Comparison Ugreen Wireless Stand Charger 15W vs Hoco CW37 Thorough

Number of wireless zones in the charging design.

The basic option is 1 zone, allowing you to charge one device at a time. To charge several gadgets overnight, models are available for 2 zones, 3 zones and even ≥4 zones. At the same time, at least one zone is made large - it is intended for a smartphone. Other zones can be made in the same caliber as the main one or have smaller sizes, and in some cases they are suspended structures for wrist gadgets (see “Watch charging zone”). Auxiliary zones are usually used to charge another smartphone, a case with headphones, smart watches and other portable devices.

Way of mounting a smartphone on a charger.

It's the car chargers that are mainly equipped with smartphone mounts. Many of them also play the role of a holder that allows you to fix the gadget on the dashboard. However, there are also home chargers with this feature. In automotive models, the main methods of fastening are manual clamp, proximity sensor(touch clamp), magnetic retainer and gravity mechanism. And in household models there is also a special kind of magnetic latches — MagSafe. Here is a description of each of these options:

— Clamp. The simplest mechanical lock: two spring-loaded jaws that compress the device from the sides. The compatibility of "mechanics" with a specific phone is limited only by the size of the case; at the same time, the design of the spring jaws itself allows you to adjust the width within certain limits, and in some models, additional adjustment in width is also provided. Thus, the clips are compatible with numerous gadgets, while they are very simple and inexpensive. The disadvantages of this option include a somewhat lower reliability than, for example, in gravitational devices: the apparatus located in a conventional clamp, usually, is not supported by anything from below.

— Gravity clamp. A latch of this type covers the smartphone on the sides and...bottom, while the bottom support works as a trigger sensor: when it goes down under the weight of the gadget, the side jaws converge and compress the device from the sides. Accordingly, to remove the smartphone, you need to slightly lift it. Compatibility in such clamps is also limited only by the size of the device; at the same time, they are noticeably more reliable than conventional clamps, and they are somewhat easier to use, which is why they are more common.

— Magnet. Holder in the form of a strong permanent magnet. Such clamps are very easy to use, they are reliable and durable (there are no moving parts in the design); in addition, they have no restrictions on the size of the rechargeable gadget. On the other hand, two other restrictions are relevant for magnets — by weight (it should not be too big) and by materials (not every case, even a metal one, can be effectively magnetized). And although these points are taken into account in many devices with wireless charging, however, the possibility of using it with a specific smartphone (and especially a massive tablet) should be specified separately.

— Proximity sensor (touch clamp). Automatic latch with an electronic sensor that recognizes the proximity of the gadget or the user's hand. “On the way”, the jaws of the latch diverge by themselves, and when the device is installed, they are compressed; when the smartphone is removed, respectively, the clip reacts to the user's hand and disables the fixation. Such holders are very convenient, but relatively complex and expensive; In addition, the mechanism needs power to operate.

— Magnetic MagSafe. The latch used in chargers for the latest versions of the Apple iPhone. It is a magnetic disk that is attached to the back of the smartphone. The original proprietary charger with MagSafe has a very simple design — a disk with a cable connected to it. However, even this design provides additional convenience: by turning the disk, you can place the wire on the side of the device where it will not interfere when held in your hands. This allows you to conveniently use your smartphone (for example, play games) while charging. There are other varieties of MagSafe chargers available, including third-party brands; there are still relatively few such devices, but in the near future we can expect a change in the situation.

The maximum current that the device is capable of delivering to the charging output. This is one of the key parameters for any charger, it directly determines its power and, accordingly, its efficiency with certain batteries. These points are described in detail in the “Power” paragraph below, but here we note that if several values are indicated in this paragraph, it means that the design provides for several connectors with different current specs (or several groups of connectors, each with its own amount of amperes per port) .

As for specific numbers, when charging from USB (used in most modern chargers), the maximum current up to 1 A is considered very limited, 1.5 A is low, 2 A, 2.1 A and 2.4 A are average values, and in the most powerful chargers, this figure can be 3 A, 3.4 A and even 5 A.

Fast charging technology supported by the device.

By itself, fast charging, as the name suggests, reduces the charging time compared to the standard procedure. For this, increased voltage and/or current power is used, as well as a special smart process control. But the possibilities and features of such charging may be different, depending on the specific technology used in the device. The same technology must be supported by the charger too — this is the only way to 100% guarantee correct operation. However some types of fast charging are mutually compatible — this point should be clarified separately, and compatibility is not always full.

Nowadays, the following technologies are most widely used: Quick Charge of different versions (3.0, 4.0, 5.0), Power Delivery (version 3.0 and 3.1), Pump Express, Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging, Huawei Fast Charge Protocol, Huawei SuperCharge Protocol, OPPO VOOC, OnePlus Dash Charge. Here is a brief description of each of them:

— Quick Charge (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0). Technology created by Qualcomm and used in gadgets with Qua...lcomm CPUs. The later the version, the more perfect the technology: for example, Quick Charge 2.0 has 3 fixed voltage options, and version 3.0 has a smooth adjustment in the range from 3.6 to 20 V. Most often, gadgets with a newer version of Quick Charge are compatible with more old charging devices, but for full use, an exact match in versions is desirable.
Also note that certain versions of Quick Charge have become the basis for some other technologies. However, the mutual compatibility of chargers and gadgets with support for these technologies needs to be clarified separately.

— Pump Express. Own development of MediaTek, used in portable devices with CPUs of this brand. Also available in several versions, with improvements and additions as it develops.

— Power delivery. Native fast charging technology for the USB-C connector. Used by many brands, found mainly in chargers and gadgets equipped with this type of connector. Presented in several versions.

— Samsung Adaptive Fast Charging. Samsung's proprietary fast charging technology. It has been used without any changes since 2015, so it looks rather modest compared to newer standards. Nevertheless, it is able to provide good speed, especially in the first 50% of the charge.

— Huawei FastCharge Protocol. One of Huawei's proprietary technologies. Formally similar to Quick Charge 2.0, but used with both Qualcomm and other brands of mobile CPUs, so compatibility is not guaranteed. In general, it is considered obsolete, gradually being replaced by more advanced standards like the SuperCharge Protocol.

— Huawei SuperCharge Protocol. Another proprietary technology from Huawei introduced in 2016; for 2021 is available in several versions. In some devices, the power of such charging exceeds 60 V — not a record, but a very solid indicator.

— Oppo VOOC. OPPO technology, used both in branded smartphones and in products from other brands. Available in several versions; The latest (for 2021) version of SuperVOOC is for 2-cell batteries and is sometimes listed as a separate technology called Oppo SuperVOOC Flash Charge.

— OnePlus Dash Charge. A relatively old proprietary standard from OnePlus. An interesting feature is that in some gadgets, the effectiveness of Dash Charge is practically independent of the use of the screen: when the display is on, the battery charges at almost the same rate as when it is off. Technically a licensed version of OPPO's VOOC, however, these technologies are not compatible. Since 2018, Dash Charge has been phased out by Warp Charge, but this newer technology is rarely used in separately sold chargers.

In addition, on the market you can find chargers that support rarer and more specific formats of work; the features of these formats can be clarified by special sources.

— Operation indicator. In some models it also provides additional information about operating modes, malfunctions, etc. Most often, such a light indicator is in the form of a separate light or a clearly visible backlight system. And additional information can be provided by changing the colour of the backlight, by blinking, etc. However, even without these features, the operation indicator provides additional convenience in use. In particular, it allows you to determine whether the charger is receiving power and working normally — this can be useful when diagnosing various problems. It is also possible to use non-standard backlighting — for example, as a night light that makes it easier to navigate in an unlit room (especially since gadgets are often put on charge just at night).

— Display. Own display on the charger case. This is usually the simplest screen with a few characters, but it is enough to display various additional information that makes life easier for the user: current voltage and current values, fast charging status, error codes, etc. On the other hand, this complicates the design, but in fact such information is required less often; Therefore, very few chargers with displays are produced.

— Detachable charger power cable. Cable for connecting the charger to the power source, which has a removable design. By itself, connecting to a power outlet using a separate wire (both re...movable and non-removable) is rarely used in charger devices — mainly in devices for which the “plug on the case” type design is not suitable (this is primarily wireless models, as well as wired charger devices with an abundance of connectors and corresponding dimensions). Specifically, the removable design is convenient in two ways: firstly, the wire can be removed and compactly folded for storage and transportation, and secondly, if the cable is damaged, it can simply be replaced, no need to bother with repairs. The disadvantages include an increased probability of losing the cable, as well as a slightly lower reliability than with a non-removable design (the latter, however, becomes noticeable only with frequent connections/disconnections that wear out the connector).

— Non-detachable charger power cable. Cable for connecting the charger to the power source, rigidly fixed to the device and not intended to be disconnected. It occurs much less frequently than the removable one described above, since it is less convenient if necessary to compactly fold the device; and if the wire is damaged, most likely, you will have to carry the charger to a service centre. On the other hand, you can lose such a wire only together with the charger itself.

The presence of a cable in the delivery kit of the charger, or any other specific type of included cable.

The presence of a cable is indicated mainly for wireless devices (see “Type”) — in such cases, we are talking about the power cable of the charger itself. For wired models, the type of connectors on the stock wire (s) for charging gadgets is usually specified. At the same time, the USB port is used by default to connect to the charger itself, so this plug may not be mentioned in the description of the wire. On the other hand, there may be such connectors:

— USB-C. A miniature version of the USB connector, gradually replacing microUSB in modern portable devices. It has a convenient reversible plug design, and can also provide some advanced power options not available with microUSB. Also note that USB-C can be used in a cable not only to connect to a gadget, but also to connect to the charger itself (along with traditional USB); so on the market you can find corresponding cables like "USB-C — microUSB", "USB-C — Lightning", etc.

— microUSB. Universal connector, extremely popular in portable gadgets of various types; only relatively recently has it begun to give way to the more advanced USB-C (which differs from it in its one-sided design and lower power supply).

— Lightning. Universal connector, used e...xclusively in portable Apple devices. Like USB-C, it has a two-way layout, but a slightly different design.