5 Things to Consider When Buying a Third-Party Charger for Your iPhone
When you purchase an iPhone, you’ll typically receive some kind of charger with your device. What you get depends on your phone’s model, and some of the newer iPhones won’t include a wall charger.
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While you can use Apple’s chargers, some users prefer using third-party ones. They might do so for multiple reasons, such as wanting something that’s longer than the cable they got with their device initially.
If you’re thinking about buying a third-party charger for your iPhone, you need to consider several factors. Not all of them are created equally, and this article will give you five tips on what you should keep in mind.
1. The USB Style
One reason you might want to get a third-party iPhone charger is that you want to use a different type of USB. In recent years, Apple has significantly shifted its focus toward the USB-C style – including on its range of Macs. However, not all devices follow the same approach.
You’ll find various iPhone chargers in the older USB format, along with USB-C. Thinking about where you’ll use these is a good idea. A USB-C charger might make sense if you’ve already got a Mac and want to plug your device in via that.
In other cases, you might want to consider a lightning cable. For example, charging ports on many airlines only accommodate the older version.
2. Cost
As you’ll know if you’ve ever needed to replace an old iPhone charger, Apple’s official iPhone cables and wall sockets are not cheap. You will, however, find many third-party ones that are more affordable. But in some cases, buying a less expensive charger can be a big red flag.
Some of the cheaper third-party chargers can be of lower quality. The cables might tear easier, and in some cases, they might not charge at the same speed as an official Apple one would.
While it’s a good idea to get something within your budget, you should try to avoid going too far down the price range. Beyond a certain point, you’ll begin skimping on quality – and in the long run, you might spend more when replacing all of these chargers.
3. Potential Impact on Your Battery Life
We’ve already talked a little about quality being an important factor when choosing third-party iPhone chargers. But besides thinking about the build of your leads, it’s a good idea to look at how well they charge your iPhone.
While some third-party iPhone chargers are excellent at charging your device, this is not the case for all of them. In some cases, your device might look like it charges quickly – but you might find that your battery drains quicker later.
If you use a third-party iPhone charger, make sure that its charging capacity is comparable to one that you would buy from Apple. This way, you’ll ensure that you don’t cause a significant amount of lasting damage to your smartphone’s battery.
4. What Do Other Users Think About the Charger You’re Using?
When buying a third-party charger, you’ll find plenty for sale in physical retail stores. But if you don’t want to head downtown and look for these, you’ll find plenty online as well. Regardless of where you choose to buy your third-party iPhone charger from, you’ll find several customer reviews.
Before choosing the charger you’d like to purchase, reading a wide selection of these reviews is a good idea. You’ll find out what users do and do not like about the cable and/or wall socket, and you might also discover red flags that might make you think twice about whether you should look elsewhere.
5. Are You Going to Get a Wired or Wireless Charger for Your iPhone?
In recent years, mobile charging technology has advanced significantly. And let’s face it – having several wires in your bag or on your table can get pretty annoying. If you’re fed up of dealing with these, why not consider getting a wireless charger instead?
If you’re going to purchase a third-party charger for your iPhone, thinking about whether you want a wired or wireless charger is a good idea. You will find several MagSafe loading stations that you can use with the latest iPhone models, and these come at different price points.
If you already have other Apple products, such as an Apple Watch, you might want to consider getting a wireless charging station that can charge these devices as well as your iPhone.
In other cases, however, you might simply want to buy a replacement for your previous iPhone charger. Alternatively, you may wish to get something that you can take with you as a spare while traveling. For both of these instances, a wired charger is likely a better option.
Plenty of Things to Consider When You Use a Third-Party iPhone Charger
As you can see from this list, you’ve got plenty of things to think about when picking a third-party iPhone charger. Not all third-party iPhone chargers are a good option for your device, and making the wrong decision can cause various issues later down the line.
The USB style is crucial when you’re picking a third-party iPhone charger. You’ll find plenty that are compatible with USB-C charging ports, but others will work with older USBs if that’s what you’d prefer. On top of that, you can pick between wired and wireless options.
Now that you’ve read this article, you’re ready to research further and find the best third-party charger for your iPhone.
Danny is a freelance writer who has been using Apple products for over a decade. He’s written for some of the largest technology publications on the web and previously worked as an in-house writer before carving his own route. Danny grew up in the UK, but now writes about tech from his Scandinavian base.
