An Apple Expert Breaks Down Wireless Versus Wired Charging: Which Is Best For Your iPhone?

When you’re making choices about how to charge your iPhone and which kinds of chargers to choose, you may wonder whether it’s worth investing in a wireless charger. Both wired and wireless chargers have unique advantages and disadvantages that are worth knowing about. There may be times when it is more convenient to use a wireless charger, such as when you are traveling and would love to minimize the number of cables you have to bring with you. But is over-reliance on wireless chargers bound to negatively affect your phone and its battery?

Here’s what tech experts have to say about wired versus wireless charging for your iPhone.

Wired Charging

Wired charging seems to be the preferred method amongst most experts, and it’s also the traditional method. When you use a classic cable and charging block to power up your device, you can expect faster charging, a more efficient charging session, and consistent results. Unlike with wireless charging, there is little to no risk of misalignment that affects how well your charger delivers its charge.

But there are some obvious cons to wired charging — the most obvious one being the cable situation. Carrying cables around with you means they run the risk of getting tangled and fraying over time. If you notice a cable has become frayed, it’s very important to replace it. A damaged cable not only delivers a less efficient charge to your phone, but it can be a fire hazard, as well.

Wireless Charging

Wireless chargers are extremely convenient because they don’t require that you plug in your phone and search for cables, nor do they create wear and tear on a charging port. They’re fantastic for travel (fewer cables and all). But they aren’t as fast as wired charging and they can lack alignment, which will affect how efficiently your phone is charged. Perhaps most concerning of all: wireless chargers generate more heat than wired charging, and heat is the mortal enemy of your phone battery. If you are going to use a wireless charger, it’s a good idea to remove your phone cover to reduce the amount of heat generated.

You may want to keep both charging options at your disposal, as there are pros and cons to using both. But if efficiency, speed, and less risk of overheating are more important factors to you than the convenience of not having cables and wires to deal with, wired charging is the preferred charging method.