home or the office is always a good idea. Plus, wireless charging is practically effortless and doesn't require the extra step of hunting down a USB cable. That's why the Nexus 4 Wireless Charger is clearly a smart buy for Nexus 4 owners.
If you can spare the extra $60, it provides a very convenient way to charge up handsets hassle free. I appreciate how also it functions as a handy phone stand, even when it isn't juicing up your Nexus 4. Sure I would love for a way to know if and when the Charger is shooting electrons at phone batteries, such as with a light or even a chime. If you want those bells as whistles, I suggest buying the $89 Energizer dual Inductive Charger or the $100 Powermat 24 Hour Power System. The trade-off, however, is that these solutions are not as portable and aren't built especially for LG's popular Nexus handset.