Apple may have been a bit too early when it decided to cut the cords and dream for a truly wireless future with the launch of the iPhone 7, the first iPhone with wireless charging. This wasn’t an industry first but Apple’s entry into the game set the stage for other manufacturers to follow and innovate in the area. More than two years later, Huawei has taken a new spin on wireless technology and launched the Mate 20 Pro, which not only charges its battery wirelessly but is also capable of charging other devices wirelessly by acting as an induction plate itself. Now, that’s something amazing.

The wireless charger comes in a larger-than-expected packaging with a lot of heft, leaving you the impression that there is a lot packed inside this box. But, in fact, there are only two key things inside the box, and these are:

Besides these two, you’ll find two thick user manuals which actually account for the bulk of the box. To be able to fetch the highest charging speed out of the wireless charger, you need a Huawei 40W wall adapter, the same as available with the Mate 20 Pro. But unfortunately, it is not available inside the box, at least not in India. However, the surprising – and rather, disappointing – fact is that the international variant of the wireless charger does come with the official 40W charging brick.

From the top, Huawei’s fast charger resembles a plain white puck, which is perhaps the standard look for wireless charger, as seen in the supplied unit with the Mi MIX 3. Looking at the device from the bottom, the Huawei Wireless Charger is shaped much like a saucer with a red circle running along its circumference. When a phone is charging, a small LED indicator – below this red line – lights up. This LED indicator only glows in white, regardless of whether your phone is still charging, has a critically low battery, or has charged fully.

The LED on the front lines up with the USB-C port on the back, which takes in the cable. The company’s choice of USB-C over micro USB or a standard barrle plug is great. This is because USB-C finally appears to be catching up not just on smartphones, but also peripherals and smartphone enhancements, replacing older and slower micro USB.

Overall, if you can bear with the surface that may attract dirt or smudges, you’ll be good to go with the Huawei Wireless Charger. The assuring build quality makes up for it, besides the promise of the fastest wireless charging speeds. As we will see now.

I tested the Huawei Wireless Charger for its charging performance with an array of top performing smartphones including the intended beneficiary Huawei Mate 20 Pro along with Samsung Galaxy Note 9, iPhone X, and the Pixel 3 XL and the time taken for charging these phones fully was:

Please Note: These charging durations were calculated using Huawei Mate 20 Pro’s 40W charger since charging with other chargers, including OnePlus’ Dash Charge-compliant adapter, was much slower. 

As you can see in this plot of total battery capacity (in mAh) and the increase in battery level over time, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, with the largest slope, has the fastest rate of charging.

Huawei Wireless Charger (15W): Pros and Cons

The 15W wireless charger from Huawei lives up to its claims of faster wireless charging than any other existing competitor. Its universal compatibility is great for anyone who uses multiple devices with wireless charging, except the Google Pixel 3. There are, however, a few trade-offs.

  • Fastest wireless charger in the world
  • USB-C port
  • Minimal and sturdy design
  • Skid-proof surface

Cons

  • Real benefit for Mate 20 and Mate 20 Pro users
  • Huawei’s 40W wall adapter sold separately
  • White exterior picks up smudges
  • LED glows in a single color

Huawei Wireless Charger (15W): A Great Mate for The Mate 20 Pro

The 15W wireless charger from Huawei is truly the world’s fastest wireless charger. It is undeniably a great accessory for anyone who owns the Huawei Mate 20 Pro or even the Mate 20 (but not for the Mate 20 X, which does not support wireless charging).