How Wireless Charging Works and Why It's Terrible

How Wireless Charging Works and Why It's Terrible

You’ve seen wireless chargers, the tech is now as common as the smartphones they power. But did you know that they come with a big catch? Today we go over the tech behind wireless charging and just how much it actually takes to get your battery full again.

Check out our blog on Wireless Charging!
https://www.ifixit.com/News/94409/wireless-charging-trading-efficiency-for-convenience

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https://www.ifixit.com/products/ifixit-65w-usb-c-ac-adapter?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=ifixitchannel&utm_campaign=WirelessChargingExplained&utm_content=Description

Big thanks to Creative Electron for the x-rays they sent us!

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Chapters
00:00 Intro
00:18 What to know about wireless chargers
00:36 How does wired charging work
01:11 How does wireless charging work
01:47 Wireless charging issues and some solutions
02:49 Worst Case Scenario of Wireless Charging
03:13 A look at the Tesla wireless charging platform
03:55 Final thoughts

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50 Comments

  1. @VolodymyrVldmr on November 13, 2024 at 12:29 pm

    Yes, of course, It’s important. But – this is a bad realiazatiobns only. Why do you thing I need to charge with high power? And why the smartphone should be exremaly thin without the thermoconductive layer "Batter-case-etc."? I’m OK with typical charging speed 5W and with smartphone like Kycera Duraforce 5G. If Apple, etc. don’t want to make a smartphone for me (with wireless charging, etc.) – I’ll by another.

  2. @Angelstealth on November 13, 2024 at 12:30 pm

    It’s a fake indeed, there is always a wire in the charger 🤣 I’ve never understood “wireless” term. Just say “plugless” or something like that

  3. @d.9884 on November 13, 2024 at 12:31 pm

    A take on fast charging would be nice 😁

  4. @hiirets2413 on November 13, 2024 at 12:31 pm

    mfs doiing anything to not use normal celcius

  5. @tikycz8261 on November 13, 2024 at 12:31 pm

    Im charging wirelessly since iPhone 11 and I’m using MagSafe with iPhone 15 pro max now and i love it.

  6. @vanguy9780 on November 13, 2024 at 12:31 pm

    Something you completely ignore is the super cheap and flimsy USB C ports on most phones and yes even the flagships. If you plug in a charger everyday most ports won’t last a year before they are sloppy loose.

  7. @YaroShendrik on November 13, 2024 at 12:32 pm

    Finally someone said truth

  8. @Avelinovski on November 13, 2024 at 12:33 pm

    It is, indeed, utter crap.

  9. @FAIRPRINCE1 on November 13, 2024 at 12:36 pm

    Has anybody noticed that this guy’s vocal signature is unique?

  10. @Invid72 on November 13, 2024 at 12:38 pm

    This video demonstrates why reverse wireless charging is the dumbest feature to be released in the last few years. I have limited battery capacity so let me charge another device in the least efficient way possible.

  11. @MrHashisz on November 13, 2024 at 12:39 pm

    Wireless charging in the past was just an induction cooker, now it’s designed to kill your phones sooner.

  12. @yeahbuddy300lbs on November 13, 2024 at 12:39 pm

    We’re at a point where mfs are convinced that it’s a big deal for the environment if we use a wire or not 🤣 congratulations fool, you’ve been brainwashed

  13. @guipams on November 13, 2024 at 12:40 pm

    A minha única questão é porque não meter algumas conexões de metal que permitam carregar apenas encostando a traseira do smartphone a uma base com pinos que se alinha magnética mente 😅

  14. @NathanWesley-j5q on November 13, 2024 at 12:42 pm

    Dude, I charge my iPhone with a cheap slow wireless charger, it’s been a year and battery still has 100% health. Obviously is the speed in which you charge your phone that matters, my wireless charges takes 7 hours to charge my iPhone, I leave it all night on top and by morning is fully charged, besides, with wireless at slower speed my battery lasts 30% more than when charging it with the stock cable, it only takes two hours to fully charge my phone which is perfect for an emergency but it doesn’t get more than a day of battery, while us for 7 hours wireless gets me a day and a half, sometimes more! Doesn’t matter what you use, but slower is always better!

  15. @khaleesibhabhi4631 on November 13, 2024 at 12:44 pm

    Non sense feature created by phone companies to charge you more…..wired chargers are simple n effective……wireless charger also have wire..never forget that… wireless is just a gimmick 😅

  16. @joshbenton810 on November 13, 2024 at 12:46 pm

    My iPhone 14 Pro is 23 months old now and the charging port stopped working often after about 6 months due to the amount of steel dust etc at my job, so for nearly 18 months I’ve exclusively used wireless chargers and the battery health is still at 87%

    My last iPhone got down to 90% in a year and I never used a wireless charger

  17. @StevenLawrence-n1k on November 13, 2024 at 12:47 pm

    Stick to wired charging, got it

  18. @CedroCron on November 13, 2024 at 12:50 pm

    If you take a magentic Piezo electric phone cooler and stick it on the back of an Apple Wireless magnetic charging puck it will keep the phone cool while wireless fast charging the phone, that is what I do. The phone stays at a nice 20c room temperature where it would normally be over 30c without it.

  19. @teves_9 on November 13, 2024 at 12:51 pm

    I mainly charge my iPhone 15 Pro Max with the Apple 5 W charger over night up to the 80 % limit every day.

  20. @nataliecarson6680 on November 13, 2024 at 12:52 pm

    Make an update on teslas wireless charger for their cars!!!

  21. @drctunnels on November 13, 2024 at 12:54 pm

    Wireless charging is the only way to charge my phone now my ports broke 😢

  22. @vr_bob on November 13, 2024 at 12:54 pm

    Apple switching to USB C due to the EU ruling made me switch back to cable charging since I only need one charger for all of my devices. Haven’t looked back at wireless charging at all.

  23. @adamclotfelter9875 on November 13, 2024 at 12:55 pm

    Celsius; “centigrade” hasn’t been a thing since the 60’s

  24. @Anankin12 on November 13, 2024 at 12:57 pm

    "if the battery exceeds 30°C"

    Me on my phone where while it’s turned on, it has never dipped below 32°C evencin winter on top of snowy mountains:

  25. @sandroxino on November 13, 2024 at 12:57 pm

    I honestly don’t care about the waste energy, we waste so much useless stuff already, i’m more worried about my phone’s battery life

  26. @KK-ol5ov on November 13, 2024 at 12:59 pm

    Apple always implement things properly, yes they are always late to do so.

  27. @Spladoinkal on November 13, 2024 at 1:00 pm

    Not to mention, depending on the case you use, it can make wireless charging kinda rough

  28. @oleksandrfedoriv on November 13, 2024 at 1:00 pm

    the dumbest thing about wireless charging is that companies like apple decided to make their phones like 90% glass on the outside in order to make it possible. the glass back plates they make are super fragile and a pain in the rear to replace. i miss not having to have a plastic case over my phone for its whole lifetime.

  29. @heatherhutchinson3625 on November 13, 2024 at 1:02 pm

    If we want to save the energy and prevent global warming, we should ban this kind of technology that wastes a lot of energy while providing marginal convenience.

  30. @EricPeelMusic on November 13, 2024 at 1:04 pm

    Meh. Replacing battery myself is like $15. Thats cheaper than a cable most of the time and we all know how long cables last.

    I can fit my phone with a wireless powerbank in a waterproof bag. Cable takes up too much length.

    The waste heat from wireless charging helps my phone to not overcool while cycling in winter. Phones work very poorly in cold otherwise.

    I can 3M tape the wireless powerbank to a plastic phone case and its perfectly aligned and I’ll never have to remember a cable.

  31. @InczeRobert on November 13, 2024 at 1:04 pm

    Really don’t get the whole wireless charging hype

  32. @definitelynotclickbait8283 on November 13, 2024 at 1:04 pm

    why would the tech enthusiast promote such crappy technology?

  33. @Jackofafewtrades on November 13, 2024 at 1:05 pm

    I’ve been saying this for years, especially when people talk about wirelessly charging EVs…

  34. @awkc63 on November 13, 2024 at 1:05 pm

    I never understood why people liked this technology. Like, it’s cool, but it’s obviously a bad idea.

  35. @davideloi9176 on November 13, 2024 at 1:08 pm

    Wireless changing works through electromagnetic fields, therefore of course you lose some energy. One of those "innovations" made just because they look cool and sell well.

  36. @LeonardRibeiro25 on November 13, 2024 at 1:08 pm

    Interesting hearing an “American accent” with no t-flapping. It’s like a hybrid of American-British.

  37. @CaveyMoth on November 13, 2024 at 1:08 pm

    The first time I used a wireless charger, I was surprised how warm it made my phone. And that was the last time I used wireless charging.

  38. @pigasusr2 on November 13, 2024 at 1:09 pm

    For the people who think wireless charging is useless, my magsafe battery pack is one of the most useful things I own.

  39. @thersten on November 13, 2024 at 1:13 pm

    Try the magnetic cable chargers that come with usb-c adapters. They have the added benefit of not wearing out the port since you don’t plug in and out every time

  40. @tomytran91 on November 13, 2024 at 1:16 pm

    I think they are right! I change to charge with wire with the new 16 pro max, though I have 3 wireless chargers.

  41. @noir853 on November 13, 2024 at 1:17 pm

    wireless charger – style over substance. And the biggest irony, its still require a WIRE to begin with 😅

  42. @JCab13 on November 13, 2024 at 1:18 pm

    Been wireless charging my iphone for 4 years and have never had an issue

  43. @DOGEE_FOREVER on November 13, 2024 at 1:20 pm

    My phone’s USBC port is abit broken, so i use wireless charger to charge it at night. Really useful when the port is faulty

  44. @jacky6450 on November 13, 2024 at 1:20 pm

    Finally. Please explain it to MKBHD. He always says that a phone not having a wireless charging is a bad phone.

  45. @charlienyc1 on November 13, 2024 at 1:22 pm

    I keep my devices for as long as practically possible. I use a non-fast charging pad overnight to keep my phone charging slow, generally better for the battery. It’s never more than slightly warm. Also, there’s zero stress on the USB C connector, which failed on a previous phone from all the connecting & disconnecting.

  46. @anandsrivastava3954 on November 13, 2024 at 1:24 pm

    what about 50 watt xiaomi chargers

  47. @Ravens____8LJ on November 13, 2024 at 1:24 pm

    It’s not bad, wired charging isn’t that fast either specifically speaking for me, my S23 takes about an hour and 12 minutes before going to 100% while wired would take about 58 min. But seeing this Xiaomi and other brands with up to 50 watts of wireless charging is nuts, I don’t know what Samsung is waiting for.

  48. @Psi-du2lw on November 13, 2024 at 1:27 pm

    What convenient? Both are wired.

  49. @大老二爹地 on November 13, 2024 at 1:28 pm

    This will cause low-temperature burns.

  50. @mort996 on November 13, 2024 at 1:29 pm

    It’s not even convenient bro, I can still use the phone while charging with cable and it just sits there on the pad unusable. The wireless chargers are utterly useless. Unless your cable port doesn’t work I don’t see one case use for wireless chargers

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