Review: Samsung S Charger Pad and S Charger Cover
- 12 July, 2013 15:23
Samsung is now selling an accessory that adds wireless charging capabilities to the Galaxy S4, but its high price is a significant drawback.
The Samsung Galaxy S4 S Charger Pad and S Charger Cover are actually two seperate products.
The former is a charging pad that uses the Qi wireless charging standard, while the latter is a replacement back cover for the phone that includes the required induction coils to charge.
At $74.95 for the S Charger Pad and $44.95 for the S Charger Cover, Samsung's accessory certainly doesn't come cheap.
The cost of the charging pad itself may be comparable to many similar devices on the market, $44.95 for a plastic back cover seems excessive.
Using the S Charger Pad and S Charger Cover is simple. Replace the existing cover on your Galaxy S4 with the charger cover, then plug the charger pad into a power point using your existing Galaxy S4 AC adapter and micro-USB cable.
The S Charger Pad doesn't come with its own power supply. That's a bitter pill to swallow given its high price.
Once you place the Galaxy S4 on the charging pad, a message will pop up on the screen saying that the phone is charging wirelessly. An LED at the top of the charging pad will also illuminate.
The S Charger Cover adds extra thickness and weight to the Galaxy S4. On our test scales, the standard Galaxy S4 weighs 130g, but the S4 fitted with the S Charger Cover tipped the scales at 148g.
More of a downside is the fact that the S Charger Cover's extra few mm's on the back means you won't be able to use the Galaxy S4 with a form fitting case.
On the upside, the shape of the S Charger Cover gives the Galaxy S4 more rounded edges. In our experience, this makes the phone a little more comfortable to hold and grip.
All in all, a nice option if you are hellbent on wireless charging, but we'd pass due to the excessive cost.