Qi vs home brew wireless charging technologies. How do their fast-charging claims stack up?

Many people are familiar with Qi wireless charging, which has become the de-facto industry standard for portable electronics supported by an increasing number of top device makers including Samsung, Apple, Google, and LG. While Moshi and other third-party manufacturers offer Qi-certified accessories for charging these devices, you might also have noticed prominent smartphone brands such as Xiaomi, Huawei, and Oppo touting alternatives to Qi and claiming higher power outputs and faster charging speeds.

High-powered proprietary technologies; say Watt?

While Qi delivers a maximum charging output of 15 W, some proprietary technologies claim much higher power outputs and therefore faster charging:

At first glance, these three alternatives look pretty impressive based on their claimed outputs compared to Qi. But more power does not necessarily mean faster and safer charging. In fact, these solutions are often based on proprietary methods designed to hit a number that can be used for marketing. Our internal testing found that they may only achieve maximum wattage for a matter of minutes during charging.

Wireless charging is all about keeping your cool

Heat presents the biggest challenge for wireless charging. Most batteries have a built-in management system that will adjust charging power in order to regulate battery temperature, as excessive heat can lead to permanent damage and even fire. Charging a battery—especially at high speed—not only creates more heat from the charging components, but also raises the battery’s internal temperature. The battery management system will reduce charging power if the battery gets too hot, resulting in slower charging.

For this reason, the Qi standard prioritizes stable, low-heat charging output and carefully-designed internal components to minimize heat buildup and transfer. The proprietary standards promise you impressive charging outputs, but a combination of poor design and inferior components means that heat isn’t dissipated sufficiently and you might only hit peak charging speed for a matter of minutes or even seconds before the charging current is throttled.

Qi and Moshi—A reliable blend of design and quality

All Moshi wireless charging solutions using the Qi standard are certified by the Wireless Power Consortium to guarantee compliance and interoperability, while intelligent design and the use of premium materials and components increases heat dissipation efficiency. The result is a safer and more stable wireless charging experience with overall speeds often faster than those claimed by proprietary standards despite far lower power output.