More and more often there is an opportunity for fast charging support, whether it is smartphones or tablets, and even notebooks. USB-C technology seems to be the most credited for succeeding in this, and even owners of an iPhone or iPad can benefit from it. We tested the Choetech USB-C wall charger, paired with the company's USB-C Lightning cable. Here's how he performed in our tests.
We have decided to include both products in a single article, which are sold separately on Amazon: here the power supply and instead from here the cable. This is because inside the Choetech USB-C charger, there is only a USB-C to USB-C cable, therefore not useful for charging Apple devices. And then, for all owners of an iOS device, the purchase of the appropriate cable, USB-C to Lightning, is a must. This is an ideal pairing to benefit from fast charging on the latest Apple devices, which support it.
Choetech 18W charger
Really small in size, and particularly light, it lends itself to being carried in any notebook bag, without particular problems. Its most important feature, of course, is the support for 18W Power Delivery, with the possibility of charging 5V / 3A, 9V / 2A, 12V / 1.5A, of course for compatible fast charging devices. Among these we certainly mention all the iPhones starting from the iPhone X and iPhone 8 line up, which can be recharged up to 50% in just 30 minutes, with a time saving that, as we will see later, exceeds half an hour compared to original Apple battery chargers.
The wall charger is compatible with QuickCharge 3.0 technology, which of course also offers compatibility with previous charging standards, so Quick Charge 2.0 and 1.0, working with virtually all USB devices. The charger, when combined with a special USB-C cable, will allow you to quickly recharge iPhone 11, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, as well as iPhone XR, XS, XS Max, X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. On the iPad side, however, those who will benefit from this charging technology will mainly be iPad Pro.
In the package, as already mentioned, there is also a one meter USB-C to USB-C cable, which therefore makes the charger ready for use at maximum speed, at least with compatible Android terminals, such as Samsung Galaxy S10, S10 Plus, S10 E, Note 9, but also the Galaxy of the previous generation, as well as the terminals Huawei P30, P30 Pro, Mate 20, P20, Mate 10, and many others with support for Quick Charge charging up to 2.4A.
Considering the technical characteristics, this charger could be particularly useful as a support for all wireless charging pads, in order to release the power needed to activate fast wireless charging.
The Choetech charger is CE, FCC, RoHS certified, so the manufacturer ensures internal circuits with multiple protections against overcurrent, overvoltage, overheating and short circuit for safer and faster charging. The portable charger is made with a casing that we felt was made of good plastic, both to the touch and capable of withstanding drops.
As already mentioned, it is small in size, with a weight of about 66 grams, therefore, particularly compact, especially suitable for those who want to carry it while traveling.
We have not really encountered any problems of use, nor of overheating, and the charger has always done its job, both with iOS and Android devices. Obviously, it is also perfectly compatible with Macbooks equipped with a USB-C input.
As already mentioned, the cable in the package allows you to charge Android devices with USB-C. During our tests we tried to recharge a Xiaomi Mi 9 and an Honor 20 Pro, both of which have fast charging support. We did not encounter any kind of problem with both terminals: by inserting the connector, fast charging was immediately activated, with all the ensuing advantages: the charging of Android terminals enabled for quick charge is really fast, without equal.
Choetech USB- to Lightning cable
To achieve the same results with an iPhone, unfortunately, the Choetech 18W wall charger alone is not enough. This is because in the package it only includes a USB-C to USB-C cable, therefore not compatible with iPhone and iPad. It is therefore necessary to combine a special cable.
The one under test, also Choetech, has a length of 2 meters, therefore particularly long, to be used even in bed, with the charger inserted in the socket near the bedside table. It is of course Mai certified, therefore Made for iPhone, so as not to have to worry about the future: belonging to the Apple certified accessories program, its operation with future Apple peripherals is guaranteed.
It supports Power Delivery technology, and the USB-C Lightning cable uses the new C94 connector to deliver very high power for fast charging. As already mentioned, it is compatible with iPhone 8, 8 Plus and later, therefore iPhone X, XS, XR, XS Max, 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max.
Unlike the usual 1m or 1.2m Type-C Lightning cables on the market, this cable is 2 meters long, truly unique if you also consider the particularly low list price.
Despite its length, it is an extremely easy to carry cable, strong but flexible at the same time. It enjoys a high quality TPE coating, soft to the touch, waterproof, resistant to wear and bending. From the first uses it seems to us to be very lasting, even if this is a sentence to be left to time. The lifetime warranty offered by the manufacturer, however, can reassure anyone.
Recharge tests
Of course, what matters most when testing such a cable and charger are the charging times. How much time do you actually earn by charging devices with fast charging support?
As for Android devices, the figure is very variable, considering the different models available on the market. It is not possible to return universal timings valid for all terminals. What we can say, however, is that for the devices we tested, such as Xiaomi Mi 9, the charging times are absolutely comparable to those obtained with the respective original chargers.
As for the charging of iOS devices, actually, we have found several benefits compared to the original Apple chargers and cables present in the package. We tested the two peripherals with an iPhone X. Well, while with the original cables it takes almost 2 hours to recharge from 20 to 100%, using the wall adapter, and the Lightning USB-C to Lightning cable, we managed to save half an hour of time, always recharging the device from 20 to 100%.
As for the iPad, however, our benchmark was an iPad mini 4, which we took from 0 to 50% in less than an hour.
Conclusions
Depending on the peripherals you have at home, we recommend purchasing the 18W Choetech adapter alone, or in combination with the USB-C Lightning cable. The latter is practically essential for charging iOS devices, but you could do without it if you only have Android smartphones at home.
Both peripherals are of good quality, and the list price is absolutely in line with what is offered. Remember that the Choetech cable is Mai, therefore fully compatible with Apple devices, and the length of 2 meters is an added value.
Pro
Cons
Prices and availability
The wall charger can be purchased directly at this address for € 14.99, available only in black color.
The USB-C to Lightning cable available from this Amazon page, on the other hand, costs 13.99 euros and is available in black and white, depending on your iPhone. Too bad, then, that the wall socket is only available in black.
