Aukey LC-C5 Qi charger for $11.19 at Amazon

The wireless charging trend triggered by iPhone X is now reaching more and more Chinese smartphones and accessories manufacturers. Aukey also wants a piece of the Qi cake and launches the stylish LC-C5 charger on the market. We were able to test it and tell you how it performs in comparison to the other Qi chargers.

• Aukey LC-C5 Qi charger
  • at Amazon for $11.19 (activate coupon)

Scope of delivery of the Aukey Qi charger

The charging station LC-C5 is delivered in the typical Aukey carton, which is hardly larger than the station itself. In comparison to RAVPower or Tronsmart the packaging seems a little unkind. It gets nicer when unpacking. In addition to instructions in six languages and the smart warranty card (key card), there is a well-processed USB-C cable (1 meter) and of course the charger. A power supply is unfortunately not included, which I would have expected at a regular price. Since the pad only works with 5W, an old 5V2A USB power supply is sufficient. Furthermore, a textile-covered cable would have been nice.

The charger: chic, but little power

As you can see on the pictures, the underside of the Aukey charger is made of a piece of metal. This is in graphite-grey and gives the pad a valuable look and feel. With dimensions of 87 x 87 x 12 mm (measured), the station is pleasantly small and elegant, but also doesn’t look cheap or fragile at all due to the weight of 129 g. The charger is made of graphite grey. On the underside there are four small rubber feet, which are supposed to ensure stability on smooth surfaces. A “rubber ring” would probably be even more effective here, but the feet are sufficient to keep the loader in place.

The completely rubber top side also helps to charge a Mi Mix 2S, because nothing slips or wobbles anymore. Unfortunately you can see dirt and dust very quickly on the black rubber, so you have to clean it regularly if you want to keep the clean look of the station. There is also a small LED on the top, which lights up red when ready and green when charging. A USB-C port for the power connection is then located in the middle at the back. This is to be emphasized in any case positively, since many Qi chargers still work with Micro-USB. USB-C is with the design/material probably also the main reason for the quite high regular price.

Charging process and duration

The charging process does not differ in any way from other Qi chargers. Simply place a Qi-capable smartphone on the connected charger and it will start charging with a delay of about 1 second. On the positive side, the Aukey does not require a perfect placement of the smartphone. According to the manufacturer, sleeves up to 3 mm thick are no problem either, and both an iPhone 8 and the Mix 2S were able to confirm this.

Unfortunately, the charger charges with a maximum of 5 watts, i.e. only with standard Qi speed. iPhones now have 7.5 watts and the current Samsung Galaxy S and Note devices even 9 watts. So if you have a Wireless Quick Charge capable smartphone, you’re giving away some charging speed. An iPhone 8 Plus took about 3.5 hours to fully charge. The battery of the 8 Plus amounts to 2,675 mAh and the charging time of the Mi Mix 2S is even longer. If I consider that my OnePlus 5T manages almost 60% in 30 minutes with a 3,300 mAh battery, the charging time is already very long. Personally, I see a Qi-Charger also most likely on a night or desk to charge the phone overnight or at work, without having to handle a cable.

Conclusion: For a practical and stylish shop in between

I’m a bit ambivalent here: On the one hand, the charging station is very well crafted and impresses with its above-average chic design and a practical USB-C port. On the other hand, it only offers an output power of 5 watts and thus limits the benefit for all devices with Qi-Quick charge. For the voucher price I can recommend it for all those who appreciate the design and own a smartphone without Wireless Quick Charge. But if you need a full 9 watts of power, you should rather use RAVPower.