We are big fans of ESR gear at AndroidGuys. The company makes very well-made smartphone accessories. These tend to lean towards the world of Apple and rival the fruit company’s own standard of quality with its devices. I’ve been testing the new ESR Qi2 car charger, and it’s a great addition to your morning commute.
Design
You may not know, but Qi2 is the new “universal” variant of the existing MagSafe tech that Apple has been using on the iPhone for a few years now. Even though we’ve yet to see any Android devices take advantage, this should put ESR in the forefront of this transition with accessories.
The ESR Qi2 car charger is a rounded, square pad with the familiar magnetic circle in the middle from the company’s other Halolock (MagSafe) devices. There’s a USB-C power port flanked by fan vents on the bottom. The sides house two blue LED indicator lights.
Around the back is the ball-and-swivel mounting system. ESR includes two type with the Qi2 car charger: a 3M stationary dash mount and a clip-on AC vent mount. I’ve found that each works well and can help position the ESR Qi2 charger in many different locations in my Mazda.
Performance
The ESR Qi2 car charger has very good real-world results. It’s more than capable of getting you the full 15W charging you’ll find in official MagSafe chargers while recharging your iPhone. The magnets are also just as strong, if not stronger, than first party options from Apple I’ve used.
There are a few things worth mentioning. First, you will need a car power adapter capable of at least 18W to take full advantage of the 15W output. Unfortunately, ESR doesn’t include one in the box. If the ESR was more than $36, I’d consider this a much bigger negative, but these are easily found on Amazon.
Second, Android phones work great with the ESR Qi2 car charger with MagSafe cases, but don’t expect the 15W charging rates. Most Android phones will fall back to the Qi1 standard of 5-10W depending on the device. Even with this degradation, I’ve still found this more consistent than my car’s default Qi charger. My guess is the pinpoint alignment still produces much better charging results.
Conclusion
Pinnacle Selection represents our highest honor, one reserved for products that stand out in design, performance, and overall value.
Products earning this distinction exemplify excellence across the board, delivering an experience that truly rises above the rest.
When you see the badge, you’re looking at the best of what’s available in its category.
Qi2 devices are coming out from many companies to support the expected launch of Android devices with the capability in 2024. ESR has one of the first sure-fire options with its Qi2 car charger. At $36, just buy it already and thank me later. The ease of setup and consistent charging results make this a no-brainer.
You can purchase the ESR Qi2 car charger direct from ESR and Amazon at the links below.
Purchase the ESR Qi2 Charger from ESR
Purchase the ESR Qi2 Charger from Amazon
