CROWDFUNDING REVIEW – Do you love using a wireless MagSafe charger for your iPhone but don’t like that the so-called fast charging doesn’t really seem all that fast? That’s because 15W fast chargers can cause the iPhone to become too warm and special sensors inside the iPhone will throttle charging down to 7.5W which is why it feels slow. The ZIKE MagSafe charger has a solution for that issue. It has a built-in fan! Let’s take a look at this wireless charger which is currently seeking funding on Indiegogo.
What is it?
The ZIKE is a 15W wireless charger is a wireless charger with two charging pads. One is MagSafe for your iPhone and the other one can be used for your other Qi-compatible gear.
What’s in the box?
- ZIKE MagSafe charger
- AC power adapter
Design and features
The ZIKE MagSafe wireless charger features a space grey aluminum base with a suede-covered wireless charging pad (10W), and a status LED on the front. The status LED glows continuously when it’s connected to power and will then “breath” when it’s charging a device.
The MagSafe charger is connected to the base with a 4 inch long chromed arm. As you can see from the images, the MagSafe charger can be adjusted to the maximum angles that you see above.
The included AC adapter cord plugs into the base of the ZIKE charger.
The base has a large rubber mat that helps to keep the ZIKE from sliding around your desk. I do wish that the base was a little heavier as the hold of the MagSafe magnet is so strong that it can take two hands to remove the iPhone.
The top side of the ZIKE’s base has a soft grey suede-like pad. This is a second wireless charger (10W) that works great to charge another phone or other devices like Airpods. You’ll also notice that there’s a small button on the corner of the base. This is a touch button that toggles the fan built into the MagSafe charging head on and off.
There’s also an LED around the base of the arm. This LED glows when the charger is charging at 15W.
When the fan is turned on, it’s not annoyingly loud, but you can definitely hear it. The air comes out the back of the charger and out around the front edges of the MagSafe to blow on the back of the iPhone. I used an app called NIOSH to test the decibel level with and without the fan running in my office.
Does it keep its cool?
I also ran a couple of unscientific tests to see how well the fan kept the phone cool while charging.
The first time I charged my iPhone 13 Pro Max with the ZIKE without the fan running, I charged it to 88%, and using an IR thermometer (shown above), the back of the phone was 101.5ºF when I removed it from the charger.
The second time I charged the iPhone with the ZIKE with the fan running, I charged it to 88%, and using an IR thermometer (shown above), the back of the phone was 87.5ºF when I removed it from the charger.
The built-in fan works as designed which is great! But I do wish that this charger could automatically activate and deactivate the fan as needed instead of requiring a manual button tap.
What I like
- Two chargers in one
- Built-in fan to keep the iPhone cool enough to charge at full 15W
- 15W charging status LED
What I’d change
- Include electronics that will automatically turn the fan on and off as needed
Final thoughts
If you want a fast wireless charger that really is fast, then the ZIKE MagSafe wireless charger is an option that charges fast and keeps your iPhone cool. As long as you either keep the fan running all the time or you remember to manually turn it on (and off), this charger works great.
Price: $69 and up
Where to buy: Indiegogo
Source: The sample for this review was provided by Zike Tech.
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Hi. Looks great but will it charge a Samsung S8 ?
And is it available in France ?
Peter, It’s designed for iPhones because it has a MagSafe (magnetic) charger. The Samsung S8 could charge on the lower wireless pad but it’s not worth it to buy this if you don’t have an iPhone. It’s a Kickstarter project so you can probably pledge even if you’re in France.