Samsung Wireless Power Bank review: Fast wireless charging, premium look justifies price at Rs 3,699

Wireless power bank is not a new concept, but Samsung Wireless Power bank (Qi standard) draws attention thanks to its build quality along with the fast charging capability. Most power banks are rectangular in shape, made of either metal or plastic coming in with ports, LED indicator and a button. Samsung Wireless Power Bank is no different, but it has a premium look and feel compared to other options available in the market.

The metal device has a soft rubberised finish at the top. This will prevent  accidental slip. There is also a circular grip that highlights the wireless charging area. A USB port along with Type C, LED indicators and a power button are there on the top panel. My review unit was pink (very subtle) in colour that looked attractive. The power bank is available in silver colour also. At 234 grams, this 10000mAh battery pack does not feel too heavy to hold.

Are all power banks same?

Samsung Wireless Power Bank begs to differ. While one can fast-charge a phone by plugging it into the port, one can also use the wireless capability with fast-charging. One can charge two devices at the same time - one with cable and the other wirelessly - at the normal speed, that is, without fast-charging.

For wireless charging, all I had to do was place the compatible device on the top of the circular base. However, while the regular wired charging starts automatically (when the device is plugged in), the wireless charging does not. When placing the Qi-enabled device on the Power Bank, I had to manually press the button on the top of the Power Bank for the device to start charging.

The Samsung power bank offers better and fast wireless charging compared to some of wireless chargers available in the market.

Not restricted to the Galaxy world

Not every smartphone in the market supports wireless charging. At the moment, the feature is restricted to a handful of flagship smartphones. However, the accessory ecosystem supporting wireless charging is growing.

Coming from Samsung, the Wireless Power Bank is not restricted to the Galaxy ecosystem. When it comes to wireless charging, it works like a charm with not only the likes of Galaxy S10, but also almost all Qi-compatible devices. I tested it with multiple devices including the iPhone XS, Google Pixel 3XL and AirPods. It successfully managed to juice them all.

The power bank surface was able to charge the iPhone XS even with the rear protection case snapped on. It successfully charged the Apple AirPods too.

Verdict

The Samsung Wireless Power Bank is a perfect companion for your premium smartphones and accessories. One may argue that battery packs are available for prices as low as Rs 499, but premium build quality and features such as wireless fast charging justify the price tag of Rs 3,699.